# Who was Hitler before Hitler was Hitler? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180 "2014-09-11T14:08:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/21 "2014-09-11T15:43:42Z")
It’s threads all the way down! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/22 "2014-09-11T16:29:06Z")
Napoleon, Cesare Borgia, Attilla the Hun, Genghis Kahn, Herod, Pharaoh, Caligula, Nero. Hitler makes them all look like second rate bad guys. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/23 "2014-09-11T16:38:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Obligatory [_Pooh Goes Apeshit_](http://www.skrause.org/humor/poohgoesapeshit.shtml) link. And [the aftermath](http://athousandbeginningsnano.blogspot.com/2014/01/because-someone-didnt-remember.html). That was actually inspired by a comment in the MMP, but I don’t remember what was said or who said it. (Mind like a steel sieve.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/24 "2014-09-11T17:03:31Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > (Mind like a steel sieve.) I knew a guy with a mind like a steel trap. Rusty, and illegal in most states. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/25 "2014-09-11T17:49:36Z")
Am I just nuts, or is there no historical person called Hagar the Horrible? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/26 "2014-09-11T17:58:32Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Am I just nuts, or is there no historical person called Hagar the Horrible? Certainly there was. Here’s the famous Norse Epic detailing his semi-legendary exploits: > **[Hagar The Horrible Comic Strip 2025-01-06 | Comics Kingdom](https://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/hagarthehorrible/)** > > Read the Hagar The Horrible comic strip from January 6, 2025, and check out other Hagar The Horrible comics by Chris Browne. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/27 "2014-09-11T17:58:49Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Am I just nuts, or is there no historical person called Hagar the Horrible? You’re obviously [nuts](http://kingfeatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Hagar.png) :). ETA: Really they’re all cartoons - [Ivar the Boneless](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivar_the_Boneless) or [Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigurd_Snake-in-the-Eye)? C’mon ;). ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/28 "2014-09-11T17:59:10Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > What do Winnie the Pooh and John the Baptist have in common? > Their middle name. And honey. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/29 "2014-09-11T18:02:13Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Pretty sure he never did anything worse than taking too long between showers. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Am I just nuts, or is there no historical person called Hagar the Horrible? Why are you haranguing me? :mad: His exploits have been documented in every major newspaper since I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/30 "2014-09-11T18:22:58Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > You’re obviously [nuts](http://kingfeatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Hagar.png) :). > > ETA: Really they’re all cartoons - [Ivar the Boneless](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivar_the_Boneless) or [Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigurd_Snake-in-the-Eye)? C’mon ;). Their dad was even more obviously a cartoon: Ragnar Hairy Breeches. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/31 "2014-09-11T18:43:45Z")
Judas certainly got thrown around as the epitome of evil. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/32 "2014-09-11T19:20:43Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > … Pharaoh … All of them, or…? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/33 "2014-09-11T19:28:45Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Judas certainly got thrown around as the epitome of evil. Judas is pretty specific - he’s the epitome of _betrayal_. Call someone a “judas” means they are betraying someone - more the equivalent of “Qusiling” than “Hitler” or the Nazis. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/34 "2014-09-12T03:17:05Z")
I think Ivan the Terrible could give Hitler a run for the title. Keep in mind that Ivan was before the industrial revolution. ---
**Author:** ![David\_H\_Singanas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@David\_H\_Singanas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_H_Singanas)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/35 "2014-09-12T09:19:11Z")
Who was Hitler before there was Hitler? A listing in New York City telephone directories. A lot of Hitlers had telephone numbers. By 1941 there were no Hitler families listed in any American phone book. Singanas (9-12-14) ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/36 "2014-09-12T14:05:17Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Hägar the Horrible was a nasty piece of work. > > Ivan the Terrible was not very nice either. > > And Vlad the Impaler was really disgusting. > Really, anyone with “the” as their middle name you could pretty much count on being evil. If only their mothers had called them Ivan the gardener Hagar the helpful and Vlad the hairdresser Things may have turned out very different. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/37 "2014-09-12T16:08:55Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Well there was the whole invading other countries and bringing years of war and suffering to Europe part. But aside from that he was an OK guy. I’ve always been fascinated how Napoleon is never concisely considered a good guy or a bad guy in terms of history. Given that it was the age of conquest & empire I can see the French still viewing him positively. I certainly don’t think anyone seriously compares him to Hitler. As far as I know the British still regard King Henry V as a great leader, statesman, general, patriot etc. and he did a lot of comparable things Napoleon did (invading & conquering France specifically)… ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/38 "2014-09-12T16:40:04Z")
The difference is four centuries. By the time of Napoleon, Europeans considered it much less acceptable to conquer one another than they did in the Middle Ages, even if they still had quite a taste for doing the same to people in other continents. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/39 "2014-09-12T16:50:38Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Am I just nuts, or is there no historical person called Hagar the Horrible? Must’ve been a few Hagars. You think all of them were gems? “I liked Hitler before Hitler was Hitler.” _– Adolf Hipster_ ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180/40 "2014-09-12T17:28:52Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > “I liked Hitler before Hitler was Hitler.” > _– Adolf Hipster_ Did he have a rectangular neckbeard? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-hitler-before-hitler-was-hitler/698180.md?page=1)