Re-imagining History.
Perceiving is a tool that can be used to see and understand a hidden message in everyday life. Whether it's an object, an image, a song, etc. We can always find, through perception, something deeper.
Original Observation
People look on as Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi party, and depending on the year of the photograph, leader of Germany, greets soldiers. There are salutes, most likely shouts of "Heil Hitler". It is very crowded so perhaps he just got done with a speaking engagement. The man who appears to be in the car with him is most likely one of his right hand men, perhaps Rommel. People are looking at Hitler as if he is a hero, they are happy to see him and the smiles show more than just respect for a higher rank.
People look on as Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi party, and depending on the year of the photograph, leader of Germany, greets soldiers. There are salutes, most likely shouts of "Heil Hitler". It is very crowded so perhaps he just got done with a speaking engagement. The man who appears to be in the car with him is most likely one of his right hand men, perhaps Rommel. People are looking at Hitler as if he is a hero, they are happy to see him and the smiles show more than just respect for a higher rank.
The key to understanding history, is the key to understanding history. We cannot understand, lets say the Progressive Era in the United States, without understanding what led to the Progressive Era (the Industrial Revolution to simplify matters). To help us understand why Germans bought into the Nazi Party, it's ideas, it's political philosophy, etc, we must understand what led to the start of the Nazi Party in the first place. Consider a country who, depending on how you look at it, is less than 50 years old at the time of the first World War. Without getting into too much detail, following a devastating war this country is blamed and they have to take responsibility and are therefore severely punished for the start of World War I. Allied nations own interests are the root of certain punishments. The country as a result experiences an economic depression along with a myriad of other issues. This country's pride is washed away with the blood of it's soldiers. Enter a man with a ideas. A man who believes he knows how to make this country great again, how to make this country the most powerful country in the world. He shares his ideas, they spread, people listen and like what they hear. By 1933 this man has a position in the government and his power begins to grow, a chance for him to execute this plan. To save the people of this emotionally and economically depressed nation. Wherever he goes people show him respect with a salute and seem genuinely happy to see him. To many people, he is a hero. The country, Germany. The man, Adolf Hitler.
By re-imaging the photograph above of Adolf Hitler it helps me see how I should portray him as I teach World War II, particularly the time between World War I and Hitler's invasion of Poland. The challenging part of teaching the rise of Nazism in Germany post-WWI is that most students come to class with a preconceived notion, an expectation of what they will see, hear and feel when we talk about Hitler. It's difficult for them to comprehend a country supporting a man who is perceived to be so evil. By re-imaging it as I did in the paragraph above, perhaps they will feel the emotion that must have been felt by the German citizens post-WWI, instead of the shock they feel for what he has done. History, after all, changes based on the point of view you are looking at. So by changing that point of view, by re-imaging this photograph, I can help students understand how Hitler was able to gain so much support in Germany, gain so much power in a country struggling to breath. This new perception I have on the reality of Adolf Hitler as a hero to his people helps to frame the work I will do in the future on this particular topic in this class.
By re-imaging the photograph above of Adolf Hitler it helps me see how I should portray him as I teach World War II, particularly the time between World War I and Hitler's invasion of Poland. The challenging part of teaching the rise of Nazism in Germany post-WWI is that most students come to class with a preconceived notion, an expectation of what they will see, hear and feel when we talk about Hitler. It's difficult for them to comprehend a country supporting a man who is perceived to be so evil. By re-imaging it as I did in the paragraph above, perhaps they will feel the emotion that must have been felt by the German citizens post-WWI, instead of the shock they feel for what he has done. History, after all, changes based on the point of view you are looking at. So by changing that point of view, by re-imaging this photograph, I can help students understand how Hitler was able to gain so much support in Germany, gain so much power in a country struggling to breath. This new perception I have on the reality of Adolf Hitler as a hero to his people helps to frame the work I will do in the future on this particular topic in this class.