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I watched an amazing documentary the other night called Hitler: Inside Evil.

In the 40's a psychologist was approached by the American intelligence community and asked to form a psychological profile of Hitler; the first political profile in history.

What really peaked my interest was the fact that the psychologist chosen for this assignment was Freudian. Believing that Freud's theories and interpretations have their place but, are really limited in their ability to develop a full profile, I was unsure how Freudian analysis would produce a profile which was really accurate. However less than 5 min of watching and listening to the documentary I realized that Hitler is the perfect subject for Freud.

Hitler had an abusive father and an overly attentive mother creating in him a hyperactive Oedipus complex.

His mother was a clean freak which rooted his developmental disturbance in the a**l phase, which is characterized by embarrassment, hostility and destruction.

Prior to Hitler's birth his mother had lost 3 earlier children in their infancy. This created at atmosphere and a knowledge of death for Hitler from a very early age. Since he was the child who lived he saw himself as special and a survivor a la the messiah complex.

The most amazing conclusion made by this Ph.D. was that he was sure that Hitler would commit suicide because of his immense fear of death. He made this prediction 2 years before Hitler's suicidal end.

It's basically what it sounds like if you're familiar with the Judeo Christian belief in Jesus. Hitler believed he was in such a place of prestige and power that it was as if he believed he where a savior.

I think Freud's stages of development have a lot of merit. The Oedipus and Electra complex are clearing visible in teenage development. The idea that the family members of the same sex are quarreling because the child wants the other parent for sex is just part of the story line of tragedies for which they are named. The occurrence for the Oedipus and Electra complexes is rooted in the child trying to separate his/her identity from the parent of the same sex. They are trying to become a man or a woman and see their parent as a rival not for sex but for recognition.