The Old Switcheroo

Myth:  Adolf Hitler, the Austrian-German born political leader and, ultimately, one of the most justly vilified dictators of the 20^th century, was elected Chancellor of Germany in 1933, replacing the slipshod Weimar Republic.  Running on a platform of pro-German ideals, anti-Semitism and anti-capitalism, Hitler vaulted the world into its second world war – not to mention being one of the masterminds behind the slaughter of some six million European Jews.  As World War II neared an end, and the German Third Reich began to crumble, Hitler took his own life on April 30^th, 1945, as the German and Axis powers capitulated some weeks later.

Fact:  It is true that the real Adolf Hitler was an insidious anti-Semite, but his anti-Semitism knew some boundaries, for he was also somewhat of a gentle soul – an artistic soul.  It is common knowledge that Hitler attempted painting as a career before entering into politics, but his rather quick turn from the life of an artist to the life of a mass murderer and prolific propagandist is puzzling.  And while it is true that Hitler was a mediocre painter, his cartooning skills were unparalleled.  At the time, Hollywood was a buzzing scene searching for the next great animator/cartoonist, and young man from the area, somewhat similar in appearance to Hitler, took an interest in Adolf’s work.  This man was none other than Walt Disney.  Disney, contrary to popular belief, was a terrible animator, but he did surpass Hitler in one way – his hatred for the Jews.  During a trip to Hollywood in 1925, Hitler and Disney proposed a plan that would forever change the face of the world.  Since Disney had taken German during high school, he simply needed some brushing up before becoming fluent in his “adopted” mother tongue.  And since no Hollywood producer, even to this day, paid attention to the their underlings, Hitler’s thick Austrian accent would go unnoticed for decades.  Disney and Hitler had planned the ultimate switcheroo.  Hitler, yearning to make his mark in the artistic community, decided to take on the name Walt Disney since Germans during this period of time were somewhat frowned upon in Hollywood.  And Disney, a three-time debate state champion, itched for a chance to utilize his skills of politics and persuasion in a climate ripe for such an endeavor – Germany.  Hitler was indeed imprisoned for one year between 1923 and 1924 after a failed coup, he did not write the infamous book known as Mein Kampf (or My Struggle), but rather he spent this time doodling what would become his most famous character – Mickey Mouse.  Mein Kampf was actually a work written by Disney in one evening after a rather intense encounter with a cartoon producer named Shlomo Epstein.