How Adolf loved a bit of trout

Man, some people are so touchy: descendants of the victims of Adolf Hitler have successfully lobbied to get a TV chef the sack. The 30-year-old Flemish cook, Jeroen Meus, was recreating the favourite dishes of famous men, for which, on this occasion, he had journeyed to Hitler's mountain hideaway, Eagle's Nest. You must admit, it lacks sensitivity. But get some perspective, people! He only waggled a fish at the memory of six million dead.

Anyway, the Belgian programme was cancelled due to anxieties that it would "humanise or, worse, glorify Hitler", and I think the first is a reasonable worry. It does humanise a subject to think of their small enthusiasms and simple pleasures. Whether or not Hitler would think himself glorified by the revelation that he loved liver dumplings is one for the psychics.

Popular history has it that Hitler was a vegetarian. This is always dredged up as a grim irony, that such a murderous person should eschew animal products, but I think the grim ironists are wrong: partly because there is nothing about enjoying the odd pork chop that predisposes a person to acts of genocide, but mainly because it is not quite accurate. Here is a partial list of the dictator's favourite foods: squab, liver dumplings, caviar and succulent trout in butter sauce. So you see, not only was he not a vegetarian, he didn't even like vegetables.

I suppose there is something incongruous about such a savage man liking genteel foods, though. You do expect a person without humanity to be without human affectation too, so if Pol Pot were, say, a vegan, you'd expect him to be the kind of vegan that just grabs roots and berries on the go. You can't see him marinading tofu.

It should be pointed out that Meus's programme didn't just do dictators: previous favourite meals have included Jacques Brel (moules et frites - that Belgian cliche) and Freddie Mercury (curried chicken). I hate to say this but, Hitler or no Hitler, this is a crap idea. Why not just go on telly and cook food? Like that nice Jamie Oliver?

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