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War and Mayhem: Reflections of a Viennese Physician

by Ernst Rodin

356 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #99-0041; ISBN 1-55212-290-5; US$26.00, C$28.85, EUR21.50, £15.00

This book represents a personal odyssey through the second quarter of twentieth century Austria. It blends the personal with the universal and looks backwards as well as forwards.

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About the Book War and Mayhem is a retrospective account of the events of the first half of the twentieth century as experienced by the citizens of Vienna and comes in three parts. The first part provides the historical material which was culled from the most up to date scholarly publications on this topic. The second part presents the personal experiences of the author growing up in a "dysfunctional" family during the Nazi occupation. It shows what it was really like to live under a totalitarian regime, especially when one was, in addition, "non-Aryan." It also illustrates the terrible toll WWII had taken on lives and property and describes how ordinary citizens coped during Nazi and Soviet occupation. The third part discusses in more detail the ideas which motivated Hitler, the antecedents to the Holocaust and how the solutions arrived at during the twentieth century will inevitably become problems in the twenty first. The book, written in simple language with an Austrian accent, is well illustrated and intended for the general public. More specifically: WWII veterans of the Allied forces may be interested in getting a glimpse of what it was like on the enemy side. College students can benefit by realizing that history is not just something "about dead white males" but a force which directly affects people's lives, including their own in the future. Austrian Mittelschul students in the Oberstufe might enjoy reading about the lives of their grandparents in the English language thereby learning history as well as English. Jewish readers might want to know why there was such a massive aversion against the Jewish "race." There is no doubt that some of the opinions presented will be regarded as controversial but unless one sees and understands both sides of the coin no progress toward a more humane world is possible. The author's hope is that by showing past follies people might become more open minded, less swayed by propaganda and will conduct themselves in their daily lives in a manner which may eventually allow the emergence of a saner world. Review from Canadian Military History Book Review Supplement, Autumn 2000 The memoirs of Rodin, a prominent neurologist, cover the roots and aftermath of the Third Reich, but the most interesting section deals with his own experiences in Austria from the Anschluss to the American occupation. He entered the Hitler Youth at age fourteen, later transferred to the labour service, and finally ended up as a tanker with an armoured unit stationed near Budapest. By April 1945, his unit was in Vienna tasked with defending it against the Red Army, but against orders they retreated out of the city and "discharged themselves" from the German Army. An interesting perspective on the fighting in the east.

About the Author

Dr. Rodin was born in Vienna and before semi-retirement a Professor of Neurology at Wayne State University, as well as Medical Director of the Epilepsy Center of Michigan and Medical Director of the Holden Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory at Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. Since 1990 he has been a Professor on the voluntary faculty of the Department of Neurology at the University of Utah and Consultant in Electroencephalography at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Rodin is past president of the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society and honorary member of several scientific organizations. He has published extensively in the international scientific literature especially in the area of brain-behavior relationships.

He lives with his wife in the shadow of Alta and Snowbird, is a life member of the Grosse Pointe Sail Club and now as a member of the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club one of "the saltiest sailors in the world."

Also by Ernst Rodin

Whither Zionism?

Excerpt

INTRODUCTION

The World War II generation of Austrians I happened to be born into has seen more than its share of man's inhumanity to man. Austria was annexed by Hitler in March of 1938 and ceased to exist. Seven years later the country was resurrected but had to live for another 10 years under four power occupation. Vienna, just as Berlin, was deep in the Soviet zone. Although the citizens were told that the Red Army had come to liberate them from the fascist yoke, the behavior of the troops did not suggest liberation. There was in the beginning simply the exchange of one dictatorial regime for another.

I grew up in Vienna during what has been called Austro-Fascism, then the Hitler and subsequently the Stalin years. These left an indelible impression. There was also a massive paradox. The country was invaded, but the annexation - or Anschlusz as it was called - had been accompanied by an unparalleled outpouring of good-will by the populace. People lined the streets for hours waiting for the appearance of the Führer who was then greeted with frenetic shouts of Sieg Heil and Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer. As a 12 year old boy I was confronted with a mystery about human behavior that the adult, later on, explored over many decades.

