Eoin Harrison - "Hitler deserves a chance"

Protests by opposition supporters are just childish - the new German Chancellor is not a racist and will undoubtedly row back on his more populist promises, says Eoin Harrison

The reaction from all over the world to Adolf Hitler's appointment as German Chancellor has been nothing short of hysterical, to the point of it even being a little amusing.

Smug, all-knowing left-wing liberals everywhere have been pontificating from behind the safety of their typewriters. They have little understanding of what real Germans are thinking and how Hitler has perfectly tapped into the mood of the times in a way the metropolitan liberal elites have completely failed to do.

Hitler has promised to bring the jobs back to failing industrial areas, get better trade deals for Germany, rebuild the country's infrastructure, eradicate the corruption of the Berlin insiders, and clamp down on immigration, especially Jewish immigration. This appeals to real Germans, and the left simply don't get it.

I travelled over to Germany for the last few days of the campaign and was tremendously enthused by what I saw. Hitler has made politics relevant to the ordinary man in a way it hasn't been since the days of Bismarck. He's not a politician. He has charisma, people listen to him. People may lampoon his facial hair, but that's part of the charm.

He's an outsider and that's what the people want. The enthusiasm at his rallies has to be seen to be believed. That enthusiasm is undoubtedly good for democracy. I attended a rally in Nuremberg three days before the election. Critics have branded his supporters as "racists and anti-semites". These people are no racists or anti-semites. They're just ordinary Helmuts and Hildegaards who are sick of seeing their country decline and want to make it great again. They believe Hitler will do that. And so do I.

The out of touch, politically correct classes moan about him not having won a majority of the votes - his completely misses the point. The German system is a democratic parliamentary one - a representative democracy designed specifically to protect against the worst excesses of demagoguery - that was the genius of the founding fathers who wrote the constitution in 1919. The lessons of the Great War period have been learnt. Hitler will be no new Kaiser - he won't be free to exert his own authority in an unfettered way, but subject to the checks and balances of the system.

The most hysterical commentary on Hitler's election has surrounded his promises on Jews and immigrants. Let's get real here. Hitler is no racist and no anti-semite. He is a pragmatist and knows that he will need the support of all ethnic groups going forward if he is to make this administration a success.

Jews will not be deported, they will not be discriminated against. There will be no crackdown on a free press. Talk of invading other countries is so ludicrous as to be unworthy of a response.

But one thing is for sure. Hitler and his team tell it like it is. Real Germany is sick of the political correctness surrounding political discussion. Michael Flinz, the man rumoured to be Hitler's choice as National Security Chief, has said that "fear of Jews is rational". That's a sensible and in no way racist or anti-semitic point to make. But those outside of Germany who don't understand the situation have blown the comment into something it's not. Rational discussion is impossible amidst such overblown reaction.

There's a serious lesson here for the left. They have neglected the concerns of the ordinary German. They must address that if they want to be relevant again. They must learn that it's not anti-semitic to object to Jews taking their jobs or peddling their far-left influence in academia. Allegations of anti-semitism lose their meaning if they're thrown around like confetti. Let's hear no more of them from those who don't understand what's happening on the ground.

Berlin insiders have been apoplectic as Hitler moves to appoint his new team. The biased liberal media have added to the noise surrounding the appointment of the new cabinet by claiming, without any evidence whatsoever, that the process was in "chaos". National broadcaster, Cable Nachrichten Networken (CNN ) - known good humouredly by the Nazi camp as the "Communist News Network" - even said there was a metaphorical "knife fight" going on. 

Rest assured, knives have no place in this new administration.

Already, six days into his tenure, Hitler is showing strong signs of rowing back on his campaign rhetoric and being a Chancellor for all the people. He has so far appointed two popular and well respected ministers. Wilhelm Frick, the new Interior Minister, is strong on policy details, a superb organiser, and said to be “a safe pair of hands who will relish the cut and thrust of parliamentary debate”, while Hermann Goering, ridiculously accused by left-wingers of being an anti-semite, is seen as a maverick who won't be afraid to do some straight talking in the new coalition cabinet in his role as Minister Without Portfolio.

Joseph Goebbels, owner of the extremely popular alternative newspaper Breitburst, has made a name for himself as a gifted journalist and communicator and is hotly tipped to become Communications Minister. Allegations that he is an anti-semite and an irresponsible hothead are also well wide of the mark. He's another very talented maverick who will do a fine job if appointed.

Heinrich Himmler is tipped for a major role in the Defence department. Widely respected across party lines and viewed as extremely capable and versatile, he'll bring a calm head and a common sense attitude to the cabinet.

So overall, Hitler has surrounded himself with people he can trust, and looks like he'll have the backing of a very strong team, perhaps the strongest since Bismarck.

I was heartened by the Taoiseach's message of congratulations to the new Chancellor. Ireland and Germany have always had a close relationship and I expect that to continue without any problems over the coming years.

Hitler has won his chance. Let's give him that chance. Pessimism about his leadership is misplaced. This outsider has been written off many times but always won against the odds. And, whisper it, he may just turn out to be an inspired choice.

Eoin Harrison