Hitler Myths

Debunking the Myths about Hitler

A Truly Christian Perspective debunking some of the Myths about Adolf Hitler

Written by Pastor Joe Johnson
1 November 2007 A.D.

Updated 4 November 2007 A.D.

The following essay provides a brief explanation for some of the most common misconceptions about Adolf Hitler that have become pervading Myths about the famous Nazi leader. Unfortunately in today's modern politically correct “Judeo-Christian” and Secular Humanist culture, rarely do people examine closely the reasons or evidence of Hitler's actual beliefs, more often than not confusing the beliefs of other prominent Nazis for Hitler's views, and the beliefs of the mainstream of the Nazi Party.  A careful and scholarly study of the documented facts proves that both Adolf Hitler and the majority of the Nazis of the World War II era where Christians.  One may argue about the correctness of their doctrines and about the depth of their Faith in God, but there is really no denying the fact that these men and women of the Nazi movement were in fact true Christians, including their most prominent leader, the fuehrer Adolf Hitler.

Myth 1: Hitler was not a Christian.

Myth 2: Hitler pretended his Christianity only for political purposes.

Myth 3: Hitler got his ideas of Aryan superiority and Jewish hatred from Darwinian evolution.

Myth 4: Hitler followed Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy.

Myth 5: Hitler was a Pagan and an Occultist, or a promoter of Paganism and the Occult.

Myth 6: Hitler was a Jew, and the Earth is flat with a Moon made of Swiss cheese.

Myth 7: Hitler was ....... (to be continued).

  Perhaps a Page Two in the works, of Myths about Adolf Hitler .......

Myth 1: Hitler was not a Christian.

The essay on the Christianity of Adolf Hitler provides ample evidence for his understanding of Christianity. The evidence itself destroys any opinions, spin or politically correct beliefs about Hitler's alleged apostasy or paganism.

The evidence shows that:

1. Hitler was born and baptized into Roman Catholicism

2. His Anti-Jewish (“anti-Semitism”) came from his Christian background and was common thinking among German Christians and indeed almost all European Christians at that time in history and for many centuries previous to World War II.

3. His early personal notes show his interest in the Christian religion and Christian Biblical views.

4. He believed that the Holy Bible represented the true history of mankind.

5. His Nazi party platform (the Nazi version of a constitution) included a section on Positive Christianity, and he never removed it, even though he could have done so and surely would have done so if he truly had been anti-Christian.

6. He confessed his Christianity.

7. He tried to establish a united Reich German Church, in the same manner that both Scotland and England have a National Christian Church.

8. Hitler allowed and encouraged the destruction of Jewish synagogues and temples, but not Christian churches.

9. He encouraged Nazis to worship in Christian churches, and to be strengthened by their Christian Faith.

10. He spoke of his Christian beliefs and Faith in his speeches and proclamations.

11. His contemporaries, compatriots, friends, Protestant ministers and Catholics priests, including the Vatican, thought of Hitler as a Christian.

12. The Catholic Church never excommunicated Hitler. He died a Roman Catholic.

To ignore or repress the evidence of Hitler's Christianity as most modern people and governments do religiously and zealously demonstrates how the power of politically correct beliefs and fear of not being politically correct can obscure the facts.  The other supporters of these Myths about Adolf Hitler are usually Secular Humanist or Pagan Neo-Nazis with an agenda to support and press forward.  The Pagan Neo-Nazis want very much to believe that Hitler was a like-minded Pagan, and the Secular Humanist Neo-Nazis want very much to believe he was simply a Humanist like them with a sharp focus on the Aryan Race.  About the only group of people with a clear understanding of Adolf Hitler are Neo-Nazis and borderline Neo-Nazis of the Christian Identity Faith and these people have little in common with Pagans and Secular Humanists of any persuasion.  Firm adherents of the Christian Identity Faith and of true orthodox Christianity can readily see and understand that the strength the Nazi Party attained and the heights it soared to before and during World War II were built on a firm foundation of the Christian Faith and the support of the common folk of Germany and Europe.  The common folk were Christians, the Nazi Party members and leaders were mostly Christians, and any attempt to ignore those facts leads to a faulty understanding of Nazism and of World War II.

Myth 2: Hitler pretended his Christianity only for political purposes.

This one Myth represents one of the most persistent fabrication and illusions about Hitler's Christianity. Revealingly, proponents of this particular myth never provide any real evidence for this hypothesis. If Hitler, indeed, pretended that he was a Christian, were is the evidence of that pretense.  In other words, if you choose to believe this particular myth then on what evidence and documentation do you support your belief? If Hitler merely acted or pretended to be a Christian, then where in his extensive writings, proclamations, or speeches does he disown his belief in Christ?  The fact is he never disavowed his sincere belief in Jesus Christ!  Does he ever write in his private notes that he used the Christian religion only for political purposes?  No he did not!  Did any of his compatriots, close associates or friends think that Adolf Hitler was merely pretending to be a Christian?  Not at all, not a one!  If you thinks otherwise, where is your documentation?

