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Towards the end of his life Adolf Hitler claimed to follow a vegetarian diet, at least this is what is said, however he didn't do this. He didn't remove all meat from his diet, and killed people & animals through out the war, even left people to starve to death. He directly gassed people to death and burned people alive too. There is no evidence that any of his actions, during his life, suggest that he had some kind of empathetic break through of compassion where he started to form a new ethical way of thinking and changed his moral character which would then be reflected in his actions. This means if he were actually vegetarian for ethical reasoning that with all the power he had, he would decide to stop the war and find a peaceful solution, where he outlawed the killing of animals and vowed to never kill a human life again, which is the main ethical premise behind going vegetarian and so to imply for a second that he was a vegetarian for the last 3 years of his life is not supported by the fact he didn't decide to outlaw the killing of animals or people.

Anyone who says Hitler was vegetarian gives no supporting evidence par he didn't eat as much meat as other people and statements not actually made by Hitler himself, IE: magazine quotes. People say many things out of context, this isn't evidence. Evidence is hard proof: historical records of him writing policies to outlaw the killing of animals, photos or paintings of what he generally eat, eye witness reports, records showing him giving long speeches on the subject of vegetarianism, NOT off the cuff statements which are out of context. He wasn't a vegetarian in the sense that he cared about animals or people, his actions in the last 3 years of the war negate any claims to be one of any influence when it came to vegetarian issues, as in he wasn't a spokesman for vegetarians. Hitler's actions in the last 3 years of the war do NOT support a person who is opening up to the idea of a non-violent way of life or finding a way to create the least amount of suffering, which is the main ethical reason behind going vegetarian. Hence he was on some kind of diet which limited meat, as far as history shows he wasn't acting like a vegetarian.

Contemporary records

Do you know that your Führer is a vegetarian, and that he does not eat meat because of his general attitude toward life and his love for the world of animals? Do you know that your Führer is an exemplary friend of animals, and even as a chancellor, he is not separated from the animals he has kept for years?...The Führer is an ardent opponent of any torture of animals, in particular vivisection, and has declared to terminate those conditions...thus fulfilling his role as the savior of animals, from continuous and nameless torments and pain.

— Neugeist/Die Weisse Fahne (German magazine of the New Thought movement)

In a 1937 article, The New York Times noted "It is well known that Hitler is a vegetarian and does not drink or smoke. His lunch and dinner consist, therefore, for the most part of soup, eggs, vegetables and mineral water, although he occasionally relishes a slice of ham and relieves the tediousness of his diet with such delicacies as caviar ...". In November 1938, an article for the English magazine Homes & Gardens describing Hitler's mountain home, The Berghof, stated that in addition to being a teetotaler and a non-smoker, Hitler was also a vegetarian. Ignatius Phayrethe wrote, "A life-long vegetarian at table, Hitler's kitchen plots are both varied and heavy in produce. Even in his meatless diet Hitler is something of a gourmet — as Sir John Simon and Anthony Eden were surprised to note when they dined with him in the Chancellery at Berlin. His Bavarian chef, Herr Kannenberg, contrives an imposing array of vegetarian dishes, savoury and rich, pleasing to the eye as well as to the palate, and all conforming to the dietic standards which Hitler exacts."

According to stenographic transcripts translated by Hugh Trevor-Roper of conversations between Hitler and his inner circle which took place between July 1941 and November 1944, Hitler regarded himself as a vegetarian. These conversations were gathered together under the title Hitler's Table Talk. Written notes taken at the time were transcribed and then were edited by Martin Bormann. According to these transcripts dated 11 November 1941, Hitler said, "One may regret living at a period when it's impossible to form an idea of the shape the world of the future will assume. But there's one thing I can predict to eaters of meat: the world of the future will be vegetarian." On 12 January 1942, he said, "The only thing of which I shall be incapable is to share the sheiks' mutton with them. I'm a vegetarian, and they must spare me from their meat." In a diary entry dated 26 April 1942, Joseph Goebbels described Hitler as a committed vegetarian, writing,

An extended chapter of our talk was devoted by the Führer to the vegetarian question. He believes more than ever that meat-eating is harmful to humanity. Of course he knows that during the war we cannot completely upset our food system. After the war, however, he intends to tackle this problem also. Maybe he is right. Certainly the arguments that he adduces in favor of his standpoint are very compelling.

In his table talks, on 25 April 1942 at midday, Hitler addresses the issue of vegetarianism and spoke about Roman soldiers eating fruits and cereals and the importance of raw vegetables. He places the emphasis on scientific arguments such as naturalists' observations and chemical efficacy. Notes from the interrogation of Hitler's personal aides about his daily routine in 1944 reveal that after midnight Eva Braun would "direct that there should be another light snack of turtle soup, sandwiches, and sausages"; however, turtle soup was one of Braun's favourite dishes and the interrogation notes do not indicate if Hitler shared the supper. Hitler also disapproved of cosmetics since they contained animal by-products, and he frequently teased Braun about her habit of wearing makeup.

