Hitler's Niece

A fine read, moral fiction:

Finished Hitler's Niece by Ron Hansen. Geli Raubal (whose mother was Adolf’s half-sister Angela), died in September 1931 at the age of 23 by a bullet from Hitler’s gun, which was found lying beside her. She was also found with a broken nose, and the historical evidence strongly suggests that Hitler viciously struck her and then murdered her. He is portrayed as having done so in the novel.

The Munich cops and other officials called it suicide. There was no autopsy and no police investigation. It is possible, I suppose, that one of Hitler’s thugs could have been the one to murder her, but it is likely that if that were so it was still done at his behest. If she had shot herself did she also break her own nose? His violence to her by those acts were the least of the cruelty, sexual as well as mental, that he heaped upon her in her lifetime, it appears.

I agree with the critics that this novel is brilliant. Although (or perhaps because) it is told from the point of view of Geli, a girl who grows into a young woman and then abruptly dies, it dramatizes the breadth and depth of the evil of the entire Nazi regime, certainly its hideous leaders.

Goering was about as repulsive as a human being could be, wearer of perfume and women’s makeup, appallingly fat, a plundering thief from Jews he disposed of, a sexual pervert, a cold-blooded murderer. Goebbels was an incredibly, disgustingly sycophantic ass-kisser of Hitler and just as incredibly ruthless in grinding subordinates under his heel and plotting the death of an entire people. And most of the Nazis close to him ridiculed Hitler behind his back while kowtowing and genuflecting and saluting and hollering “Heil Hitler!” whenever he was around. He expected it, demanded it, and believed he was entitled to it.

All the time, in his sexual behavior, he was masochistic as well as sadistic, imprisoning and enslaving Geli -- his niece, nineteen years his junior -- while, for example, having her urinate on him while he masturbated. So the little corporal was a golden-shower boy -- among other things. Millions of innocents died because of this man’s sexual psychopathology, I suppose you could say.

Ron Hansen, the author of this powerful novel, wrote about Hitler’s 1945 suicide in the bunker and added: “If only he’d done it fourteen years earlier.” If only. If only.

Eugene McCarthy, who I supported in 1968 in his run against LBJ as a peace candidate, died at age 89. Richard Pryor died at the age of 65. Both were noble men. Richard, through his comedy, depicted the suffering of African Americans and the ridiculous behavior of the white majority and how they were related.

I got a haircut today. It's the best one I've had in a long time. When I get a haircut I like for it to look like I've had a haircut. Done. It's been a good day. Rosie and I put up the Xmas tree and she spent a good part of the evening stringing lights on it while I watched and listened to a Star Wars "Musical Journey," a DVD that was one of two discs, the other being a music CD. Both CD and DVD are da bomb.

Goodnight.