“Look Who’s Back” Is the Most-up-to-Date Book You Have to Read

Or: “what would Hitler do?”

In 2012, Timur Vermes published his masterpiece: “Look Who’s Back.” He sets the following scenery:

• Adolf Hitler has survived the 2nd World War and mysteriously wakes up in Germany in 2011.
• He discovers Germany almost 70 years after his “death” and finds fertile soil for his (still) perverted ideas.

It is a distressing book to read, especially as a German living in the described country.

To remind you — Hitler is responsible for millions of deaths, manifold crimes against humanity and wrote the darkest time in German history.

And one question keeps me worried in the current crisis: “What if he would come back again?”

I know many people would say — this won’t happen again, and we learned from our mistakes. But it is always a good idea to take a closer look at the current developments and feelings inside your country.

And Hitler is known for his brutal and illegal invasions. Maybe it would be wise to analyze the status of your country accordingly.

Let me first set my own scenery:

• Adolf Hitler wakes up in Germany in November 2020.
• He discovers Germany almost 80 years after his “death,” and what he finds in my home country stresses me more than Timur Vermes could have imagined.

#1 a deeply divided country

Crisis always brings out the best and the worst in people. Wherever Hitler may look in 2020, he would find feared, terrified, and anxious people.

The corridor of opinions or thoughts one is allowed to say narrows each day.

It is becoming less important what you actually say than on which side you stay.

Vice-president of the German Bundestag (parliament), Wolfgang Kubicki, rebuked a far-right member of the parliament, Alexander Gauland, for his statement “the (Muslim) commissary for integration should be disposed of like garbage.”

Wolfgang Kubicki appropriately reminded the Germans that vocabulary like this was once used in Germany and should never renaissance. The German Bundestag applauded this courageous reprimand.

Just weeks later, Wolfgang Kubicki used the same approach as a Muslim reporter said, “the police should be disposed of like garbage.” The echo was completely different — the Muslim reporter felt discriminated against.

If even the highest politicians are not allowed to speak the truth — that such vocabulary should never be used again — what is allowed to the citizens?

Especially in a crisis where discussions about the next possible steps should be encouraged and not revoked.

According to Machiavelli, and his “Il Principe”:

“it is best if a dictator fans the flames between two parties to cover his own actions.”

And here is where it gets interesting — especially for a person like Hitler who needs the atmosphere of fear and hatred.

#2 atmosphere of only two existing oppositions

When Hitler takes a look at the current situation in Germany, there are only two sides visible. Both sides fight fiercely against each other. And their behavior is lead by fear:

• The people are either in fear of the COVID-19-virus, or
• They are completely against this COVID-19-virus & fear the measures or the following consequences.

And today, almost nobody can speak freely in public about their real fears. Hitler could almost clock his watch that someone will argue with him when he would bring up this topic. Until today, Hitler could only find a minority of neutral persons.

I believe that Hitler doesn’t have the answer to the important questions, but I also think that he doesn’t want to bring back neutral discussions. He loves extreme positions.

The idea behind discussions in the past was that each side needed to be heard. After exchanging your thoughts, the majority decided what to do.

Today, we can observe an approach that has lots of room for improvement. And as we cannot change the politicians, we can change our own behavior.

The conspiracists did a disservice in this debate. As soon as you raise your voice, you are now put in one corner.

This has to stop. Data has to be presented understandably and transparently, and the experts from ALL sides have to be heard.

And this does not only apply to Germany. In Germany, our death figures are “considerably low.” In other countries, a discussion about the future is also needed as this is a worldwide issue.

If this debate is not encouraged by politicians, they float the scared people into Hitler's arms.

#3 economy shattered

When I talked to my grandmother, she died this year at the age of 96, about the rise of Hitler in the 1930s, she always mentioned these points:

• People were unemployed.
• The economy was shattered.