Personal testimony and second hand accounts

All accounts by people familiar with Hitler's diet from 1942 onwards are in agreement that Hitler adhered to a vegetarian diet, but accounts of his diet prior to the Second World War are inconsistent in this regard with some stating he ate meat. Dione Lucas, a chef at a Hamburg hotel patronised by Hitler prior to the war, claimed that her stuffed squab was a favourite of his, while according to Ilse Hess (wife of Rudolph Hess), in 1937 Hitler ceased eating meat except for liver dumplings. Margot Wölk, who became his unwilling food taster in 1942, stated that all the food she tested for Hitler was vegetarian, and she recalled no meat or fish. Traudl Junge, who became Hitler's secretary in 1942, reported that he "always avoided meat" but that his Austrian cook Kruemel sometimes added a little animal broth or fat to his meals. "Mostly the Fuehrer would notice the attempt at deception, would get very annoyed and then get tummy ache," Junge said. "At the end he would only let Kruemel cook him clear soup and mashed potato." In addition, Marlene von Exner who became Hitler's dietician in 1943, reportedly added bone marrow to his soups without his knowledge because she "despised" his vegetarian diet. From 1936 almost until Hitler's death in April 1945, Hitler's physician, Theodor Morell, reportedly gave him "quack supplements" which contained animal components. Injected preparations contained placenta, bovine testosterone and extracts containing seminal vesicles and prostate to combat depression; at the time, extracts from animal glands were popularly believed to be "elixirs of youth".

Analysis

Prior to the Second World War there are many accounts of Hitler eating meat, including stuffed squab, Bavarian sausages and caviar. According to Ilse Hess, in 1937 Hitler ceased eating all meat except for liver dumplings, an account that Dr. Kalechofsky found "consistent with other descriptions of Hitler's diet, which always included some form of meat, whether ham, sausages or liver dumplings." Frau Hess's comments are also backed up by several biographies about Hitler, with Fritz Redlich noting that Hitler "avoided any kind of meat, with the exception of an Austrian dish he loved, Leberknodl (liver dumpling)". Thomas Fuchs concurred, observing that a "typical day's consumption included eggs prepared in any number of ways, spaghetti, baked potatoes with cottage cheese, oatmeal, stewed fruits and vegetable puddings. Meat was not completely excluded. Hitler continued to eat a favourite dish, Leberkloesse (liver dumplings)."

Today, it is acknowledged by historians that Hitler - at least during the war - followed a vegetarian diet. At social events he sometimes gave graphic accounts of the slaughter of animals in an effort to make his dinner guests shun meat. An antivivisectionist, Hitler may have followed his selective diet out of a profound concern for animals. Bormann had a greenhouse constructed near the Berghof (near Berchtesgaden) to ensure a steady supply of fresh fruit and vegetables for Hitler throughout the war.

In the BBC series The Nazis: A Warning from History, an eyewitness account tells of Hitler watching movies (which he did very often). If ever a scene showed (even fictional) cruelty to or death of an animal, Hitler would cover his eyes and look away until someone alerted him the scene was over. The documentary also commented on the German animal welfare laws that the Nazis introduced, which were unparalleled at the time. The German psychoanalyst, Erich Fromm, believed that Hitler's vegetarianism was actually a means of atoning for the death of his half-niece Geli Raubal, as well as a means of proving to himself and others that he was incapable of killing.

It has also been theorized that Hitler's diet may have been based on Richard Wagner's historical theories which connected the future of Germany with vegetarianism. In the book, The Mind of Adolf Hitler by Walter C. Langer, it is said:

"If he (Hitler) does not eat meat, drink alcoholic beverages, or smoke, it is not due to the fact that he has some kind of inhibition or does it because he believes it will improve his health. He abstains from these because he is following the example of the great German, Richard Wagner, or because he has discovered that it increases his energy and endurance to such a degree that he can give much more of himself to the creation of the new German Reich."

However, Alexander Cockburn writes:

Nazi leaders were noted for love of their pets and for certain animals, notably apex predators like the wolf and the lion. Hitler, a vegetarian and hater of hunting, adored dogs and spent some of his final hours in the company of Blondi, whom he would take for walks outside the bunker at some danger to himself. He had a particular enthusiasm for birds and most of all for wolves. Goebbels said, famously, ‘The only real friend one has in the end is the dog. . . The more I get to know the human species, the more I care for my Benno.’ Goebbels also agreed with Hitler that ‘meat eating is a perversion in our human nature,’ and that Christianity was a ‘symptom of decay’, since it did not urge vegetarianism. On the one hand, monsters of cruelty towards their fellow humans; on the other, kind to animals and zealous in their interest. In their very fine essay on such contradictions, Arnold Arluke and Boria Sax offer three observations. One, as just noted, many Nazi leaders harboured affection towards animals but antipathy to humans. Hitler was given films by a maharaja which displayed animals killing people. The Führer watched with equanimity. Another film showed humans killing animals. Hitler covered his eyes and begged to be told when the slaughter was over.

