Many totalitarian movements insist upon their leaders’ infallibility. “The Duce is always right,” was a popular Fascist slogan.18 Rudolf Hess waxed poetic about the perfection of Hitler’s judgment: With pride we see that one man remains beyond all criticism, that is the Führer. This is because everyone feels and knows: he is always right, and he will always be right. The National Socialism of all of us is anchored in uncritical loyalty, in the surrender to the Führer that does not ask for the why in individual cases, in the silent execution of his orders. We believe that the Führer is obeying
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