East Kilbride Probus Club were given a talk on the rise of Hitler at their latest meeting.
President Ray Jones opened the meeting, carried out the club business and then introduced the speaker Roy Johnstone.
He was a solicitor for 40 years and had a great love of history and now that he is retired, he has returned to his first love of history.
Mr Johnstone began by showing a baby photo of Hitler who was born in 1889 in Austria near the German border.
He did not do well at school and was a bit of a rebel and a loner.
His father died when he was aged 13 and his mother a few years later and within three years after the family money ran out he was staying in hostels.
The First World War came along and he joined the Despatch Corps, injured twice and awarded two Iron Crosses.
In the trenches his lifetime philosophy began to take shape and that was that humanitarianism should not get in the way of war.
At Germany’s’ surrender at the end of the WWI he blamed, with no foundation, the Jews and the communists.
He joined a right wing party and often practised his oratory and gestures in front of mirror and rose quickly through the ranks.
By 1923, Germany was bankrupt and a failed Coup saw him clash with the police.
In prison with a five year sentence wrote his ‘famous’ book Mein Kamp (My Struggle).
Released after 13 months of a five-year sentence, he watched Mussolini in Italy and like how he conducted himself and from where he got the Nazi salute.
By 1928/29, there was the great World Depression and he defeated Hindenburg and became the Chancellor /Prime Minister and was then voted in as Leader and Dictator in 1934.
War was declared in 1938/39 he declared war against the USA in 1941 seeing them ally with Britain.
By 1945, Hitler thought that he was at the height of his power, but D-Day June 6, 1945 saw the end and he died in a Berlin bunker by shooting himself.
Barrie Crawford gave the vote of thanks and thanked Mr Johnstone for an absolutely and fascinating history and the ability to go through 20 years in an hour.
The meeting was closed by the President who wished everybody safe home.
To find out more, contact the Secretary, Mr Eddie Holmes on 01355 234 942
The next meeting will be on March 2 with a topic ‘In Search of Polar Bears' from Ms Heather Kerr at the Glebe Street Hall in the Village.
For further information please access the EK Probus’s website.
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