The film “Judgment at Nuremberg” suggests that Churchill offered praise to Hitler. This came right after the Munich Pact, which would seem an odd time for Churchill to be singing the praise of the Führer. What’s the story? —K.C., Washington

In a speech to the Reichstag in early November 1938, Hitler attacked Churchill and others who had objected to the Munich Pact. He mentioned names and described them as warmongers. Churchill replied in the House of Commons on 6 November. He expressed surprise that the “head of a great State” should attack private Members of Parliament.

The full context

What Churchill said next is often been quoted out of context to suggest it was in praise of Hitler. Whether this is your reference to Judgment at Nuremberg I’m not sure. A partial quotation is in Churchill by Himself, page 346. But just so there’s no doubt, I have supplied all the words represented by ellipses in my book:

I have always said that if Great Britain were defeated in war I hoped we should find a Hitler to lead us back to our rightful position among the nations. I am sorry, however, that he has not been mellowed by the great success that has attended him. The whole world would rejoice to see the Hitler of peace and tolerance, and nothing would adorn his name in world history so much as acts of magnanimity and of mercy and of pity to the forlorn and friendless, to the weak and poor.

Since he has been good enough to give me his advice I venture to return the compliment. Herr Hitler also showed himself unduly sensitive about suggestions that there may be other opinions in Germany besides his own. It would be indeed astonishing if, among 80,000,000 of people so varying in origin, creed, interest, and condition, there should be only one pattern of thought. It would not be natural: it is incredible.

Qualifications

Churchill continued, in words that were not in praise:

That he has the power, and, alas! the will, to suppress all inconvenient opinions is no doubt true. It would be much wiser to relax a little, and not try to frighten people out of their wits for expressing honest doubt and divergences. He is mistaken in thinking that I do not see Germans of the Nazi regime when they come to this country. On the contrary, only this year I have seen, at their request, Herr Bohle, Herr Henlein, and the Gauleiter of Danzig, and they all know that….

Let this great man search his own heart and conscience before he accuses anyone of being a warmonger. The whole peoples of the British Empire and the French Republic earnestly desire to dwell in peace side by side with the German nation. But they are also resolved to put themselves in a position to defend their rights and long-established civilizations. They do not mean to be in anybody’s power.

Further on Churchill – Hitler

“The Myth That Churchill Admired Hitler,” 2017.

“Churchill’s Hitler Essays: He Knew the Führer from the Start,” 2024.

“Winston Churchill on Peace with Hitler,” 2023.

“Did Hitler Authorize the Flight of Rudolf Hess?” 2023.

“Hitler’s Sputtering Austrian Anschluss,” 2020.