The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler

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On the other hand, Laurence Rees’ book also uncovers in detail various historic events, some of the facts had never been published before. As it was previously stated, thanks to Rees’ interviews done over the last 25 years, the book is full of testimonies from people who served Hitler and from those who suffered because of his actions. These testimonies display information that, unless you’ve dug deep into Hitler’s story, you wouldn’t normally know. The book differs from other analysis books about Adolf Hitler’s personality because it doesn’t give you the typical facts. The facts aren’t about how he used to be a painter and he wanted to go to art school, but wasn’t admitted. Laurence hits you with other kind of facts, such as the exact words he said at a meeting, or what the son of a German family living in Poland felt when he listened to Hitler’s speeches on the radio. Another thing Laurence included in this book are facts Hitler himself tried to hide. He includes facts that contradict Hitler’s Mein Kampf, and I believe this is great. The facts are something outstanding from the book, and I’d say they are its best feature.

At the very beginning of the book Laurence says that to understand, that to be able to see Hitler’s charisma, you’d have to get to know him, and with the kind of facts he presents, you get real close to that. Throughout the book quotes from Hitler’s soldiers let you see exactly how they felt, they are filled with the most unbelievable feelings. I cannot begin to explain how stunned I was with some of the things I’ve read in this book. I even came up with an explanatory theory of why they followed him of my own, that they followed him because they were in love with him.

For instance, what lead me to believe this where two quotes from ordinary people, not poets, who heard Hitler talking and that managed to describe him as finely as a poet would. “I saw that man shortly before midnight, after talking for three hours, bathed in sweat, radiant. My neighbor thought he saw a halo around his head, and I experienced something that transcended the normal”[1], and “And in the pauses of his speech, his blue eyes glowed passionately as he combed back with his right hand ... Everything came from the heart and we touched the sensitive fiber ...”[2] After finishing the book, I understand why many people followed him, so it’s fair to say that the book fulfills its objective of helping people make sense or understand how he “led millions into the abyss”.

Flipping through the pages of the book, we’ll also find pictures of Hitler, the people who Laurence references/quotes, and a couple of places or important events. This, I believe, is a nice addition to the book, for after almost 200 pages of hard facts, the brain can use a break. It also supports what was being said in the latter paragraph; it helps you conceive Hitler’s personality a bit more. It’s also interesting, from the charismatic analysis point of view to see him in pictures with his dog, his youth supporters, or during a speech.

All in all, I’d say the book is a pretty good book, especially for research. It does seem like it loses its focus into the charismatic co-relation analysis of Hitler’s persona due to all the extra facts and analysis of other nature, but those things make up the book too. The book can easily be used for as research material; in addition to the quotes and facts it has, a bit less than 60 pages of Notes and Analytic Index from where you can draw names of books, people, interviews, dates, etc. for further research. Keeping track of dates and names for research wouldn’t be difficult since the author constantly reminds you of who is who and mentions previous events not to get lost. From what I could see, the book can easily be related to three major subjects, psychology, political science, and of course, history.

I’d like to recommend this book not only to those who need a research material, but to those who are interested in getting to know Hitler more, of understanding his actions more. The book will let you see how many people did paint him as a messiah, even more than that, as a God. If you’re intrigued by why he achieved what he achieved, and how it was possible that so many people backed him up, and helped him, read The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler by Laurence Rees. Your mind will be blown when you see how there were people in Poland cheering for the invasion and how they thought that the holocaust wasn’t his creation, how they thought he was clueless about the situation. You’ll be amazed at the testimony of people who said he only meant good, but that the SS and the Gestapo brainwashed him. As I’ve said before, there’s so many information about Hitler out there, that you can have either a million reasons for what he did, or none, but if you want some hard facts to help you decide, Rees’ book is the way to go.

References

L. R. (2016). El Oscuro Carisma de Hitler. Ciudad de México: CRÍTICA.

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