The birth of Fascism in Germany has always fascinated me. How could a person inspire a whole country to such acts of decadence. The Third Reich. Aryan Supremacy. Surely, it cannot possibly have impressed every German. Of course, it has to be conceded Hitler’s ideology skillfully exploited a crestfallen war-torn Germany. Or maybe, it wasn’t a conscious exploitation after all. Maybe, Hitler genuinely believed in his cause and hatred for Jews. One should always discount the gullible masses or the disadvantaged who look to misplace their hatred. But what could have plausibly inspired the educated, men with principles and sound judgment. Surely there are no dearth of such intellectual giants in any civilized society. Hence, my interest has been the transformation of the intellectual German elite who silently acknowledged the horrendous crimes committed in the name of nationalism.
I was happy to find an interesting exposition in the startling testimony of the fictitious Ernst Janning, a German Judge put on trial for Nazi State ‘crimes’. The question before the American tribunal was whether a German Judge can be held responsible for executing the German laws that he himself did not frame. To judge based on them…does it make him responsible for the laws of the land? Examining his credentials, we find him to be a man of fine intellect, even opposed to Hitler at times; well respected authority in Law and author of many international publications. In this context, should we find the man guilty of crimes committed by the State of which he was a part of?
This is what he had to say on his silent acceptance of Nazi Germany.
"It is important not only for the tribunal to understand but for the whole German people. But in order to understand it, one must understand the period in which it happened. There was a fever over the land. A fever of disgrace, of indignity, of hunger. We had a democracy, yes. But it was torn by elements within. Above all, there was fear…Fear of today, fear of tomorrow, fear of our neighbors, and fear of ourselves. Only when you understand that, can you understand what Hitler meant to us. Because he said to us: "Lift your heads. Be proud to be a German. There are devils among us, Communists, liberals, Jews, Gypsies. Once these devils will be destroyed, your misery will be destroyed. "
It was the old story of the sacrificial lamb. What about those of us who knew better? We who knew the words were lies, and worse than lies? Why did we sit silent? Why did we take part? Because we loved our country. What difference does it make, if a few political extremists lose their rights? What difference does it make if a few racial minorities lose their rights? It is only a passing phase. It is only a stage we are going through. It will be discarded sooner or later. Hitler himself will be discarded sooner or later. The country is in danger. But we will march out of the shadows. ……And history tells how well we succeeded. We succeeded beyond our wildest dreams. The very elements of hate and power about Hitler that mesmerized Germany…mesmerized the world. We found ourselves with sudden, powerful allies. Things that had been denied to us as a democracy were open to us now. The world said, "Go ahead, take it. Take Sudetenland, take the Rhineland, remilitarize it. Take all of Austria. Take it."
And then, one day, we looked around...and found that we were in an even more terrible danger. The ritual began in this courtroom...swept over the land like a raging, roaring disease. What was going to be a passing phase...had become the way of life.”
Many of you may not fully appreciate the text, unless of course, you have seen the famous courtroom drama “Judgement at Nuremberg”. I haven’t found a finer exposition on the German dilemma. Though every intellectual understood Hitler’s anomaly, none denied the respectability he gave Germany.
It needs to be understood that, every human, though he may not fully recognize it in times of peace (unless threatened) have an inexplicable love for his religion and his country. And he would die fighting for them. Perhaps, only Freedom is placed above these. History is a witness to this ‘impractical’ yearning. Perhaps, there are things that appeal beyond comprehension or logic, interwoven into the very fabric of man. A throw back to the ‘Lizard Mind’. Seeking reassurance in times of fear and anxiety.
Understand the context once more. Germany was in ruins after WWI. There was a great uncertainty all around. Someone comes in with hope and respect. Something to look up to. What he says may not look just but his love for his country touches a raw nerve somewhere in each one of us (even my grandpa spotted a hitler-moustache in respect). So you let go… Germans united. Germany rose to heights no country could dream of. The whole world shamelessly cheered on, partially in fear, partially in awe because it was nothing less than miracle. The intellectual checkpoints looked on, beguiled themselves in believing that it was just a passing phase. An unjust means to justified end. Fascism was to be….