It is true that Adolf Hitler did try to use political force to control and steer Christianity in Germany and throughout Europe for the good of the Nazi Party and the Folk. Hitler tried very hard to establish a unified Reich Christian Church, which he firmly believed would be for the good of the German folk.  His vision was of a unified German Protestant Church much like the Church of Scotland or the Church of England in that it would be a truly National Christian Church in Germany. This fact supports his sincerity on his stand in regards to his views about ‘positive Christianity’ as described in the Nazi party program in point number 24 of the platform of Nazism. On the other hand he most certainly did criticize the Roman Catholic and Protestant hierarchy of the churches, but that in no way indicates a negative attitude towards the Christian Faith or religion?  The Pastors and Ministers of the Keltic Klan Kirk of YHVH have a deep love and commitment to the Christian Faith and religion, none the less you will find scathing criticism of the Roman Catholic and Protestant hierarchy in the pages and sermons of the Keltic Klan Kirk.  In addition throughout history you will find strong criticism of the Catholic and Protestant hierarchy by Roman Catholic Popes and Protestant church leaders.  That does not brand those men as anti-Christian.  The famous German Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther strongly condemned the Roman Catholic religion and thought of it as the work of the Devil.

I strongly suspect that those who propagate this myth rely on mainly one source for documentation: Hitler’s table talk.  We must be quick to point out the dubious reliability of Hitler's table talk, it is merely a second-hand source that allegedly records the words of Hitler. The ‘table-talk’ was edited by Hitler's secretary the notoriously anti-Catholic Martin Bormann and not surprisingly describes political views against the hierarchy of orthodox Christianity. In fact the political views are just as Bormann would have liked, in fact the views presented are so much like Bormann’s views and so unlike Hitler’s well known views that it becomes obvious that Bormann engaged in a bit of creative editing and fabrication. None the less even in Hitler’s table talk, Hitler never speaks against Jesus Christ, but rather in favor of him. (See Hitler's table talk and other extraneous sources).

What obliterates this malicious theory that Hitler merely pretended to be a Christian for political power comes from the fact that Hitler continued to express his "positive" Christian views, well after his rise to power. If, indeed it were true as so very manner proclaim, that Hitler needed Christianity and Christians only for political purposes, then why in the world did he continue with the so-called charade after he was firmly established as absolute dictator?  He continued to profess his Christian Faith even once he had complete and unchallenged control over the Nazi Party and Nazi Germany.  He simply meant what he said and said what he meant!

The only real solid evidence we have, or could ever have, about people who call themselves Christian comes from the very confession of those making the claim, compared to the standard given to us in the written Word of God and from the fruits of their works. Since Adolf Hitler makes his claim to Christianity abundantly and clearly, was accepted and treated as a Christian by Christian leaders who knew him and also knew the written Word of God, we can only rely on his claim and their discernment; regardless of whether his enemies or those with an anti-Christian agenda believe he actually believed in Christ or not.  Also the main fruit of his works on this earth were to lead a powerful resistance against anti-Christian Communists and Jews in a sincere effort to uphold the Christian Faith and the Christian Folk.

Now regardless of how you view Hitler's claim to be a Christian or the sincerity of the bulk of the Christians in the Nazi Party, to proclaim that Hitler used Christianity only for the power it would impart to his political forces has absolutely no historical basis to back it up. To simply rely on politically correct propaganda, or pagan belief or opinion says absolutely nothing about historical fact.

Myth 3: Hitler got his ideas of Aryan superiority and Jewish hatred from Darwinian evolution.

Adolf Hitler showed no knowledge of or interest in the theory of Darwinian evolution or natural selection. Nowhere in his classic work Mein Kampf does he mention Darwin, the theory of natural-selection or even the word "evolution", at least not in the context of natural selection or Darwinian evolutionary theory.

In regards to Hitler’s convictions and idealistic beliefs about Aryan superiority and his strong hatred of the Jews and Judaism, he clearly describes in Mein Kampf how he slowly began to change his mind about the Jews because of the influence of the strong “anti-Semitic” movement within the Christian Social Party. His views with regard to “anti-Semitism” he wrote, "succumbed to the passage of time, and this was my greatest transformation of all." (Read volume 1, chapter 2 of Mein Kampf). Nowhere at anytime does he ever explain his anti-Jewish beliefs in terms of Darwinian evolution.  His hatred of the Jews was born of a deeply held Christian perspective and conviction that they were an evil, ungodly and anti-Christian people whose presence in Europe was doing much harm to the Folk.

