Axelheart
What do Gen Z-ers know about Hitler? Nothing at all, it seems, if this article is anything to go by. And, safe to presume, then, they also have zero knowledge of Stalin. Incredible isn’t it, considering that these are two of the most notorious tyrants who ever lived and who dominate history books?
Are they not interested in what happened because it is so last century or because it’s hard to believe? Haven’t they been exposed to any history of World War II through schools, parents, or had any generational family connections to the War? It’s probably a combination of these.
However, the lack of education surrounding these despots and what really went on is predominant. We are two to three generations on from these extreme authoritarian examples. To be fair to our youth, unless it is constantly taught, knowledge will die out. Dovetailed with this is a glorification of Marxist and socialist principles by the left and a glossing over of Communism. They’re told that Marxism is great, it just wasn’t done properly before and that we can do it better!
If young people are blinded by and are ignorant of the ramifications of Marxism and totalitarianism, bearing in mind their perceived ‘easily-bored’, ‘short-attention-span’ tendencies, this topic could be introduced as a ‘cheat-sheet’. A quick, novel way of enlightening them about the key themes of both dictators could take the form of a game show. The guest contestants would be the subjects themselves. It could go something like this.
What is the best way to eliminate your political opponent?
a) Torture
b) Imprisonment
c) Send to a gulag or ‘special’ camp
d) Execution?
Stalin: “All of the above”.
State three main traits of a tyrant.
Hitler: “Only three? Cult of personality, manipulative, lack of emotion and remorse.”
Best False-Flag Operation?
Hitler: “The Gleiwitz incident: our reason to invade Poland as part of Operation Himmler.”
Stalin: “The Mainila Incident – a perfect ‘excuse’ to start the Winter War with Finland.”
What was the biggest lie you told?
Hitler: “The Munich Agreement. Chamberlain was such a charming old man, I felt I had to give him my autograph!”
Stalin: “That elections were a democratically competitive process, with legitimate counting of votes.”
State as many words as you can (using the letter P) to describe your ‘tenure’ in 20 seconds; starting from…now.
Hitler: “Power, Persecution, Paranoia, Pure Race…”
Stalin: “Pogrom, Poland, Peasants, Proletariat, Pravda, Punishment, Politburo, Poison, Proscription…”
Hitler: “(Secret) Police, PROPAGANDA, Putsch, Prisoners! P, Panzer, St Petersburg Policy”(grins at Stalin).
Stalin: “Purges, P_U_ R_ G_ E_ S, Purges!”
State words (using the letter P) that do not describe your tenure.
Stalin: “People pleaser, personable, pleasant, principled.”
Hitler: “Passive, ‘I Promise’, probity, peace.”
What was one of your best tax or economic policies?
Hitler: “That the Führer pays no income tax at all.”
Stalin: “Collectivisation.”
Who do you love?
Stalin: “Can I phone a friend?”
Hitler: (looks at Stalin). “…You imprisoned or murdered them all.”
Stalin: “Of course I did. Now…there’s Mother, Father, wives, mistress, son & daughter from second marriage, my first-born, colleagues, relatives…hmm…No one!”
Hitler: “Me!”
Hitler, your six million figure is well-known but pales in comparison to Stalin’s. Stalin, what’s your total body count?
Stalin: (looks at the audience)
Hitler: “Ja, I know. Ten million!”
Stalin: (counts on his hands) “Kulaks, Holodomor , political opponents, dissenters, dissidents, critics, writers, journalists, artists, physicists, scientists, doctors, priests, ‘enemies of the people’, military officers, ‘friends’ on the left and right in Parliament…twenty thousand plus Poles at Katyn …ah, Jews, ethnic groups. One million St Petersburg citizens; (looks at Hitler) that was your fault, but it helps my tally. So…more than 20 million.”
Stalin, what is one of Hitler’s quotes?
“’The masses are more likely to believe a big lie than a little one.’”
Hitler, what is one of Stalin’s?
“’Ideas are far more powerful than guns. We don’t let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?’”
Hitler, what was your biggest regret?
“To paraphrase Oskar Schindler, “I could have got more.”
Stalin?
“Regrets? What are they?!”
“’I know that after my death, a pile of rubbish will be heaped on my grave, but the wind of History will sooner or later sweep it away without mercy.’”
