Chapter 68. A Press Conference
This is a Special Chapter. At the end of the latest Chapter, I have asked my esteemed readers to act as journalists and contribute questions for
Adolf Hitler (actually
Olaf controlling Hitler's brainless body).
You (my readers) are the journalists asking questions and I am Hitler / Olaf answering them. I am waiting for your questions (specifying country / newspaper would be nice) in the following posts. Thank you for your cooperation and help.
I believe that you, my readers from SV, have the same rights as my readers from AH.com to take part in this story which, in this case, means asking questions for Hitler / Olaf.
Important: By contributing questions (or any other material) to this story, you allow me to cross-post them in other parts of the Internet, while maintaining your copyright.
I may perform minor edits to some of the questions (punctuation, formatting, typos, miscellania).
You have 48 hours to ask your questions. Thank you for your cooperation and support.
Note: I performed minor edits to some of the questions (punctuation, formatting, typos, miscellania).
2 May 1945, Reich Chancellery Gardens, Berlin, Deutsches Reich
Excerpts from the Press Conference of Reichspräsident Adolf Hitler
1. Md139115
"Herr Hitler, sir! Do you still maintain the title of Führer, and, if so, what powers does that title possess?"
The title of Führer is not mentioned in the Reich Constitution and, thus, it is a purely honorifical title. Moreover, it had not been bestowed on me but I had rather assumed it myself which, again, from a Constitutional point of view, rendered it meaningless. Now, I admit that, due to the difficult situation in Germany, we thought at that moment that trampling over the Constitution was the right thing to do. We have been mistaken. It was not.
In conclusion, the title of Führer is entirely honorific, comes with no powers or responsabilities, has never been conferred and, thus, cannot be revoked. Everybody is free to address me using it or not, depending upon their choice to honor what I did good for Germany or to chastise my mistakes.
2. @ImperialTheorist
"Herr Hitler! Herr Hitler! Journalist from the
Völkischer Beobachter! Will there be an investigation into how the Done came to be? Will the secrets of the Done be revealed for the benefit of mankind?"
An investigation would be pointless as we already know the answer very well. However, most information regarding the Berlin Dome is a State secret and I suppose that it will remain so for the foreseable future. But you can surely ask Reich Chancellor von Brauchitsch about that.
3. @ImperialTheorist
"Herr Hitler! John Smith from the BBC! You have stated in your eleventh point that «
numerous abhorrent crimes have been perpetrated by evil individuals from the Party and from the SS who acted in my name». Do you believe you accept any of the blame for the aforementioned deeds?"
Yes I do. I have incited racial hatred for political gains, far above what would have been appropriate and comensurate, and I have failed to stop the murders during the war for fear that the cohesion of the Nation would suffer as it has actually happened during the last month's disturbances. Yes, I am guilty and I will fully cooperate with the Law if indicted. And I will certainly pay for it at the Last Judgement, God have mercy upon my soul.
4. @ImperialTheorist
[The crowd of journalists suddenly moves around as a furious individual rushes towards Adolf Hitler.]
"
Mein Führer! What is the meaning of this? Why do you backstab the Reich and sell us to the Western Bastards!? Are you with the Jewry? Are you going to weaken us with a Versailles-like Treaty? Let go of me, you shitty traitors!"
[The Police drag the disrupting bystander away as the journalists reconvene.]
I believe that our guest expressed an unfortunately rather common opinion and I suppose that an answer would be in order...
The German Reich and Volk have not been backstabbed. Today, the German Reich is larger and stronger than ever before. Today, the German Volk is safer and more numerous than ever before. The Ural border was just an impossible and absurd war propaganda. Today's borders are the natural ethnic borders of the German Reich and Volk.
And it's actually funny that he mentioned the Jews... Does anybody see any Jews around? Are there any Jews left in the Reich? I believe that the last trains with the remaining Jewish population have recently crossed the Swiss border. In fact, the only thing the National Socialists need to do in order to never again be bothered by the presence of Jews is to refrain from travelling abroad. Because I am certain that, even if the Reich were to allow the Jews to return, none would take the offer!
5. @Tyr Anazasi
"
Herr Reichspräsident, since when did you know about these crimes and what did you do to stop them?"
I started to receive reports regarding atrocities perpetrated by the Einsatzgruppen and other SS operatives on the Eastern Front and in the Concentration Camps since 1943 but, as I have already stated, I considered the defence of the Reich against the Bolshevik hordes to be paramount in those times when the tides of the war had started to turn against us. I was afraid that acting against the SS at that time would have had a deleterious impact upon the capacity of the Reich to defend itself and I was unfortunately proven right by the current SS uprising.
