Hitlers Authentizität

Die Sensationssuche rund um die kritische Edition von „Mein Kampf“ ebbt ab, die wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung kann beginnen. Andreas Wirsching macht einen inspirierenden Anfang. Angeregt durch neuere Beiträge der Hitlerforschung und aktuelle Fragen nach historischer Authentizität untersucht er das in „Mein Kampf“ präsentierte Selbstbild des „Führers“ der NSDAP und arbeitet verschiedene Schichten heraus. Hitlers politische Identität, so lautet die Kernthese, war, anders als sein Berufswunsch „Baumeister“, nicht das Resultat einer längeren, schlüssigen Entwicklung, sondern vor allem den Umständen geschuldet, in denen er sich am Kriegsende wiederfand. Aus der funktionalistischen Deutung von Hitlers politischer Biografie ergeben sich weitere Überlegungen zur Interpretation des NS-Regimes und seiner Tätermotivationen.The point of departure of this article is the concept of authenticity, which has increasingly gained importance for the construction of Bourgeois individual identity since the second half of the 19th century. The question regarding which elements of a personality can be seen as authentic, i.e. as real and credible, has also been raised about Adolf Hitler. It is thus an essential facet of the history of his ascent, which of his characteristics and biographical experiences he himself viewed or constructed as authentic and which were attributed to him as such by his environment. This encompasses aspects of Hitler's youth and his time in Vienna and Munich, as well as the question, when and under what conditions the foundations of his racist “world view” were laid. The article argues, that, in Hitler's case, a number of layers of authenticity have to be distinguished, whereby the wish to become an artist or architect plays a prominent role. His world view, which Hitler labels as authentic in “Mein Kampf”, is conversely a dimension which was added later. This emphasises the functional character of Hitler's political-ideological conditioning, which also influences the overall interpretation of the Nazi regime and the motivations of its perpetrators

Erinnerung an Diktatur und Krieg. Brennpunkte des kulturellen Gedächtnisses zwischen Russland und Deutschland seit 1945

Dictatorship and war unite but also divide historical commemoration in Russia and Germany. Twenty-nine German and Russian authors examine key issues in Russian and German cultures of remembrance and their traumatic dimensions. The book includes classical memorial sites such as Stalingrad, memorials for particular groups, problematic historical sites, and the cinematic engagement with contemporary history

Glioblastoma in the oldest old: Clinical characteristics, therapy, and outcome in patients aged 80 years and older

Background: Incidence rates of glioblastoma in very old patients are rising. The standard of care for this cohort is only partially defined and survival remains poor. The aims of this study were to reveal current practice of tumor-specific therapy and supportive care, and to identify predictors for survival in this cohort. Methods: Patients aged 80 years or older at the time of glioblastoma diagnosis were retrospectively identified in 6 clinical centers in Switzerland and France. Demographics, clinical parameters, and survival outcomes were annotated from patient charts. Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to identify parameters associated with survival. Results: Of 107 patients, 45 were diagnosed by biopsy, 30 underwent subtotal resection, and 25 had gross total resection. In 7 patients, the extent of resection was not specified. Postoperatively, 34 patients did not receive further tumor-specific treatment. Twelve patients received radiotherapy with concomitant temozolomide, but only 2 patients had maintenance temozolomide therapy. Fourteen patients received temozolomide alone, 35 patients received radiotherapy alone, 1 patient received bevacizumab, and 1 took part in a clinical trial. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.3 months and median overall survival (OS) was 4.2 months. Among patients who received any postoperative treatment, median PFS was 3.9 months and median OS was 7.2 months. Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ≥70%, gross total resection, and combination therapy were associated with better outcomes. The median time spent hospitalized was 30 days, accounting for 23% of the median OS. End-of-life care was mostly provided by nursing homes (n = 20; 32%) and palliative care wards (n = 16; 26%). Conclusions: In this cohort of very old patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, a large proportion was treated with best supportive care. Treatment beyond surgery and, in particular, combined modality treatment were associated with longer OS and may be considered for selected patients even at higher ages

A phase Ib/II randomized, open-label drug repurposing trial of glutamate signaling inhibitors in combination with chemoradiotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma: the GLUGLIO trial protocol

Background Glioblastoma is the most common and most aggressive malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Glioblastoma cells synthesize and secrete large quantities of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, driving epilepsy, neuronal death, tumor growth and invasion. Moreover, neuronal networks interconnect with glioblastoma cell networks through glutamatergic neuroglial synapses, activation of which induces oncogenic calcium oscillations that are propagated via gap junctions between tumor cells. The primary objective of this study is to explore the efficacy of brain-penetrating anti-glutamatergic drugs to standard chemoradiotherapy in patients with glioblastoma. Methods/design GLUGLIO is a 1:1 randomized phase Ib/II, parallel-group, open-label, multicenter trial of gabapentin, sulfasalazine, memantine and chemoradiotherapy (Arm A) versus chemoradiotherapy alone (Arm B) in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Planned accrual is 120 patients. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival at 6 months. Secondary endpoints include overall and seizure-free survival, quality of life of patients and caregivers, symptom burden and cognitive functioning. Glutamate levels will be assessed longitudinally by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Other outcomes of interest include imaging response rate, neuronal hyperexcitability determined by longitudinal electroencephalography, Karnofsky performance status as a global measure of overall performance, anticonvulsant drug use and steroid use. Tumor tissue and blood will be collected for translational research. Subgroup survival analyses by baseline parameters include segregation by age, extent of resection, Karnofsky performance status, O$^{6}$-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promotor methylation status, steroid intake, presence or absence of seizures, tumor volume and glutamate levels determined by MR spectroscopy. The trial is currently recruiting in seven centers in Switzerland. Trial registration NCT05664464. Registered 23 December 2022

Clinical and virological characteristics of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in a German tertiary care centre during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a prospective observational study

Purpose: Adequate patient allocation is pivotal for optimal resource management in strained healthcare systems, and requires detailed knowledge of clinical and virological disease trajectories. The purpose of this work was to identify risk factors associated with need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), to analyse viral kinetics in patients with and without IMV and to provide a comprehensive description of clinical course. Methods: A cohort of 168 hospitalised adult COVID-19 patients enrolled in a prospective observational study at a large European tertiary care centre was analysed. Results: Forty-four per cent (71/161) of patients required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Shorter duration of symptoms before admission (aOR 1.22 per day less, 95% CI 1.10-1.37, p < 0.01) and history of hypertension (aOR 5.55, 95% CI 2.00-16.82, p < 0.01) were associated with need for IMV. Patients on IMV had higher maximal concentrations, slower decline rates, and longer shedding of SARS-CoV-2 than non-IMV patients (33 days, IQR 26-46.75, vs 18 days, IQR 16-46.75, respectively, p < 0.01). Median duration of hospitalisation was 9 days (IQR 6-15.5) for non-IMV and 49.5 days (IQR 36.8-82.5) for IMV patients. Conclusions: Our results indicate a short duration of symptoms before admission as a risk factor for severe disease that merits further investigation and different viral load kinetics in severely affected patients. Median duration of hospitalisation of IMV patients was longer than described for acute respiratory distress syndrome unrelated to COVID-19