June 11, 2015
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP
June 11, 2015
Clymer Library, 115 Firehouse Road, Pocono Pines, Pa.
Speaker: Jim Forcella, "Making of a Monster: Adolf Hitler”
The meeting was called to order by Fred Lehrer and then he led in the Pledge of Allegiance. Fred encouraged all attendees to join HATT.
Scarlett Rehrig spoke to the audience about the work being done to categorize the archives. The May meeting was dedicated to work on the project, and work will continue in the library basement prior to each meeting. The goal is to separate the information into like categories: communities, families, business and industries, etc. to make it easier for an individual to use the archives for their research.
HATT members and any interested party are encouraged to participate in this project. The goal is to have all the items properly placed by the end of 2015.
Fred Lehrer said at the July 7th meeting we will have a speaker talk about how our resources affected the history of the Pocono region.
Fred introduced speaker Jim Forcella, who will present a two- hour talk about Adolf Hitler, the making of a monster. The first hour was presented at tonight’s meeting and the talk will conclude on June 16th.
Making of a Monster: Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was born in Austria in 1889 to an angry, domineering father. His mother was the third wife and also a niece of his father.
Adolf was born a Catholic, sang in the choir, and at one time even considered becoming a priest. He was spoiled by his mother, but was beaten by his father, making him a very angry child.
Adolf had an interest in art, but he was not admitted to art school. He began drinking heavily, but after an episode of drunkenness, he never drank again. As a teenager, Adolf had no girlfriend. At around 18 years of age he was orphaned and went to live in a homeless shelter. In an attempt to avoid the draft in Austria, he moved to Munich, Germany, and ended up in the German military.
Hitler during World War I became a patriot. He was angered by the politicians and blamed them for the loss of land, people, and ships in the war. In 1919, at the age of 30, Hitler joined the German Worker’s Party. The party grew to over a million members, and they decided the problem with Germany was the Jewish people. In 1921, Adolph became the führer (commander) of the Nazi party.
As the führer, Hitler became very powerful. Women were attracted by his power and highly educated Germans were among his followers. He established the Schutzstaffel — better known as the SS — which was a highly elite fighting force that was feared by everyone.
In 1922, the Hitler youth group was formed, which schooled both boys and girls from 14-18 years of age in weapons and racism. By 1943, Hitler made these young people his fighting force.
Sadly, Hitler managed to remain very powerful in the German military. In 1933, he became chancellor of Germany and in 1934 the military swore loyalty to him. He continued his hatred of the Jews, and in the 1936 German Olympics he forbade any Jewish participants in the games.
Any time anyone contradicted Hitler they soon disappeared permanently. Thus he was able to become a modern-day monster that the world feared, a man who would rise to dominate a nation and who would perpetrate the most inhumane atrocities upon innocent victims and martyr millions of people.
Following Jim’s well researched and presented talk, Fred presented him with a certificate of appreciation. The meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeanne Dyer, HATT Secretary
