dolf Hitler is history’s ultimate villain. As the leader of the infamous Nazi Party, he was integral to the Third Reich, the Second World War, and the Holocaust. This is common knowledge for most of us, but there are many aspects to Hitler’s life that are less familiar.
Given how much has been written about Hitler in the last seventy-five years, there’s plenty of information about the more obscure details of his life, including his diet. Whilst this may seem like a trivial thing to discuss, the Führer’s diet — as well as being interesting — carries plenty of significance.
Almost a vegetarian
During the Nazis’ rise to power in the early 1930s, Hitler’s health was far from ideal. He suffered from nervous sweats, trembling muscles, and stomach cramps. This prompted him to change his diet.
But he also developed an active hatred for meat, saying it was like “… eating a corpse!” He would even mock his fellow party members for consuming meat.
As such, Hitler began to follow a strict vegetarian diet. His typical meals included eggs, spaghetti, oatmeal, stewed fruits, salads, soups, vegetable puddings, and baked potatoes with cottage cheese.
His general repulsion of meat-based dishes is significant, as it represents one of the key aspects of his personality: disgust. The Führer was a clinical man who removed that which he saw as undesirable, and this character trait — as we all know — went far beyond his personal dietary requirements.
Interestingly, the one exception to his no-meat diet was liver dumplings, which was his favorite dish.
Hitler’s sweet tooth
Hitler was also fond of sugary snacks and desserts. He enjoyed pastries, sweets, and — at one stage — consumed two pounds of chocolate every single day. Sometimes, he would even abandon a conference to eat some chocolate in private.
His beverages followed suit. He often drank hot chocolate with whipped cream, but his favorite drink was tea, especially peppermint and camomile. Coffee was not part of his diet, as it interfered with his ability to sleep.
What’s more, the German people were told that Hitler didn’t drink alcohol. This was a lie. Though his consumption was fairly moderate, the Führer did occasionally drink beer and wine.
Despite Hitler’s indulgences, he was always careful not to overdo it. He believed gaining too much weight would ruin his public image and damage his appeal. Like everything else in Nazi Germany, Hitler’s diet was politicized.
Afterword
Hitler was a man who reveled in disgust. His hatred of meat mirrored his attitude towards those he deemed inferior, such as Jews, gypsies, ethnic minorities, or those with disabilities.
And whilst his fondness for sugary snacks may appear to be a rare example of normality, he was always careful to avoid overindulgence for the sake of his political image.
Adolf Hitler’s diet, therefore, was more significant than you might think.
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