“I Don’t Even Know Why They Love Me Ranting About This Shit”: An Analysis and Annotated Videography of the “Hitler Reacts” Videos

Adolf Hitler has been called many things since his rise to power in 1933 – cruel, maniacal, crazy, evil, just to name a few. Today’s youth, however, know him as “funny.” They associate him not with the Holocaust or World War II, but rather, with the Der Untergang YouTube parody videos in which he stars. It is these videos, along with a handful of other humorous Hitler facsimiles that represent contemporary society’s shift in their stance on the dictator. Though these videos were created to incite laughter, they have provided a glimpse into the way that many people deal with a tragic situation from which they are far removed: humor. The purpose of this Thesis explores and analyzes the social implications of the popularity of these videos.