by Robert M. Traxler
A comment from a critic of this column asked for proof the Nazis were supported by the academics and the self-proclaimed educational elite in Germany in the 1920/40s. His request was made after I made a comment concerning the anti-Israel comments and antisemitic movements on our institutions of higher learning, and Harvard is among them.
I have always been concerned that the National Socialist movement could re-emerge in our nation. In the 1930s the largest event ever held in Madison Square Garden in New York City was an American Nazi party gathering held by the German American Bund. A socialist state that allows nationalism appeals to the left and right; the left wants a socialist state, and the right wants a nationalist state, a marriage made in theoretical political heaven.
National Socialism gave rise to massive hate, hate like we are seeing at many colleges and universities, with the object of that hate being Jewish folks once again. To a lesser extent, we are also seeing the Jewish hate on the far right, although the stereotype of fundamentalist/evangelical Christians being antisemitic is way overstated by the media.
Let’s look at the link between the educational system that gave rise to the Nazis in Germany and the Nazi party.
The most powerful historical event in antisemitic history is the Holocaust, the systematic murder of millions of Jews. The “final solution,” the Endlosung, was planned during the Wannsee Conference held in a suburb of Berlin in 1942. Many of the attendees were PhDs, very rare people in the 1940s, Rudolf Lange, and Gerhard Klopfer, among others. Dr. Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Minister of Propaganda, had a PhD in Literature and Philosophy; he joined the party in 1924 and he was a founding member.
The films of book burning in pre-war Germany were primarily at 34 colleges and universities. Organized by the professors and conducted by the students, book burnings were those written mostly by Jews, capitalists, and communists.
We can ask if the cancel culture move in our nation to ban books is a precursor to a larger movement? Most student groups in Germany banned Jewish students, and Jewish professors were also banned. Frankfort University, the gold standard of German higher learning, the German Harvard, banned Jews and held pro-Nazi rallies. A large number of students and graduates were members of the Schutzstaffel, the SS, the military arm of the National Socialist Party and the leaders of the death camps such as Dachau, Treblinka and Auschwitz.
Most of the Nazi Party leaders were radicalized while attending institutions of higher learning in the 1920s to 1930s — Heinrich Himmler, commander of the SS and an architect of the Holocaust, among them.
The National Socialists had a 95% approval rating in Germany. The 5% who did not approve were Democratic Monarchists, even a few communists, but most were quiet to avoid being attacked by the media and nationalistic groups. The cancel culture was in full force on most campuses; dissent was not allowed, and only politically correct concepts were permitted.
Hate blinds, and politically correct racial hate makes folks blind, and deaf. As Lord Acton famously said, “All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
So to my favorite and most sarcastic critic, answer your question? Probably not, progressives are always correct and cannot be confused by facts.
Shifting gears, our government is calling for a pause in the Israel Hamas war; what is a pause, and how is it different from a ceasefire? Damned if I know. A pause or cease fire will help Hamas to redeploy, re-enforce and resupply with immunity, something our left wing wants to happen, but it goes against sound military logic.
The call for a pause is a politically correct move to placate the anti-Israel faction of the progressive movement, but an illogical tactical plan.
My opinion, while I am still allowed to have one.
Gee Army Bob, that was outstanding information you presented! Thanks.
Bass Man,
Your welcome, thanks for the comment.
Straight pigeon chess. I watched twelve hours of different Nazi documentaries this week. The Nazis are far-right. Their party platform was only Make Germany Great Again, which consisted entirely of misinformation fomenting grievance and resentment toward non-Aryans and lefties.
Spreading upside-down 180’ misinformation in an attempt to completely mischaracterize Nazis as being the exact opposite of their true nature is euphemistically pretty dang low. Thankfully anyone dumb and hateful enough to be swayed by your Nazi lies would never read this anyway.
Mr. Gless,
Sir, you asked for proof you got it, you’re welcome.
The Nazi’s were socialists and indeed against the far left who were communists. Socialists always, always turn nationalistic when they control the government.
It would be a good idea to stop calling the readers of this publication vile names (dumb and hateful), we can keep it civil and disagree.
As a child I lived-in post-war Germany 1951 to 1955 and saw the results of National Socialism.
Again, you asked for proof you got it and then rejected it with no facts, just “I watched twelve hours of Nazi Documentaries this week.”
Thanks for the comment, and please keep it civil.
Not gonna let you feign the high road that easily, Bob. You are spreading backward lies about the Nazis here. I honestly don’t believe you can be ignorant enough to believe the garbage you’re writing about Nazis.
Let me ask you this, Bob: Had you been in Germany 25 years earlier, to which political party there would you have aligned?
Mr. Gless,
Sir.
So exactly what is a lie in the column? To answer your question “Let me ask you this, Bob: Had you been in Germany 25 years earlier, to which political party there would you have aligned?” Mr. Gless not the Socialist party that is for darn sure and you Mr. Gless?
Call it “feign the high road” if you wish but calling people Nazis, liars and ignorant is not called for. Thanks for the comment, I will keep it civil, perhaps you should do the same.
