Adolf Hitler was a closet homosexual and used his homoerotic charisma to gain power, a leading German historian said.

　　Lothar Machtan's book“Hitler’s Secret: The Double Life of a Dictator”argues that an awareness of the Nazi leader's sexual orientation may help us understand his life. Its launch has caused a sensation at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair.

　　“There are things in Hitler's life which are puzzling. The knowledge of his homosexuality can help us to understand him better,”Machtan, professor of modern history at Bremen University, told Reuters in an interview at the fair.

　　Hitler learned to manipulate his“homoerotic potential”and used this“erotic charisma”to gain power.

　　“If we look at the important circle of people around Hitler, an awareness of his homosexuality makes it easier to comprehend how a man like him without contacts or influence could become so powerful,”Machtan said.

　　Hitler used this charisma to win the backing of groups such as the Freikorps (Free Corps) militia and the Nazi“brown shirts”who provided the muscle that aided his accession to power in the chaotic democracy of the Weimar Republic.

希特勒是“基佬”?

　　德国权威历史学家罗萨·马什坦最近在新作《希特勒的秘密：独裁者的双重生活》中指出，二次大战时期的德国纳粹党领袖阿道夫·希特勒其实是一个“地下同性恋者”，并通过同性恋者的特殊魅力获得权力。

　　罗萨·马什坦在书中称，关注希特勒的性倾向能够帮助人们了解他的一生。马什坦还说，希特勒利用他同性恋者的魅力赢得了“自由军”和褐衫党徒们的支持，令他能在当时的魏玛共和国朝中取得权力。 　　这本书在今年的法兰克富图书博览会上推出时，立即引起了人们的议论。