Rainer Zitelmann

Rainer Zitelmann
Dr. Rainer Zitelmann, historian, sociologist, author
Born	(1957-06-14) June 14, 1957 --> Frankfurt, Germany
Nationality	German
Occupation	Historian, sociologist, author
Known for	Extensive research into the ideologies and psychology of political leaders, with a particular focus on Adolf Hitler.
Academic background
Education	Doctorate in history and political science; 2nd Doctorate in sociology (Dr. rer. pol) at the University of Potsdam
Alma mater	Technical University of Darmstadt
Academic work
Notable works	Hitler's National Socialism (English); Hitler: der Selbstverständnis eines Revolutionärs (1987, German)

Rainer Zitelmann (born June 14, 1957) is a German historian, sociologist, and author known for his extensive research into the ideologies and psychology of political leaders, with a particular focus on Adolf Hitler. His most notable work, initially published as "Hitler: der Selbstverständnis eines Revolutionärs" in 1987, later translated and revised into "Hitler’s National Socialism," provides an intellectual biography that dissects Hitler's political philosophy, highlighting his often overlooked socialist tendencies alongside his nationalist agenda. Zitelmann has referred to Hitler as a "modern socialist". Zitelmann's analysis challenges traditional views by emphasizing how Hitler's ideology combined elements of both left and right-wing politics, offering insights into the broad appeal of National Socialism. Beyond Hitler, Zitelmann has written on wealth, success, and entrepreneurial spirit, contributing to discussions on economic freedom and its intersection with political ideologies. His work continues to provoke significant debate on the complexities of 20th-century political movements and their echoes in contemporary politics.

Background

Rainer Zitelmann's academic journey began at the Technical University of Darmstadt where he studied history and political science. In 1986, Zitelmann completed his doctorate under Karl Otmar Freiherr von Aretin, earning a summa cum laude for his thesis on the goals of Hitler's social, economic, and interior policies. This doctoral dissertation, titled Hitler: Selbstverständnis eines Revolutionärs, was published in multiple editions in Germany and translated into English as "Hitler: The Politics of Seduction" (London: London House, 2000). Zitelmann's analysis in this work offers a nuanced view of Hitler's ideology, highlighting the blend of nationalism with socialist tendencies, which has often been overlooked in English-speaking discourse. Zitelmann further expanded his academic credentials by earning a second doctorate in sociology (Dr. rer. pol) from the University of Potsdam in 2016. His dissertation focused on the psychology of the super-rich, which was published internationally as The Wealth Elite.

After his academic pursuits, Zitelmann ventured into the conservative print media. Following his role as a research assistant at the Free University of Berlin, he took on the position of editorial director at Ullstein and Propyläen in 1992. He then moved to become the head of desk for contemporary thought at the German daily Die Welt, later shifting to desks focused on contemporary history and real estate.

In 2000, Zitelmann founded Dr. ZitelmannPB. GmbH, serving international clients like CBRE, Ernst & Young Real Estate, among others. He was the managing director until selling the company in a management buyout in February 2016.

Author

His most notable works include How Nations Escape Poverty, The Power of Capitalism and Hitler’s National Socialism. By the end of 2024, he had published 29 books in various languages. He has also written articles in leading media including The Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Forbes, The Daily Telegraph, Le Monde, Corriere della Sera, Israel Hayom, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and numerous others in Latin America and Asia. He also has a presence on X.com @zitelmann_en, and has been interviewed on various programs on YouTube.

Seminal works

Rainer Zitelmann's seminal work on Adolf Hitler was first published in German in 1987 under the title "Hitler: der Selbstverständnis eines Revolutionärs" ("Hitler: The Self-Understanding of a Revolutionary"). It was later translated into English in 1999 as "Hitler: The Politics of Seduction". This book has since been republished in a revised edition titled "Hitler’s National Socialism". The new edition includes a comprehensive preface discussing the historiography of Hitler over the past 35 years, emphasizing that the work is not merely a biography but an in-depth analysis of Hitler's ideological framework.

