Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed concerns about President Trump’s mental state, suggesting diminished capacity, and warned of a dangerous shift toward authoritarianism. Pritzker drew parallels between current federal actions, particularly the deployment of federal officers in Chicago, and the rise of Nazi Germany, emphasizing a slow encroachment on democratic values. The governor also expressed worry for the people of Chicago and the entire country, foreseeing these actions as a broader issue. Pritzker’s comments come amidst ongoing tension with the Trump administration regarding immigration enforcement and potential use of the Insurrection Act.
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Ketanji Brown Jackson, the Supreme Court’s newest justice, is quickly establishing herself as a powerful liberal voice, especially in her dissents. In a footnote of her dissent in Trump v. Casa, Jackson cited Ernst Fraenkel’s work on Nazi Germany’s dual legal system, drawing a parallel between the current legal landscape and unchecked executive power. This subtle yet striking comparison serves as a warning about the potential threats to the rule of law. Jackson’s dissents, notably in the face of conservative court decisions, are a consistent call for justice.
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Finland’s Air Force Will Stop Using the Swastika on Flags. This feels like a moment that demands a bit of unpacking, doesn’t it? It’s not every day you hear about a military force – the Finnish Air Force, in this case – phasing out a symbol that, let’s be honest, is instantly recognizable. But before anyone jumps to conclusions, it’s crucial to understand the context, and the history behind this unique situation.
For the Finnish Air Force, the swastika wasn’t just some random symbol. It was adopted in 1918, a good while before the rise of Nazism. The symbol actually came from a Swedish nobleman’s coat of arms, who was kind enough to donate the first airplane to the Finnish Air Force.… Continue reading
Ernst Fraenkel’s *The Dual State*, written in secret and published in 1941, details the Nazi regime’s creation of a “prerogative state” operating alongside the existing legal system (“normative state”). This parallel system enabled the Nazis to maintain a semblance of normalcy while simultaneously enacting violence and lawlessness against their perceived enemies. Fraenkel’s firsthand experience as a Jewish lawyer in Nazi Germany informed his analysis, demonstrating how the dictatorship didn’t abolish existing laws but rather used them selectively while establishing a lawless zone for targeted oppression. This model, applicable beyond the Nazi regime, highlights the insidious nature of dual states and their potential for escalating repression.
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Argentina’s Supreme Court recently made a startling discovery: eighty boxes overflowing with Nazi paraphernalia tucked away in its basement. The sheer volume of material, left undisturbed for decades, immediately raises questions about the court’s record-keeping and the potential significance of the find. These weren’t just random items; the boxes contained postcards, propaganda leaflets, and other materials designed to spread Nazi ideology within Argentina during and after World War II.
The discovery reveals a chapter of Argentina’s history often overlooked or downplayed: its complex relationship with Nazi Germany. While Argentina officially declared war on Germany and Japan in 1945, its neutrality prior to that, coupled with the known presence of Nazi sympathizers within the government, suggests a far less straightforward narrative than commonly presented.… Continue reading
Al Gore’s comparison of the Trump administration to Nazi Germany is a provocative statement, sparking considerable debate. He didn’t make a direct, simplistic equivalence of the two, but rather drew a parallel concerning the manipulation of truth. Gore highlighted the work of Theodore Adorno, who analyzed the Third Reich’s descent into tyranny, focusing on the Nazis’ perversion of truth into a tool of power. He argued that the Trump administration similarly attempted to construct its own preferred reality, undermining the very distinction between truth and falsehood.
This comparison is not about a direct equation of evil acts, but rather a warning about the parallels in methods of control.… Continue reading
Rose Girone, the oldest known Holocaust survivor at 113, passed away Monday. Born in 1912, she endured persecution under both Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, escaping to Shanghai with her family before eventually immigrating to the United States. Her remarkable resilience, forged through hardship and loss, inspired her daughter and countless others. Girone’s knitting provided both sustenance and a source of strength throughout her extraordinary life.
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The 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation was observed on January 27th, with this year’s ceremony marking a poignant moment as likely the last major observance attended by a significant number of survivors. Approximately 50 elderly survivors, many in their 80s, were honored as the focus of the event, joined by world leaders including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a symbolic demonstration of Germany’s ongoing acceptance of responsibility. The ceremony, held at the Death Wall, remembered the approximately 1.1 million victims murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau, primarily Jews, but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The absence of Russian representatives reflected the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
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Approximately 50 Auschwitz-Birkenau survivors, many in their late 80s and 90s, will return to the site on January 27th, the 80th anniversary of its liberation, to share their testimonies. They will be joined by world leaders, including King Charles and President Macron, but the focus remains on the survivors’ accounts of the atrocities committed at the camp, where over 1.1 million people were murdered. A heated tent has been erected at the “Death Gate” of Birkenau to accommodate the frail survivors during the commemorations. The absence of a Russian delegation reflects the ongoing war in Ukraine, despite the Soviet army’s role in the camp’s liberation.
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Within weeks of his appointment as Chancellor in January 1933, Hitler, leveraging the Weimar Republic’s inherent weaknesses, systematically dismantled its democratic structures. He initially aimed for an Ermächtigungsgesetz (enabling act) to grant him dictatorial powers, but the lack of a two-thirds majority in the Reichstag forced him to orchestrate new elections. Exploiting the Reichstag fire and subsequent emergency decrees, he suppressed opposition, banned the Communist Party, and intimidated voters, securing the necessary majority for the enabling act in March. This act effectively ended the Weimar Republic and ushered in the Third Reich.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood