Adolf Hitler was born in Austria in April 1889. He actually grew up in a middle-class family. His father was employed as a customs agent. Hitler’s mother repeatedly tried to protect Adolf from his abusive father. Reports are that Adolf Hitler’s mother was the only woman he ever loved.
Hitler hated school and eventually dropped out. He left for Austria to become an artist in Vienna. However, Vienna Academy would not accept him into their prestigious school. In fact, he couldn’t pass the entrance exam.
Hitler becomes a tramp
Poor and destitute Hitler became a tramp, living on the streets.
Ironically, Hitler moved into a Vienna home and was financially supported by people of the Jewish persuasion. He later enlisted in the Vienna army.
In 1923, German officials imprisoned Hitler for treason because of his attempt to seize power of Germany. Eventually, he took over Germany by gaining public support for eliminating inflation, tackling unemployment, establishing motorways, and creating massive construction projects. Additionally, Adolf Hitler was a mesmerizing speaker, persuading thousands of German citizens to follow him, while members of his Nazi party contributed in forcibly taking over leadership of the country.
In 1935, Hitler was responsible for the destruction and burning of Jewish synagogues, businesses, and homes. Later, Hitler and his army attacked and conquered France. Under Hitler’s rule, Germany also joined forces with Italy and Russia.
Hitler’s military invasions and destruction caused the start of World War II, which resulted in the death of close to 55 million people.
Hitler’s persecution of the Jewish people of Europe, as well as his torture, mutilation, and annihilation of ten million Jews forcible sent to incinerators and firing squads, made him a symbol of destruction and the most hated man of his time.
Charlie Chaplin and his rise to fame
Unlike Hitler, Charlie Chaplin owned the world.
Charlie Chaplin was born in April 1889 in the south London slums. His father and mother were music hall singers.
At an early age, Charlie was sent to a workhouse because his mother was mentally unstable and unable to care for him.
In 1910, Chaplin became a music hall comedian and left his homeland; bound for America. He became famous for his short films and portrayal of a tramp.
By 1916, he became a worldwide figure, admired by millions. During World War I, he attended Liberty bond rallies, boosted moral and brought in money for the war effort. Charles Chaplin became the most famous person in the world. When Chaplin was at his peak, Hitler was living on the streets as a tramp.
Chaplin used his talents in the writing, directing, and producing silent movies. He also wrote the music that accompanied his movies.
Ironically, Charlie Chaplin thought Adolf Hitler was one of the greatest actors he’d ever seen.
In 1940, Charlie wrote, directed, and produced The Great Dictator, his first talking movie. Producers didn’t want to rock the boat with Germany and Italy; they tried to keep the movie from being released. Hollywood producers were also afraid Chaplin’s movie might damage foreign relations and hurt the Jewish population in Europe.
On the other hand, President Franklin D. Roosevelt thought it was a very important movie and assured Charlie that he’d see to it that the movie was released.
Chaplin produced the movie entirely with his own money. He created The Great Dictator to instigate laughter at Hitler–to show the world the Nazi party didn’t count. Chaplin discounted the Nazi party while challenging Hitler’s dictatorship, not knowing the atrocities taking place at the hands of Hitler and the Nazi party.
When Chaplin became aware of the death and destruction in Europe, he edited his movie to reflect on issues that were more serious. Charlie thought if he could talk from his heart in his movie, he might have an effect on shortening the war; therefore, he was constantly rewriting the script in order to be able to develop something profound to say to his motion picture viewers.
The Nazi party thought Charlie Chaplin was Jewish though there wasn’t any record that he was, or wasn’t. They created anti-Jewish newsreels based on Chaplin’s visit to Berlin. They called him a ‘disgusting Jewish acrobat.’
Comparing a dictator and tramp
Chaplin and Hitler were born the same year, same month, and same week.
While Hitler celebrated his fiftieth birthday in April 1939, he spoke and sponsored the largest military parade in history. Chaplin celebrated his birthday working on his script.
Chaplin no longer considered Hitler someone to laugh at. When Hitler embarked onto France and took control of the country, Chaplin was noted for saying he considered Hitler a horrible menace to civilization.
Chaplin took risks in writing and acting in The Great Dictator by satirizing Jews, Hitler, and the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. The movie forced his audience to face Nazi brutality.
October 1940, after 555 days, The Great Dictator was completed. It premiered in two Broadway theaters. Millions of people stood, cheered, and were grateful the movie was made. England claimed it was the best propaganda film made since the start of the war though it was banned in Europe, Ireland, and South America.
While Hitler destroyed, Chaplin took a stand against Hitler.
Charlie Chaplin created an emotional appeal by stating the following.
“Live by each other’s happiness, not by their misery. We think too much and feel too little.”
He strengthened millions of people with the power of laughter and his thought provoking speeches and writing.
In 1945, allied forces ended World War II, Hitler was defeated, and he committed suicide.
Chaplin Exiled
Amazingly, in 1952, Chaplin was exiled and locked out of the United States during the McCarthy era. The anti-communist committee headed by Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin, suspected Charles Chaplin was a communist.
Chaplin neither admitted nor denied the allegation. When Chaplin tried to return to America after vacating to Europe, the U.S. denied his reentry into the country based on their suspected beliefs that he was a communist.
Though Hitler was instrumental in the making of skyscrapers, modern motorways, and the Volkswagen, his persecution and slaughter of the Jewish population in Europe and his devilish obsession with power marks his place in history as one of the most feared, hated, and sick men of all time.
On the contrary, whether Charles Chaplin was a Communist, of Jewish persuasion, or a tramp is irrelevant. Chaplin became the most popular person on the planet. People laughed and were deeply moved by him. His contribution to society was extraordinary.
Charlie Chaplin left behind incredible music, movies, and writing as noted by scholars and critics throughout the world. His accomplishments have been observed as pure genius.
If only there were more people like Charles Chaplin and less people being compared to Hitler.
