Nazism was not an alien political doctrine that appeared out of nowhere. Nazism succeeded because it embodied what people either believed or wanted to believe.2 Nazism was an incredibly eclectic world view, combining Darwinian science and pseudo-sciences such as eugenics, and incorporating some aspects of Lutheranism, elements of the philosophy of Nietzsche, the music of Wagner, Nordic mythology, anti-Jewish conspiracy theories, numerology, idealised masculinity, nationalism, militarism, anti-Communism and belief in the magical power of ancient artefacts – it had something for everyone!
