The Mystery of Hitler’s Heavy Leg
And other odd questions from the NYPL’s pre-Internet days
December 26, 2014

(NYPL)

Mental Floss has a marvelous compendium of questions New York Pubic Library employees were asked in the pre-Internet era. They range from the naive (“Do you have any books on human beings?”) to the strange (“Can I get a book telling me how to be a mistress of ceremonies at a musical orgy?”). Then there’s this question, called in on June 6, 1947…
“I would like to know something about the physical characteristics of Adolph Hitler. I think I’ve found him – he walks heavier on one foot and everything.”
Oooookay.
For the record, Adolph Hitler took some shrapnel to his leg. Whether that affected his gait I have no idea.
Related: Swiss Company Recalls Hitler Coffee Creamers
Hitler’s Toilet Is in New Jersey: A Yacht’s Commode, in an Auto-Repair Shop
Hitler? There’s an App for That
Elon Green is a writer in New York.