The big problem is that Hitler's demagogic popularity would not *by itself* have been enough in OTL to propel him to power--he needed, if not the support, at least the acquiescence of German conservatives (in politics, business, and the military) who thought he could be "tamed." They would have no such illusions about a Communist Hitler. The other problem is that (if you can believe the account in Mein Kampf) Hitler's dislike for "Marxism" seems to have gone back to his Vienna days.
"Our Struggle": What If Hitler Had Been a Communist?
- Thread starter The Red
- Start date
Chapter III
"People have the power to redeem the work of fools."
~ Patti Smith
'Though many other futurists have been credited for their influence in spreading the movement's influence beyond archetypal circles of "angry young men", in regards to the outside world there is very little challenge to Franz Cizek, Professor in the School of Applied Art’s Department of Experimentation and Research in Vienna and one of those few men who can claim to have personally changed the course of history.
It was Cizek’s job to be aware of the upcoming and progressing trends, even those officially frowned upon, and perhaps Hitler’s personal reservations about the genre were somewhat disarmed by Cizeks experience in dealing with those of similarly conservative views. He would have had argued with more than one self-proclaimed neo-classicist before his fateful meeting with the future dictator in Vienna's Stadtpark.
Regardless of Cizek's personal take on the futurist style, whether he was simply having a conversation with a fellow artist on a nice day or was a crypto-futurist furtively looking for adherents to share his secret beliefs we shall never know, only that his chance encounter would cause a relatively fringe sect of modernist art to change the course of history.
Cizek’s introduction of Hitler into a new world of contacts within the world of art, culture and most importantly politics would soon change the life of the man who was very much a wayward bohemian before being introduced into a new world of political intrigue and financial stability. Franz and Adolf would remain friends until Cizek’s death in 1946.
It is important to note that whilst Hitler came into contact with communists during his time as a member of Vienna’s café culture, he was not immediately taken with the ideology. This idle period of the dictator’s life left a great deal of time for him to debate political concepts, but accounts point to the fact that most of his musings remained based around the nationalist ideals of his youth. The futurist agenda did not make Hitler into a communist, though as a young man still he was now enabled to transform his rather folksy understanding of German culture into appreciating the new forms of nationalist thought, post-industrial and post-rational. A romantic blend of conflict and progress that was very much music to the young man’s ears amongst his muddled thoughts and the daily grind of life for this sporadically employed artist.
Of course, it could never last.'
~ Gunter Berg, The International Impact of Futurism
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The Kursalon was never intended to be a place for gaiety, and perhaps the fact it was now one of Vienna’s go-to venues for culture and entertainment was something of a comment on the degrading power of the Hapsburgs who had designed it. Designed to supply mineral water that would offer curative remedies to park visitors it was now a place for escapism in the capital of a troubled nation.
Although Austria-Hungary notionally remained one of Europe’s most powerful imperial states, economic mismanagement and the rise of competing nationalisms both within and outside its own borders left many pondering the empire's continued existence. In the Kursalon one could enjoy some of the world’s finest opera, music, theatre and cuisine. As with any artistic expression of contemporary decline, the arguments could often become as heated as anything being served up to the voyeur. Including those of which culture belonged to whom.
Franz’s lunch partner had described only the “German” aspects of culture the day beforehand and whether or not his Bavarian accent meant he actually was from Bavaria, Franz was more than aware that there were as many Germans in the Hapsburg Empire who sought a greater Germany as there were Slavs seeking independence.
These issues might have been important but they were secondary in Franz’s mind as he greeted his guest outside and they entered the extravagant restaurant within the Kursalon’s Lehar Hall. Franz had seen something in the artist’s work and wondered whether his stylistically odd mix of man and landscape couldn’t be developed into something along the lines of a blossoming movement.
Franz had been somewhat hesitant to invite his new friend to the Kursalon. The Lehar Hall restaurant was largely tourist orientated and thus was not nearly the most exclusive dining scene in Vienna yet he feared Adolf might appear as he had done yesterday, they could always go somewhere else but he couldn’t help fear the scene of a shuffling tramp attempting to get into an expensive restaurant. Franz did not personally care, but working with children had given him a keen sense of how people could be when subjected to humiliation and from his experience of Adolf yesterday, the man didn’t seem to be in the best place mentally.
Adolf Hitler was actually in a fine modd. He had used to the money he had earned selling paintings to Franz and a few others to get his way into something resembling an actual boarding house for the next few days, allowing him to wash and to change his clothes. Adolf felt it was hard to put a price on the comfort of not having to walk around in his dirty overcoat smelling like an outhouse, nonetheless the walk was not nearly as pleasurable as the meal he was anticipating. All he had had to eat in the last two days had been a few slices of bread and butter every now and then, he was ready for his new friend to treat him though he continued to be puzzled by the nature of the man’s altruism.
Was he simply a fellow art lover who enjoyed conversation? Had he been impressed with his work? Or something else perhaps, Adolf hoped it wasn’t that he simply took pity on him. In his darkest days he’d accepted some occasional charity from the Christian soup kitchens but he hoped his trade yesterday had made it show that he was self-sufficient. He’d had to be.
