Documents: Nazis Enraged Over Hitler-Mocking Dog
- Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:35am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Nazi government was so angry about a dog trained to imitate Hitler that it started an obsessive campaign against its Finnish owner, according to newly discovered documents.
In the middle of World War II, the Foreign Office in Berlin commanded its diplomats in the Nazi-friendly Nordic country to gather evidence on the dog, and even came up with plans to destroy the pharmaceutical wholesale company of the dog’s owner.
Historians had not been aware of the strange footnote to the Nazi period before some thirty files containing parts of the correspondence and diplomatic cables were recently found by a researcher at the political archives of the German Foreign Office.
Klaus Hillenbrand, an expert who has written several books on the Nazi period, was contacted by the historian and examined all of the documents for an article to be published Saturday in daily newspaper Die Tageszeitung.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Hillenbrand called the entire episode “completely bizarre.”
“Just months before the Nazis launched their attack on the Soviet Union, they had nothing better to do than to obsess about this dog,” Hillenbrand said.
The dog, Jackie, was a mutt owned by Tor Borg, a businessman from the Finnish city of Tampere. Borg’s wife Josefine, a German citizen known for her anti-Nazi sentiments, dubbed the dog Hitler because of the strange way it raised its paw high in the air like Germans greeting the Fuehrer with a cry of “Heil Hitler!”
On January 29, 1941, German Vice Consul Willy Erkelenz in Helsinki wrote that “a witness, who does not want to be named, said … he saw and heard how Borg‘s dog reacted to the command ’Hitler’ by raising its paw.”
Borg was ordered to the German embassy in Helsinki and questioned about his dog’s unusual greeting habits.
He denied ever calling the dog by the German dictator’s name, but admitted that his wife called the dog Hitler. He tried to play down the accusations, saying the paw-raising had only happened a few times in 1933 — shortly after Hitler came to power.
The Finnish merchant ensured the Nazi diplomats that he never did anything “that could be seen as an insult against the German Reich.”
The zealous diplomats in Helsinki did not believe him and wrote back to Berlin that “Borg, even though he claims otherwise, is not telling the truth.”
The different ministries that were involved in the dog scandal — the Foreign Office, the Economy Ministry and even Hitler’s Chancellory — meticulously reported all their findings about the canine.
The economy ministry announced that the German chemical conglomerate IG Farben, which had supplied Borg’s wholesale trade with pharmaceuticals, offered to eliminate his company by ending their cooperation with him.
Based on all this support, the Foreign Office was already looking for ways to bring Borg to trial for insulting Hitler, but in the end, none of the potential witnesses were willing to repeat their accusations in front of a judge.
On March 21, 1941, the Foreign Office asked the Chancellory whether to press charges against Borg and five days later they answered that “considering that the circumstances could not be solved completely, it is not necessary to press charges.”
There’s no evidence that Adolf Hitler was ever told of the case, even if the case made it all the way to his chancellory, Hillenbrand said.
Tor Borg died at 60 in 1959. His company Tapereen Rohduskuppa Oy eventually became Tamro Group, the leading wholesale company for pharmaceuticals in the Nordic countries.
A spokeswoman for Tamro Group, Margit Nieminen, told the AP that the company had not been aware of the story surrounding Borg’s dog until the recent archive discovery.
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Comments (59)
Angus Scrimm
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 10:49amI‘m reminded of the monkey in Raiders of the Lost Ak that would raise his arm when the Nazis greeted each other with ’Sig heil!”. And the Nazis would return the salute was what made it even funnier.
Report Post »sbenard
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 10:34amI‘m surprised the didn’t gas the dog!
Report Post »coldfear
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 10:24amI think I saw that Dog in a max fleischer cartoon.
Report Post »Joseph
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 9:53amMy dog does a great immitation of Obummer,he makes great speaches. His mouth moves, but nothing comes out!
Report Post »highcarry
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:32pmbarry and joe were in the oval office and barry‘s dog was laying on the floor licking it’s n*ts. joe said “ i wish i could do that ”. and barry said ” go ahead, he’s friendly “.
Report Post »Spencer
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 9:27amOne of my friends has a dog that barks and looses it’s mind if you say Obama to it. Very popular in my neck of the woods, quite the crowd pleaser.
Report Post »nt
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 9:10amMy dog has BHO ears
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 9:33amand the same IQ
Report Post »Maggie in Indiana
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 9:00amfor all you nazi’s living in america, ya don’t have to worry about that here now do ya?
Report Post »Ron Staiger
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:59amMy dog licks his balls and says in a growling kind of way “oooobamaaa”.
Report Post »reckless
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:58amWhen I ask my dog “Where’s Obama?”, it goes outside and takes a big healthy dump.
Report Post »pennswoods
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:40amDid the Nazi‘s check into the dog’s “Aryan” ancestry?
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:34amOh, I decided some time ago my next few dogs are being named Mohammed and Allah-Damn (this won out over the more abrasive Mongo and Lloyd… but, then again I just may decide to be a four dog man rather than a two dog man). I have a Jordanian brother-in-law who is a practicing Muslim. He got bent out of shape because a Chihuahua was named Abraham in one of those horrible “What are the Fockers up to now?” movies.
Report Post »As a student of WWII, I find this story to be quite interesting. Anyone remember the parents who named their son Adolf Hitler in the not so distant past? State came in to “save” the child… I never did follow that story thru to the end.
