Probably not.
History was always one of those “who cares?” “boring” classes that most students endured but paid no attention to.
Unfortunately: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana
But that’s ok; Donald is allowing us to relive it.
The History
From The History Place by Philip Gavin: and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Germany#Nazi_Germany.2C_1933.E2.80.931945
In Germany in 1930 poverty, and political instability were rampant. The indecisive, self-serving nature of politicians paralyzed government. The people got nothing but indecision, ineffective government, millions unemployed, homelessness and starvation. Hitler offered vague promises but avoided details and used simple catchphrases, repeated over and over at his carefully staged events and played on the emotions of the audience. He offered work to the unemployed; prosperity to failed business people; profits to industry; expansion to the Army; and restoration of German glory making Germany strong again. He would tear up the treaty of Versailles; stamp out corruption; keep down Marxism; and deal harshly with the Jews.
Repeating Itself
In America in 2016 poverty, and political instability are rampant. The indecisive, self-serving nature of politicians has paralyzed government. The people get nothing but indecision, ineffective government, with millions unemployed, homelessness and hunger. TRUMP offers vague promises but avoids details and uses simple catchphrases, repeated over and over at his carefully staged events and plays on the emotions of the audience. He offers work to the unemployed; prosperity to failed business people; profits to industry; expansion to the Army; and restoration of American glory and making America Great again. He will tear up the NAFTA treaty; stamp out fraud and abuse; keep down Socialism; and deal harshly with Muslims, Mexicans, and all other aliens.
Back to The History
In the elections on September 14, 1930 the Nazis received eighteen percent of the total vote and went from the smallest to the second largest political party in Germany. The political parties represented in the Reichstag were unable to build a governing majority in the face of escalating extremism from the far right (the Nazis, NSDAP) and the far left (the Communists, KPD). In March 1930, President Hindenburg appointed Heinrich Brüning Chancellor. To push through his package of austerity measures against a majority of Social Democrats, Communists and the NSDAP (Nazis), Brüning made use of emergency decrees and dissolved Parliament. In the presidential election held on March 13, 1932, Hitler got 30%, Hindenburg got 49%. In the runoff on April 10, 1932, Hitler got 36%, and Hindenburg 53%,
On 31 July 1932 the Nazis received 37.3% of the votes. Then on September 12, the Reichstag was again dissolved and new elections called. The Nazis lost thirty four seats in the Reichstag but still the largest share, 33.1%, making it the biggest party in the Reichstag. The Communist KPD came third, with 15%. Together, the anti-democratic parties of far right and far left were now able to hold the majority of seats in Parliament, but they were at sword’s point with each other, fighting it out in the streets.
On November 17, Chancellor Papen told President Hindenburg he was unable to form a government and resigned. On 30 January 1933, pressured by former Chancellor Franz von Papen and other conservatives, President Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor. Hitler presided over a cabinet of 11 ministers, with only 3 Nazis, (including himself.) Former General Erich Ludendorff, who had once supported Hitler sent a telegram to President Hindenburg: “By appointing Hitler Chancellor of the Reich you have handed over our sacred German Fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all time. I prophesy to you this evil man will plunge our Reich into the abyss and will inflict immeasurable woe on our nation. Future generations will curse you in your grave for this action,”
Hitler called for new elections. On the evening of 27 February 1933, a fire was set in the Reichstag building. Hitler swiftly blamed an alleged Communist uprising, and convinced President Hindenburg to sign the Reichstag Fire Decree. This decree, which would remain in force until 1945, repealed important political and human rights of the Weimar constitution. Eleven thousand Communists and Socialists were arrested and brought into hastily prepared Nazi concentration camps (9,000 were found guilty and most executed). Communist Reichstag deputies were taken into protective custody (despite their constitutional privileges. The last free General Elections of 5 March 1933, failed to bring the majority for the NSDAP that Hitler had hoped for but together with the German National People’s Party (DNVP) he was able to form a slim majority government. The coalition parliament was rigged on 23 March 1933 by defining the absence of arrested and murdered deputies as voluntary and therefore cause for their exclusion as wilful absentees. Hitler succeeded in convincing a required two-thirds of a rigged Parliament to pass the Enabling act of 1933 which gave his government full legislative power. Only the Social Democrats voted against the Act. The Communist Party was proscribed in April 1933.
(Note that Hitler and the Nazis never got even 40% of the popular vote.The Nazis were particularly successful among Protestants, among unemployed young voters, among the lower middle class in the cities and among the rural population.)
First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out —
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out —
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out —
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out —
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me —
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller
Between 1941 and 1945 Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, communists, homosexuals, the mentally and physically disabled and members of other groups were targeted and methodically murdered in the largest genocide of the 20th century. In total approximately 11 million people were killed during the Holocaust including 1.1 million children.
And if we do not remember the past we are doomed to see history repeat itself … again.
