Many Jews in NY named "Litman," a variation of "Lichtman," or "Light man."

Germany was a monarchy until 1918 and weimar republic until 1933. Weimar was a total shitshow at first, then leveled out, then went down the shitter again in 1929. 1933 was when hitler got power. There were several attemps prior to 1933 by bolsheviks to take power just like they did in russia where they butchered millions of people. Communsim was a known violent threat across europe at this point. So naturally the facists/nazi party wanted to rival not only this monster, but the disaster of weimar republic politicians who were pretty much useless. The way to peel off bolsheviks and get them to come over to the side of facist/nazi party was to include the name "socialist" in the party and gear it towards a relationship with workers, while also disregarding most of the hardline marxist teachings. It was never textbook socialism where private property was banned and production controlled by the government. 1930s germany was surprisingly an economic boom period which was why hitler had so many loyal followers. 30% unemployment nearly wiped out will do that, coupled with their currency issue being reconfigured to not be backed by gold but by german labor marks. Compare that to how the soviets were doing with famine and the US falling deeper into depression. This was how Time mag was able to justify putting him on the cover of their magazine. Regardless of what media and hollywood tell you, there was a reason he gained power, and there was a logical reason behind his loyal folllowing among millions of german. It wasnt because germans were all brainwashed or had a thirst for jewish blood. These notions are exaggerated, ridiculous, and outright false. If you really truely want to avoid history from repeating itself, then actually know the whole story and the real truth regardless of how much it upsets the feels or what you thought you already knew...

The invasion of the soviet union was not a knee jerk decision based on "drugged out" hitler. Again, this is another myth repeated by lazy historians, media, and ignorant hollywood producers. The soviets were planning on invading and conquering ALL of europe once western europe had worn each other down by fighting. There are countless documents declassed, tons of factual sources that show this was the plan for Stalin and germany knew this. He was planning to invade in 1943. The dice roll to invade soviets was not something that was done randomy or because of a "drugged out hitler." It was actually a well thought out gamble by him and the top military generals (they had been winning a lot so far). They decided to take as a preemptive strike because the longer they waited the stronger the soviet army became, and they incorrectly assumed the russian army would totally collapse after a few large scale loses just like what happened in WW1. The soviets had already invaded several of their neighboring countries (besides poland, but nobody talks about this aggression) so the writing was on the wall of what their intentions were.

Thank god FDR passed to lend lease act to help prop those bolsheviks up, it really paid off in the long run by giving half of europe to them and letting their warped ideology spread into asia and here in the US. ;)

Collective authoritative regimes all stem from the same blueprint.

Acquire power.. using these methods and vehicles.

But the collectivism blueprints are for the implementers to gain power, not just anyone.

That is why you see in history, socialists always distance themselves from each other, even see them as competition. Because they understand they are both using the same playbook.. which is to gain a core power in their respective territories and then eventually expand that power.

Interesting. I've always wondered what could have led him to do something so foolish.