In Hitler’s private notes, where he describes the Holy Bible as a "Monumental History of Mankind," Hitler outlines his views of the Aryan Race and that of the Jew, all in the context of the Bible, using biblical and Christian reasoning, never in the context of Darwinian natural selection.

In addition it is clear that Adolf Hitler viewed progeny, not in regards to evolution from monkeys or primitive sub-human cave men but in terms of blood lines just as is recorded and taught in the Holy Bible. He held a long standing Christian Biblical view about bloodlines, racial purity, and racial separation, that had been taught by the Christian Church for centuries and has only recently been abandoned by the apostate so-called “Judeo-Christian churches. Hitler’s writings, speeches, and proclamations were full and overflowing with "blood" words. Examples in Mein Kampf include:

"One blood demands one Reich."

"Bavarian by blood, technically Austrian, lived my parents..."

“...the German in Austria had really been of the best blood..."

"...the weakness of leadership will not cause a hibernation of the state, but an awakening of all the individual instincts which are present in the blood..."

It is clear that Hitler had no great scientific sophistication or any real attachment to or fondness for Darwin's theory of evolution; he showed no real interest in that pseudo-science whatsoever. On the other hand the Neo-Communist Cultural Marxists have made Darwinian Evolution one of the basic tenets of their religious faith of Secular Humanism.  In stark contrast Adolf Hitler’s "bloodline" explanation of human "progress" and history reveals a strongly held Biblical view, not a Darwinian view at all.

Hitler did, however, did in fact at times express ideas, not from Charles Darwin, but rather from Herbert Spencer and his concepts of Social Darwinism. This however has little to do with natural selection and the so-called evolution of the species, but rather served as an adjunct or compliment to Hitler’s already established religious views. Spencer's Social Darwinism attempted to connect Darwin's biological Evolution theory with the field of social relations and social sciences. It may be argued that the study and implementation of Social Darwinism resulted in many of the eugenics programs that began in the United States of America and were later adopted by the Nazis. This Nazi adoption of eugenics programs in no way supports the myth that Hitler was a believer in or supporter of the Darwinian theory of physical Evolution of the species. To make such a leap is simply an act of blind faith in an already pre-conceived notion or dogma. To conclude the matter take note that Charles Darwin never wrote or expressed the idea or even a notion that natural selection could extend from biological systems to social systems.

Hitler best sums up his belief of Aryan superiority and his stand against the Jews and their wicked religion of Judaism with his declaration in Mein Kampf:

"I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord...” --- Adolf Hitler

Myth 4: Hitler followed Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy.

If indeed Adolf Hitler followed the teachings of Friedrich Nietzsche and Nietzschian philosophy, or if he even admired Nietsche’s work, then where does Hitler describe Nietzsche or his philosophy in his writings, speeches, and proclamations?  The answer is simply that he did not!

Nowhere in Mein Kampf does Adolf Hitler even mention Friedrich Nietzsche, or Nietzchian terms such as “superman” (uberman), or “super race.” This alone shatters the myth that Hitler followed Nietzsche’s philosophy; if he had he certainly would have made use of those key words. It is true of course that Hitler firmly believed and taught that the Aryan's represented a superior race to the other races and especially to the Jews, but he never thought of or expressed this in Nietzchian terms.

The fact is that Joseph-Arthur de Gobineau wrote about and promoted the “theory” of the superior Aryan race in the 1800’s in his book, An Essay on the Inequality of the Human Races. Gobineau firmly believed and taught that racial mixture would bring about the decline of "superior" peoples. Joseph-Arthur de Gobineau influenced Richard Wagner whom was held in high esteem by Hitler, and Houston Stewart Chamberlain whom Hitler met with and read his works. Both Richard Wagner and Houston Stewart Chamberlain greatly influenced early National Socialism, and both are mentioned in Mein Kampf. These two men and their works were extremely popular in Germany. Among the folk in the 1900’s many Germans accepted or embraced Gobineau's ideas about racial superiority and this, no doubt, influenced Adolf Hitler either directly or indirectly. In actual fact, Hitler's Superior Race ideas and beliefs sound like a combination of Biblical Race Laws and Gobineau's Aryan race ideas, but not at all like Nietzsche.

