Author’s Note:

I spent the first three months of 2002 living and studying in Oxford, England, at a program for Americans taking gap years between high school and college, and British students taking A-level exams.

I took three classes: Film Studies, History of the Ancient Worlds, and Dictatorships in 20th Century Europe. For the latter, I had to write three papers: one on Francisco Franco, one on Benito Mussolini, and one on Adolf Hitler.

Last week on MLK Day, which was also Inauguration Day, I was sitting in a community action production and talk back of Jordan Cooper’s “Ain’t No Mo’” at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, metabolizing the necessity of art in these times. On the subway ride home, I scrolled through group chats and social media feeds, and saw talk of Elon Musk’s heil Hitler salute (while there’s been controversy around whether or not that’s what his gesture was, I personally feel confident that’s exactly what it was). I suddenly remembered this essay I wrote during my time in Oxford for my Dictatorships in 20th Century Europe class, and wondered what might happen if I came home and deleted all of the specific references to individuals, specific times, specific places, and any overt identifying factors. Might what was left read as if it could be written and applied today?

I submitted the below essay on Adolf Hitler on April 2, 2002. Now, in January 2024, I have not changed, altered, or edited a single thing. I have only, merely removed all proper nouns and references to time or place, and replaced them with blank brackets.

Twenty-three years later, I’m not the least bit surprised how prescient it remains.

There was a reason why I took those three courses in 2002. History is not actually that ancient. Even with all of our current access to video and film, we live it all on repeat.

I share this essay in its redacted iteration not to scare us. But to galvanize us.

If this playbook of dictatorship and empire is redundant, has been redundant since ancient times, then let the pathways of collective liberation we too have been building for centuries—millennia—be what’s innovative. Let us be the ones planting innovative seeds.

I have never before believed more in the power of our innate humanity. Our collective abilities to join in solidarity and co-create a world rooted in connection and love.

I feel it in my bones.

I believe we are uprooting the roots that have gone rotten and stale. The invasive plants that try to eat the forest alive.

But the forest is built on a network of interconnected roots that bustle below the surface.

Let us let the surface surface.

Let us let the invasive sources render themselves extinct.

I have unwavering faith that we will survive these horrors. That we will prevail beyond the repetition of histories that are not ancient.

I feel that novelty is on the horizon.

I feel the blank brackets below have the power to unlock the seeds we are here to sow.

In love and solidarity,

Caroline Rothstein

***

If dictatorship is frowned upon carrying a negative connotation, then how is it possible that a nefarious, ruthless man such as [ ] succeeded in rising to power in [ ] century [ ]? Perhaps, such a rise was not solely based on his character, but rather the character and status of [ ] when he rose to power. [ ] seems to have been in the right place at the right time: submerged in both an economically and politically chaotic and unstable society that was vulnerable to the possibility of a dictatorship. At first, it is mind-boggling that [ ] [ ] allowed such a disaster as the [ ] to occur. On the other hand, when scrupulously examining the state of [ ] as [ ] was rising to power, it appears on the whole, logical: [ ] had unexpectedly lost [ ], was at the outbreak of civil war, had been given miserable settlements in the [ ], and was taken under the rule of the [ ] for [ ] years which saw the nation through [ ] economic crises. [ ] exploited all of this, and was therefore able to rise to power in [ ] only to consolidate it a [ ] later.

[ ] complex and disoriented psychological makeup, the result of an uneasy [ ], failure in his initial passion of [ ], and the effects of the [ ] [ ] war established him as a worthy political opportunist, capable of success. [ ] himself was not a fascinating or brilliant man to say the least, yet he had the means and ambition to become a dictator. Furthermore, his rise to power was steady and well timed while the actual [ ] of [ ] once he rose to power was rapid. The sealant of his rise to power was [ ]’s economic and political state. Left in economic frenzy after [ ], exacerbated by the settlements in the [ ], [ ]’s attempt to consolidate its state with a [ ] government did not work in its long-term plan.