The lie is associating any sort of leftist ideology with the Nazis. Your inability to call the Democratic Socialists of Germany 100 years ago by their name in your column here shows your hand. You know that 1920s Germany consisted of the far-left communists and the left in rhetoric, centrist in policy status quo Democrats, and that the National Socialist German Workers Party was made up of far-right grievance and resentment toward non-Aryans and elitist lefties.
As soon as Hitler was made dictator, anyone in Germany with allegiance to the communists or Social Democrats were sent to Dachau.
You want to be called bad names here so you can be a victim of intolerance. Thank you, Bob, for sharing your Deep Thoughts on Nazis today.
To quote Hillary “what difference does it make” where the Nazi Party stood on anything?
We can see history repeating itself right now here in the USA right down to the Jewish people and now Israel being the focus of hatred and antisemitism. Does not matter if it’s from Nazis in 1933, or modern Democrats at Harvard University. Hate is hate.
Where does it stop Jake? Does it stop with the far left mobs beating up people with yarmulkes, attacking synagogues and making jews hide that out of fear and intolerance, or does it stop with another holocaust and mass murder? All my life, it has been “never again”, now I sincerely think that is in question.
China, The Soviet Union, North Korea and others prove the left is just as capable of shutting down free speech and creating an environment where only their ideas are openly expressed and accepted. Seriously, the historic death toll from Nazis is completely eclipsed by real leftists to the tune of hundreds of millions.
That is where we are now, at a dangerous precipice where we have some choices to make as a nation if we want to remain as a beacon of liberty and tolerance, or head into darkness.
So dangerous, such gaslight. Israel is a far-right apartheid state. No Waylander’s opinion on the matter has any point. Trying to twist Israel-Palestine conflict into some sort of righty victimhood political gain is embarrassing and pathetic.
And there you go folks, the veil is lifted on hatred. Locally…In our midst. Breathtaking but that’s what it is.
Thanks Jake, for proving that to all of us today.
All I see is an anonymous nobody trying to paint himself somehow once again as a victim. So sorry this happened to you.
M,
Hatred, really? We must have a different definition of this term.
Are you able to elaborate as to what specifically your exuberantly proclaiming is hateful? Even better, where is this hatred directed?
My interpretation of JG’s response is in relation to the irrelevancy of local opinions on the inflammation east of the Mediterranean. I believe he may be a bit reactionary, but hatred, I don’t see it.
It does seem that JG tends to stumble into the unnecessary pitfall of personal attacks that are so prevalent in these discussions. It’s no wonder considering the environment that is cultivated.
I gather he is tolerant of others opinions, just pointing out that our opinions are effectively pointless in this circumstance. At least in his opinion, if I understand correctly.
It is entirely possible that I am incorrect, or have missed something. Please help shed some light on what you are convinced is hatred or hateful.
Thanks
Mr. Gless,
Your words “Trying to twist Israel-Palestine conflict into some sort of righty victimhood political gain is embarrassing and pathetic.
Sir, you must have missed the rape, decapitation, immolation, infanticide, kidnapping and executions on October 7th? The Israelis were victims, it was on the news and in the papers, you must of missed it to say Israel is not a victim.
A ceasefire was in effect on October 7th then Hamas attacked Israel, sound like a victim to most folks.
Gee Army Bob, Mr. Gless is calling you a Nazi spreading Nazi lies! But he, being Progressive, cannot be confused by facts, he knows more than you. Being an Army veteran, you know which end the round comes out, I doubt Mr. Gless knows as much?
In my common sense opinion, I find the most educated among us are followers and not leaders, but they do make a lot of noise…. my opinion.
BM,
I have found that “common sense” or the average mentality, if you will, is often under informed. This lack of information, often includes the inability to critically think for ones self. This commonly breeds ignorant automatons.
Do you have any relevant information to support your findings of education level vs leadership capability?
It certainly appears that the current capacity of leadership requires a certain ineptitude. It also seems that the landscape of “followers” demand overly simplistic, emotionally driven, and often illogical pandering.
It can be difficult and complex to honestly attempt to understand something entirely. This is often uncomfortable for folks who desire to relinquish their ability to think critically. This is especially true for those immersed in ideological rhetoric.
If you desire further knowledge on these mechanics, it can be helpful to look into the concepts of Cognitive Dissonance and the Dunning-Kruger effect. In essence, it is difficult to change ones mind in the face of new conflicting information. The latter asserts that the less someone knows about a topic, the more they feel they are an expert.
I must warn you though, it does seem that ignorance is indeed blissful. Sometimes it may be best to stick with the warm and fuzzy, allowing others to do the thinking for you.
RMT,
Are you implying that higher education propagates antisemitism?
This is equivalent to an observation that a majority of insurrectionists are bipedal. In turn alluding to the assumption that bipedal ability equates to insurrectionist intentions.
This is yet another discombobulated attempt at distraction away from the relevant voluminous developments regarding attempts at subversion of the US constitution by prominent members of the GOP.
The ongoing attempts to ignore and failure to address the herd of deranged, demented, and unfortunately misled elephants speak louder than any language.
The efforts at distraction from the innumerable proceedings regarding the former presider in chief are especially revealing.
To summarize, this laughable miss-direction towards an obviously false equivalency is entirely pathetic. I would truly like to think you are better than this.