Of course, when the Reich was safe under the Dome, I began to take action against those responsible for the aforementioned atrocities. I had confronted Himmler who chose suicide instead of prosecution and disgrace, I had closed the remaining Concentration Camps and I had allowed most of the inmates to emigrate. Yes, I know, it was too little too late and I assume full responsability for my failures.
6. @Redditredcoat
"Mr. Hitler! James Bush of the Seattle Times! Are you yourself an anti-semite? What is your opinion on the Jewish people?"
Well, I'm a German! (laughing)
Now, in all seriousness, I believe it is obvious for everybody that I dislike the Jews. However, what has changed, at the end of this titanic struggle of the German Nation, is that I no longer hate most of them.
I mean, what ill will could I harbour against a Jewish barber from Morocco, for example? No, I only hate those Jews who are actively plotting against the German Reich and Volk from their positions of power behind the Governments and financial institutions of the Western Powers or the Jewish Commissars of the Soviet Union.
However, I admit that due to the extreme amount of hatred present in Germany, which was instigated by me, Herr Streicher, Herr Goebbels and other individuals, the Jews would not be safe in the Reich. I believe that, in the interest of both sides, it is better than the Jews and the Germans stay separated.
7. FickleCrossroad
"Herr Hitler, Russ Dell, Philadelphia Inquierer. Now without the demands of running the Reich, what do you plan to do with your free time? I heard that you were a painter, will you resume your work, or do other things?"
First of all, I would like to spend more time with my lovely wife and daughter, to rest and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Bavarian Alps... Should my health improve, yes, I would probably take on my youth passions, painting and architecture. I also intend to write my memories and some kind of disclaimer for that book, Mein Kampf, which is now obsolete and could be even toxic in the current environment in the Reich.
8. Amber
"Herr Hitler, in the past four months, you got married, adopted an adolescent girl, sued for peace, retreated your armies back to Germany, recognized the independence of Poland and the Baltic States and finally this outstanding statement from today. Can you provide an explanation for these recent changes in your life, attitude and politics?"
People can and do change. Now, seriously, the conditions changed. Dramatically. Powering up the Berlin Dome removed a great amount of stress off my mind and, with the Reich protected from invasion and annihilation, I could finally pursue some of my previous plans.
To be more precise, Eva was a long time companion and marrying her was long overdue and everything that was needed for the Reich to live in peace with its neighbours was not a too great price to pay.
9. Amber
"Why did it take so long for you to publicly resign and endorse the new government? Were you having second thoughts? What happened that did finally convince you to act?"
I have been quite ill recently but I am feeling much better now.
10. Amber
"There are rumours that your adopted daughter, Miss Adolphine Hitler, is actually something more that it appears to the naked eye, that she may possess superhuman powers and abilities or even that she may be a demigoddess. Could you please comment on these outlandish rumours?"
Why would you believe such an odd claim? Is it because she is floating above us right now?
[Several journalists actually look up and, to their embarrassment, Hitler laughs aloud.]
What can I say? I thought that we were all grown ups here...
11. FickleCrossroad
"Herr Hitler, with regards to German domination of Grand Prix racing prewar, will you continue to support German motorsport, and if so, how?"
I have always encouraged the German Volk, and especially the young, to practice sports and other physical activities because of their beneficial effect on the health of the body and mind and the furthering of the spirit of teamwork and camaraderie. Moreover, any peaceful competition between Nations can only further a healthy kind of Nationalism, devoid of hatred and unhealthy ideas to inflict harm on other people. I can only hope that, in the future, the Germans would wave flags and chant patriotic songs to celebrate victories in sports arenas rather then on bloodied battlefields.
However, I believe that, due to my controversial legacy, I'd better refrain from encouraging the Germans to do anything, positive things included, lest I inadvertently provoke a backlash. I believe that it would be better for everybody if I maintained a low profile in the future with no public speeches or endorsements of any kind.
There are three things which I sincerely hope to remain in the public consciousness from all my lifelong work: Engage in physical activity, do not smoke, love and protect the nature.
12. @fluttersky
"Hello, Mein Führer. I am glad to see that you are healthy again. As you step down from politics, I am sure the German people will continue to respect you as our Eternal Führer who brought back Germany's greatness. I have three questions for you...
One. Now that the marvellous work of engineering that is the Berlin Dome has been activated, Germany is once again able to control everywhere inside the Dome. How do you think the problem of
Untermenschen such as Poles, Gypsies and Homosexuals still living inside the Dome should be dealt with?"
