"Our Struggle": What If Hitler Had Been a Communist?
- Thread starter The Red
- Start date
Bookmark1995
Banned
I think if Hitler's antisemitism still manifests, it could still manifest as religious antisemitism.
OTL, the Soviets shut down synagogues as much as they shut down churches and mosques.
Speaking of which, I wonder if Socialist Mustache Model will crack down on Lutheranism and other religions too?
There was already anti Semitic feeling in the Soviet Union. You do not have to be a Nazi to hate Jews. There was a lot of anti Semitism in the USSR even after the Second World War.
Bookmark1995
Banned
The attitude of Soviets toward Jews is very, very complicated one. By the 1930s, Yiddish culture was prevalent in Ukraine in Belarus. Many Jews (Matvei Blanter, Vasily Grossman) had assimilated into Soviet society and made tremendous contributions.
Then Stalin began an antisemitic campaign out of Zionist paranoia, which may or may not have been a prelude to a Soviet Jewish deportation. And even after that, other Jews like Mikhail Gurevich and Mikhail Botvinnik continued to make incredible contributions to Soviet society.
The prospects of Soviet Jews were like that of any medieval country: dependent on the temperament of the leadership.
Oh please, antisemitism and racism has always been presence in Russia. There is a reason why the Polgroms were done under the Tzar. In fact, by the 1980s, Soviet Union was becoming very ant-Semitic and racist as well. Soviet Jews were forcibly assimilated into USSR society or be imprisoned. There is a reason why many Soviet Jews wanted to immigrate to Israel.
But I was saying that you can easily justify hatred of the Jews under Communism as well as Nazism. The Jews can be hunted down like Stalin did with the Kulaks.
Bookmark1995
Banned
I am well aware of it. But Jewish achievement and discrimination happened concurrently.
But yeah, its depressing how an ideology built on equality devolved into another form of nationalism.
Antisemitism has always been present in Russian thought, but the early USSR was fairly good at avoiding it until Stalin took power. He was the one who brought it back into their policy.
Redcoat
Banned
Yeah I'm just wondering how that happened. It's so explicitly not supposed to be like that...
Redcoat
Banned
Yep. Any movement can be manipulated to suit the means of a ruler when you think about it. Marx never said we should have some supreme ruler with a cult of personality behind them for one. there are probably even more examples of this hypocrisy.
Chapter XLV
"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..."
~ John Milton, Paradise Lost
~ John Milton, Paradise Lost
Johann had managed a look of anticipation all throughout his train journey with Freder, who sat with him patiently, explaining the events of the last few months. There had not been much news from within the prison walls, and he was genuinely curious, but importantly his friend's tone re-assured him that the two of them were still part of the same scheme that Johann had so recently reevaluated.
The French were in the process of leaving the Ruhr. This was not, at least officially, due to the actions of the Red Front but thanks to an American businessman by the name of Dawes who had led an endeavour by the American government to end the occupation. Apparently France was almost as badly indebted to America as Germany was to the French and as a solution the Americans were proposing that they lend the Germans the money to pay reparations to the French, in order for the French to pay them back in turn. It was an ingenuous capitalist trap and it seemed that both the French and German governments had gratefully accepted the bait.
“Far better that both sell their souls to the Americans, that’s where the heart of capitalism is now. The boss hasn’t stopped going on about it.” Johann agreed with his friend’s conclusion, the entire deal was a racket and if the German people couldn’t see it then perhaps whatever they were doing in Hamburg would help reveal such a betrayal. The capitalists in power were holding an election to ask the people of Germany to agree to their country being sold down the river, Johann was happy to make sure that the Communist Party prevented that from happening.
It was only on the streets of Hamburg that the twist in Johann’s stomach returned. The posters of the KPD were everywhere and all seemed to have Hitler’s face on them. Staring, it seemed, at Johann, judging him for what he had done.
