The reason for this choice is simple. They both illustrate an aspect of belief systems that must be understood in order to get the whole picture. For any system to have followers, it must first get them (indoctrination), and then keep them (retention rate). Religions must follow the same pattern. Of course the acquisition of followers is much easier when you already have an established base - indoctrination of the subsequent generations can then take place. Of course there is also a heavy societal factor in the equation (balance of power, cultural mores, control over education), but this is beyond the scope of this article.
HITLER AND NAZI GERMANY
Discussion of Hitler and Nazi Germany often evokes a knee-jerk reaction. That's the first level. Also, many discussions are made on the subject on whenever Hitler was religious or not. Such discussions have little use to evaluate ideas, and are puerile attempts of guilt by association (by both sides). That's the second level. Discussions of Scientology follow the same general pattern, and for the same reasons.
Since I assume that you are an intelligent person and see why such questions are pointless, I will immediately raise the level to what we have to examine. How did the National Socialist party manage in a few years to establish a totalitarist regime and its own ersatz-religion ?
The first condition to the establishment of belief is a favorable context. In this case, the loss of World War 1, the Versailles Treaty and its harsh demands, as well as economical depression (not helped, of course, by the Weimar Republic), molded a German people in need of a leader. At another time, Hitler's apparition on the political scene may have been less important than it was then. But one of his promises was to take care of the Versailles Treaty - and when his economical policies beared fruit, everybody praised his achievements.