The English language books dealing with the Nazi years were written to a large extent by Jewish authors. This is understandable because those who had managed to emigrate or return from Concentration camps had a story to tell. Yet, these stories ended for the most part, as far as Vienna was concerned, at those landmarks. Furthermore, in 1938 Jews comprised approximately ten per cent of the City's population and there is so far no adequate English language documentation how the other ninety per cent fared. Were they all Nazis? If not, why did young adults not burn their draft cards as some youngsters did here during the Vietnam war? What motivated the people to just sit there and endure privation, cold, hunger, bombs, rape and pillage? Who was a Nazi? Why did they hate the Jews so much?

This book was written to provide some answers to these questions. My qualifications are personal and professional. On the personal side I had first hand information on the consequences of disastrous policies. Professionally I have devoted my life to understanding and helping physically as well as emotionally disturbed individuals. In addition, as a scientist, I am used to reading literature in a detached rather than emotional manner and am trained to look for potential flaws in the presentation of the data.

The literature on the current topic falls into three large groups: 1) Studies of WWII and Hitler, 2) Antisemitism and the Holocaust and 3) the History of Central Europe with main emphasis on the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Each one is of obvious importance but when seen in isolation they present a one-dimensional picture. All three are inextricably linked and need to be seen in the larger context of the ideas which governed world events. Unless this is done Hitler will continue to be regarded merely as a "hypnotic madman," as he was referred to recently in a local newspaper. This is a trivialization that is not only wrong but harmful. The man and his actions are understandable if one looks at the total picture rather than only one side. There was considerably more re-action, namely response to circumstances, than a deliberately thought out plan to conquer the world. The ideas that caused the events and pushed him along had been enunciated long before he was born. The Hitler phenomenon must be seen in this light. This is why the study of history is so important. It shows how even well-meant solutions of past problems have led to new ones which plague us today. A sincere, unbiased investigation of the past broadens one's view and may, hopefully, prevent a repetition of the mistakes and thereby future disasters.

The main problem with the world is not necessarily deliberate evil but ignorance and stupidity of individuals who bring it about, as well as the cowardice of those who submit. Our race has not yet become homo"sapiens" i.e. man the wise. Human behavior is still largely driven by emotion. This is the reason why some politicians and people who control the mass media don't learn the real lessons of history and events repeat in endless cycles under new names. Wars, with concomitant destruction of lives and property, have been with us since the beginning of time. They will continue. The only question is whether they will remain localized or become global. The world has become increasingly interconnected, therefore, the potential for spread has also been enhanced. Even World War I was intended to merely punish the Serbs. Serbien musz sterbien, "Serbia must die" wrote the Vienna papers in July of 1914. British tabloids have been quoted in 1999 as advocating, "Clobba Sloba" and "Serbs 'em right." Is this progress?

What causes wars? When all excuses and rhetoric are swept away there remain "bungling" and the all too human emotions of greed, pride, fear, as well as the personal need to leave a legacy. One's name has to find favorable mention in the history books. Hitler's war is an excellent example. Hitler wasn't greedy for money, food, or sex as many other people are. No, it was for fame and power. The excuse was that he would achieve greatness for the German people by giving them more "living space." When threatened with war by the British, he refused to rescind the invasion of Poland because he was too proud to back down and too afraid for his prestige, or losing face, as it is called now. Ordinary people are then caught up in this madness, perpetuated by a mere handful of irresponsible "leaders." To make their policies palatable to the populace, it is necessary to proclaim over and over again that the fate of the country, if not the world, is at stake. At that point it is also essential to demonize one's opponents in order to evoke the hatred which is felt to be required to win a war. People are then painted as homogeneous groups and become "the Jews," "the Hun," "the Nazis," "the Commies," "the Japs" or what not. The examples can readily be multiplied. It is infinitely more comfortable to condemn amorphous masses rather than consider that it is individuals who make up these groups and who defy the stereotypes propagated by the mass media. Yet, these very individuals have no opportunity to rid themselves of a leadership which brings about disaster. Once caught up in the maelstrom, it becomes a fight for survival on both sides and conventional morality is the loser.

