https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire

This happened in 1933, shortly after Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany. The Reichstag (German parliament) was set on fire by an arsonist, this gave the Nazis the excuse they needed to convince the President to enact emergency powers, which would allow him to pass laws by decree. This was a mechanism in Germany at the time by which the President could assume emergency powers to deal with a crisis. The Nazis were pressing to pass legislation that would also give this authority to the Chancellor, but they needed a 2/3 vote, they held only 1/3 of seats. Hitler had already convinced the President to dissolve parliament and set new elections (this is actually a fairly common practice in European countries), and new elections were coming up in a couple months.

ETA- not sure how I didn't include this. The Communists were blamed for the fire, one member of Parliament was arrested and later executed for this arson. The fire provided the excuse to get the communists out of parliament and clear the way for more Nazis to be elected.

In response to the fire, the President used his authority to suspend civil liberties. Communists were rounded up and arrested, those in Parliament first and foremost, on the grounds that they were planning a revolution. At the outset of this storm the Nazis held over 50% of Parliament following the election.

At the time, there was some belief that the Nazis had started the fire as a false flag operation. The Fire Chief expressed this belief after the fire was investigated, he had been ordered to delay response to the fire and he had was not allowed to utilize the full resources at his disposal. He was fired for making these statements. 4 years later he was arrested for abuse of office, and was killed 2 years later.

There is still debate about who set the fire. The man held responsible was executed at the time, he was pardoned in the late 90s. The big debates in Germany over the fire led to the communists being further punished, the remaining players in the debate were killed in the Night of the Long Knives.


We are seeing this happen right now in the US. We are witnessing fascism first hand from democrats.

Wrote something similar today. Agree

"Having succeeded in turning Germany into a one-party dictatorship, the Nazi Propaganda Ministry, directed by Dr. Joseph Goebbels, took control of all forms of communication: newspapers, magazines, books, public meetings, and rallies, art, music, movies, and radio."

That is a godless Nazi square peg. We are dealing with a godless Democrat round peg.

The similarities and warning signs from the past 5-10 years to now are really piling up.

It's too bad no one live-streamed the Reichstag fire on Facebook so we could all know exactly what happened in real time.

I recommend reading "In the Garden of Beasts". It's an easy read of 1930's Germany leading up to Nazi control. Scary and fascinating reading from the basis of the US Ambassador to Germany at the time.

And there is always the classic "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich".

The parallels are frighteningly aligned for anyone who has read either or both. The left on here that mock it haven't read their history and don't realize their own ignorance, or welcome all of this as they see themselves as being on the winning side.

Liberals hate history

Fascists live to repeat it.

Good luck storming the castle next time! Maybe they should have brought a wheelbarrow?

...but but it was Antifa (communists).

Ukraine Gas Expert said:

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"Having succeeded in turning Germany into a one-party dictatorship, the Nazi Propaganda Ministry, directed by Dr. Joseph Goebbels, took control of all forms of communication: newspapers, magazines, books, public meetings, and rallies, art, music, movies, and radio."

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Victor Davis Hanse was on FNC this morning expressing his grave concerns about the signals to Big Tech by the incoming administration. Facebook, Google and Apple have 98% monopoly and act in concert. There is no difference between them and Standard Oil or Ma Bell.

He also stated flat out that Big Tech got the message that a far left leaning administration is coming in. Michelle Obama told Dorsey to ban Trump from twitter. Voila! Happens. Why? Because of the power of DOJ to break them up using antitrust laws. The message is if they follow instructions, they'll be left alone. If not, DOJ will come down hard on them.

Very, very similar. Of course it's a history less than 1 percent of Americans are even dimly aware of, which makes it even scarier.

The nazi planks/positions included such familiar tenets as socialized medicine/healthcare/welfare for all, disarmament (seizing gun registration records and disarming the jews/enemies), and centralized education curricula (including literally fake science to suit their programs/goals, and of course a very odd history of the German peoples/volk/religions).

Also of some note was his approval rating, such that we can guess at it. He was elected with only around 37% of the vote (parliamentary times), but was probably around 90 percent approval by the time the war started, and even in the 50's something like 25% of Germans thought well of him still. My point is that it's amazing how effective propaganda really can be.

Yep.

I am not making excuses for the Nazis

But think about who the global leader in Communism was at the time and what they were doing to their own citizens

And then look at what is going on in Hong Kong as the communists dismantle a once thriving region. Dissidents are jailed and often held without trial. Sometimes they disappear altogether

Again, I am not making excuses for the Nazis, but I understand.