So we find how normal it is, for one man with a vision to entice a whole country in self doubt, into acts of terror. It was gradual of course. Hitler himself did not foresee his phenomenal success. It was a case of one leading to other…. However, what needs to understood from History is that, it is indeed possible for such decadence (nationalism to fascism) to happen and no society does have the checks to contain them.
It is thus important to realize, that the Lizard Man never really differentiates between Nationalism and Fascism.
I was happy to find an interesting exposition in the startling testimony of the fictitious Ernst Janning, a German Judge put on trial for Nazi State ‘crimes’. The question before the American tribunal was whether a German Judge can be held responsible for executing the German laws that he himself did not frame. To judge based on them…does it make him responsible for the laws of the land? Examining his credentials, we find him to be a man of fine intellect, even opposed to Hitler at times; well respected authority in Law and author of many international publications. In this context, should we find the man guilty of crimes committed by the State of which he was a part of?
This is what he had to say on his silent acceptance of Nazi Germany.
"It is important not only for the tribunal to understand but for the whole German people. But in order to understand it, one must understand the period in which it happened. There was a fever over the land. A fever of disgrace, of indignity, of hunger. We had a democracy, yes. But it was torn by elements within. Above all, there was fear…Fear of today, fear of tomorrow, fear of our neighbors, and fear of ourselves. Only when you understand that, can you understand what Hitler meant to us. Because he said to us: "Lift your heads. Be proud to be a German. There are devils among us, Communists, liberals, Jews, Gypsies. Once these devils will be destroyed, your misery will be destroyed. "
It was the old story of the sacrificial lamb. What about those of us who knew better? We who knew the words were lies, and worse than lies? Why did we sit silent? Why did we take part? Because we loved our country. What difference does it make, if a few political extremists lose their rights? What difference does it make if a few racial minorities lose their rights? It is only a passing phase. It is only a stage we are going through. It will be discarded sooner or later. Hitler himself will be discarded sooner or later. The country is in danger. But we will march out of the shadows. ……And history tells how well we succeeded. We succeeded beyond our wildest dreams. The very elements of hate and power about Hitler that mesmerized Germany…mesmerized the world. We found ourselves with sudden, powerful allies. Things that had been denied to us as a democracy were open to us now. The world said, "Go ahead, take it. Take Sudetenland, take the Rhineland, remilitarize it. Take all of Austria. Take it."
And then, one day, we looked around...and found that we were in an even more terrible danger. The ritual began in this courtroom...swept over the land like a raging, roaring disease. What was going to be a passing phase...had become the way of life.”
Many of you may not fully appreciate the text, unless of course, you have seen the famous courtroom drama “Judgement at Nuremberg”. I haven’t found a finer exposition on the German dilemma. Though every intellectual understood Hitler’s anomaly, none denied the respectability he gave Germany.
It needs to be understood that, every human, though he may not fully recognize it in times of peace (unless threatened) have an inexplicable love for his religion and his country. And he would die fighting for them. Perhaps, only Freedom is placed above these. History is a witness to this ‘impractical’ yearning. Perhaps, there are things that appeal beyond comprehension or logic, interwoven into the very fabric of man. A throw back to the ‘Lizard Mind’. Seeking reassurance in times of fear and anxiety.
Understand the context once more. Germany was in ruins after WWI. There was a great uncertainty all around. Someone comes in with hope and respect. Something to look up to. What he says may not look just but his love for his country touches a raw nerve somewhere in each one of us (even my grandpa spotted a hitler-moustache in respect). So you let go… Germans united. Germany rose to heights no country could dream of. The whole world shamelessly cheered on, partially in fear, partially in awe because it was nothing less than miracle. The intellectual checkpoints looked on, beguiled themselves in believing that it was just a passing phase. An unjust means to justified end. Fascism was to be….
So we find how normal it is, for one man with a vision to entice a whole country in self doubt, into acts of terror. It was gradual of course. Hitler himself did not foresee his phenomenal success. It was a case of one leading to other…. However, what needs to understood from History is that, it is indeed possible for such decadence (nationalism to fascism) to happen and no society does have the checks to contain them.
It is thus important to realize, that the Lizard Man never really differentiates between Nationalism and Fascism.
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