Hitler Quote by William L. Shirer
““The confused locksmith Drexler provided the kernel, the drunken poet Eckart some of the “spiritual” foundation, the economic crank Feder what passed as an ideology, the homosexual Roehm the support of the Army and the war veterans, but it was now the former tramp, Adolf Hitler, not quite thirty-one and utterly unknown, who took the lead in building up what had been no more than a back-room debating society into what would soon become a formidable political party.””
About This Quote
Political movements often arise from diverse, sometimes contradictory, contributors, yet a single charismatic leader can dominate and reshape them.
In simple terms: Many voices form a movement, but one leader can dominate.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the power of leadership in shaping groups.
Themes
politics
leadership
history
Mood
cautious
thoughtful
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- social movements
- political parties
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
charisma
ideology
collective action
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks arise when one leader dominates?
- How to preserve diverse voices in movements?
A Different Perspective
Leadership can suppress other perspectives.
![“More or less constantly [he tease he]. [Adolf Hitler] would tell her, "Oh Evi, you're getting so fat I can't dare be seen with you. You really need to reduce." Eva [Braun] would flew into a panic until he would laugh and reassure her.” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c70/gretl-braun-9500_dare_more-or-less-constantly-he-tease-he-adol_286699.jpg)
![“If [Eva Braun] was crying upstairs, it wouldn't be long before [Adolf] Hitler would quietly excuse himself and then make things right. What he said to her, I don't know. Whether he said the words "I'm sorry," I don't know. But he was a charmer, he knew how to stop a woman from crying.” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/154/gretl-braun-9500_charmers_if-eva-braun-was-crying-upstairs-it-woul_178210.jpg)
![“[Hitler thought] that Mussolini was no figure of world history, like der Fuehrer or Stalin.” quote by Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fa3/joseph-goebbels-4054_figures_hitler-thought-that-mussolini-was-no-fig_5180.jpg)
![“Eva [Braun] loved [Adolf] Hitler and he was the only man in her life. She flirted and danced with other men but never would she have done more than that.” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/242/gretl-braun-9500_done_eva-braun-loved-adolf-hitler-and-he-was_22780.jpg)
![“[Wilhelm] Bruckner was one of [Adolf] Hitler's adjutants, very close to him and he'd been in the party probably since day one. Personally neither of us could stand him.” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/402/gretl-braun-9500_hitler_wilhelm-bruckner-was-one-of-adolf-hitler_30529.jpg)
![“My father would never have come to visit, he detested Eva's [Braun] choice in a man and the fact [Adolf] Hitler had set her up in an apartment. To him it was deeply humiliating that she was living with a man at his own whim at an apartment he was paying for.” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2a7/gretl-braun-9500_apartment_my-father-would-never-have-come-to-visit_40016.jpg)
![“For instance, [Adolf Hitler] would never have spent the night at the Widenmayerstraße apartment. He visited it before we moved the furniture in, he visited maybe 4 times afterwards and he never spent the entire night.” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3c6/gretl-braun-9500_apartment_for-instance-adolf-hitler-would-never-ha_54634.jpg)