I’ve seen it said that Nazi was actually a derogatory term popularized by anti-Nazi Germans and German exiles, and that the actual Nazis didnt like the term. Is this true?
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If I look at the old movie footage they always described themselves as "National Socialists". I personally but feel free to disagree think the word "National Socialist" got into disrepute because of the "Socialist" part. For some reason politics is divided between left and right en Nazi Germany is "extreme right" and thus it can't be Socialist. That Nazi Germany had socialist like policies is obvious, Volkswagen, Volksradio, Volkssturm etc. (Volk = peoples). That they are TOTALLY different from the Social Democrats is also obvious.
The DDR has "Demokratische" in its middle name while it is not. I guess the Socialist at the time also meant anti-Monarchy as most Socialist where against Monarchies and the return of the Kaiser to Germany wasn't unthinkable at the time. He did congratulate Hitler effusely in 1940 and his antisemitic views would have made him an excellent Nazi, although his handicap would be a problem >:-). (John Rohl has perfectly documented these with firsthand proof).
Actually I can't remember ever first hand footage where the Nazi's referred to themselves as Nazi's. Only as National Socialists. Anyone is quite welcome to prove the opposite by the way!
Regards,
Marc, Eindhoven the Netherlands.
PS the body of the Kaiser is still in Doorn the Netherlands, according to his will he will be send over if Germany becomes a Monarchy. (not kidding here).
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I asked this forever ago and would still like to see it addressed in OOTF. I think its an interesting factoid that most people dont actually know.