I first encountered the ‘audio’ version of this book (written by Timur Vermes) just prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic (probably around 2018). I found this to be an intriguing idea. How does the personage and ideology of the man ‘Adolf Hitler’ measure up to the post-WWII world developed by the post-industrialised ‘capitalist’ system? I find that the political left, centre and right all project some type of meaning onto this film. In other words, everyone can see something in the script. Of course, it should not be forgotten that this is a work of fiction. I suspect that such a book could not have been written prior to 1991 – when East Germany existed (1949-1990) – as this would have presented a dichotomy of world views.
1) The US-controlled ‘West Germany’ (or ‘Federal Republic of Germany’ [FRG]).
System = CAPITALISM – ‘Dictatorship of the Bourgeoisie’ – mediated via the agency of ‘Liberal Democracy’. Capitalism, as a system, can never be ‘voted’ out. Only the surface representative ‘Parties’ of this system can be periodically changed – through elections. This system was and is designed to oppress the workers and keep ordinary people in a state of continuous poverty whilst enslaved to the need to work for a low wage. All aspects of this society produces immense ‘profit’ which flows away from the workers and to the pockets (and bank accounts) of the ruling class – the ‘Bourgeoisie’!
2) The Soviet-aligned ‘East Germany’ (or ‘German Democratic Republic’ [GDR]).
System = SCIENTIFIC SOCIALISM (Marxist-Leninism) – ‘Dictatorship of the Proletariat’ (mediated via the agency of ‘centralised democracy’). Elections choosing the membership of thousands of representative committees were ongoing and continuous. Democratic decisions continuously flowed from the centre to the periphery – and from the periphery to the centre. Decisions were taken in accordance with the well-being of the majority of the citizens. The minority were given continuous ‘special consideration’. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of East Germany (like any ‘General Secretary’) was elected through popular vote and NEVER possessed ‘Dictatorial’ power.
As matters transpired, Herr Hitler magically re-appeared in the area of Berlin during late 2015 (ironically a year after the Obama Administration had founded the Neo-Nazi Junta of “Maidan” Ukraine – which has ruled ever since in Hitler’s name) where his Bunker was located. This used to be in East Germany – but is now situated in a ‘united’ Germany firmly controlled by the forces of predatory capitalism. Hitler is lying down and there is ‘smoke’ (but no fire) emanating from his body. He states he has a ‘headache’. This all cleverly alludes to him shooting himself and his Body Guards taking his body to the surface to be burned with petrol. Amazingly, Adolf Hitler has travelled through a time-warp and has manifested in a modern Germany!
If Hitler had manifested in East Berlin – the actor would have been arrested whilst the State worked out who he is and what he is doing? If he was from West Berlin – he would have been deported back to West Berlin. If he was deemed mentally ill – then he would have been sent to a hospital for treatment. If neither of these definitions applied – then he would have been arrested and processed by the judicial system. Hitler murdered and maimed 41 million men, women and children in the USSR (primarily Ukraine) – and he murdered another 11 million people in the Death Camps. He also judicially murdered over 800,000 ethnic Germans over the 12 years he was in power. Then, there were the people his Occupying regime murdered throughout Western Europe – and the hundreds of thousands of British, US and Canadian troops that landed on D-Day and fought their way to West Berlin. From the ‘Socialist’ East German attitude – Hitler was not funny. In the capitalist system, however, Hitler is a character of great humorous potential who could be rehabilitated if only looked at from the right perspective. This is why the US has cultivated a Neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Lithuania on the grounds that part of this anti-Socialist ideology is also inherently ‘anti-Russian’.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 