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{Random Thoughts} {Summary"}
American History (1900-2000)
Reference Links
www.justiz.bayern.de (text & guide)
Cornell EDU links
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Thoughts
As you will see von Papen was acquitted. He was originally
to be co-chancelor to keep the young upstart Hitler
in check. (This was still when Hindenberg was still
president). Of the lot of them, I think he was
the least guilty -- although as an Injun, I always
say there is more than an enough blood to go around
to cover all of our hands; (sins of commission or
of omission).
Many times throught out (after Hitler came to power)
there *were* times that the Army generals could
have stopped him -- they were the only ones that
could. Despite the constant threat of the SA
(the gang of thugs (like Musolini's thugs) that
first brought hitler to power) and the SS --
the dreaded secret police that only gained more
and more powers as the years went on. Despite
this, the Generals alone could have stopped him.
Finally, as I always say: The first country that
lost lives in the fight against Hitler was Germany
herself. And after a while, terror and a
determination to remain *silent* did the rest
and opposisition quickly evaporated.
In a recent e-mail to a friend of mine
(concerning the near-margin by which a new
"Hitler" Jean-Marie Le Pen
narrowly was defeated in France), I said,
"Thank heaven for Hitler, otherwise
Le Pen might have gotten in." (Le Pen's
anti-semitism now focuses on the politically
correct target of "those Arabs").
We must never forget the depths to which
humanity can sink. We must never forget how
"patriotism" and "loyalty" (even to beliefs
and borders) can "urge" us ever so
gently down the path which we must never
tread again. And do not think for a
SINGLE moment that what went on in
Germany in 1933 couldn't happen anywhere
else -- it already has, and it will again
unless we all "learn from the mistakes
of history". As Upton Sinclair put it
in the title of his book "It Can't Happen Here".
(He saw a form of facism rising in America,
based on Religious righteousness).
And never forget the lessons of "hubris"
(pride) that the Ancient Greeks teach
us. It is only be remembering Shiller's
moving words and Beethoven's moving
music: All men are brothers.
Or as humble Dr. Einstein put it: All
men are my equals in that I can learn
from them.
(I'm sure that he meant that about
women type folk as well),
-- As always, with peace and love to all,
Pizo,
Winter 2002, Dallas on a certain small
blue-green world with hope for the new year.
Recommended reading
Rise & Fall of the Third Reicht. William Shirer's
masterpiece.
Also, his "A Berlin Diary" and "A Berlin Diary
Concluded" are excellent as well.
If you have time to read only one book, I
highly recommend John Toland's
"Adolf Hitler" which tells most of
the morbid story in chronixological order.
Shirer's early chapters give more details of of
the "how" of Hitler's rise, Tolands give more
as to nature of the madman.
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Summary
(per Shirer's "A Berlin Diary Concluded")
At first the Nazi defendents tried to weasel out of
everything (or rather did their lawyers; trying to
get the case dismissed outright). Then they had to
enter their plea of guilty or not-guilty (they all
replied Not Guilty).
Then comes a curious moment; Rudolff Hess had been
feigning memory loss. After becoming disgusted
with his lawyer's antics to get him off, he finally
made an open statement in court that he had feigned
memory loss due to other mental problems, but that
he now renounced these views and was ready to stand
trial. (Hess was the #2/#3 man under Hitler;
at the very last he flew to England (without
Hitler's knowledge) to try one last time to
prevent the total destruction of Germany.
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