MY POSTINGS ON PHILATELIC NEWSGROUPS

D.C. French collector. Since I have begun to read the news, I am wondering why how much posts talks about Hitler's stamps ... Is the personality of Hitler which causes such a fascination ? Are there so much neo-nazis ? What about other dictators, who appear on so much stamps ?

V.M. I think that Hitler, his views and the stamps representing him are hated - interest - fascinate people for some of the reasons listed below:

- Some think that these stamps are valuable (wrong)
- Others think they are forbidden (wrong)
- Some are his supporters (bad idea)
- Others are his enemies (right, if they want freedom, not to take his place)
- Some cannot forget what he has done (right)
- Others wish to forget ASAP what he has done (their right, not so good)
- Again others deny his horrors, like Shoah (bad)
- Some think that nazism is the final result of the development of capitalism (wrong)
- Others think that nazism is a form of socialism (true)

D.J. answered. Not quite - the National Socialist German Workers' Party was about as socialist as the German Democratic Republic was democratic, IMHO.

V.M. In other words, you think that Hitler and his party had nothing to do with socialism. OK, then would you please tell me which of the following quotations (exposing some typical socialist views) were NOT written by Hitler or his official supporters:

1. "It is thus necessary that the individual should finally come to realize that his own ego is of no importance in comparison with the existence of the nation; that the position of the individual ego is conditioned solely by the interests of the nation at whole... that above all the unity of a nation's spirit and will are worth far more than the freedom of the spirit and will of an individual..."

2. "This state of mind, which subordinates the interests of the ego to the conservation of the community, is really the first premise for every truly human culture...The basic attitude from which such activities arises, we call - to distinguish it from egoism and selfishness - idealism. By this we understand only the individual's capacity to make sacrifices for the community, for his fellow men."

3. "Fascism stresses the necessity, for which the older doctrines make little allowance, of sacrifice, even up to the total immolation of individuals, in behalf of society... For Liberalism, the individual is the end and society the means... For Fascism, society is the end, individuals the means, and its whole life consists in using individuals as instruments for its social ends.

4. ""Private property" as conceived under the liberalistic economic order was a reversal of the true concept of property. This "private property" represented the right of the individual to manage and to speculate with inherited or acquired property as he pleased, without regards for the general interests.. German socialism has to overcome this "private", that is, unrestrained and irresponsible view of property. All property is common property. The owner is bound by the people and the Reich to the responsible management of his goods. His legal position is only justified when he satisfies this responsibility to the community."

5. " To be a socialist is to submit the I to the thou; socialism is sacrificing the individual to the whole."

[ I have got no answer... All quotations are from Hitler, Goebels and other Nazi writers. From Leonard Peikoff "The Ominous Parallels", ISBN 0-8128-2850-X ]