Adolf Hitler

"The guy is like a hypnotist — a madman who can make a whole country nuts."

- Indiana Jones

Adolf Hitler (also known as the "Führer") was the leader of Nazi Germany and described by Colonel Musgrove as being "obsessed with the occult," hence his interest in acquiring the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail.

Biography
"The Ark belongs in the Reich. Something of such antiquity belongs in Germany."

- Adolf Hitler

For four years, Corporal Adolf Hitler was courier during World War I. Hitler gained recognition through the publication of his autobiographical work Mein Kampf, which also expounded on his views of National Socialist ideology and Aryan racial superiority. His views attracted many other Germans who had felt betrayed by the weakening of Germany in the Treaty of Versailles.

In 1929, the Wayua leader Maleiwa sought to entice Hitler into an alliance over the power of the alicorn, planning to later betray him in place of his own ambitions of global supremacy. Maleiwa, however, was stopped by Indiana Jones, before a meeting could take place.

The 1930s saw the National Socialist party gain political power, and Hitler became chancellor of Germany. He worked to remove many of the democratic institutions in Germany, proclaiming himself "Führer", and sought to rebuild the German industrial and military base, and began programs to harass and eliminate those who he felt were contaminating German society: Jews, Gypsies, communists, homosexuals and political dissidents.

His interest in the occult and in archaeological artifacts prompted Nazi research and recovery expeditions into artifacts to either support his views of Aryan racial superiority or to be used as weapons against Nazi enemies.

Hitler met with archaeologist René Emile Belloq in 1936 to hire his services in acquiring the lost Ark of the Covenant. After Indiana Jones thwarted Hitler's plans on numerous occassions, including his desire to claim the Ark, the Führer personally assigned Hans Degen to assassinate Jones but the attempt ended in failure.



In 1938, Hitler was presiding over a bookburning rally in Berlin outside the Institute of Aryan Culture. As he was being escorted from the forum, he came face to face with a man in a Nazi officer's uniform who held a book in his hands. Not knowing the man was a disguised Indiana Jones or that the book was the Grail diary his agents needed to find the Holy Grail, Hitler took the book, motioned one of his aides for a pencil, signed the book, and returned it to the startled 'officer' before continuing on his way.

Seeking to expand Germany, he first used diplomatic means to gain territories in building a greater German state, then invaded Poland in 1939, initiating World War II. In 1945, Hitler appeared in Professor Jones' vision where he claimed ownership for the Spear of Destiny. Later that year, with the defeat of Germany likely, and Berlin near invasion, he committed suicide.

Behind the scenes
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the uncredited Hitler was played by Michael Sheard, who also appeared in Raiders of the Lost Ark as Oskar Schomburg. Sheard also appeared in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (as Admiral Ozzel) with Harrison Ford and Julian Glover. Sheard had already played Hitler several times - in the TV movie Rogue Male (1976); in a two-part episode of the TV series The Tomorrow People (1978), entitled "Hitler’s Last Secret"; and in the TV movie The Dirty Dozen: The Next Mission (1985) - and would go on to play him one more time, in the documentary Hitler of the Andes (2003). He also played Heinrich Himmler three times in his career.

Appearances

 * Indiana Jones and the Interior World
 * Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs
 * Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Sphinx
 * Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
 * Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods
 * Raiders of the Lost Ark novel
 * Raiders of the Lost Ark
 * Raiders of the Lost Ark comic
 * Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark junior novel
 * Indiana Jones and the Dragon of Vengeance
 * Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
 * Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade novel
 * Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade junior novel 1989
 * Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade comic
 * Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade junior novel 2008
 * Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis comic
 * Indiana Jones and the Mystery of Mount Sinai
 * Indiana Jones and the Army of the Dead
 * Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny
 * Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny