The Psychological Assessment of Political LeadersSelf-Identification PatternsThis section is concerned with "the important role of auto-sugges-
tion in the career of Hitler." In the fall of 1918, while the soldier
Hitler was recovering in the infirmary, "he received a command from
another world above to save his unhappy country. This vocation
reached Hitler in the form of a supernatural vision. He decided to
become a politician then and there. He felt that his mission was to
free Germany."
Among the self-identifications he used in fulfilling that mission
were the following:
a. The drummer: At a number of meetings, Hitler referred to
himself as "the drummer, marching ahead of a great move-
ment of liberation to come." He varied "the drummer"
message with one of self-identification with John the Bap-
tist, calling himself a voice crying in the wilderness.
b. Messiah: Starting in the early 1920s, the deification of
Hitler was seen to be progressing steadily. In denying a
rumor in the spring of 1923 that he was engaged to his
physician's daughter, Hitler told the doctor: "I authorize
you hereby to tell the press that I shall never engage myself
to a woman nor marry a woman. The only true bride for me
is and always will be the German People." This would
remind those familiar with Christian literature that Christ's
only true bride was the Church.
c. Cromwell: Hitler particularly admired Cromwell and often
referred to him as an enemy of Parliamentarianism, of the
universal franchise, of communism, and of Catholicism.
Hitler particularly admired Cromwell as a self-appointed
dictator and was fascinated by Cromwell's beheading of
Charles I, no doubt an influence in Hitler's 1930 theme,
"Heads will roll."
d. Frederick the Great: The early period of Frederick's life, in
which he was in violent opposition to his stern father, fasci-
nated Hitler, with the parallel biographic features obvious.
But the author notes that Hitler apparently identified with
Frederick's father, who would have "beheaded his own son
to ensure discipline. That is how all German youth will