WI Hitler Had A Stutter?

[Hannibal.Caesar]

The title says it all: what if Adolf Hitler had a stutter? Now, depending on how strong it was, I suppose there could have been a chance of him not becoming what he was in OTL. However, that's not what I'm looking for. So, Hitler has a stutter that is definitely noticeable, but not strong enough to obstruct him from speaking totally.

Would any of his politics change--specifically, his racial/social beliefs? I would go as far to say that having a disability yourself changes your opinions about others with similar problems. Would that have happened with Hitler? I would assume that he would still have a hatred of the Jews AFAIK, but what about Nazi policies towards the infirm, crippled, and disabled, as well as the whole Nazi ideal of creating a Master Race?

[Slamet]

Well first I'd bet Hitler would try to hide his disability. But how embarassing, you're making bombastic speeches to flame up your nation to make an uber-race then you stutter, and you ruin the whole atmosphere.

[sunsurf]

Maybe he adapts his speaking and choice of words to accommodate his stutter.

From http://powerstuttering.com/information-resources.htm

# People who stutter don't stutter when they:

* Sing
* Whisper
* Speak along with a group saying the same words (choral speaking)

This last could have interesting consequences...but were doctors aware of that in the early 20th century?

[Archibald]

Whatif Hitler had a single leg ? Whatif Hitler had three eyes ? what if hitler had a small... tongue ?

[sunsurf]

The 3 eyes one is too unlikely, but the others are worth asking.

I just don't feel like speculating on those.

(We aren't running out of AH ideas, are we? )

I wanna clarify something I put in the earlier post--if Hitler had a stutter, would anybody in that period, have thought of suggesting to Hitler that he stick to whispering, singing, or speaking as part of choral groups?

[Atreus]

Originally Posted by Slamet

Well first I'd bet Hitler would try to hide his disability. But how embarassing, you're making bombastic speeches to flame up your nation to make an uber-race then you stutter, and you ruin the whole atmosphere.

On the other hand, there are some sources which state that Hitler was one quarter Jewish. Nobody seemed to notice or care, however. Then again, Hitler's main tool in his rise to power was his charismatic speaking ability. Take that away, and suddenly he loses part of his base.

[rcduggan]

I think a stutter might have had bad consequences for Hitler's oratorical career. How much inspiration would people get from a leader who stuttered?

[Zyzzyva]

How's this: WI Hitler were permanently blinded by the gas attack? He probably'd get invalided out, though, so he wouldn't join the nazis. Pity. Could have been interesting.

[Hannibal.Caesar]

Originally Posted by rcduggan

I think a stutter might have had bad consequences for Hitler's oratorical career. How much inspiration would people get from a leader who stuttered?

Ask Churchill. Or King George VI.

[alt_historian]

Originally Posted by Hannibal.Caesar

Ask Churchill. Or King George VI.

Damn! Beat me to it. Yes, Churchill had a speech impediment of some sort - I hadn't heard of it being a stutter though - which he managed to cover up by speaking in the slightly odd way he did.

[Bear Flag Oligarch]

J. Edgar Hoover also had a speech impediment and that did not stop him, if anything it helped him.

[metalstar316]

Dietrich Eckart and Joseph Goebbels would have their work cut out for them, indeed.

[Boom22]

Originally Posted by alt_historian

Damn! Beat me to it. Yes, Churchill had a speech impediment of some sort - I hadn't heard of it being a stutter though - which he managed to cover up by speaking in the slightly odd way he did.

He slurred his s's like I do. (I admire the man.) Nazi for Churchill sounded like Nazzzzzzzzi. Which actually added some omph to his speechs.