I came of age in Germany during the 1970s. We studied history six hours a week during the last three years in high school. I learned about the horrific time, from 1930-1945, when the Nazis took power over our country. To be immersed in this poignant memory of a nightmare was terrifying and left us feeling shameful and guilty. We asked, how could this happen to a country whose citizens were supposedly civilized, educated, and maybe even solid, good people?
During the last Trump presidency, I worried about the parallels between the rise of the Nazis and the rise of a Trump regime. Many friends told me I was overreacting. I tried to believe I was. Now, the unfolding of current affairs keeps me awake at night.
I decided to explore any real parallels to what I had known growing up. One BBC television series, The Rise of the Nazis, was particularly helpful in shedding some light. There are differences between then and now, but the similarities are stunning. The narrator opens the show with, “The Nazis used political maneuvering, blatant power grabs, and brute force to realize their evil ends. Hitler knew that only by looking like a legitimate electable party could he begin to destroy Germany’s democracy from within. The nation’s politicians failed to appreciate the diabolical pact they were making with the leaders of the Nazis, which would lead to their ultimate destruction.” These words gave me a chill.
After the misery of World War I, the Great Depression, and staggering unemployment, German people were confused and frightened. The working class was furious and dissatisfied. Right and left were at each other’s throats.
Here in America, we had just survived COVID. Inflation and the cost of living were up, and the polarization between right and left had become extreme. Republicans feared losing to the left and hoped that populist Trump would secure the conservative vote.
Similarly, in Germany, around 1932, the right-wing aristocracy feared losing to the socialists and thought that they could use the Nazis to secure a win. Just like the Nazis, Trump appealed to the crowd of working-class voters, who believed Trump was speaking their language. Like the German conservative aristocracy, Republicans sold their souls to Trump. And, in Nazi times, as now, there were opportunists — industrialists then, billionaires and tech giants now — who thought that they could use the situation for their financial and power gain.
One way to unite a crowd of voters is to find a scapegoat, an enemy one can blame for the country’s difficulties. Then, in the ’30s, the blamed ones were Jews, Gypsies. Fictional narratives were invented to expose how dangerous those people were to the Germans. This path also diverts citizens’ attention from what the rulers want to destroy and profit from.
Now, it is immigrants who are supposedly criminals. Even though there is evidence that immigrants are causing less crime than the rest of the population, I am surprised how many people have bought into this story.
The next step in the Trump administration is getting a violent mob together, who then can intimidate those who speak out. The Nazis used the Stormtroopers, a group of rough hooligans who harassed people. My grandfather, a Catholic history professor, who spoke out against the Nazis, was interrogated and beaten by those stormtroopers. The current version is the January 6th insurrectionists and their friends, the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who may be set out to do Trump’s dirty work.
In 1930s Germany, the Nazis obliterated the press and news sources, to keep people in the dark about power grabs, acts of violence, and the dismantling of human rights. Now, Trump and MAGA have launched a slew of lawsuits against major liberal news sources to shut them down and squelch opposition.
The German aristocracy, as well as the current Republicans, made a questionable deal to stay in power. In America, similarly to then in Nazi Germany, the judiciary system is stacked with Trump supporters. Republicans, Christians, big business, and big tech feel that they can use Trump, but the table has turned, and now Trump uses them.
In the past election, so many people got swept up over single issues, like abortion, the price of living, or the debt ceiling. Like the Germans back then, many overlooked the reality that we are now in a severe constitutional crisis, and the rule of law is threatened.
Sadly, I have witnessed an alarming level of numbness, helplessness, and even a kind of paralysis among those I meet. That is what MAGA wants us to believe. We need to wake up, see clearly, and take charge. Now, we must demonstrate solidarity in protests, reach out to our local representatives, and volunteer to support those in need. These actions demonstrate that we are alert and there is genuine opposition, with many willing to fight for a humane, just democracy.
Last week, in downtown Santa Barbara, I heard a slogan chanted loud and clear. “Si, Se Puede!” ”Yes, We Can.” “Si, Se Puede!” Let us echo this chant in our hearts and minds and act where we can.