See also

• Animal welfare in Nazi Germany

Notes

1. Arluke & Sanders 1996, p. 148. Quoted from Wuttke-Groneberg, W. (1980). Medizin im Nationalsozialismus. Tübingen: Schwabische Verlaggesellschaft.
2. (New York Times Article: 'At Home with the Fuhrer.' May 30, 1937. Otto D. Tolschuss (1937). "Where Hitler Dreams and Plans" - New York Times, May 30 1937)
3. Phayre, Ignatius (November 1938). "Hitler's Mountain Home". Homes & Gardens. pp. , 1075414, 00.html 193–195.
4. Bullock, Alan (1993). Hitler and Stalin : Parallel Lives. Vintage. p. 679. ISBN 0-679-72994-1.
5. ^ Hitler, Adolph; Hugh Trevor-Roper (trans.) (2000). Hitler's Table Talk: 1941-1944. Enigma Books. ISBN 1-929631-05-7. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
6. Goebbels, Joseph; Louis P. Lochner (trans.) (1993). The Goebbels Diaries. Charter Books. p. 679. ISBN 0-441-29550-9.
7. Hitler, A., & Cameron, Norman (2000). Hitler's Table Talk. Enigma Books. ISBN 1-929631-05-7
8. (The Hitler Book: The Secret Dossier Prepared for Stalin from the Interrogations of Hitler's Personal Aides Audio CD – Audiobook, CD, Unabridged by Henrik Eberle (Author), Matthias Uhl (Author), and Michael Prichard (Narrator) p.136)
9. Knopp, Guido (2003). Hitler's Women. Psychology Press. p. 36. ISBN 9780415947305.
10. ^ Dione Lucas (1964). The Gourmet Cooking School Cookbook. p. 89
11. ^ Toland, John (1976). Adolf Hitler. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. p. 256.
12. Nikkhah, Roya (9 February 2013). "Hitler's food taster speaks of Führer's vegetarian diet". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
13. Bitter memories linger of life as Hitler's food taster, The New Zealand Herald, 5:00 AM Sunday Sep 21, 2014, Accessed 09/20/2014 from USA
14. "Hitler's final witness". World: Europe. BBC News. 4 February 2002. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 18 September 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
15. ^ Wilson 1998.
16. Doyle 2005, pp. 75-82
17. (Payne Robert: The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler, (New York: Praeger, 1973), pp. 346-7)
18. (Kalechofsky, op. cit., p.2. / Toland, op cit., p.826)
19. (Fritz Redlich M.D, Hitler: Diagnosis of a Destructive Prophet (Oxford: OUP, 1998), pp.77-8)
20. (Thomas Fuchs (2000). A Concise Biography of Adolf Hitler. New York: Berkley Books. p.78)
21. Bullock 1999, p. 388.
22. Rudacille 2001, p. 88.
23. Dietrich 2010, p. 172.
24. Toland 1992, p. 741. sfn error: no target: CITEREFToland1992 (help)
25. Read, Anthony (2004). The Devil's Disciples: Hitler's Inner Circle. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 327. ISBN 0-393-04800-4.
26. Fromm, Erich (1992). The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness. New York: Henry Holt and Company. p. 450. ISBN 0-8050-1604-X.
27. Proctor 1999, p. 136. "Several of biographers point to the influence of nationalist antisemitic composer, Richard Wagner." See also: Moore, Gregory. (2002). Nietzsche, Biology and Metaphor. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-81230-5. pp. 155-157:
28. Arluke & Sanders 1996, pp. 144, 150.
29. "The Mind of Adolf Hitler", Walter C. Langer, New York 1972 p.54-55
30. Cockburn, Alexander (18 August 2005). "Vegetarians, Nazis for Animal Rights, Blitzkrieg of the Ungulates". CounterPunch. Retrieved 6 April 2013.

References

• Arluke, Arnold; Clinton Sanders (1996). Regarding Animals. Temple University Press. ISBN 1-56639-441-4.
• Bullock, Alan (1999) . Hitler: A Study in Tyranny. New York: Konecky & Konecky. ISBN 978-1-56852-036-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Dietrich, Otto (2010). The Hitler I Knew: Memoirs of the Third Reich's Press Chief. New York: Skyhorse. ISBN 978-1-60239-972-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Doyle, D. (February 2005). "Adolf Hitler's Medical Care" (PDF). : J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 35 (1): 75–82. PMID 15825245. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2007. Retrieved 18 September 2007.
• Proctor, Robert N. (1999). The Nazi War on Cancer. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-07051-2.
• Rudacille, Deborah (2001). The Scalpel and the Butterfly: The War Between Animal Research and Animal Protection. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-23154-6.
• Wilson, Bee (9 October 1998). "Mein Diat – Adolf Hitler's diet". New Statesman. UK: Questia. Retrieved 22 May 2008. {{cite web}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Rynn, Berry (8 March 2007). "Historical Advisor". North American Vegetarian Society. America: Pythagorean. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
• Ryan, Berry (2004). Hitler: Neither Vegetarian Nor Animal. New York: Pythagorean. ISBN 978-0962616969.
• Michael, Bluejay (2007). "Hitler was not a vegetarian". America.

Further reading

• Ferguson, R. (2001). Hitler Was A Vegetarian. Famedram Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-905489-71-3.

• Adolf Hitler
• Vegetarianism