The infamous dictator of Germany and the alleged brain behind the holocaust, Adolf Hitler, gained his reputation through his unique style of articulation and speeches. But little do we know that his charismatic personality is not the only tool he and his propaganda movement used to booster up his international popularity.
In a recently published book written by Despina Stratigakos entitled 'Hitler at Home', Stratigakos tried to explain how Hitler's home interior design took part in the dictator's rise to power.
According to the author, Hitler and his interior designer Gerdy Troost, had succeeded in using "domestic architectural makeovers to shed any vestiges of his image as [a] rabble-rouser, to emphasize his new status as [a] statesman and diplomat."
Stratigakos has answered some of the questions on how Hitler and his propagandists were able to transform the tyrant image of the Fuhrer to a perfect gentleman. The discussion was reported by the Washington Post.
According to Stratigakos, the private life of Hitler has gained the interest of international press, and NAZI utilizes this curiosity to boost up Hitler's 'image as a man of taste and culture'. They even used the popular photos of 'Hitler playing with a dog' or the 'Hitler with a Child'.
"When the Old Chancellery was renovated in 1934, the dominant object in the main reception hall, where Hitler entertained foreign diplomats and reporters, was a vast Persian-patterned carpet. Hitler liked to tell the story that this luxurious carpet originally had been ordered by the League of Nations for its new Geneva headquarters, but when it was completed, the league was short of funds and could not pay, so he acquired it for his official residence. He thus presented himself - no doubt, with mocking reference to having withdrawn Germany from the league in October 1933 - as literally pulling the carpet out from under them."
The 'renovation projects' of Hitler's home and office are surely extravagant, but their goal was reached nevertheless. "Many reporters and diplomats, invited to see the homes, were suitably impressed, commenting on how Hitler had remained unchanged by power," wrote Stratigakos.
