Hitler's public speaking skills

[Mr.Kobayashi]

@handsomeharry

One can hardly call Ludendorff a disinterested party.

I never did. Still, he was on the money when it came to Hitler’s appointment, showing that not everyone fell for the bluster. Hindenburg himself disliked the vulgar ‘Bohemian corporal’, saying to Schleicher “I already have one foot in the grave and I am not sure if I shall regret this action in heaven later on.” Schleicher replied “After this breach of trust, sir, I am not sure if you will go to heaven.”

[ralph124c]

Wasn’t Ludendorff a bit senile at this point? Some accounts have him worshiping the Germanic God Wotan. Ludendorff was the last ruler of Imperial Germany (as the Kaiser was out of his mind). The guy had a lot to do with the Nazis rise to power.

[aaelghat]

Similar to what UDP posted, my grandfather said he used to enjoy listening to Hitler’s speeches on the radio - and my grandfather did not know any German.

I’d imagine at the time, most of his listeners heard him on the radio, so all that mattered was the voice and intonation.

[madsircool]

@Mr.Kobayashi

I never did. Still, he was on the money when it came to Hitler’s appointment, showing that not everyone fell for the bluster. Hindenburg himself disliked the vulgar ‘Bohemian corporal’, saying to Schleicher “I already have one foot in the grave and I am not sure if I shall regret this action in heaven later on.” Schleicher replied “After this breach of trust, sir, I am not sure if you will go to heaven.”

Iirc, Scleicher was a weasal trying to jockey himself into power. Indirectly, he is as responsible for Hitler as anyone.

[Captain_Amazing]

@ralph124c

Another Hitler question: Hitler was never promoted beyond corporal (in the WWI German Army). In his speeches (as Chancellor) Hitler usually wore a quasi-military outfit, with an officer’s peaked cap. Was he subsequently promoted or something?

That’s a party/SA uniform and cap, that you’re probably thinking of, not an army one.

[montag01]

As noted, Hitler’s oratory style and his various gesticulations were fairly mainstream back in the day, and the tradition carried on for awhile.

For example, this excerpt from episode 7 of The World at War that shows a clip from Roosevelt’s nomination. This guy’s hand and arm gestures remind me a lot of Hitler’s.

Or another example, here is Billy Graham giving a sermon in the 1950s. Pretend you don’t know the language and watch his gestures and see if they don’t remind you a bit of Hitler (and I’m in no way trying to compare the two men otherwise).

[RickJay]

@Freddy_the_Pig

My vote is that it’s nonsense. Churchill said a lot of funny things so people make up more.

Perhaps more to the point, it would have been extremely uncharacteristic of Churchill to make that particular joke. His optimism, determination and unshakeable faith in the British Empire were totally inconsistent with such a pessimistic a “we’re screwed” joke.

[grude]

@funky_little_lee

This x2.

My grandmother grew up in Germany just after WWI, and if you want to get some perspective on what that experience did to people–when she was in her 70’s we asked her what was the happiest day of her life and she said, “When we had all the food we could eat.”

She came to the US in the 1920’s. I asked her once why Hitler could be so popular when his ideas were so awful, and she told me, “He was a great speaker, and he told people what they wanted to hear.”

Just this little clip of Hitler speaking at the Siemens Dynamo factory will show how visceral a reaction he provokes–even if you don’t speak German. I know a little German, but not enough to follow every word. But I believe at the beginning of the speech he tells the crowd, “I know where you’re coming from. I was a blue-collar worker too. I understand you! I’m one of you!” Then he mops his brow and gives a moment for the words to sink in, and to show how emotional he is about what he’s saying. I think it’s genius. He said more with a handkerchief than all the speeches of our politicians of the last 50 years put together.

My mom was born in Germany during WW2, and she said older Germans would tell her of how wonderful Hitler was because bananas were back in groceries, they were just flat amazed at the idea of buying bananas after years of deprivation.

[the_diego]

Hitler wasn’t a bad looker. He wasn’t as boring as Nixon, Ike, Gerry, and Lindy. And for those who hear Rev. Jesse Jackson for the first time, they realize why he never came close to being a standard bearer. I’d rather listen to Kerry, or Trump.

[madsircool]

The little Hitler was also shaved with that weird little mustache…:o

[handsomeharry]

@madsircool

Iirc, Scleicher was a weasal trying to jockey himself into power. Indirectly, he is as responsible for Hitler as anyone.

Yes, but, his ego was so monumental that he couldn’t believe that God didn’t have a special spot in Hell for people that didn’t choose Schleicher as chancellor!

[DrDeth]

@Mr.Kobayashi

There were some who saw through it. Ludendorff, an early supporter of the Nazis, told Hindenburg in January 1933 after he had promoted Hitler to the Chancellorship “I solemnly prophesy that this accursed man will cast our Reich into the abyss and bring our nation to inconceivable misery. Future generations will damn you in your grave for what you have done.”

Admiral Canaris, the head of German Intelligence,. also saw thru Hitler fairly early.