Hitler and Parkinsonism.

[Tychsen]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10053222

A friend of mine sent me this having discussed aspects of Hitler's medical history , this disease is a professional speciality of his.

Perhaps an illness profile does explain some of his thinking later in the war or indeed it may have complicated the functioning of an already disordered individual.

There is no doubt that Hitler was not clinically insane but today he would almost certainly have come into contact with some aspect of psychiatric examination.

My reply.

This would indeed be a good read, thank you.
I can take your point on the personality aspect of Parkinsons - something which quite likely did become even more intense as the war passed from 43 into 44.
Hitler's personality and the extent to which he directed and controlled others through his force of personality,his threats, rages and manipulations.
I don't think there is any doubt that Hitler would today fall into the diagnostic category of being "a disordered personality or a personality disorder" how he interfaced with society was less than structured even when you consider what post war Germany was like and if anything the disorder and extreme political chaos gave him a background against which he could find his way, giving his talents some constructive outlet.
( A Germany which was not at odds with itself would not have presented AH with the opportunities and outlets which would bring him into the public eye.)

IMO the Parkinsonism only complicated and brought more chaos to a man who had created his own vision of the society he wanted and who increasingly had become a vicitm of his own propaganda and structures , propaganda and structures which his leutentants fully fed into - "Empire building" at all levels.
Germany in the 1930's reflected the mind of the dictator, this dictator and his mindset had a direct bearing on the start of a war and its conduct.

[Panzer Wittman]

Hmm. As both a historian and a medical man the brief sketch of the article is interesting and at the same time a regular lapse of objectivity.
Stating that is has been proved that hitler suffered from Parkinsons is not correct. It is certainly possible that he did but an absolute irrevocable diagnosis - absolutely not. On what documented study, in what criteria etc. Their supposition that character traits can be a possible diagnosis towards the later stages of the war is pure supposition after the fact.
Then we take a typically subjective jump to stating that the ss decided to withhold medication. Since when did the ss hold a magic key to hitlers medical treatment? The Fuhrer was under a huge amount of proven and documented medication at the time. Simply because a T4 doctor allegedly gave a differential diagnosis to unamaned and unsubstantiated ss leaders at the time does in no way 'imply' an ss conspiracy to remove hitler. Their stated implication makes no sense. Parkinson's is a slow debilitating disease. How can anyone argue that by witholding treatment they would remove the Fuhrer? If Parkinsons were the true diagnosis then he would continue to detiriorate over a very prolonged period - probably years. This would be no quick fix as is inferred.
Whilst I agree further study into hitlers mind will always be of historical benefit, the study of possible medical aspects and historical conjecture should be kept absolutely seperate.

[Tychsen]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/406713.stm

It may be that he was afflicted with the disease prior to 44-45, if this is true it cannot be discounted that the psychological / psychiatric aspects of the disease process may have had some bearing on his decision making process.
If you take a look at page779-780 of Kershaws "Nemesis" the description of Hitler given there does seem to indicate that Parkinsonism may have been quite developed "His physical condition had deteriorated sharply even during the space of those six months. He was even more haggard, aged, and bent than ever, shuffling in an unsteady gait as if dragging his legs.His left hand and arm trembled uncontrollably. His face was drained of colour; his eyes bloodshot, with bags underneath them; occasionally a drop of saliva trickled from the corner of his mouth" ( This refers to a meeting with Gauliters in Feb. 45.)
As for the SS wanting to replace him this in itself would be news to me, although if the opportunity had properly presented itself there is little doubt that Himmler would have been the pretender for the throne.

(Some of the Parkinson theory may come from David Irving, he who believes in his own mind) that he has copyright on all aspects of Hitler's life is ever quick to point out that "he found this out" and "he first reported it".
I do have some problems with him as a source on anything , given his less than perfect track record in respect of being reliable and objective.

I agree that "without the patient" and based only on what records remain it is difficult to be entirely correct on how much impact his health had on his decision making processes - what I think can be said is that his personality did play a major part and his own "sense of destiny".
Hitler was in love with himself ( and party propaganda did alter his reality) he being a man born to rebuild and to lead German in time of war - always in the biggest battles , "the greatest fortress builder of all time" , building the biggest ships a Z plan to dwarf the Royal navy,the transformation of Berlin into "Germania".
The Fuhrer cult, his ego knew no bounds- and how could such a man take advice or ever be wrong - he created scapegoats as he required them ( this helped preserve his ego) eg "What is needed is National Socialist Zeal" ( Stalingrad) , "The Army did not fight hard enough ( March 45) his constant firing and rehiring of Generals , his chaotic leadership and micromanagement does point towards a man who had "issues".
Looking at a man who had so much to achieve and so little time to accomplish it in , how could such a great man trust mere mortals to make the decisions , they were simply his tools.
( Was Parkinsonism one of these issues , his appearance in later war years- the product of stress alone or was there a disease process under way ? It is difficult to rule it out .)

Given the nature of the NSDAP (Including Hitler himself) and how it / he was stage managed any hint of ill health would have been a national secret and a strict "need to know" would have been in place - I am inclined to be of the belief that his basic personality was the main factor but cannot rule out the potential psychological traits / psychiatric aspects of Parkinsonism certainly this would have complicated an already simple yet chaotic process.
I do not think that a dementia type illness was predominant .
An unstable individual, deeply neurotic , increasingly fearful and paranoid - perhaps not without good reason given that half the world was out to get him a genocidal individual who ( served by sycophants) had changed German society , its social norms replacing it with his own vision of normality.

Given the nature of the man (as an individual) his medical history is not straightforward certainly not as we might understand it,the polypharmacy he was taking also must be taken into consideration , perhaps nothing sits in isolation - I know I would prefer an objective medical mind over "Mr. Irving" any day of the week.
http://www.rcpe.ac.uk/journal/issue/jou ... l_care.pdf
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 3693905914

http://www.amazon.com/Hitler-Diagnosis- ... 0195057821

[Tychsen]

From the above mentioned book.

[Hoffman Grink]

I don't believe he had Parkinson's Disease.

Somehow I just can't see him sitting there late on of a Saturday night interviewing people........

[Tychsen]

Pretty sure it is him who does "The Over 50 Plan".