Focus on Hitler's Socialist Tendencies

Zitelmann's study delves into the core of Hitler’s political philosophy, highlighting his socialist tendencies which have often been overlooked or misunderstood in English-speaking countries like the US and UK. The term "Nazi" has become so broadly used that it often detracts from the original meaning embedded in "National Socialist German Workers’ Party". Zitelmann argues that Hitler's ideology was a blend of nationalism and socialism, creating a unique political alchemy that appealed across the socio-economic spectrum.

Key Insights

Political Alchemy

Hitler reconciled revolutionary zeal with traditional German values, creating a hybrid ideology that attracted both the working class and the bourgeoisie. His party drew from extremes of both Left and Right, yet he was ideologically distinct from both.

Anti-Capitalism

Throughout his political career, Hitler maintained a strong anti-capitalist stance, which intensified during the war, where he admired Stalin’s command economy, viewing it as superior to Western capitalism.

Social and Economic Vision

Zitelmann portrays Hitler as envisioning a "German socialist" society, where social mobility was dramatically increased, contributing to the post-war German economic miracle. His aim was for an autarkic empire, focusing on national industrial capital while critiquing international finance, which he labeled as Jewish.

Ideological Consistency

The book reveals Hitler’s ideology as remarkably consistent and sophisticated, focusing on the creation of a racially homogeneous national community and an economy independent of international capital.

Impact and Relevance

Zitelmann's work challenges the conventional narrative by highlighting the socialist elements within Nazism, which have significant implications for understanding modern political movements. His analysis suggests that ignoring these aspects can lead to a misunderstanding of populist movements today, such as the evolution of the Alternative for Germany (AFD) from a free-market critic to an anti-capitalist platform. This underscores the need for vigilance in defending democratic liberties against ideologies that echo aspects of Hitler’s National Socialism.

Zitelmann's View on Hitler as a Modernizing Revolutionary

Rainer Zitelmann's scholarship significantly reinterprets the Nazi regime's intentions regarding modernization. His pivotal work, stemming from his doctoral thesis, asserts that the Third Reich under Hitler actively pursued modernization as a deliberate strategy, rather than it being an accidental byproduct of other aims. This perspective challenges earlier interpretations by scholars like Ralf Dahrendorf, David Schoenbaum, and Henry Ashby Turner, who viewed these modernizing efforts as unintended consequences of the regime's antimodern objectives.

Zitelmann posits that Hitler envisioned a technologically advanced, industrial Germany, contrasting with the agrarian ideals of some Nazi leaders like Heinrich Himmler and Richard Walther Darré. His analysis suggests Hitler aimed to dismantle traditional social hierarchies in favor of a merit-based, egalitarian society for Aryans, aligning with his broader worldview (Weltanschauung). Zitelmann's research points to Hitler's admiration for Stalin's modernization efforts in the Soviet Union, suggesting a conscious push towards what Zitelmann terms "revolutionary modernization."

However, Zitelmann's interpretation has not gone unchallenged. Critics, including historian Ian Kershaw, argue that Zitelmann might have overemphasized the importance of Hitler's comments on modernization, potentially misrepresenting their significance within the broader Nazi ideology.

Zitelmann's thesis received varied responses in academic circles. Klaus Hildebrand, in a review for Süddeutsche Zeitung, praised Zitelmann for bringing fresh analysis to Hitler's motives, acknowledging the complexity of aligning historical actions with human intentions. Similarly, John Lukacs in his book "The Hitler of History" and several academic journals recognized Zitelmann's contributions as enriching the scholarly understanding of Hitler's ideology.

On the other hand, reviews in Die Zeit offered a more critical perspective, suggesting that while Zitelmann's approach to Hitler's biography was sober, it might require further refinement. Additionally, Zitelmann himself engaged in public discourse by critiquing Holocaust denier David Irving in both Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Die Zeit, arguing against Irving's revisionist historical claims.

