It is a historically known fact the Adolph Hitler served as an Altar boy in his youth. During the Nazi rise to power, etc, he also had numerous meetings with both the 'serving' Pope and various Catholic Cardinals from 1939 through to late 1943 and , according to records kept by Hitler's Personal Secretary, many of those meetings involved discussions with the Vatican in reference to, a) the Vatican 'laundering' the monies, etc, stolen from the Jews, etc,, and b) the Vatican supporting, which it did btw, the 'Final Solution.'

@Triphid A lot of people on this site were once an active member of organized religion, including myself. The fact that he was an altar boy as a kid doesn't mean anything about the adult Hitler.

The fact that he was meeting with the pope and cardinals suggests he was catholic, but his actions as an individual hint at something far more sinister, which perhaps eluded you because i'm deliberately vague about it.

@Happy_Killbot Anyone can be an epitome of religious morality outwardly but what is hiding underneath the veneer is another thing entirely as we all have seen since the revelations of Child Abuse by Clergy, etc, have been brought out into the Glaring light of Day.
In no way, shape, nor form am I excusing the actions of Hitler or the Nazis, imho, they were just nothing short of being Manipulative, Ego-centric, power Addicted, Psychotic, Socio-paths who saw an opportunity and 'milked it' for all it was worth very much to the detriment of almost the entire human race.
we, as human beings, should all vow to NEVER allow such a thing to ever happen again.

@Triphid This isn't really about religious morality, and I'm not accusing you of supporting Hitler or Nazis, genocide, fascism, socialism, capitalism, communism or any other ideology.

I think you have all the pieces or at least know where to look to find them. Remember, don't let emotion get in the way of reality.

@Happy_Killbot I never let emotion/s get in the way of reality, I do my research, I read whatever is available and can lay my hands on, watch and listen to documentaries, etc, etc, plus go on information, etc, that I have given and told by people who lived and fought, etc, through the Nazi Era.
Being able to speak, understand and fully comprehend the German Language ( as well as numerous others) is a great advantage also.

The church supported Fascism in Italy and Germany!

Religious leaders also helped many Fascists to escape justice!

@of-the-mountain shocking

Yes, we are entering black horrid times!
The world is posed to allow religious dogma to set up sides which are to be pitted against you and me for ultimate control over those who are left after their artificial rapture!

The use of archaic religious dogma to divide and kill off any one who does not believe their absolute bull shit religious dogma!

The end times are always upon us!

As Sinclair Lewis said, "When Fascism comes to America it will be carrying a cross and waving th flag."

Back under Reagan and the first George bush, I was annoyed. With the second Grorge Bush I started to get scared as the Patriot Act authorized the disregard of many constitutional rights. Now with Trump, I am pretty sure, at the rate republicans (and soem Democrats) are going, I will see the fall of hte U.S. in my lifetime (I am 56 now).

If I remember correctly the far left movements of the time were Communism in Russia and China, and Socialism in other parts of the world (memory eludes me in identifying exact locations, although many French intellectuals were wrestling with this idea).

But, in counter to your point Zesty, just because the far right made a pact with the devil (so to speak) doesn't mean that the far left had to have contributed to movement toward fascism and Nazism. May have, but there is no wriiten law that they had to have had a significant contribution.

A modern day myth that when one side acts in a deleterious way, that the opposing philosophy must have contributed and acted similarly. This is part of that common clarion call oft voiced by the far right when they get criticized, "Same to you, but of it", and "Well they did it too". Which usually proceeds an episode of denial and schist throwing

@t1nick Of course Nick, as usually you present a very human, nice point of view. You trust people in general. It is great. I respectfully disagree. But you know that - Lol

@zesty lol

Technically, Hitler was elected to the office of Chancellor by the Socialist party. However, once in office Hitler tunred ont he Socialists and purge them all form government office. Hitler was w wolf in sheeps clothing.

The Socialists who backed him knew he wrote "Mein Kampf ", but they wre more concerned with electability than the actual views of their candidate, which is comparable to the state of U.S. politics today, as well as that of several other powerful nations.

@snytiger6 At least Hitler did something right, purging the socialists!