ABSTRACT
The "Hitler Myth" is now regarded as a classic work of German history. School textbooks, general histories of the German nation, and in-depth studies of the Nazi regime all draw on Ian Kershaw's ideas and concepts. More recently, scholars have come to see the "Hitler myth" as complementing other forms of Nazi propaganda that encouraged ordinary Germans to consent to the demands made by the National Socialist regime. Scholars who have focused on Nazi regime's politics of social consensus, foremost among them Robert Gellately, have tended to draw substantially on Ian Kershaw's work. One of the areas where concepts developed in The "Hitler Myth" continue to stimulate vigorous debate is the subfield focusing on the nature of totalitarian leadership and political religion. Meanwhile, the French political scientist Michel Dobry has undertaken an in-depth analysis of Kershaw's use of Max Weber's model of "charismatic leadership", which Kershaw first outlined in the introduction and conclusion to the English edition of "Hitler Myth".