Hitler himself was nowhere to be seen as they entered the Hamburg offices of the Communist Party, a large building that looked like a dance hall that had recently been repainted, a scarlet banner outside openly proclaimed it as a centre of Communist activity and there was a flurry of activity from outside and from within. These scenes were alien from the scurrying around under the cover of darkness that had been the Red Front’s existence in the Ruhr. It was almost as bizarre as the sight of fellow comrades wearing uniforms.
“No more shuffling around in overcoats comrade, it’s proper uniforms from now on!” The baggy uniforms and coat were all done in beige, as were the caps being worn by those who went about in them. Freder explained that the Red Front was to be incorporated into the Communist Party as sort of worker's security force.
“The real power behind the party is derived from the workers of course, but we act as a representation of that strength.” As two of the uniformed men walked by, they raised their left fists at Freder before shooting a suspicious look at Johann.
“What was all that about?” Freder laughed at his friend’s confusion.
“The boss refers to it as the ‘Worker’s Fist’, it’s meant to act as a sign of our resolve. They’re eager lads, they were probably just suspicious as to why you didn’t salute back.”
“Salute?”
“We’re going to need a salute, to show which side we’re on. We’re not dealing with the French any longer, and whilst the Red Front might have uniforms, it’s easier to know where you stand with someone if they know the salute.”
Freder raised his left in the air with a clenched first once again. This time, Johann repeated the gesture.
In a sense, Johann could see how that would indeed come in handy for himself. At least this way no-one would ever doubt the fact that he had gone to prison for stealing rolls and wasn't still alive because he'd passed on information. Not if he wore that uniform and saluted often enough. What could be more loyal than that, after all?
He was soon to find out.
Apparently, as a member of the Red Front, Johann was entitled to his own beige uniform but today he was expected to wear plain clothes. The Communist Party was holding a rally, and it turned out that Hitler would be speaking. Despite the paramilitary force he had apparently set up in Johann’s absence, he wanted comrades from the Ruhr to perform security in plain clothes. Apparently the eager young recruits were considered better for display, regardless of their enthusiasm.
Johann attempted to remember the martial discipline he had learned during his brief months of training before the end of the First World War as he walked through the crowd had assembled through the St Paul quarter, waiting for the promised speech. Freder and he were to act as “stewards”, they did not not have the uniforms worn by those he had seen at the party offices. He was relieved that these were more for ceremony than for activity. He felt far more comfortable with the red piece of cloth tied around his arm, even if he had been given a baton to hide within his jacket.
The city had been hit hard by the impact of the economic crisis, having previously benefited from outside trade the port had fallen into idleness when the German economy had become unable to export or import anything rationally. The number of closed shop fronts heavily outnumbered those that were open, and most of them indicated that they would prefer an exchange of services than currency. For much of the battered city, capitalism had already been abandoned, an economic system that had not been overthrown but had instead chosen to commit suicide. The whole situation looked even more grotesque in the Summer sun.
The size of the crowd at the rally was staggering. This was meant to be a climatic event, the election was coming soon, after all but Johann couldn’t help but wonder how many people had come to see the leader of the Red Front in the flesh. Hitler was, after all, the most prominent on the posters, even though Freder had informed Johann that a man named Heinrich Brandler was still in charge of the day to day running of the party.
“This is the frontline now, comrade.” Freder sounded as if we getting carried away in the spectacle.
Amongst the workers?
Johann didn’t utter the thought out loud. Brandler might have been in charge of the party, but he was not what the crowd was here for. A small brass ensemble played The Internationale in front of an elaborate public address system. The slogan of the Communist Party, “For Bread And Freedom” was overshadowed by a larger banner that announced on black letters on a blood red background:
“HE FOUGHT FOR YOU!”
The uniformed Red Front members arranged themselves in front of the podium like a sort of honour guard, detached from the curious glances of the crowd as they stood there in force. Johann felt somewhat underdressed with only his coat and his red armband. Perhaps the uniforms did give off a sign of strength after all, or perhaps it was just that the people in front of them were puzzled as to what would happen next. The music of the band had stopped, but it was not long before Hitler emerged in the flesh, walking onto the podium with his left fist raised.
