When Hitler was in his teenage years during his time in Linz, he was pining for a teenage girl who also lived in Linz named Stefanie Ratsbach. According to his childhood friend, August Kubziek, Hitler was obsessed with her, hating anyone who flirted with her and tried to get Kubziek to engage in stalking Ratsbach.
The two had only met twice, one time where Hitler was supposedly given flowers by Ratsbach, after which this supposedly happened between Kubziek and Hitler, according to the former.
The second and final time was during the funeral procession for Klara Hitler, Hitler's mother, where Hitler supposedly saw Ratsbach. According to Kubziek...
Hitler never made contact with Ratsbach, except for a anonymous love letter that Ratsbach received. According to her...
As history would play out, the two never made any romantic contact with each other and Ratsbach married in 1913.
What interests historians is Stefanie's Jewish-sounding name, although she herself wasn't Jewish. Some German historians theorize that Hitler assumed that Ratsbach was Jewish, but he didn't see this as a major problem at the time. Keep in mind, that this was in his early years.
So, what if Hitler was able to overcome his shyness and form a genuine romantic relationship with Ratsbach, possibly leading to marriage? Would this have changed his personality so that his hatred of Jews was tempered or even rendered non-existent? Would this have changed the course of his life?
The two had only met twice, one time where Hitler was supposedly given flowers by Ratsbach, after which this supposedly happened between Kubziek and Hitler, according to the former.
"Never again did I see Adolf as happy as he was at that moment. When the carriage had passed he dragged me aside and with emotion he gazed at the flower, this visible pledge of her love. I can still hear his voice, trembling with excitement, 'She loves me!'
The second and final time was during the funeral procession for Klara Hitler, Hitler's mother, where Hitler supposedly saw Ratsbach. According to Kubziek...
Stefanie had no idea how deeply Adolf was in love with her; she regarded him as a somewhat shy, but nevertheless remarkably tenacious and faithful, admirer. When she responded with a smile to his inquiring glance, he was happy and his mood became unlike anything I had ever observed in him. But when Stefanie, as happened just as often, coldly ignored his gaze, he was crushed and ready to destroy himself and the whole world."
Hitler never made contact with Ratsbach, except for a anonymous love letter that Ratsbach received. According to her...
"I once received a letter from someone who said they were to attend the Academy of Arts, and that I should wait for him; he could come back and marry me! I had no idea who the letter might have been from or who I should have send it to."
As history would play out, the two never made any romantic contact with each other and Ratsbach married in 1913.
What interests historians is Stefanie's Jewish-sounding name, although she herself wasn't Jewish. Some German historians theorize that Hitler assumed that Ratsbach was Jewish, but he didn't see this as a major problem at the time. Keep in mind, that this was in his early years.
So, what if Hitler was able to overcome his shyness and form a genuine romantic relationship with Ratsbach, possibly leading to marriage? Would this have changed his personality so that his hatred of Jews was tempered or even rendered non-existent? Would this have changed the course of his life?