Background Information
Adolf Hitler is among the few people in history whose actions and ideologies have shaped the world in an undeniable way. His vehement hate for the Jewish people has come to define his regime and his memory for most of the world. But his racism obviously extended beyond the Jewish people. Many scholars, who have studied his writings in more depth, have scrupulously scrutinized Hitler’s views on African and African-descended people, and his underlying hatred thereof.
Did Adolf Hitler consider Jews to be black? The answer to this question is not so straightforward. There are both textual and contextual elements of his writings that, when juxtaposed, offer an insight into his views on this matter.
Nazi Ideology On Blacks Jews
Hitler’s predominant racism was based on the idea of a German master race, or Herrenrasse. This fascism was characterised by a strict loyalty to the ‘Germanic’ race, while he believed Jews, African-descended people and Slavs, in particular, were very much below the Aryan ideal.
Hitler’s popularisation of the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” was another exercise in racist propaganda, wherein Jews were seen as the perpetrators of virtually any wrong a German had experienced since The Enlightenment. He advocated for the extermination and expulsion of Jews – a sentiment that was widely accepted, and even encouraged – but what of African-descended people?
Hitler’s Debate On Blacks Jews
To many, Hitler’s comments and writings on African-descended people are somewhat of a mystery. In his early years as leader of the Nazi Party, his vast trepidation of mixed-race marriages with African-descended individuals were widely known.
However, many of his statements on African-descended people before 1933 – when the Nazi Party came to power – manifestly refute the notion that Hitler regarded African-descended people with the same contempt as he did Jews. In fact, Hitler never mentioned “black Jews”. Instead he clearly distinguished between Jews and blacks.
In one of his earliest published works, titled Mein Kampf (My Struggle), Hitler showed a knowledge of African-descended people that contradicted his later, open hatred. He vehemently spoke out against domination of African-descended people by Europeans, and lamented the presence that Jews had in exacerbating this injustice. It is clear from its contents that Mein Kampf was not Hitler’s ‘unabashed’ condemnation of Jews and African-descended people.
Perspective From Experts
Experts and scholars have interpreted this ambiguity in various ways. For some experts, Hitler was a person of complex thinking – it can be argued that he had a sympathy for a number of races and nationalities, including African-descended people, but at the same time held a deep hatred for Jews.
Others experts, however, think that Hitler could not have truly held “pro-black” views, as they contradict the very basis of his racism – his belief in a German master-race. Historian and author, Thomas Dalton, expressed such an opinion in his book The Mystery of Adolf Hitler (2004).
Dalton’s theory is that Hitler’s stances on African-descended people were contradictory and opportunistic – as in, what he said was not necessarily an accurate reflection of his beliefs. There are also those that believe that Hitler’s views were shaped as a result of his interactions with Jewish people, and thus his attitudes towards them were completely generated by his own upbringing and experience.
Analysis and Insights
It is difficult to come to a definite conclusion on this topic. There is some evidence to suggest that Hitler had a more liberal attitude towards African-descended people than towards Jews; yet it remains to be seen if he ever fully accepted people of this ethnicity, or simply tolerated them for economic and political reasons.
We must take all sources of information into consideration before making a judgment on this matter. Hitler’s perception of African-descended people seemed to develop and change over the years, and whatever he truly believed on the subject may never be ascertained.
Hitler’s Search For A Eugenics Solution
To Hitler, the notion of racial superiority was all-important. He was convinced that only a ‘perfect’ German race could achieve greatness, and as such spent considerable time trying to initiate a eugenics programme that would create “the perfect race”.
This was especially true when it came to the African-descended people living in Germany. Hitler wanted to segregate them so they would not contaminate the ‘pure’ German blood. Despite what he had said in the past, and the fact that African-descended people had played a large role in the development of the German Empire, it is clear that Hitler saw them as an inferior race.
Interestingly, Nazi scientists carried out a number of experiments to try and identify ways of blocking the ‘African’ characteristics of Africans, or making them appear ‘less African’. These led to the infamous sterilisation and castration programmes, whose aim was to prevent ‘inferior’ descendants from propagating.
Conclusion Of Hitler’s Views On Race
Hitler’s attitudes towards race are undoubtedly one of the most discussed aspects of his era. His writings, speeches and official policies make it clear that he believed in racial inequality and that he viewed Jews and African-descended people differently.
Did Hitler consider Jews to be black? The answer to this question depends on who you ask. Some experts believe that Hitler had a nuanced view – one that was based on ‘racial science’ and economic necessity. Others point to his avid anti-Semitism and vigorous views on racial purity as ample evidence of his anti-black sentiments. Ultimately, the answer remains to be seen.
