FIL secret hitler fanatic?

[Samandytimlucypeterolivia]

So FIL passed away 2 weeks ago, we’ve been at his house the last 4 days cleaning it out, we’ve come across books, vhs, dvd, collectibles all about hitler, I’m not talking a few, I’m talking hundreds and hundreds, We were joking at the start about him being a secret nazi spy, but as we got further in it’s become apparent he a was a hitler super fan, or obsession. It’s quite jarring really. I’ve known him 21 years and not once has he said anything that would even make you think this. He’s never been racist, said anything racially inclined. He’s friendly with all his neighbours who are different race. I’m Anglo Indian, For us it’s come totally out of left field. I FaceTimed DS who has a friend who is intrigued by Hitler and even he was concerned about his grandads secret hobby. He said he wish he knew before his GCSEs last summer as they had a module on Hitler and Stalin in history. Me and DP are a bit shelshocked. Anyone else found out something shocking about a loved one after they passed.

He was probably interested in the history around it and how he rose to power, gained a massive following and was able to get away with doing what he did for so long. It’s fascinating really, it doesn’t mean he shared the same ideology though. That’s a bit of a jump.

if he really believed in his ideology I’d expect to find more modern nazi/whit supremacy literature rather than just books about hitter and the nazis. That seems like more of an interest in just the history rather than thinking he was right to do what he did.

Yes, what everyone else said.

I dread to think what assumptions people would make about me if they saw my internet search history. Absolutely loads of stuff about serial killers and cults, which are my 'special interests' (along with lots of other more benign things).

I am not a serial killer nor a cult leader/member. I have never hurt anyone or had a fight. I don't even kill spiders or flies when I find them in my house (even though I don't like them) I usher them outside.

if he really believed in his ideology I’d expect to find more modern nazi/whit supremacy literature rather than just books about hitler and the nazis.

Exactly. This sounds a lot more like a specific interest in what made Hitler the man he was.

I think it's tragic that you're all jumping to a different conclusion and letting it colour the memories of a family who was loved as a good and kind man @Samandytimlucypeterolivia

Jeez I was just joking about the secret nazi spy joke and tbh he had the same type of humour. So will probs be laughing up there. Even DP was a bit perplexed by the amount of hitler stuff. Obviously I know, he actually wasn’t, I’m interested in serial killers but I also don’t have hundreds and hundreds of merch. It was all a bit odd b3cause they were mostly hidden behind other vhs, books, like purposely hidden.

Well this is interesting because he’d never even mentioned them to any of his kids, never talked about it. So imagine our surprise when we find hundreds and hundreds of merch regarding it. Including a book, that had many paper cuttings and several portraits. Had he even once mentioned that he was interested we wouldn’t have been shocked. It was just the initial shock of the sheer amount of stuff he had.

Presumably he was too young to have fought in WW2 himself but did he have close family who did? I think it's not an uncommon interest in men of his generation whose childhoods were so shaped by the aftermath of the war. I know my DF and FIL have both researched their father's wartime service in detail and read around the campaigns they were involved in.

I assume there’s no historical link to WW2 that might have intrigued him? His father wasn’t a soldier in the conflict or anything?

I have just listened to a very detailed podcast talking about Hitler fron his early years through to his death. Now I’m onto the D Day landings. Just because I’ve listened to the podcast it doesn’t make me a fan of his. Equally have a memorabilia collection doesn’t make you a super fan.

He obviously hid it because he felt it would upset people. Much like those who collect gollywogs. My guess that instead of it making him a closet racist I suspect it became somewhat of an obsession ( no ASD traits I assume?) and there was some nostalgic link for him.

Better to say gollys.
Or not say it at all.
Re EABT post above.
Don't want to repeat it.

Merch? You mean he had a Hitler mug, Hitler t-shirt, Hitler in winter hoodie, Hitler funko, Hitler mouse mat like the start to Dad's Army, Hitler quilt cover and Hitler socks?

Or bog standard historical programmes, books and features about the man who industrialised murder and convinced millions of people to believe his rhetoric?

I agree with this. It may be an obsession to understand how this terrible thing could happen.

Hitler is fascinating. I find Rudolf Hess particularly fascinating. I wouldn’t worry, OP.

I think it's one of those topics that could go either way. The responses here show it's not a given that people would freak out about it but you never know. Once it's out there you can't take it back. It's a very emotive subject. Maybe he wasn't sure how it would be received.

I've looked at the inter war years myself and it's a fascinating time in history. The rise of Hitler and the Nazis seems so unlikely that I had to know more. When my Dad was born (he's still with us) Hitler was chancellor. That blows my mind, it's really not that long ago.

Researching anything today is easy online. Prior to this you had to buy physical videos or books. If I'd bought everything I've watched and read about this and other things I'm interested in, I'd probably need to rent a storage unit. 😁

All men love to read about the war and Hitler. This is very normal and nothing to worry about.

Edit: I have the same fascination but also with Putin and Russian / Eastern European history. It is truly fascinating what is happening and how we've enabled the second coming of Stalin. Great stuff to read about.