Perhaps the only sure way to avoid repeating the horror is to understand exactly what happened, and how. There are some situations in it that are unique to Germany that will not recur, yet, ominously, there are seductive elements of right-wing fascism that are common to the darkness in us all: the fear and hatred of people who are "not like us", the idea that military power defines a nation, the ever-popular delusion that "God is with us" (the Nazi Party's offical motto) and not with the other fellow, and the mad jingoism that declares "my country right or wrong." (In fact that motto is a misquotation of a toast given by U.S. Navy hero Stephen Decatur in 1814 - what he actually said was, "To my country, may she always be in the right!" - and it so pleased Hitler that he had it placed on the entrance gate to the infamous concentration camp at Buchenwald.

VOLKISCHER BEOBACHTER [Munich, Germany]. 8 - 12 pp folio. The official National Socialist "kampfblatt", or "newspaper of the struggle." Goebbel's enormously sophisticated daily newspaper is filled with the philosophy of National Socialism and its applications throughout the Reich and the world. A study in the official creation of "reality", this newspaper's stunning effectiveness in shaping public opinion has, alas, become the role model for many later imitators, from Pravda to The Wall Street Journal. Rather than simply report false news, the editors also slanted the articles so that the day's events appeared to support the party line. This paper was a pioneer in creating the seamless illusion that whatever the powers that control the government say is true must be the truth and turning history into self-serving fictions. Select here to view a scan of the top half of a typical front page, in 101K JPG format. When done select GO BACK in your browser to return to this page. We offer issues in fine condition, spinecut when released from their former owner, the library of the U.S. War Department, as follows: