WAS HITLER AUTISTIC?

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wikipedia says that Hitler was speculated to have been on the autistic spectrum. But, I don't think so.

I read a book by the guy who was Hitler's favourite architect and welcomed into his inner circle.

He said that in public Hitler was powerful and a brilliant public speaker but in private he was rather shy and not very intellectual.
He must have been a complex man.

lol I've read the same thing about Rush Limbaugh

Hitler was not irrational. He was great national leader who wanted to fight against foreign invaders to create strong Fatherland.

Most Germans loved Hitler, as most Russians are still loving Glorious Leader Stalin.

Hitler and Stalin are two greatest national leaders of 20th century.

Western European nations will probably need new leader like Hitler in 20 years if islam should not triumph.

Neurotypicals care. If it is proven Hitler has Asperger's, it will mean that we will be viewed as potential mass-murdering dictators instead of impotent little savants. That will increase repression of us.

Psychologists are aware that Asperger's could mean obsessive, violent behaviour. But they hide it in order to "protect" the children. I have Asperger's, and I have violent, sadistic tendencies as well as obsessive need to destroy opposition around me. I am also ready to manipulate people to benefit my political goals.

Hitler probably had very mild Asperger's.

If proven Hitler had Asperger's, NT;s would start to treat us very much more badly, both officially and in person. They will start to avoid us, and to punish us harder. That will force us together and create an Asperger's conciousness.

Thus. I look forward to idea of Hitler having Asperger's, even if he did'nt have it. As it would benefit interests of Aspergians to develop away from neurotypical constraints.

Thanks, Arcanyn and Silvervarg; that makes sense (Hitler and Japan).

Silvervarg: Yes, borderline would make sense.

Asperger seems by far the diagnosis that best fits Hitler's actual behaviour. This means, that we somehow has to accept that Hitler might well have been an asperger, and what that means for aspergers as persons and as a group.

Diamonddavej mentioned the OSS study of Hitlers psychology, done by leading American psychiatrists. When I read Tony Atwood's book about asperger, I was surprised by the similarities between the OSS study and his description of problems and opportunities experienced by asperger.

It is too simplistic to state as some historians that Hitler was lazy in school. In contrast, his behaviour fit very well the description of an asperger who cannot cope with school, and his relations to classmates is typical for someone with asperger.

His disordered years in Vienna, where he could not get a grip on himself, and easily tired. His enlistment in the army, where he obsessively adjusted and showed courage, but did not get promoted during four years of war.

His hate against the jews, which noone has found a plausibly explanation of. If he was asperger, it might simply be an obsession started by some trivial event. His later career may also be seen as an attempt to repeat the experience of the war, where he felt he had the best experience of his life. This also explains why he early planned to lead Germany into another war.

He was known for his bad hygiejne and dress during the twenties and almost until he came into power, and even when he came into power he displayed some of the most unusual behaviour for a head of state.

He was not stupid, but found it difficult to use his intelligence, and he had what can only be described as an autistic and impressive memory of figures about armaments.

He displayed an artificial and exaggerated politeness and either kept quiet or talked in a monologue. He did not know how to take turns in an ordinary conversation. He followed invariably the same monotoneous daily routine when it was possible, and he preferred to meet with one or a few people at a time instead of holding meetings as a head of state normally would.

Even his comment about how an intelligent man should seek a stupid partner, made while Eva Braun was present, becomes more understandable if he was asperger. He did not think about how she and other people might react to him, and might even believe that he told her, that she was the right one for him.

I have met two people with asperger, who had characteristics similar to Hitler. Both of them had a persistent anger against the rest of society, and easily became agressive. They found it difficult to take part in a normal conversation and could only express emotions crudely. They could be very persuasive and despite their narrow range of ideas collect a circle of adherents that looked up to them, and whom they tried to behave nicely to.

This may be a pattern that is based on childhood experiences when someone with asperger and a high self esteem feel badly treated and outside his peer group.

I think Hitler is entirely NT. All the brutal dictators are. Don't try to blame their heartlessness on autism.

There's something about AS that makes me think that as Aspies we are capable of being the most courageous, awesome heroes, or the most terrible villains known to mankind... but it's what we learn and experience along the way that determines which outcome of the two we end up. We have a lot of power, which can be used for immense benefit to everyone... or detriment. I think that people in general (and NTs in particular) fear that power, not necessarily because the power is evil, but because the risk of abuse of that power is so great, and the tremendous precedent for abuse compared to benevolent use.

Partly why there are so few real life heroes these days, at a time when I think we need them the most...

... we're just like X-Men!!

For one thing, diagnosing a person posthumously is nearly impossible. We could just as easily say Hitler was Schizo-affective. We have no way of knowing what his diagnosis was or is. So why try to say he was autistic? He doesn't appear to be. He had too much charisma, wasn't eccentric enough and was too popular. He was a cunning politician. This is under the domain of NT, knowing how to manipulate people to maintain one's position as a public figure. Maybe for NT he was slightly substandard but was he really impaired enough to be diagnosed autistic? Doesn't appear he was. He was what most would call "successful". Successful meaning, he was able to make goals and reach them. He was able to pick himself up after disasters like the beerhall putsch. These are all trademarks of NTs. No one considered him disabled. He didn't need special services of any kind to gain or maintain employment. He had plenty of friends. NTs will have to own up and take responsibility for their bad apples instead of passing them all off as people with disorders.

He wasn't autistic, or aspergers... I've noticed "Hitler was a..." is used quite a lot by folks who want to attack the missing noun. For the record, he wasn't a vegetarian either (despite rumours, his personal cook confirmed that was a myth that he thought made him look cool) and he wasn't a Christian. Or a Jew. (I've heard that one argued as well.)