[ ]  left [ ] shattered. [ ] entered the [ ] to avoid invasions from [ ] and [ ], expecting victory. Having lost, they replaced their previous government to appease the [ ] forces. In [ ], the [ ] was created. [ ] was the first [ ]. Under [ ] of the newly erected constitution, the [ ] was given ‘emergency powers:’ the right to make decrees for restoration in the face of adverse emergency. This [ ] would ultimately lead the [ ]  to its downfall simultaneously aiding [ ]’s rise to power. The [ ] was inherently a flawed government. [ ] had always been a militaristic society with a strong [ ] run central government. Thus, even politicians themselves were initially opposed to the republic that they were a part of.

In [ ] of [ ] the [ ] was constructed without the [ ] presence, thus it appeared that the [ ] had literally dictated the [ ] to [ ]. The main points of the [ ] asked [ ] to give up territory taken from other countries. The ultimate blow that would create a strong [ ] distaste and resentment for the [ ] was [ ], which blamed [ ] and [ ] [ ] for the outbreak of [ ]. The [ ] also demanded that [ ] pay [ ]. The later would see [ ] through the economic crises that would pave the way for [ ]’s rise to power.

Many [ ], including politicians, were humiliated by the [ ] and would eventually use it to blame [ ], exposing an apparent weakness in the republic. The [ ] would continue to ruin [ ]. For instance, in [ ] [ ], [ ] was unable to pay the latest installment of reparations. As a result, the [ ] and [ ] occupied the [ ] to recover the reparations in the form of natural resources. [ ] responded by ordering the workers in the [ ] to strike. To keep these workers funded, the government printed more [ ], which ultimately led to hyperinflation. [ ]’s savings, salaries, wages, and pensions were worthless. This financial crisis would be branded to [ ] as their first major failure.

The second [ ] crisis under [ ] was the effect of the [ ] in [ ]. During the [ ] years between crises, [ ] was [ ] and was able to stabilize [ ] into a fair recovery. However, part of the recovery was based on short-term [ ] from [ ]. Thus, when the [ ] [ ] crashed in [ ] [ ], [ ] was not independently stable enough to be unaffected. [ ] also brought [ ]’s death. [ ] in [ ] rose to [ ] million, a key factor in [ ]’s rise as the [ ] party would provide multitudes of [ ]. The next [ ] years would see the disintegration of [ ]. [ ] would excessively resort to the use of [ ], illustrating [ ]’s instability, the [ ] would gain votes in the [ ], and civil war would appear so possible that [ ] would eventually name [ ] [ ].

[ ] was born a charismatic, skilled orator with a complex personality and a cynical philosophy towards ethnic cleansing in [ ] [ ]. His ultimate dream was to be an [ ], but he failed entry into the [ ] of [ ] whereupon he wandered [ ] from [ ] to [ ]. It can be argued that being rejected from his [ ] passion was a driving psychological force in his future actions in the [ ] of [ ] and his extermination of the [ ] and [ ]. His time spent in [ ] allowed [ ] to be greatly influenced by [ ], who was [ ]. In [ ], he moved to [ ] and joined the [ ] [ ] the next year to fight in [ ]. When the [ ] ended, like many other [ ], he was shocked by [ ] defeat and later appalled by the [ ].

In [ ], [ ] became a [ ], investigating new political parties. On one investigation, he came across a small [ ] [ ] party. He joined it, renamed it the [ ], and in [ ], the party drafted its [ ] points. The main goals of the [ ] were to have [ ] [ ] as the master race, acquire more [ ] living space for [ ], destroy the [ ], and to install a vigorous foreign policy for self-determination for all [ ]. From this, [ ] played on the [ ] that was already inherent in [ ] society by blaming the [ ] for the defeat in [ ] and the spread of [ ]. [ ] presented the [ ] people with scapegoat, a humanistic need.

