adolph hitler, a series of candid conversations

adolph hitler, a series of candid conversations/part 2

fiction
edward w pritchard

I spent a while in 1934 as Adolph Hitler's food taster. The very real possibility existed that Adolph would be poisoned and since the man called the Fuhrer liked talking with me about Art and Philosophy I spent about ninety days in the inner circle. In that capacity I had a chance to have many intimate conversations with Hitler who is still an enigma to me and as I am sure, he is to most Historians.

For example, The Fuhrer had a terrific self discipline for himself.  Something he says he acquired as a boy brought about by his relationship with his domineering father, and as a result of Hitler's experiences as a message runner in World War One. Of course Hitler was also a vegetarian, that's well known. But Adolph always watched what he ate carefully but then out of the blue Hitler would binge on an incredible amount of candy and sweet foods. Afterward he would chastise those around him, like myself, about our smoking of cigarettes as disgusting and our eating of meat as ghoulish. Criticizing others for lacking discipline was common with Hitler. He always needed an enemy to make himself feel better.

Hitler's rage was legendary. However, only once was I the recipient of one of his tirades. It was about modern art. I mentioned that I thought that all of the various genres of Art might be appropriate to be included in the magnificent Art museum he was always planning for his home town of Linz. We were at a dinner with about ten people, all close to the Nazi movement. Hitler  went into a rage against me about my opinions on Art, which Hitler knew to be different than his but had never made the slightest comment on before. All the guests were thunderstruck by the Fuhrer  blasting at me for as I will explain later I was a favorite and was often given small gifts by Adolph and often in a business meeting the Fuhrer would stop everything to ask me an obscure question about what Hegel might think on a current issue. Later I decided that the Fuhrer was being theatrical and had planned to express his opinions of the degeneracy of modern art and it had sprung forth out of his mouth before he could stop it. I will explain more later about Hitler and Art for it is important to someone wanting to understand his motivations. Keep in mind that I enjoyed Hitler's paintings and was one of the first to tell him that he was a competent artist. At least one of the first that was both qualified and sincere in their opinions. Also Hitler would often share with me his plans for new buildings in Berlin, some of which he had designed as far back as when he was incarcerated after the Putsch.
end part 2