Recently, I attended a lecture by a
survivor of the Holocaust who, as a child, experienced the most horrific of
circumstances. My uncle also experienced the monstrosity visited upon the
Jewish race, firsthand, as near the end of WWII his Army unit marched into one
of Germany’s concentration camps. Having witnessed the most unspeakable horrors,
he never spoke about what he saw there.
Of course, one man was, ultimately,
responsible for the advent of the Second World War, the deaths of countless
soldiers, sailors and marines, untold civilians, and the murder of six million
Jews.
Adolf Hitler
However, before issuing the executive
order which led to the deaths of millions of innocent men, women and children,
almost single-handedly destroying the Western world as we know it, Adolf Hitler
was an “up and coming,” (albeit unsuccessful) artist.
Subsequent to his service in the
German Army during WWI, “the little corporal” completed numerous murals which
had as their subject buildings, monuments, and landscapes. And while some
amateur and professional art critics have, well, criticized his artistic ability,
from my perspective some of his paintings were quite good.
Between the two World Wars, and before
the artist wannabe gave a moment’s thought to ruling one of the major nations
of the world, and subjecting others to his domination, Adolph Hitler had dreamed
a different dream.
Pt. 2
And to his credit, the non-descript
little man was not only a dreamer, but a doer; since he not only managed to
transfer his colorful visions to canvas, but he made application for acceptance
to The Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna.
Twice
And was turned down as many times as
he applied.
It is ironic that as the unrelenting,
demonic dictator of the Third Reich the great architecture and pastoral
villages he painted were, ultimately, destroyed by his actions.
Among Adolph’s artworks are some
paintings which provide an almost prophetic look into the as yet to be
fulfilled future of the most evil and dictatorial individual in the history of
the world. For among the colorful landscapes are also images of WWI tanks;
littering a barren landscape, and smoke rising from their turrets.
I have often reflected on that momentous
decision which denied Adolf Hitler the opportunity to undertake a course of
action which might have, literally, changed the course of human history, and
whomever was responsible for that singular decision.
I have wondered whether the man who
denied the future dictator, and warlord the opportunity to fulfill his artistic
dream, having experienced the abject awfulness which the little despot visited
on this planet, regretted having rejected his prospective student. A man who
unknowingly, unwittingly exercised more power than Hitler ever realized in his
lifetime; who with the stroke of a pen, a few words on a rejection letter doomed millions of hapless victims to certain death.
Adolf Hitler. Renowned artist.
The saddest words in any language.
...What might have been
The saddest words in any language.
...What might have been
By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 76. Copyright pending
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