Burdizzo said:

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I am not making excuses for the Nazis

But think about who the global leader in Communism was at the time and what they were doing to their own citizens

And then look at what is going on in Hong Kong as the communists dismantle a once thriving region. Dissidents are jailed and often held without trial. Sometimes they disappear altogether

Again, I am not making excuses for the Nazis, but I understand.

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This was not about fighting the communists, this was about silencing opposition, removing the opposition, and consolidating power. Forget the letter by their name, look at the goals and the actions.

Its not hyperbole. Really have no doubt this is what we are seeing. You have to remember that when you have a `Reichstag Fire' moment, the truth of how it began becomes almost trivial by comparison to how it is USED and what it is used to JUSTIFY.

There is no sugarcoating it: The Democrat+MSM+Big Tech reaction is `Reich Stag Fire-ist' and Nazi totalitarian power grab in tone. Remember as they call you fascists, a Left Democrat is best imagined as pointing a finger back at themselves.

get ready for the Gulags

Exactly. I figured that big tech got the ok to go knowing full well congress nor the senate would do anything, because they can't. Only hope is people, and perhaps some politicians recognize the danger, otherwise we all, libs too, are in danger.

YouBet said:

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I recommend reading "In the Garden of Beasts". It's an easy read of 1930's Germany leading up to Nazi control. Scary and fascinating reading from the basis of the US Ambassador to Germany at the time.

And there is always the classic "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich".

The parallels are frighteningly aligned for anyone who has read either or both. The left on here that mock it haven't read their history and don't realize their own ignorance, or welcome all of this as they see themselves as being on the winning side.

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As a summer reading challenge, I picked that book up from our 5A high school library in 1985. I still remember the librarian saying, "Oh...I didn't know we had this book." I remember looking at the dates that the book had been checked out on the inside cover. The last time that book had been checked out was in the early 70's. I figured the librarian would get rid of it after I turned it in when school started. So, I "lost" the book and paid 3.00 for it. I took it with me on my Sinai tour and it may still sit in a book locker on one of the observation points.

Excellent read.

Read chapter 6 of AH's book. It is worth the brain exercise.

it might help if you put aside all the attempts at people to draw nuance and realize this:

Totalitarians are nearly identical in methods and end result goal. All that differs is their motives.

Have not the slightest hesitation in saying the Democratic Party Left is totalitarian in its bent. (Notice that DNC Left by definition doesn't mean all Democrats---but the party leadership, yes.. No question. Same as its surrogates in MSM and allies)

The only difference that may show up is what they do with their win; not how they get there.

Burdizzo said:

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I am not making excuses for the Nazis

But think about who the global leader in Communism was at the time and what they were doing to their own citizens

And then look at what is going on in Hong Kong as the communists dismantle a once thriving region. Dissidents are jailed and often held without trial. Sometimes they disappear altogether

Again, I am not making excuses for the Nazis, but I understand.

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Well, notice that the nazis didn't really care about the threat of the communists to their east.

They did seek "lebensraum" or room for their chosen people to expand, but continued to develop/cooperate with the Commies (as the Germans had since the early 20's) on tank development/R and D etc through the 30's.

Hitler of course was a deranged moron to take on both fronts (eventually), but notice which way the attack went first (west), perhaps before he completely lost his mind. Also, it was the Germans who had ferreted Lenin to Russia in WW1 (in a locked box car, to make sure he didn't contaminate german unions/left with his ideas).

Anyway, Stalin's gulags (filled essentially with undesirables/slavs/kulaks etc) were not a concern/problem to the nazi leadership. Further, there is some parallel to today here; the actions of the CCP are not even a minor concern to the American left, which is if anything annoyed when it is brought up.

esteban said:

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It's too bad no one live-streamed the Reichstag fire on Facebook so we could all know exactly what happened in real time.

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Trump leaves twitter for Parler and platforms Apple and Google within a day or so de- platform Parler. Why would they do so if they and their allies are not attempting to censor?

You need to wake up!

TTUArmy said:

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YouBet said:

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I recommend reading "In the Garden of Beasts". It's an easy read of 1930's Germany leading up to Nazi control. Scary and fascinating reading from the basis of the US Ambassador to Germany at the time.

And there is always the classic "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich".

The parallels are frighteningly aligned for anyone who has read either or both. The left on here that mock it haven't read their history and don't realize their own ignorance, or welcome all of this as they see themselves as being on the winning side.