I believe that it is finally time to put aside the hateful propaganda whose only purpose was to make the Volk stick together like one to be able to defend the Reich from the danger of Bolshevism.
The Poles, while clearly a lesser People than the Germans in terms of ingenuity and artistic prowess, are nonetheless a fully Aryan, European People with their own interesting culture, customs and history.
The Gypsies, while obviously not Europeans, were never and can never concievably become a threat to us. If a Gypsy steals from your pocket, put him in jail, but leave the others alone.
About the sexual deviants, what can I say? As long as they have the minimal decency to perform their unnatural acts in private, whom do they hurt?
13. @fluttersky
"Two. Outside the eastern border of the Dome, the oppressive yoke of Bolshevism still brings terror to the Aryan people of Eastern Europe, including the loyal German communities in places such as Riga, Reval, the Banat, Siebenbürgen, and the Volga. Would you agree that the new German government, as soon as it has recovered from the damage of the war, should take steps to bring down the Soviet Union?"
During the past month, millions of Germans have publicly, forcefully and repeatedly stated their aversion for any more wars of conquest in the East. Because of that, both myself and the new Reich Government have already promissed that the Volk will never again be forced to embark on a total war of subjugation against our enemies. However, as yesterday's actions¹
had clearly shown, the war against Bolshevism can be still prosecuted by other means, without having our young die senselessly in the Russian steppes.
In the end, should the Germans once again desire to venture outside the Dome to finally crush the Communist Beast and bring freedom to the oppressed peoples of Eastern Europe, perhaps in coordination with the Western Democracies, limited military actions against the Red Army may be possible. But, as I am no longer in charge, that will be the choice of the Volk and of a future Reich Government and not mine.
About the fate of our unlucky conationals suffering under Soviet oppression, for now we can only pray for them and long for the day when they would be free to immigrate Heim ins Reich
.
1. See the following chapter.
14. @fluttersky
"Three. While I do not agree with such ludicrous rumours myself, I have heard people suggesting that the real Führer is still imprisoned and that you are merely a Jewish impostor trying to bring down Germany. What would you say to assure those people that you are who you claim to be?"
I admit that my recent and unexpected change of heart could be reasonably expected to fuel such conspiracy theories. However, thinking rationally, wouldn't it have been rather difficult to find an impostor who looked exactly like me and spoke exactly like me? What about my scars from the wounds inflicted in the 20 July assassination attempt? (baring his leg to show the scars)
It would have been easier to simply finish me off this time instead of putting together such an elaborate charade, don't you think? I believe that, as with any conspiracy theories, Occam's razor
is very useful in this case.
15. @Cool-Eh
"Herr Hitler, while you now resign and do not determine this on behalf of government what do you say regarding the effective abandonment of our allies the Japanese in recent times, and how do you regard their current position regarding peace with the Western powers as we are now attempting to negotiate for ourselves?"
The Alliance with the Japanese Empire has, in fact, never bypassed the purely declarative stage. To put it more bluntly, the Alliance has been a sham from the very beginning.
We had never cooperated on the battlefields and the military, technological and intelligence cooperation has been minimal or inexistent. Japan has never been at war with the Soviet Union, our most dangerous and hated foe. Our so called alliance has only manifested as a kind of limited cobelligerance against some of our former enemies, namely the American Union²
and the British Empire. The reasons for this situation were not only geographical and logistical as, being half a World apart and separated by our enemies, we couldn't cooperate even if we wanted to, but also politico-ideological as our worldview and plans for the future did not match theirs.
Now, while I sincerely wish that the Empire of Japan end its disastrous war against the Western Powers before its imminent nuclear annihilation, besides offering advice and praying that their leaders will realize the futility of delaying the inevitable, we are really in no position to help them in any meaningful way.
If the Empire of Japan had declared war against the Soviet Union when we were engaged in a life and death struggle with the dark forces of Bolshevism, we might have considered repaying the moral debt by tying our fate with theirs. However, to endanger our chances for an equitable peace settlement with the Western Powers for the sake of the Japanese, who chose to let the Red hordes overrun us, would have been nothing more than a laughable stupidity.
2. Strangely, in OTL Hitler had frequently used the phrase "American Union" when referring to the United States of America.
16. Evan
"Herr Hitler, while you've left the making of peace in other hands, what would you advise them to include in the treaty with the Western powers?"
