Institute of Advanced Studies

Abstract: Despite the massive volume of material written about him - or perhaps because of it - Hitler remains one of the most elusive figures in history. Biographers and psychohistorians scrutinise his personal life to establish the inner workings of his mind, only to offer competing or contradictory explanations. Political historians debate whether Hitler was master in the Third Reich, or whether perhaps he was in reality a weak dictator. Some will argue that Hitler is not just another historical figure but is rather a quasi-religious entity who defies not just historical analysis but any form of representation, yet their opponents seek resolutely to stare the Gorgon in the eye. This presentation sought to grapple with the historical figure of Adolf Hitler, while at the same time tracing the evolution of the myth surrounding him, from his own times through to the present.

Biographical note: Peter Monteath is an Associate Professor in the History Department at Flinders University in Adelaide. In an earlier life (1991 - 1992) he lectured in History at the University of Western Australia. He teaches and researches primarily in the area of modern European history, with a particular interest in German history in the twentieth century. His first publications were on the Spanish Civil War, on which he has published three books. More recently he has turned his hand to the history of European exploration of Australia, co-authoring a book on Flinders and Baudin, and editing the journals of Samuel Smith and Emily Caroline Creaghe. As a fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation he maintains close links with Germany. His current research is on Australian POWs in German captivity in the Second World War.

The lecture series was hosted and sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Studies and the History Discipline at UWA and forms part of the Dictators lecture series.

- 22 August 2007