Video: “Adolf — The Bonker”
posted at 7:16 pm on December 17, 2006 by Allahpundit
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Four million views on YouTube according to today’s LA Times. The lion’s share of them went to the German-language version of the clip; the one you’re watching here came later.
The Times calls it part of a trend away from the image of Hitler as a supernatural force, which isn’t as sinister as it sounds. For example, “Hitler Speaks” debuted last night on the History Channel and described how historians have used cutting-edge lip-reading software to decipher the conversations in silent home movies shot at the Berghof in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In one scene you see him chatting with Eva Braun about the movie they watched the night before; in another, Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich discuss “projects” they’re working on. Real people, relaxing and talking shop, inadvertently setting a marker of common human experience against which to measure the enormity of what was happening elsewhere. The banality of evil indeed.
The risk is that by humanizing them, or satirizing them, you end up trivializing them. Judge for yourself where this falls on that continuum.
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What’s so bad about Adolf? Sure he was a little tense. We know he was syphilitic by the end of the war, so it really wasn’t his fault. He was just sick.
The Jews probably deserved it, anyway. I mean, look at what they’re doing to the Palestinians.
spmat on December 17, 2006 at 7:38 PM
I don’t know…I’m torn…
When you posted about that clip (was it from a British program?) of a “9/11 Twin Towers playset” with kids “flying” toy airplanes into it, that was offensive to me as an American. I know a lot of Germans get “testy” when I even bring up Hitler or Nazis…whether it’s shame, hurt national pride, etc…
One man’s comedy is another’s tragedy I suppose…
I just don’t know…
JetBoy on December 17, 2006 at 7:44 PM
I don’t like seeing his naked butt.
Alex K on December 17, 2006 at 8:08 PM
I don’t like seeing his naked butt.
Alex K on December 17, 2006 at 8:08 PM
Usually when I double post, which is often, it’s a mistake, but in this case I just wanted to emphasize my disapproval of his butt.
Alex K on December 17, 2006 at 8:15 PM
I saw this Hitler documetary yesterday. Very interesting insight into the man. I had heard he didn’t like Goering but man did he dislike the guy as he totally talked alot of crap behind his back. It’s amazing Goering had such an important position given Hitlers dislike of him.
Also, it turns out Hitler had a pretty high level of respect for the Russian fighting forces.
Yakko77 on December 17, 2006 at 8:28 PM
I just found this video to be surreal.
EnochCain on December 17, 2006 at 8:36 PM
“I had heard he didn’t like Goering but man did he dislike the guy as he totally talked alot of crap behind his back. It’s amazing Goering had such an important position given Hitlers dislike of him.
Also, it turns out Hitler had a pretty high level of respect for the Russian fighting forces” – Yakko
Both true, and I’ll throw in my 2 cents.
I think hitler appreciated Goering as an ally who gave him “cred” with the public and the military in the early years. He came to disrespect “Uncle Hermann” after Goering proved to be an incompetent junkie – but by then it was too late to get rid of him as the war was in full swing.
Hitler held the Russian military in contempt until he learned to respect them (the hard way). He had always thought that indidvidual Russian soldiers were tough, but poorly supplied and poorly led. Eventually he had to concede that they were well equipped and eventually competently led as well.
forest on December 17, 2006 at 8:43 PM
Yeah, hindsight being 20/20 had Hitler had this respect for the Russians in the first place he might not have invaded or at least listened to his generals a bit more on how they felt such an undertaking should be carried out. hitler fancied himself a general a bit too much. Being a war vet doesn’t automatically qualify you as a leader.
Yakko77 on December 17, 2006 at 9:28 PM
Humanizing him may be what eventually does the myth in – after all, the near mythological status that has been affixed to him has done nothing but earn him followers.
People need to realize that he was not God, but a flawed person who made it to power in a nation that was looking in the wrong places for answers and hope.
Not that there is a parallel in that, right?
Emmett J. on December 17, 2006 at 9:33 PM
Question is how many would have been beheaded if this was made about Mohammed ?
William Amos on December 17, 2006 at 9:36 PM
I guess that was supposed to be funny. Too bad Europe never learned the biggest lesson of WW2–appeasement doesn’t work.
Hack Ptui on December 17, 2006 at 11:03 PM
It depends on how rational the mind is which views this video. To me, it makes fun of a horrible dictator who brought so much death and destruction to the world. To another, it makes Hitler a hero to be admired. All media can be construed this way.
thedecider on December 18, 2006 at 12:22 AM
Just for the record – I found it amusing as it reinforced my view of Hitler as a mad man.
thedecider on December 18, 2006 at 12:22 AM
Myth-busting is a good thing. What happened in Germany could happen anywhere, and didn’t happen because Hitler was a one-of-a-kind evil genius. There have been lots of politicians who could motivate people to do extraordinary things, whether for good or ill. Judenhaß is positively thriving in a lot of countries.
The Monster on December 18, 2006 at 1:09 AM
“What’s so bad about Adolf? Sure he was a little tense. We know he was syphilitic by the end of the war, so it really wasn’t his fault. He was just sick.
The Jews probably deserved it, anyway. I mean, look at what they’re doing to the Palestinians.
spmat on December 17, 2006 at 7:38 PM”
Well Well aren’t you a good little NAZI scum bag! Put your jack boots on dirt bag, and goose step over to Iran! After all the rag head scum helped Hitler in W.W. II
Confederate on December 18, 2006 at 2:08 PM
Confederate…I think spmat was being sarcastic.
And if not, spmat…well, you know. (*cringe*)
tickleddragon on December 18, 2006 at 4:55 PM
I didn’t make it past one minute or so. Just dumb. And annoying.
robblefarian on December 18, 2006 at 9:12 PM
That line begs to be quoted.
- The cat
MirCat on December 19, 2006 at 5:25 AM
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