HITLERS BODY AND THE BODY POLITIC :: essays research papers

HITLERS BODY AND THE BODY POLITIC__________________________________I study ideology as if manifest content of a dream, seeking to comprehendthe ideologys latent content or unconscious meaning. I observe recurringimages and metaphors within ideological productions. through and through systematicanalysis of these recurring images and metaphors, it is possible to revealthe deep structure of an ideology.Ideologies are social constructions. However, why do they exist? What is thenature of the psychic take shape that they perform? I suggest that ideologiesconstitute vehicles for working through deep-rooted psychological issues.Hitlers ideology, for example, represented the medium through which Hitlerattempted to come to terms with the occupation of death.Hitlers project was to create a people so closely united-fusedtogether--that they could think, feel and act as a single organism. Such abody debonaire would be indestructible, not only in the present but in thefuture as well. Hitler and the Nazis devoted their lives toward creating anorganism that would be different from all separate organisms. They aspired tofashion a body (politic) that was so healthy and powerful that it would notsuccumb to death.The Jew in Hitlers ideology was a force working to destroy Germany. matter Socialism was the attempt to come to terms with this destructiveforce. The "Final Solution"--concluding phase of Hitlers struggle againstdeath-represented a form of radical surgery whose purpose was to " contract"Germanys death instinct, quash the process of disintegration.___________________________________________________________________The complete paper by Richard A. Koenigsberg is available for the first time as an on-line publication.To read HITLERS BODY AND THE BODY POLITIC, enchant visithttp//home.earthlink.net/libraryofsocialscience/online_pubs.htm___________________________________________________________________Hitler had projected the struggle of "life against d eath" into the politicalarena and waged a furious battle to "maintain the body of the people."Hitler aspired to defeat death by embracing the idea of a body politic thatcould live forever. However, in spite of his efforts, Hitler could not ridhimself of "anxiety of being destroyed from within."The "Jew" represented Hitlers start out and perception of his own deathinstinct, recognition or realization that all bodies die. In spite of Hitlerstruggle to deny death, he could not entirely subordinate the voice of truth.Yet Hitler refused to heed this inner voice declaring that all bodies die.