I will not delve into particulars here. What is important, in my opinion, is that the Peace Treaty be the result of a negotiation and not a diktat. I hope that the peace that is soon to be forged would not sow the seeds of the next war as it unfortunately happened with the infamous Versailles Diktat. While the interests of the Volk are obviously paramount, we should never completely disregard the interests of other Peoples if we want to be able to live in peace with them in the future.
17. @Tyr Anazasi
"
Herr Reichspräsident, only a few weeks ago you wanted to invade the USSR again to gain more Lebensraum. Now your position has changed by 180 degrees. What is the reason behind? And this is only the most obvious change. Others did follow here. What shall we believe?"
I am a politician. Or, better said, I was one, just until my resignation. So, I believe I can tell you an open secret: all politicians lie. Instead of telling the truth, we tell the people what we believe they want to hear. I have wrongly assumed that the Germans would still want to gain their Lebensraum in the East and revenge the humiliating military defeats in the titanic struggle against Bolshevism. But millions of people demonstrating in German towns and cities all accross the Reich had proven me wrong, so I have obviously changed my plans to cater for their wishes.
So, my position has, in fact, never changed. My position has always been to do what the Volk wanted me to do. When the Volk wanted to put an end to the humiliation of Versailles, I did just that. When the Volk wanted to unite in a single Reich, I did just that. Now, when the Volk wanted to live in peace with their neighbours, I accepted their wish. That's all. It's really that simple.
18. @JuliusClonkus
"
Mein Führer, what is to be the future of the government? I shudder to think back to the chaos of the Weimar Republic, without a strong leader like you for the
Volk to rally behind. What I mean to ask, given that the Army's monarchist sympathies are more or less an open secret, how likely do you consider the restoration of the House of Hohenzollern to the German throne?"
I believe that, if the Wehrmacht desires a monarchical restoration in the Reich, they should ask for the opinion of the Volk. As the times when the Volk had little to no input in the governance of the Reich are now over, I believe that popular support in a referendum would be preferable to a fait accompli supported by the might of the Wehrmacht. As to my own opinions on the matter, I have none.
19. @Adamgerd
"Herr Hitler, John Smith from the BBC. If you don't mind, I'd like to come back to the «
numerous abhorrent crimes have been perpetrated by evil individuals from the Party and from the SS who acted in my name, interpreting ad-literam some ideas which I had hyperbolically stated either in Mein Kampf or in my political speeches.»
Does the German Government plan to charge them for the horrendous crimes that we have received reports of and investigate how was this allowed to happen... given that you claim you did not mean that literally?"
I really do not know, and I am not even sure that I care, what the Reich Government intends to do in this matter or others. However, let us not fool ourselves. Most of the members of the current Reich Government were, until a few weeks ago, National Socialists themselves. Yes, there will probably be some trials but I don't really expect anyone from the Wehrmacht to be sacrificed, for example.
20. @Adamgerd
"Herr Hitler, I am Félix Vandenberghe from the Walloon State News. We wonder whether you have not been coerced by the Wehrmacht? Our Leader, Léon Degrelle, is a committed National Socialist and he questions this sudden change to abandon National Socialism in favour of a republic. What is the reasoning behind this change? We also wonder as to the new German Reich's attitude towards the rightful Walloon Government."
I believe that the German Reich should no longer intervene in the internal business of sovereign countries such as Wallonia, unless being threatened in some manner. While the new Reich Government might not be friendly towards your leader, I can assume that military action against Wallonia is extremely unlikely. I believe that, as long as the Reich tolerates in neighbouring Croatia a political regime guilty of heinous crimes against the Serbian Nation, you should be fine. After all, besides beating Socialists in the streets, I'm not aware of anything which a democratic regime might find really objectionable about the Walloon Rexiste Party.
Disclaimer / Comments:
Olaf has to walk a fine line here. He cannot simply say "
I'm a genocidal madman" and still make it look like a believable change of heart.
Some of Hitler's statements are obvious lies but, again, it is the most poor Olaf could do in his situation.
Two comments regarding Olaf's rationale:
- Hitler (or rather Olaf controlling Hitler's body) is the best chance to stop the spread of Neo-Nazism in the bud. If their idol is still alive (and not a martyr to their cause) and does not support their extreme views it becomes rather difficult for them to keep on going.
- Hitler cannot believably become a Liberal, the same way you cannot expect the Neo-Nazis to turn into Liberals! However, with Hitler turning into your average 1940's Conservative, one could expect that many would be Neo-Nazis would follow his example and become "normal" Conservatives.
Many thanks to all who contributed the questions.