The fact he was wearing the suit that he’d worn to his mother's funera had made that fact inescapable, though he was in a good mood nonetheless, he was going to have a fine lunch and discussion with his new friend and fellow artist. This was the sort of thing he had come to Vienna for.
Adolf and Franz noticed each other simultaneously, the latter waving and the former repeating the motion somewhat awkwardly. Franz wasn’t sure whether he was more glad to see Adolf or that his dining partner was dressed respectably, either way both had occurred even if the “All my own work” salesman remained awkward and seemed to have come straight from a funeral. Was a death of a loved one the case of this odd spell? Franz didn’t want to ask. He was here to talk about the shadow man.
Adolf seemed more concerned with whether there were liver dumplings on the menu, though he had been gracious enough to ask Franz what he did for a living. When Franz told him the young man seemed to sneer, yet conversation between the two remained relatively fluid in their conversation about various issues to do with the classics until Franz finally decided to press his query over yesterday’s purchase.
“Before I forget, I was wondering whether you get much of a chance to observe any of the newer movements?”
The young painter seemed disinterested as he held his hand over his wine glass to halt the waiter. In actuality, Adolf felt he had a bit more clarity about Franz’s motivations for bringing him here. An intellectual and some close-minded failed student from outside the city, what a joy to publicly humiliate, it wasn’t something Adolf would usually allow to play out. He’d suffered a lifetime of jokes at the expense, of these types but Franz was paying for lunch and he was ravenous.
“No, not particularly, as I was saying yesterday it’s only the classics that really interest me.”
“I remember you saying that, which is what fascinated me about the figures in the painting I bought off you yesterday, the buildings were well drawn and fairly typical of the style but the figures were very different indeed, quite…
As Franz stroked his beard and appeared genuinely lost for how to describe the individuals, Adolf knew what was coming, he remembered how frankly he’d been let down when he had appealed his second refusal from the academy. The figures in his art were apparently unsatisfactory, “statuesque”, “unfeeling”, and now here was another academy man luring him to lunch to tell him the same thing, was he some sort of running joke in the faculty?
“…brilliant.”
“I’m sorry?” Adolf almost choked on a sliver of dumpling.
“Your figures, quite brilliant, the way they blend so seamlessly into the background whilst keeping their own form, like shadows. It made me wonder whether you’d been inspired by the futurists?”
“I’m afraid I haven’t, in what way is my painting similar?”
As Franz elaborated, Adolf looked at his companions face, the man’s eyes having opened up alongside a more curious expression, and Adolf had a bizarre sensation. All this time he had been wondering about the man’s motives, what his agenda had been, Adolf had never considered that there was a genuine interest in his art behind Franz’s intrigue but here the teacher was, explaining how he had been inspecting his painting and comparing it to a movement Adolf hadn’t even heard of.
Few people had ever really been interested in Adolf’s work based around its own merits, there were tourists who wanted mementos of buildings, passers-by who had asked for portraits of themselves or their family, or had perhaps even seen a particular something in a work of his, but no genuine interest. His mother had loved him for certain, but had she really spoken about his work in any great depth?
This man was truly interested, and all of a sudden Adolf couldn’t find fault with him, his mood had improved greatly from the mometary dark spell and he smiled encouragingly whilst Franz continued to describe the basis of the movement and the similarities with Adolf’s own work.
“I must admit I always thought that the way I painted people was something of a handicap but now that you mention this ‘futurism’ I do wonder if I might try and find out some more. Do these men have a journal?”
Franz lit up, it seemed as if he had been expecting this question.
“They have a great deal more than that my friend, they have a manifesto!”
---
Patti Smith has recently been criticised for representing a class of artist who abandoned the collective action of the sixties to chase futile dreams of self-liberation via various media. Regardless of your stance on such an argument it is possible that this strategy would have worked if taken in regard to individuals who had a genuinely significant impact on history.
The painting, and the shadow men, are by Adolf Hitler.
You have no idea how much of a field day I, someone who is deeply interested in the Modernist movement yet unable to quench that thirst in this site, am having with this TL...
Once again, great work!
This is fascinating, The Red; interesting and entertaining and ominous by turns. I look forward to seeing how it develops.
The first updates mention Hitler in a light I'd consider strange for an artist.
Oh yeah, and he's mentioned with Lenin and Stalin earlier, indicating he was a political figure. Still, an interesting path to consider.
As I've said before, you shouldn't rely too much on parallels with this TL. I realise I'm in the baby steps stage with the narrative form but I can promise you there isn't going to be a scene where Von Papen tells Hindenburg that the communist Hitler needs to be given the Chancellery to keep the communists out.
In Mein Kampf Hitler did stress that he was initially supportive of the social democrats because he believed they were for him, until it transpired that he believed they were against him. Events can change however.
Where rather than were.
Interesting story, not too familiar with either art or Hitler's personal history but enjoying it nonetheless.
Will Hitler be massacring the Prussian aristocrats who make up most of his officers?
So i just realized,if Decisive Darkness was mainly told from songs,this will be paintings?