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As a summer reading challenge, I picked that book up from our 5A high school library in 1985. I still remember the librarian saying, "Oh...I didn't know we had this book." I remember looking at the dates that the book had been checked out on the inside cover. The last time that book had been checked out was in the early 70's. I figured the librarian would get rid of it after I turned it in when school started. So, I "lost" the book and paid 3.00 for it. I took it with me on my Sinai tour and it may still sit in a book locker on one of the observation points.

Excellent read.

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I read it as an adult in the last 15 years, but may need to go back through it again. It can be a slog but at this point it should be required reading.

As an aside, this made me check our library and I don't have this book anymore. Upsetting because I would never have gotten rid of a book like that. I must have loaned it to someone. Guess I have a purchase to make today before it gets banned.

Problem comparing Nazis with Democrats is that their leader is not hitler. Biden is Daisy, like in 'Driving miss Daisy'

law-apt-3g said:

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Problem comparing Nazis with Democrats is that their leader is not hitler. Biden is Daisy, like in 'Driving miss Daisy'

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I think you miss the point. The tactics used in that incident are being repeated right now.

I think you also forget what people thought of Hitler at that time. He was Time's Man of the Year a few years after this. His "reforms" were celebrated by progressives even here in the US.

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Well, notice that the nazis didn't really care about the threat of the communists to their east.

They did seek "lebensraum" or room for their chosen people to expand, but continued to develop/cooperate with the Commies (as the Germans had since the early 20's) on tank development/R and D etc through the 30's.

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Hold on. That is a serious misunderstanding of what Hitler and Nazis were thinking. It can't be stressed enough that they always planned to turn on the Soviet Union. In fact, they didn't foresee that the kind of alliance they did would work as well as it did when it came time for Poland. Hitler was talking in oblique terms about all the (then lived on) land he was going to be taken from the east as early as the first few years after taking power.

Their cooperation was insincere and lies. A ruse. Germany had no intention of co-existing with Soviet Russia. Now there is less certainty about the reverse, whether Stalin thought the arrangement could last, and he was clearly caught off guard on the timing.

But here is an example of what talking about. The Soviets purchased an incomplete heavy cruiser of the German Navy, the Lutzow. They promised to deliver parts for the complicated machinery and targeting systems but claimed `manufacturing contrasts were tied up' and such. Then as crates were delivered, a gryoscope or whatever often was missing or had the incorrect pieces. They would have to re-ordered. These shenanigans were so succesful in delaying completion it was still not finished a few years later when German attacked Russia. Only a few guns were aboard, and the ship unable to move---it was used a a floating battery in the famous seige of Leningrad. Much of the "cooperation" was alot like that, but not all. But it was never sincere.

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Very, very similar. Of course it's a history less than 1 percent of Americans are even dimly aware of, which makes it even scarier.

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THIS.

So many are clueless about the lessons of history and the parallels to what is going on around them now.

kb2001 said:

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Burdizzo said:

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I am not making excuses for the Nazis

But think about who the global leader in Communism was at the time and what they were doing to their own citizens

And then look at what is going on in Hong Kong as the communists dismantle a once thriving region. Dissidents are jailed and often held without trial. Sometimes they disappear altogether

Again, I am not making excuses for the Nazis, but I understand.

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This was not about fighting the communists, this was about silencing opposition, removing the opposition, and consolidating power. Forget the letter by their name, look at the goals and the actions.

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Germany had two horrible options in that event. Right now it looks like we may be in the same position, and we have a lot of people trying to push the people in the middle to pick sides.

Burdizzo said:

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kb2001 said:

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Burdizzo said:

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I am not making excuses for the Nazis

But think about who the global leader in Communism was at the time and what they were doing to their own citizens

And then look at what is going on in Hong Kong as the communists dismantle a once thriving region. Dissidents are jailed and often held without trial. Sometimes they disappear altogether

Again, I am not making excuses for the Nazis, but I understand.

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This was not about fighting the communists, this was about silencing opposition, removing the opposition, and consolidating power. Forget the letter by their name, look at the goals and the actions.

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Germany had two horrible options in that event. Right now it looks like we may be in the same position, and we have a lot of people trying to push the people in the middle to pick sides.

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They may have to. Because you were right. They didn't even have the third option - the Brazil one where the military puts the parties out of power till they shape up and then restores it. Because in 1933 the German Army, the Reichswehr, was small in scale. Its an open question whether it could have imposed order by force on BOTH sides.

Our situation is potentially different - there may be a third choice.

M-K-TAG said:

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Quote:

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Very, very similar. Of course it's a history less than 1 percent of Americans are even dimly aware of, which makes it even scarier.

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THIS.

So many are clueless about the lessons of history and the parallels to what is going on around them now.

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There are many who agree with it.

Look at the libs who post here who are cheering that Trump got booted from Twitter.

Even though I think Obama is an evil racist Marxist, I would never advocate that he be booted from Twitter. I just ignore what he says and block him. That's what civil, rational people do. But libs are not rational; they are base, vile creatures. They are thugs who want to decide what is right, what is truth, and then force it on you.

titan said:

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Quote:

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Well, notice that the nazis didn't really care about the threat of the communists to their east.

They did seek "lebensraum" or room for their chosen people to expand, but continued to develop/cooperate with the Commies (as the Germans had since the early 20's) on tank development/R and D etc through the 30's.

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Hold on. That is a serious misunderstanding of what Hitler and Nazis were thinking. It can't be stressed enough that they always planned to turn on the Soviet Union. In fact, they didn't foresee that the kind of alliance they did would work as well as it did when it came time for Poland. Hitler was talking in oblique terms about all the (then lived on) land he was going to be taken from the east as early as the first few years after taking power.

Their cooperation was insincere and lies. A ruse. Germany had no intention of co-existing with Soviet Russia. Now there is less certainty about the reverse, whether Stalin thought the arrangement could last, and he was clearly caught off guard on the timing.

But here is an example of what talking about. The Soviets purchased an incomplete heavy cruiser of the German Navy, the Lutzow. They promised to deliver parts for the complicated machinery and targeting systems but claimed `manufacturing contrasts were tied up' and such. Then as crates were delivered, a gryoscope or whatever often was missing or had the incorrect pieces. They would have to re-ordered. These shenanigans were so succesful in delaying completion it was still not finished a few years later when German attacked Russia. Only a few guns were aboard, and the ship unable to move---it was used a a floating battery in the famous seige of Leningrad. Much of the "cooperation" was alot like that, but not all. But it was never sincere.

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Ok, but nothing you posted contradicts my own post. It wasn't the gulags or anything else that concerned Hitler, it was just the prospect of a major competing power nearby/next door. There was no moral/ideologically significant reason for the concern, just that it was 'there.' Subterfuge and betrayal/dishonesty were certainly common in all commmunist/nazi diplomacy/arms treaties/deals, and it wasn't just the Chamberlains/Roosevelts/Lindbergh's etc. that fell for the lies.

No argument.

Its just the idea that anti-Russia tone was contrived is so wrong, wanted to correct.

Germany (that is Hitler and his circle, not the military or country) never wanted or contemplated extended peace with the Soviet Union. Destroying Bolshevism was a priority. its one of the reasons the Battle of Britain goes the way it does--- Hitler doesn't want to fight it--its all a distraction -- he wants to get on with taking down the Soviets. That's why doesn't hesitate to open a two front war (an anathema generally) when he could have put if off a while yet more.

They did contemplate peace or living together with the British Empire (and even more generally, us) but not Russia.

I've read somewhere that Goering later implied that he set the fire himself...certainly the most believable explanation is that is was set by the Nazis as an excuse to consolidate power.

And it was the Nazis who set the fire, in order to blame the communists.

And why the communists? Because they were the only remaining opposition that was large enough, and well organized enough to oppose the Nazis in their quest for complete and total power.

So they burned the Reichstag, and used it as an excuse to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree and then Enabling Act, giving Hitler absolute control over Germany.

Now we have Biden proposing an "anti-terrorism" law which will specifically target so called "right wing extremists" which everyone knows means anyone who is not in lock step with the DNCCP.

CoachO_08 said:

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I've read somewhere that Goering later implied that he set the fire himself...certainly the most believable explanation is that is was set by the Nazis as an excuse to consolidate power.

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Ask any legitimate historian and virtually every single one will agree that the Nazis set the fire.

Dr. Krammer (RIP) (former A&M history professor who specialized in Nazi Germany) had no doubt it was a Nazi false flag operation.

And on that note, something he said is so beyond true.

"It's interesting as a history professor to see how people often make the wrong choice without seeing how it turned out two generations before them. People often fail to learn from the past,. ... Before you make a choice, look back at what other people did before you. That is the value of history,"