Most recently some "progress" has been achieved. No longer do our politicians pretend to hate the nations whose leadership they disapprove of but they simply label the man in charge "a Hitler." The epithet "Hitler" makes him no longer a person but a symbol of unmitigated evil which has to be eradicated. Up until last year Saddam Hussein of Iraq was the main recipient of this title but now he has to share it with Serbia's Milosevic. However, this does not deter our leadership from punishing the people of these countries by showering bombs and rockets on them. The theory behind this undertaking is that it would encourage the bomb victims to rise up and get rid of their dictators. The politicians who harbor notions of this type have never lived under a totalitarian dictatorship and refuse to see the evidence to the contrary which the second world war has provided. Sending planes is supposed to be the quick fix where in addition nobody, except the civilian population on the other side, is supposed to get hurt. As long as we are dealing with small countries which cannot adequately defend themselves some limited success can be achieved and these "Hitlers" have to call for an armistice to keep their jobs. This will not work with countries like China or Russia, once the latter has recovered from her present malaise.

This book, therefore, attempts to look behind the unilateral propaganda people are constantly exposed to by the media, for the reasons why things happened the way they did so that genuine prevention may occur. Having grown up under Goebbels I have learned early on to detect propaganda - or spin as it is called today - in news reports as well as books. It usually does not involve outright lies, but the omission of relevant information which casts a different light on the situation when seen in its totality. The literature on the topic, as listed in the bibliography, consists essentially of monographs dealing with various facets of these disastrous years. The purpose of this book is to blend them into a cohesive whole. It is written from the viewpoint of a physician and as such makes no moral judgments. This does not mean that disastrous events are to be condoned. They are to be understood in as dispassionate fashion as humanly possible. If the wrong lessons are drawn, or none at all, new catastrophes are inevitable Everybody agrees that the tragedies of the twentieth century, including the Holocaust, have to be prevented. It is axiomatic, however, that before one can prevent anything one has to understand the causes of the events. Simple finger pointing or calling each other names will not do.

The book comes in three parts. The first one gives the historical background for the situation Austria found herself in and provides some information why the various politicians acted the way they did. It shows how history really proceeds and how each event is inextricably linked to the next one. While Austria is the example, the points made here transcend parochialism and have universal application. The present and future cannot be understood in isolation but must be seen in the light of the past which has brought it about.

The second part of the book is autobiographic and illustrates what life was really like for ordinary people when confronted with extraordinary circumstances under totalitarian regimes. The third part concentrates at greater length on the ideas which motivated Hitler and thereby shaped the twentieth century. They include the problem of Antisemitism which, by the way, will be spelled in the European rather than American tradition and the legacy we will have to deal with in the next century...

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

PART I. FROM EMPIRE TO DISTRICTS OF DANUBE AND ALPS

Chapter 1. Antecedents to the first World War

The fateful alliances. The importance of the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905. Jews and Russians. The Bosnian annexation crisis 1908. A London conference in 1913 leads to the current Kosovo problem. Austria's Serbian conundrum similar to Castro's Cuba for the Eisenhower and Kennedy administration. Serbian terrorist organizations :Narodna Odbrana and the Black Hand.

Chapter 2. The start of the Great War

Austria's ultimatum of 1914 and its counterpart the Rambouillet "agreement" in 1999.
From local to global war, the German General Staff has no "Plan B."

Chapter 3. The Aftermath

The Austro-Hungarian empire disintegrates. The Republic of Deutsch-Österreich emerges. The treaty of St. Germain plants the seeds for 1938. Union with Germany forbidden and Austro-German nationals in the Sudetenland and South Tyrol become Czechs and Italians. Byproducts of the socialist revolution fuel anti-Jewish sentiments.

Chapter 4. The ill-fated Republic

The Reds and the Blacks vie for power. The beginning of the demise of parliamentary democracy in July 1927 and the end in 1933.

Chapter 5. Austro-Fascism

On account of terrorist tactics the Nazi party is forbidden. The antecedents for and the Civil War of February 1934. The Socialists are outlawed. The Nazi Putsch of July 1934 leads to the murder of Dollfusz. The new chancellor Schuschnigg has to run the country with the consent of somewhat less than forty per cent of the total population. Attempts to find a modus vivendi with Nazi Germany fruitless. Massive economic problems.

Chapter 6. The Anschlusz

February 1938 Schuschnigg meets Hitler at the Berghof and has to agree to give Austrian Nazis free reign. With increasing turmoil in the provinces Schuschnigg decides on plebiscite over Austria's independence. Hitler furious, demands cancellation, Göring ups the ante and the Wehrmacht marches. Hitler arrives and declares Austria a part of the German Reich. The initial welcome and subsequent disillusionment. The country disappears and the citizens are thoroughly "gleichgeschaltet." The attitude of the Catholic and Protestant Church towards the events of March '38. Hitler's plebiscite on April 10 ratifies the existing facts.