His tone was almost hushed, as the loudhalers whined.
“Comrades, friends, fellow Germans. I am here today, to talk to you about slavery.”
Hitler removed a document from his coat and held it aloft.
“This is the so-called Dawes Plan, and it is the document that will condemn you and I to slavery!”
The document would have been impossible to see for most the crowd but the man broadcasting once again now had authority in his voice, and a tone of venom. It was one that mixed well amongst the desperate, gaunt faces of much of the crowd.
Aside, that was, for one red-faced man.
“They say this plan will save you! Those who line their pockets with the fruits of your labour already, throwing you over to new management! The French, the Americans, and those who were behind the entire war, International Capital!”
There was a broad murmur of agreement around the crowd, but the man Johann had spotted appeared to be almost snarling. Hitler was not appealing to his anger, he seemed to be the cause of it. He nudged Freder, and began to tighten his grip grip around his baton, as he motioned towards the suspicious individual.
“The most valuable thing in this world is the German people. My belief rests on it, I serve it with my will, and I give my life to it. However I am only one man, one of many workers who, like you, despise this great betrayal of the German people!”
This evoked louder cheers, although the man that Johann, Freder and two other men in beige were now focused on only scowled further, and reached into his pocket.
“Now.” Freder shouted above the noise of the crowd, as Johann marched towards the man and his arm under his, with another comrade doing the same to the assailants right, as the heckler began to shout. A rotten apple fell out of his hand as he began to scuffle. Hitler took no notice as Johann helped to drag him backwards, the crowd parting as they went.
“Those who now rule over us like tyrants are the same criminals who led your fathers and sons into the great slaughter in 1914, those who lost us that war, and those who decided that we would pay for their loss!"
The man continued to shout as the crowd thinned at the back, luckily it appeared as if the police were more focused on the riot being incited by the speaker. Hitler's words continued to echo, thankfully someone had invested in a proper loudspeaker system. Freder and his associates dragged the heckler behind an abandoned warehouse whilst Johann stood inconspicuously as a look out. There were a great number of such derelict buildings around, no doubt the effects of the hyperinflation. It was a good place to hold a rally, the once prosperous port shrouded in misery. A reality under capitalism that communism would sweep away.
"They have destroyed the economy, taken the food from our mouths, and are now proceeding to sell off the German nation once and for all! The Dawes Plan is not salvation.”
“It.”
“ Is.”
“SLAVERY!”
Freder and his associates emerged a few moments later as the crowd continued to cheer, and Johann noticed that his friend had burst the knuckles on his left hand.
“Those are the sorts of people we have to deal with, reactionaries, social democrats, anyone who would try and stop our message from getting to the people who need to hear it. The boss is keen that we silence them before they can disrupt things.” The entire situation was not alien to Johann, but it was himself who had been on the receiving ends of beatings by his French captors.
“Won’t he go to the police?”
“He’s probably with the police, now let’s go.”
With no more to it, they slipped back into the rapturous crowd, stirred up by a man who had led them against the French and was now having them assault his detractors.
It had only been an apple.
All the same, if he could get the people behind them, wasn’t it all worth it. Their aim was ultimately to hand power back to the people after all.
Until then, they had to defend the leader, follow their leader. All for a world where there would be no leaders.
Johann only hoped the people would wake up sooner rather than later.
---
Results of the German Federal Election (June, 1924)
The painting is The Murder of Rosa Luxemburg by R. B. Kitaj
Special thanks to @Utgard96 for his Wikibox help!
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I suppose you mean "indebted to America" in the bolded section.
Love this chapter, though
Deleted member 92121
Indeed, his party is still not powerfull enough to challenge the DNVP and Zentrum, that will almost certainly form a coalition.
And they won't ally with the SPD, not with Hitler's view on them (a view shared by Freder), placing them at the same field as reactionaries.
My guess is that the electoral situation will get better for the KPD and much much worse for the SPD with time, giving Hitler the political power to challenge the coalition, through democratic or more "hands on" means.
