Did Hitler really kill himself

  • Thread starter quantum123
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In summary, the students are asserting that Hitler did not commit suicide, without providing any evidence. They are asking for someone to provide proof of the claim, but they are not willing to provide their own. This raises the suspicion of being a conspiracy theorist.
  • #1
quantum123
306
1
I am a physics teacher. I noticed that in my class there are several students who claimed that Hitler did not commit suicide.
So did Hitler really kill himself? Are the history books wrong?
 
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  • #2
Do those students give any reason to believe that?

If you said "Hitler committed suicide at the end of WWII", then you would carry the burden of proof- you would have to show evidence of that. But if your students are asserting that he did not, then they have the burden of proof. The "neutral" position would be "we do not know for sure".
 
  • #3
I think you missed a nice opportunity to discuss the critical thinking with your students. What you could have done is discuss with them why they say things like this. What sources do they have for their claims. Do they get it from ancient astronauts? In that case, you might discuss the validity of sources.

Next, you might want to talk about what way we do get access to correct information. You can start with the history books which claim that Hitler did commit suicide. This is a reputable source, so it is believable. But you may want to continue and research with your students what evidence they have for this. This might have been a nice research project and a lesson in critical thinking for your students.

In the end, they may still believe that Hitler did not commit suicide, but at least they researched the information and they know what could convince others: evidence.
 
  • #4
quantum123 said:
I am a physics teacher. I noticed that in my class there are several students who claimed that Hitler did not commit suicide.
So did Hitler really kill himself? Are the history books wrong?

I suppose you think there is some grand conspiracy to misrepresent history, yes?
 
  • #5
Alright, I did ask them.

(1) There is no body. No body, no proof . This seems quite scientific.
(2) Hitler has broken all the treaties he signed with both the Russians and the Allies. Having no integrity, he would have escaped rather than committing suicide.
(3) The allied forces also covered up their own in-competencies (for letting Hitler escape) by saying that he committed suicide. History is written by the victors.
 
  • #6
quantum123 said:
(1) There is no body. No body, no proof . This seems quite scientific.

So eye-witness testimonies by all people in the bunker are wrong? Everybody said he committed suicide, what's up with that? Are they all part of the conspiracy?

Do you actually believe that Hitler did not commit suicide?
 
  • #7
Personally, I felt that Hitler did commit suicide because psychologically he loved Germany, he is brave and he has pride.
However, scientifically, the physical evidence is weak. There is no eye-witness. There was only ear witness, they heard a loud bang, that's all.
I have a feeling that students think that leaders are opportunistic because in my country, leaders really are like that.
 
  • #8
quantum123 said:
Personally, I felt that Hitler did commit suicide because psychologically he loved Germany, he is brave and he has pride.
However, scientifically, the physical evidence is weak. There is no eye-witness. There was only ear witness, they heard a loud bang, that's all.

No eye-witness? So who took Hitler his body from the bunker and buried it?? Actually seeing Hitler being dead seems to be witness enough, no?? Or do you think he magically replaced his dead body and escaped?
 
  • #9
There is no body to take to begin with. He has already escaped.
 
  • #10
quantum123 said:
There is no body to take to begin with. He has already escaped.

Yes, this confirms my suspicions that you are a crackpot. Bye bye!
 

1. Did Hitler actually commit suicide?

Yes, according to historical accounts and evidence, Hitler did commit suicide on April 30, 1945 in his bunker in Berlin. This was confirmed by his personal secretary and witnesses who saw his body.

2. How did Hitler kill himself?

Hitler shot himself in the head while simultaneously biting into a cyanide capsule. This method was confirmed by his personal physician and other witnesses who were present in the bunker at the time of his death.

3. Are there any doubts about Hitler's death?

There have been conspiracy theories and doubts surrounding Hitler's death, with some claiming that he escaped and lived in hiding. However, there is overwhelming evidence and multiple accounts from witnesses that suggest he did in fact commit suicide.

4. What happened to Hitler's body after his death?

Hitler's body was taken outside of the bunker, doused in gasoline, and burned by his staff. The remains were then buried in a shallow grave, but were later found and identified by Soviet forces.

5. Why did Hitler choose to kill himself?

Hitler's decision to commit suicide was likely due to the imminent defeat of Germany in World War II and the fear of being captured and tried for war crimes. He also did not want to be humiliated or fall into the hands of the enemy.

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