Hitler's Closest Seven Followers

Baldur von Schirach, (one of the two young men among Hitler's innermost core, the other being Albert Speer), was a dedicated follower of Hitler's cause. He is believed to have at one time warned his 'Sweetheart-Spouse' to behave, because, even for Mrs. Schirach the Concentration Camp would not be  absolutely ruled out.

He had FAMILY-TIES IN America who were railway-industrialists. Hitler and Eva Braun had committed suicide 30 th April 1945. Opinions differ, but many historians believe Hitler's lifespan of only twelve years in power would not be sufficient to understand him fully.  Even less so, would be the seven, who after it all, followed him till he was no more. Some historians dismiss outright as 'rubbish', the notion that Hitler was a madman. There seems to be a fixed opinion that there have been instances in the Balkan, the Middle East, the Far East, and Africa too, where people in power could have held the world hostage in war for six years, like Hitler, and would have had slaughtered 50 million 'human souls' and would have had a justification, if not satisfaction, for so doing.

Hitler, don't you forget, continued to blame the Jews for 'what had happened in the world', and continued by cursing them that 'they would pay dearly,' even at the last minute.  Germans, according to some sources, participated in the holocaust with the justification that 'Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ,' the Son of God. The reprisal had to come upon 6 million of the Jews, exactly 1, 933 years later! If you happened to live in Germany anytime after it had all come and gone, you would (could) have come into situations where Germans would discuss Hitler with you, high-lighting on his economic successes, but would loathe, discussing anything else.

Pushing any further would be stretching some of them rather too much. How about the seven, whom 'some writers, some historians', would like to brand as 'Hitler's Gang of Seven?' A number of Hitler's cohorts, other than the seven we are dealing with, had been tried in Nuernberg, found guilty of crimes against humanity, and they too, had to die by hanging. Ernst Kaltenbrunner, at one time boss of the feared SS, and Herman Goering (Chief of the Luftwaffe), are two of such examples. The entire fact is that whereas Kaltenbrunner went to the gallows 'taking it cool', Herman Goering committed suicide by taking a pill of cyanide 'hidden around him' when he saw it coming. He thus avoided execution. From the seven though, none was executed. They received prison sentences, ranging from twenty years, to 'life' for Rudolf Hess, Hitler's Deputy until 1941.

Appeals for pardon to the COMMANDATURA met with deaf-ears, even when they came from the Pope, or an American President (Richard Nixon had tried). Others weakened as they aged, and age-related diseases creeping in, were allowed to go home earlier. Adolf Spear wrote a book when he came out; he got divorced and re-married, and from his presentation, HE WAS SORRY.

Rudolf Hess, on the other hand, was tagged with his slogan, 'I regret nothing!' At the age of 93, he was found one day in the Spandau-prison in West Berlin, dead with an electric cable around his neck. He was said to have 'committed suicide' by hanging himself! The controversy has been left to rest, but books have been doubting this. In the end, the 'Spandauer prison structures' have been razed off the ground, his body was exhumed by his family, and yet another autopsy performed. His remains were cremated, and the ashes 'sprinkled into the ocean'. He was the biggest among Hitler's gang of seven, he was his deputy!

The question is; 'Why did the men do what they did, when it was human misery, affecting millions of people?' Would anybody repeat these things today, given the circumstances?  When I recollect the Balkan Odyssey, or Iraq, or Kenya, or the Ivory Coast, or even longer ago, Ruanda, or Libya recently, and presently, Syria, does one have to deliver any answers? It seems we could all have our gangs of seven, and may not have any regrets. That is what should lead me and others to ask the question: What did Adolf Hitler want? Nothing would suggest he was insane!

Kofi Dankyi Beeko, MD; E-mail: [email protected] mailto:[email protected]