Zitelmann's work on the intersection of National Socialism and modernization continued with his collaboration on the anthology "Nationalsozialismus und Modernisierung," which further explored how the Nazi regime's policies could be seen as part of a broader modernizing agenda, challenging the romanticized view of the regime as merely backward-looking. However, critiques of this work highlighted the need for a more nuanced approach to understanding the complex relationship between Nazi policies and modern concepts of progress.

Anthology and scholarly exam of Nazism

Rainer Zitelmann's anthology, "Die Schatten der Vergangenheit" (The Shadows of the Past), co-edited with Eckhard Jesse and Uwe Backes, aimed to address Martin Broszat's call for a historical analysis of National Socialism. The book's intent was to provide a scholarly examination of the Nazi era, striving for objectivity to understand the period's historical and moral implications without diminishing the severity of the crimes committed. Zitelmann's approach was to explore the era's complexities, suggesting that a balanced historization could serve as a bridge between neither defending nor completely vilifying the period.

The anthology included contributions from various ideological backgrounds, featuring both conservative like Ernst Nolte, who was central to the Historikerstreit, and liberal historians like Imanuel Geiss, highlighting a spectrum of thought on how to interpret National Socialism.

Reviews of this work were mixed. Peter Brandt in "Die Welt" appreciated the collection's scholarly rigor but noted a possible bias against what he termed "popular pedagogy" in dealing with National Socialism. Brigitte Seebacher in the "Rheinischer Merkur" valued the anthology for casting new light on the era, promoting further discussion. Gregor Schöllgen in the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" acknowledged the controversial nature of some essays but saw the book's merit in fostering an objective dialogue. The "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" highlighted Zitelmann's objective treatment of Nolte, suggesting that such an approach could prevent oversimplifying the motivations behind National Socialism.

Zitelmann also contributed to discussions on how Germany should confront its Nazi past in "Bewusstseinsnotstand. Thesen von 60 Zeitzeugen" and co-edited "The Nazi Elite" with Ronald Smelser, further expanding his influence on how historical figures of the Third Reich are understood.

Academic shift

From 1986–1988, during the Historikerstreit, Zitelmann actively supported Andreas Hillgruber and Ernst Nolte, critiquing their detractors in the preface to the second edition of his book on Hitler. He viewed the debate as concluding with a victory for the left-liberal historians over their right-wing counterparts, indicating a shift in German intellectual discourse where conservative historians found themselves on the defensive. Zitelmann reflected on this change, suggesting it represented not just an academic shift but a broader cultural one where left-leaning intellectuals were no longer dominant.

Adenauers Gegner. Streiter für die Einheit

In 1991, Rainer Zitelmann published "Adenauers Gegner. Streiter für die Einheit," which later appeared in paperback under the title "Demokraten für Deutschland" in 1993. This work reevaluated the opposition to Konrad Adenauer, Germany's first chancellor post-World War II. Zitelmann argued that critics like the Social Democrats Kurt Schumacher and Gustav Heinemann, along with the Christian Democrat Jakob Kaiser, liberal Thomas Dehler, and journalist Paul Sethe, were not mere idealists but had substantial arguments against Adenauer's policies. The book was praised by Social Democrat Erhard Eppler for presenting these arguments robustly. On October 7, 1991, "Die tageszeitung" (taz) commended Zitelmann's book for not joining the popular praise of Adenauer. Peter Glotz in "Die Welt" highlighted how the book demonstrated that Adenauer's critics had legitimate concerns about his prioritization of European integration over German reunification. Egon Bahr in "Der Tagesspiegel" linked Zitelmann's critique to the broader narrative of how Germany grappled with its past during Adenauer's leadership.

Zitelmann's affinity for Thomas Dehler over Adenauer was clear during a 1997 symposium celebrating Dehler's centennial, where Zitelmann discussed Dehler's politics in contrast to Adenauer's. This event was documented in "Thomas Dehler und seine Politik" by Nicolai Verlag, featuring contributions from notable liberal politicians like Hermann Otto Solms and Hans-Dietrich Genscher.