Simple response to the Nazis: There’s no accounting for taste. That is unless your religion or ideology asserts that you can and should stone/burn/imprison and/or chase down all dissenters. Always telling how sensitive the know-it-all elites and power mongers tend to be throughout history. Screw ‘em.
clockwatcher
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:27amWould the dog support the Black Jimmy Carter?
Report Post »Whole Nine Yards
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:18amHelen Thomas has a better looking Hitler-like moustache.
Report Post »catndahat
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:15amWOW- s–l–o–w news day @ Blaze…
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:12amIntolerance from the left? Where‘ve we heard this since the 30’s? Cartoon mohammeds, saluting dogs, funny stuff to the right, but intolerable to the left. Happy to see that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
For you trolls, don’t try to say that Nazis were not lefties. They took over industries just like your messiah obama is doing. They wanted government control just like today’s left.
Report Post »truth4at
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:05amI find it kind of funny that the dog did that…. even though, Nazism was bad!
Report Post »squatch6
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:00amA waste of time and trivial triva. I come hear for meat, not candy.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 9:29amIt shows how government creeps into every aspect of your life. The best government employee is no government employee …………
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:58am@BECKISNUTS: What does your dog do when he hears the name Obama?
Report Post »Tsul Kalu
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:56amtypical liberal/progressive mind set. we can say and do anything we want. just don’t offend us or else ! Like Islam. Nazi’s are so so touchy.. Maybe thats why Islamists love Hitler/support ideals like Nazi’s did, and carry signs Pro / Love / Hitler & Nazi’s around the world. They do have a lot in common.
Report Post »Both are tyrannical, oppressive, Prefer the final solution = death to all non believers, Yep a lot in common and neither was a true religion… but a political tyrannical Progressive Ideology of Ultimate Control.
BernieKittyCat
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:06amTruer words were never spoken!
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:53amPretty good story, but I don‘t see how it is relevant to today’s times. Now if we could get Obama’s dog to pee on his shoes every time they got together that would a story worth reading about.
Report Post »WestOfThePecos
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:54amNot relevant? Try control.
Report Post »VotersOfNY
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:53amAnd this is interesting news HOW?
Report Post »Pilgrim Bill
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 9:04amIt shows you how totolitairians dont like to be mocked.
Report Post »nuttyvet
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:49amI have a dog that imitates congress… he sleeps all day and relies on me for everything. The difference… I love him and would be lost without him.
Report Post »Bermuda Onion
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:47amThere better not be any Obama imitating dogs that’s all I have to say. See how he went after that UFC fighter? This guy is focused like a laser beam on the economy and jobs.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:14amOn youtube, there is a dog whose owner says, “Here’s a treat from momma” and he takes it, then she says, “Here’s a treat from obama”, and he turns his head away. Too funny!
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 9:21amMy dog makes Obama dolls………..
JGP
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 10:10amRepublicorp…Now thats funny.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:42amI don’t recall this dog
Report Post »BeckIsNuts
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:49amI have a dog that moves its bowels when it hears the word “Pelosi.”
Report Post »PatriotDaze
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:53amNow that’s funny!
Report Post »ilovethiscountry
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:16amTalk about nothing to do!
Report Post »Independent Tess
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:20amGood one, Tower!!
Report Post »casseopea42
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:37amMy dog imitates (insert appropraite liberal name here). Runs around chasing his tail then when he doesn’t catch stops and looks at me as if to say “look at what I accomplished”
Report Post »NapoHill15
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 8:53amIt’s odd . . . but the point of having this story here is a simple one really . . . one you already know. But it’s worth repeating and pointing out.
Liberals are all about image. It doesn’t matter what you are at the core as long as you say and do the things that are consistent with the aims and the goals of liberalism . . . In other words, liberals see their contradictions and can’t stand looking at them, at themselves; so they repackage; they hide and they disguise themselves as serious contenders of leadership.
To Liberals, image, and then intimidation are paramount in gathering and maintaining tyrannical control. If you are viewed as weak by allowing mockery to take root, your powers are greatly minimized. This comes simply from creating the illusion of effectiveness and the illusion of power and control . . . It’s also why liberalism turns violent when it begins to unravel. It cannot persuade forever when it is not grounded in truths.
And by the way . . . if you would like to test this, the next time you’re with a liberal ask them why they are a liberal . . . There’s an excellent chance that you will offend them as the image of “liberal” has been tainted over the years. Watch their mood change right before your eyes. Calling a liberal a “liberal” carries a certain negative connotation and is why Hillary Clinton moved to be known as “progressive.”
To liberals . . . it’s all in the packaging. And speaking of dogs, look at Al Gore. No one thought before his ascendency that if Bill Clinton wiped dog crap off his shoes on an old bathroom rug and then rolled it up that you could call it a world renowned environmentalist . . .
Report Post »taskmaster78
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 10:09amThis dog is brilliant, in a British way, this is quite funny to read.
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 11:51amI‘m going to teach my dog to stammer when she barks and see if BO sends his goons to ’get me’.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 1:17pm“Nazis Enraged”
Well, they were progressives, so it kind of goes without saying.
Report Post »DMcPher316
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 5:00pmBeck…usually ur a dick…but that was really funny…..
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 6:14pmThanks Tess
Report Post »check this funny video out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52hgDc8jkvc&feature=related
GeauxAlready
Posted on January 7, 2011 at 7:41amThat dog needs a Scooby Snack…..Sit Good Boy……………
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