I had to look it up myself as I am always suspicious, but she was right:

• In February 1932, ca. 6,12 million people were unemployed, which equals 16,8% of the total population.
• Around 12 million employable people actually had jobs, meaning that 1/3 of all employable people were unemployed.
• The deflation policy — saving money instead of spending — contributed to the extreme development of the crisis.

And when Hitler would take a look at the economy — what would he see now?

Major economic areas such as tourism, culture (museum, theaters, etc.), local retailers, restaurants, beauty culture, fitness centers, and many more are left behind — they had and still have to close during the lockdown-phases.

And these lockdowns were not foreseeable — restaurants upgraded their rooms with protective walls and developed concepts to condemn the virus.

Just weeks later, they had to close down again — without the chance of explaining their (possibly) good approaches.

One could argue that Germany has a great car-manufacturing industry, but one should never forget that these cars have to be bought by other individuals.

And if complete parts of the industry are grounded — this surely has a major impact on the economy.

I can already see Hitler rubbing his hands — there are many angry mouths to feed with poisoned promises.

#4 already a party in the starting blocks

The parties in Germany are challenged by a “new” player in the Bundestag. The AfD — Alternative for Germany — was introduced in 2013, and they developed into a potpourri of German nationalist, national-conservative, and Eurosceptics.

The perfect entrance party for Hitler’s rebirth campaign. The program of the AfD is not that right (yet) to attract former conservatives or left-behinds from other parties. Thus, it offers insights into the typical nationalist minds.

A mind that is not needed in Europe anymore, as problems can only be solved globally and not nationally.

And you don’t have to go as far as to the COVID-19 crisis at the moment. The solutions for climate variability and change can only be found in a global approach.

Coming back to Germany, Hitler would use the AfD as it is already the third-largest party in the German Bundestag. And we don’t have to be prophets to foresee the results of the next election: the results will be even more devastating.

Whenever people are scared, not heard, or don’t see their will represented — they tend to vote for more extreme parties.

It happened in 1933, and it is not hard to imagine that history will repeat itself.

#5 no room for discussion

According to the highest German court, freedom of speech and opinion must be granted up to the culpableness border.

It is one of the most important rights in democracies.

And no democracy is allowed to call itself a democracy when people are not allowed to speak freely, without fearing (social) disadvantages.

When Hitler would take a look at the current approach of the administration lead by Angela Merkel, he would observe the following:

• A crisis squad, consisting of ministers of the departments and counties, sets the playing rules.
• The elected Bundestag (parliament) can only nod towards these rules — even 9 months after first discovering COVID-19 in Germany.

At one point, crisis squads have to be dissolved, and the democratically elected representatives should take over again.

Otherwise, politicians will lose even more support from the population. And in Democracies, everyone has to bear even nasty opinions — unless they are punishable.

This goes for the Bundestag as well as for the population itself.

When the politicians don’t come up with other ideas besides their already stated ones, people will move towards more extreme parties.

According to Prof. Hans Rosling (“Factfulness"), it is important that:

“A premier looks at current figures and facts but does not focus on them.”

Otherwise, Hitler would grin even harsher.

Final thoughts

It is vital to see that Timur Vermes outlined a development in 2012 that had its first peak in 2013 — with the foundation of the AfD.

In 2017, the AfD was already the third-largest party in Germany.

And with the current crisis, the possibility of “A” Hitler's return rises when the politicians don’t take a close look at their own steps.

The population is there for a reason — not only for voting but to be led by great, positive, and encouraging leaders AND goals.

Moreover, the population is needed more than ever — the individual has to step up. Whenever you experience the following aspects, you have to step in:

• People raising their voices when they should start listing.
• People arguing without arguments.
• People seeking extreme instead of reasonable approaches.

It would be best if you started to speak about what you think is right in these cases — not with hatred words but with clear and transparent opinions.

Democracy is best when all voices are heard, and this is only possible if everyone contributes to this bigger goal.

And as always — please enjoy the ride.