In [ ], [ ] made the [ ] his official private army. This army would be a driving force in the [ ]’s rise to power as military equaled strength and power. By [ ], [ ] was the leader of a built up [ ]. In [ ] [ ] [ ] attempted to cease governmental control in the [ ]. Although [ ] was economically disturbed, [ ]’s attempt failed because it was over ambitious as the [ ] party was not yet important enough to the [ ] population. Even though [ ] would be tried and jailed for his stunt during which time the [ ] party would unravel, the trial marked an essential campaigning moment for [ ]. The trial gave him the opportunity to preach his party’s goals and ambitions, establishing [ ] recognition throughout [ ]. [ ]’s trial also presented a weakness in [ ] as he was sentenced to [ ] years in [ ] but only served [ ] months. While in [ ], [ ] had the proper time to author [ ], sorting out the ideals that would become the [ ] bible.

Upon his [ ] release in [ ], [ ] realized that power would only be achieved by legitimate means rather than by force. He re-founded the [ ] and the [ ], who would act as his personal bodyguards. Now, [ ] needed civilian support in order for the [ ] to have seats in the [ ]. He was supported by people effected financially by the weaknesses of [ ] and therefore needed either a strong central government to boast the economy or employment, which the [ ] party would provide. Other supporters simply hated what he hated. His supporters included [ ] who opposed the [ ], anti-[ ], militia, industrialists, farming communities affected by the agricultural slump in [ ], racists, and some unemployed. The most significant group of supporters was the middle class who had seen their savings ruined under [ ] and preferred to vote for the [ ] to the [ ] party. [ ]’s [ ] party and other wealthy industrialist who approved of [ ]’s anti-[ ] slogan funded the [ ] campaign.

After the [ ] crash, the illusion of a prosperous [ ] dissipated so extremist parties were able to gain votes. In [ ] [ ], [ ] became a [ ] [ ] and aimed twice for the presidency. He was defeated both times by [ ], but managed to have [ ] million votes versus [ ]’s [ ] million, proving his increasing popularity. By [ ] [ ], the [ ]’s had [ ] of [ ] seats in the [ ]. [ ]’s aim was to be [ ], but at first [ ] refused. On [ ] [ ], [ ], [ ] could no longer afford to ignore the strength of the [ ] party. To avoid civil war and [ ] uprising, [ ] appointed [ ] [ ]. This appeared to be a solution in calming the [ ] party and appeasing [ ]’s political wishes. No one knew that this move would destroy [ ].

Now, [ ] had a position, but in order to consolidate his power, the [ ] party needed the majority vote in the [ ]. On [ ] [ ], [ ], the [ ] building was damaged by fire and a [ ] [ ] was blamed for the crime. The [ ] used this to coerce [ ] into banning [ ]. Still, the final multi-party election of the [ ] [ ] failed to give the [ ] the majority vote. On [ ] [ ], [ ], [ ] passed the [ ] which froze the [ ] constitution for [ ] years, basically ending the republic. The law was passed as [ ] [ ] had been banned from the [ ] and the [ ] allied with the [ ] party giving the bill a [ ] to [ ] lead by the [ ] party. On [ ] [ ], [ ], a law was passed that prohibited the formation of any new political parties, making the [ ] the only legal party. [ ]’s crystallized his position when [ ] died in [ ] [ ] by combining the offices of [ ] and [ ]. [ ] named himself [ ] and issued that the army make allegiance to the [ ] rather than [ ]. Soon after, a plebiscite granted [ ] with [ ]  approval as he remained in office until his [ ] on [ ] [ ], [ ].

[ ]’s rise to power was based on his charisma and skill in rallying up a disheveled nation. Had [ ] not lost [ ], had the [ ] [ ] not seen the nation through two major economic crises, and had [ ] not named [ ], [ ] would not have risen to power. He was a dictator based on luck. He was in the right place at the right time utilizing the [ ] already present among [ ], promoting the harshness of the [ ], and exploiting the weaknesses of the [ ]. His quest to provide a strong central government for an unstable [ ] appealed to the masses, and thus, he was able to consolidate his rise to power.

***

*my word(s) is currently a free series; a tip jar is available on the main page.