Nor does it make any sense whatsoever that the Christian Adolf Hitler would admire and uphold an atheistic Nietzsche, or his anti-Christian philosophy. It is a documented fact that Hitler loathed atheism. In his writings and speeches Hitler made this matter clear, he strongly admonished and rebuked atheists. For an example read the following quote:

“We were convinced that the people needs and requires this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not merely with a few theoretical declarations: we have stamped it out.”
 --- Adolf Hitler, in a speech in Berlin, Germany on 24 October 1933

Perhaps the most notorious and infamous misrepresentation of Hitler’s beliefs is that which comes of connecting Hitler and Nietzsche because of a photo-op of Adolf Hitler visiting the Nietzsche archive. Many have used this photo and have incorrectly believed or claimed that Hitler visited the archive on his own volition, and out of great admiration for Nietzsche. This simply is not the facts of the matter. The photo-op idea and event came from Nietzsche's sister, Elisabeth Förster, a wealthy Nazi supporter, who established the Nietzsche Archive in 1933. It was this woman who invited Hitler, who after much persuasion visited the archive for publicity purposes. It is important to note that Hitler visited the archive exactly once and then only for political purposes to appease and maintain the support of Nietzsche's anti-Semite sister and other followers of Nietzsche’s philosophy. The staged publicity event appeared in the German newspapers and William Shirer (The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich) briefly mentioned the event making it sound as if Hitler often visited the archive because he admired Nietzsche. This was misinformation and Shirer probably got his “information” from the German news article rather than from the facts of the actual event. Several scholars have criticized Shirer for his serious lack of scholarship and poor source material. Elisabeth Förster for her own purposes also misrepresented Nietzsche by making her brother look like an “anti-Semite” and a proto-Nazi when in fact Nietzsche's philosophy had little resemblance to the National Socialist German Workers' Party or the Nazi Party agenda. Unfortunately for the folk many Germans and other Europeans fell for the Nietzsche-Nazi connection including many members of the Thule society. Neo-Nazis have followed that delusion in sizable numbers, thereby harming their work.

The pre-Nazi occult oriented Thule society began in the early 1900s. Rudolf von Serbottendorff became the leader and driving force of this order which practiced occultism and an admiration of Nietzsche. It is true that many members of the Thule society later became Nazis and they did influence Nazi literature. However, Hitler never showed any interest in the Thule cult or in its occult and pagan practices. Anyone or any group that uses such literature to “prove” or indicate a Hitler-Nietzsche link usually has an occult or pagan agenda, lacks historical depth, compounded with lazy research and has no real understanding of Hitler or the Nazism of the German folk leading up to and during World War II.

Face the facts! Adolf Hitler showed no great philosophical sophistication. If it is true that any philosopher had an influence on him, it probably came from Schopenhuer and this he does briefly mention in Mein Kampf.  Hitler's personal lawyer, Hans Frank, recalled that Adolf Hitler carried a copy of Schopenhauer's World as Will and Representation with him throughout World War I.  On the other hand the simple fact is that Hitler never revealed any appreciation of Friedrich Nietzsche or his philosophy.

Myth 5: Hitler was a Pagan and an Occultist, or a promoter of Paganism and the Occult.

The following three quotes dispel this persistent myth:

"The National Socialist State professes its allegiance to positive Christianity. It will be its honest endeavour to protect both the great Christian Confessions in their rights, to secure them from interference with their doctrines (Lehren ), and in their duties to constitute a harmony with the views and the exigencies of the State of to-day."

-Adolf Hitler, on 26 June 1934, to Catholic bishops to assure them that he would take action against the new pagan propaganda.

"No, it is not we that have deserted Christianity, it is those who came before us who deserted Christianity. We have only carried through a clear division between politics which have to do with terrestrial things, and religion, which must concern itself with the celestial sphere. There has been no interference with the doctrine (Lehre ) of the Confessions or with their religious freedom (Bekenntnisfreiheit ), nor will there be any such interference. On the contrary the State protects religion, though always on the one condition that religion will not be used as a cover for political ends....

National Socialism neither opposes the Church nor is it anti-religious, but on the contrary it stands on the ground of a real Christianity.... For their interests cannot fail to coincide with ours alike in our fight against the symptoms of degeneracy in the world of to-day, in our fight against a Bolshevist culture, against atheistic movement, against criminality, and in our struggle for a consciousness of a community in our national life... These are not anti-Christian, these are Christian principles! And I believe that if we should fail to follow these principles then we should to be able to point to our successes, for the result of our political battle is surely not unblest by God."

--- Adolf Hitler, in his speech at Koblenz, to the Germans of the Saar, 26 August 1934

"Nothing would be more foolish than to re-establish the worship of Wotan. Our old mythology had ceased to be viable when Christianity implanted itself ......."

Adolf Hitler - on 14 October 1941