The times we are living in are historic. It seems every day we are hearing about a chainsaw making cuts to the United States government, when it should be a scalpel. It is overwhelming.
I believe as we grow, our lens on life changes. Five years ago I visited the Ghetto Fighters' House Museum in Israel, which is the world's first Holocaust Museum. At the time I said I didn't think the Holocaust museums in Jerusalem or DC would impress me as much, and I was right, but that's only because that museum set the bar sky high.
Sue, our leader, must have ordered us our free timed tickets as we had to check in before we were ushered to an industrial elevator that eerily took us up four flights. I'm not a fan of elevators, and this one designed to make us feel like prisoners did not help my opinion. Given a choice, I will nearly always opt for a flight of stairs. There was no choice.
We were told to take as much time as we wanted, but we were to meet up for the bus in 2.5 hours, and it usually takes people two hours to cover the three floors. Don't forget the special exhibit in the basement on what America knew about the Holocaust.
Around the corner from the elevator was a 14-minute movie called the Rise to Nazism. It was about to start.
Normally I would not want to use that large a chunk of time sitting still, but at this time, in this place, the big question in my heart: how did this happen? The bigger question in my heart is: how do we stop it? But that was not covered.
As I watched in horror, I took notes.
Fifteen years before 1933, as World War I ended in 1918, Hitler was an unknown. In the 1920s, he was an early joiner of the National Socialist German Party (the Nazis). The Nazis were an outcrop from the national frustrations that came about after the Treaty of Versailles where they felt Germany was unfairly treated. There were long breadlines. Huge inflations. Demonstrations against capitalism and the war. They wanted Marxism to end.
Sounds like today's MAGAs who have frustrations over how the United States has been running.
In 1923, they had about 50,000 members (no idea how many people were in Germany at the time). There was a failed copy in Munich. Hitler was imprisoned.
Failed coup? January 6th ring any bells.
While in prison he writes Mein Kampf spelling out how to fix Germany and create a world without Jews.
Project 2025 sound familiar?
By 1925 the economy was improving and Hitler was forgotten as he sat in jail. Berlin was a cosmopolitan city.
In 1927 there was a protest march with 15,00o Nazis in it. Nazism was an outlet for frustration. They used propaganda to get their message out.
Social media, propaganda sound familiar?
In 1929 the world economies collapsed when our stock market collapsed. Unemployment grew..
The Social Democrats were the largest party, but they could not unite the left. In the early 1930s, the Nazis were deemed to be fascists.
Paul von Hindenburg and Franz Van Poppen were aging leaders in charge of the government.
Biden?
The election between Hitler and Hindenburg resulted in no clear majority, so a run off election took place. Hitler flew from rally to rally (covering 21 cities)to get more votes while Hindenburg stayed put and one radio message. Hitler used a message of bread, work, Germany restored to greatness to gather the votes.
Eggs? Lower groceries? Make America Great Again?
Still Hindenburg barely won the election, but Hitler gained in popularity.
The Nazis gained delegates.
Tea party?
Hindenburg did not like Hitler, but recognized his popularity. He thought he could control him if he gave him a role in the government.
Within 53 days democracy fell in Germany.
We are at day 36 in the United States watching it fall.
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