Hitler History: First Letter Documenting His Anti-Semitic Views Revealed Today at Museum of Tolerance
The Museum of Tolerance unveiled Adolf Hitler's "Gemlich Letter" today, which was recently acquired by the Simon Wiesenthal Center. The letter was written and signed by the infamous dictator himself in 1919, where he first revealed on paper his radical, anti-Semitic world view. It serves as the centerpiece of "The Hitler Letter, A Letter That Changed the World," an interactive exhibit opening today.
"This is the most significant document ever acquired by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, with historical significance not only to the Jewish people, but to the entire world," said Rabbi Marvin Hier, the center's founder and dean, reports The Daily Breeze.
The letter was previously displayed in NYC.
Hier noted the history behind the letter, stating that Hitler wrote it as he was investigating Bolshevik elements in the German army and was asked to write about the "Jewish question" as a threat to the German nation during World War I. Hitler claimed in his letter that Jews were not real Germans because "a thousand years of inbreeding, often practiced within a very narrow circle" preserved their race, along with values that were antithetical to the German character and threatened the rebirth of a greater German nation.
Hitler wrote, "(The Jew's) activities produce a racial tuberculosis among nations" and that a powerful government could curtail the "Jewish threat" by denying Jews their rights, but "its final aim, however, must be the uncompromising removal of the Jews altogether."
The Museum of Tolerance boasts an entire Holocaust Section, where "visitors are led back in time to become witnesses to events in Nazi-dominated Europe during World War II," according to the museum's website. It holds over 50,000 artifacts and memorabilia including photographs, thousands of documents, diaries, letters, artwork and rare books. The letter will be on permanent display at the section's entrance.
Museum hours are 10am to 5pm Monday through Friday, 11am to 5pm on Sunday and closed on Saturday. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors (62+), $11 for students with ID and youth (5-18) and free for children 5 and under. Advanced reservations are strongly recommended and can made by calling 310-772-2505.