Public perception of wealth and envy

Rainer Zitelmann's 2020 book, "The Rich in Public Opinion," tackles the academic oversight regarding prejudice against the wealthy. Based on surveys from the Allensbacher Institute and Ipsos Mori across Germany, the U.S., the U.K., and France, Zitelmann categorized respondents into "social enviers," "non-enviers," and "ambivalents." His analysis showed high levels of social envy in France (1.26) and Germany (0.97), contrasted with lower levels in the U.S. (0.42) and the U.K. (0.37). Social enviers predominantly viewed the rich negatively, attributing traits like selfishness and greed, while non-enviers saw positive qualities like industriousness and intelligence. Zitelmann introduced the Social Envy Coefficient and the Personality Trait Coefficient to measure attitudes towards wealth, culminating in the Rich Sentiment Index, which indicated that countries like France, Spain, and Germany held more critical views of the rich compared to Sweden, the U.S., and the U.K. This index also revealed generational differences, with younger Italians showing more positive attitudes towards wealth than older generations.

Exploring the ultra-wealthy mindset

Zitelmann's 2017 publication, "The Wealth Elite," explored the psychology behind extreme wealth accumulation. Through qualitative research involving in-depth interviews with 45 ultra-wealthy individuals, Zitelmann delved into the traits and behaviors of this exclusive group. His findings suggested that many of these individuals had entrepreneurial inclinations from a young age, with a notable number also having been competitive athletes. Surprisingly, academic qualifications did not significantly correlate with wealth; the wealthiest group included more people without university degrees than those with moderate wealth. The study highlighted the importance of intuition over formal analysis in decision-making, emphasizing the role of implicit knowledge gained through life experiences. Personality tests conducted on the interviewees showed high levels of conscientiousness and low neuroticism, with traits like extraversion and openness being prominent, aligning with previous psychological research. Zitelmann's work also underscored the often-underestimated importance of sales skills among the super-rich and their resilience in overcoming business setbacks.

A key observation was the nonconformist nature of many self-made millionaires, who frequently went against the grain of common opinion to achieve their financial success.

Books

• How Nations Escape Poverty, Encounter Books 2024, ISBN 978-1-64177-395-9.
• The Power of Capitalism, Management Books 2000, ISBN 978-1-852-52794-5.
• Hitler’s National Socialism, Management Books 2000, ISBN 978-1-85252-790-7.
• The Nazi Elite, New York Univ Pr, New York 1993, ISBN 978-0-81477-950-7.
• Hitler: The Policies of Seduction, Allison & Busby, London 2000, ISBN 978-1-90280-903-8.
• Dare to be Different and Grow Rich, Indus Source Books, Mumbai 2012, ISBN 978-8-18856-937-3.
• The Wealth Elite: A groundbreaking study of the psychology of the super rich, Lid Publishing, London and New York 2018, ISBN 978-1-91149-868-1.
• The Power of Capitalism: A Journey Through Recent History Across Five Continents, Lid Publishing, London and New York 2018, ISBN 978-1-91255-500-0.
• Dare to be Different and Grow Rich: The Secrets of Self-Made People, Lid Publishing, London and New York 2019, ISBN 978-1-91255-567-3.
• The Art of a Successful Life: The Wisdom of the Ages from Confucius to Steve Jobs., Lid Publishing, London and New York 2020, ISBN 978-1-91255-567-3.
• The Rich in Public Opinion: What We Think When We Think about Wealth, Cato Institute, Washington 2020, ISBN 978-1-94864-767-0.
• How People Become Famous: Geniuses of Self-Marketing from Albert Einstein to Kim Kardashian. Management Books 2000. Gloucestershire 2021, ISBN 978-1-85252-789-1.

Films

• Life Behind the Berlin Wall – People who lived on both sides of the Berlin Wall explain their vastly different lives, and why people risked their lives to escape East Berlin. The production earned the 2022 Anthem Film Festival's “Audience Choice Award for Short Films”.
• Poland: From Socialism to Prosperity – Rainer Zitelmann explains "everyday life under socialism and the superiority of capitalism."