Chapter 7. The drift into World War II

Cardinal Innitzer's change of mind. The Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia are incorporated. England's reaction. Churchill and the Focus group. Chamberlain's guarantee to Poland leads Hitler to promise the British "a devil's brew." The Hitler-Stalin pact produces Poland's eastern border which is still valid today.

Chapter 8. The War

Hitler's foreign policy views and brief outline of Hitler's war plans.

PART II. ORDINARY PEOPLE IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES

Chapter 1. Childhood

The family a classic product of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Parents divorce and father absconds. Grandfather is killed. Medical treatments. A stepfather arrives. The Austrian school system. Papa takes over. I am a Left-hander in a right-handed world. Habitual lying. The Civil War of February '34 and the Dollfusz murder.

Chapter 2. The Preteens

Vacations in Gainfarn and popular amusements for children. Realgymnasium and curriculum for ten year old pupils. The Spanish Civil War. The economy. We are immune against Nazi ideology.

Chapter 3. The Nazi Takeover

The aborted plebiscite. Nazis in charge. As of March 12 the family, apart from Papa is Non-Aryan. Hitler comes to town and receives a hero's welcome."Heim ins Reich." Were there some decent people among the Nazis?

Chapter 4. Everyday life after the Anschlusz

Concentration camps and Kristallnacht. From Christmas to April 1939. Hitler's answer to Roosevelt and the last few months of peace.

Chapter 5. The early years of the war

The Hitlerjugend. Summer vacations. Schikurs in Mariazell leads to a side trip to the Sudan of the 1880's. Muttl's diphtheria. Farm-hand. No more lying. I am expelled from school as an "abscess on the body of the German people." Re-admitted to another school. A hunting we will go. Matura.

Chapter 6. Labor Service and Wehrmacht

Life as "Arbeitsmann." "Panzerschütze" and "Oberschütze." To the Front in Hungary. Budapest nearly encircled, am ordered back home. The USAAF over Vienna. The internal situation in Vienna before the collapse of the third Reich.

Chapter 7. The Red Army arrives

Unsuccessful attempt to discharge myself from the Wehrmacht. Retreat through the city.
How the Austrian resistance tried to surrender Vienna to the Russians. Anarchy in the city.
Last few weeks of the war in Döllersheim, home of Hitler's ancestors. Final Good-Bye to the Wehrmacht.

Chapter 8. Back to Vienna

Three close encounters with the Red Army. Home at last. Austria exists again and has a provisional government. Tour of the destroyed city. Strange disease epidemics during last weeks of Nazi and first weeks of Soviet rule. Life under Russian occupation. What the liberation really looked like. A comparison of Nazi and Soviet propaganda.

Chapter 9. Medical School

University opens within three weeks after my return. Friends reappear from Wehrmacht service. Black market activities. Abortion on demand. The Western Allies arrive and life begins to normalize. Brother returns from France. In free elections, communists receive a massive defeat. The Austro-American society. Summer jobs with the U.S. Army."Kill the Nazi pig." Clinical medicine. Victor Frankl's exemplary life. The economy. Final exams and graduation.

Chapter 10. The budding Neurologist

Outline of what the training entailed. Freudian psychoanalysis and its fundamental error. Frankl's logotherapy. On to America.

Epilogue

PART III. MODERN CONSEQUENCES OF OLD IDEAS

Chapter 1. Can Hitler be understood?

Nazism is logical if one accepts the fundamental premises. Machiavelli's and Nietzsche's contributions. The Moses factor. The failed Hitler-Churchill meeting. The "uncanny" in Hitler.

Chapter 2. Antisemitism

Ancient roots. Christianity and Judaism. Viennese anti-Jewish sentiments. Hitler's antisemitism. Racism.

Chapter 3. The road to the Holocaust

The evolution. "Jews to fight for Democracies."The origin of Zionism. The original and final Balfour declaration. The Madagascar plan. The Final Solution. Jehova's witnesses.

Chapter 4. Viennese anti-Jewish sentiments today

The Waldheim affair. "Vergangenheitsbewältigung."

CONCLUSION

Hitler's legacy. Outlook for the next century.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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