Paul: How did so many Germans fall under the spell of Hitler? How were so many misled, forso long?

Volker: I don't know. I can say, be facetious and say most of them. Look, in the 20's they had the depression. They had, what do you call it? When your currency goes down to zero, super-inflation. Germany had had various Chancellors. Everybody tried their hand, lasted a few months. Similar to Italy.

Hitler came in and said, "I am stability. Okay, you vote for me, you will have a stable government." There was a lot of attraction. Germany had no democratic history. England and France, yes. The French in 1789, they chopped the heads off of the nobility. The British had hundreds of years of democracy. Germany had 18 years. No, in 1918 - yes, they kicked out the Emperor - who was sent to Holland, became a democracy, okay? So you had from 1918, until Hitler came 1933. That's history.

Hitler promised stability initially. He started the autobahn, okay? He stabilized prices. He didn't come in and - with a broad axe and say, "Okay, now we have a dictatorship." It happened very, very slowly. So, I would say probably most of the people, the common people. The lower, the lower rung – yeah, it's--

Paul: He told them what they wanted to hear.

Volker: Oh yes, absolutely. The parallel with Trump sometimes is frightening. Germany had no protection against a guy like this. He had exceptional powers granted to him by Hindenburg, who was the President. But the German President is a figurehead. He opens bridges and signs decrees. He was in his 80's, he was senile - and Hitler ultimately got everything he wanted.