Reason No 187,265 why me working for Hitler would have been a bad idea

I tend to crack jokes a lot, even at fairly inappropriate times. Luckily I've never been sacked for it. Unlike Fritz Darges. He has just died aged 96, and was one of Hitler's closest aides. But look at what got him sacked:

But Darges misjudged the “warm-hearted” Führer deeply during one conference at Rastenburg on July 18 1944 – two days before a bomb plot nearly succeeded in killing him.

During a strategy conference a fly began buzzing around the room, landing on Hitler's shoulder and on the surface of a map several times.

Irritated, Hitler ordered Darges to “dispatch the nuisance”. Darges suggested whimsically that, as it was an “airborne pest” the job should go to the Luftwaffe adjutant, Nicolaus von Below.

Enraged, Hitler dismissed Darges on the spot. “You're for the eastern front!” he yelled. And so he was sent into combat.

I thought the retort was very good. But what sort of grump was Adolf to not just sack him, but send him to the Eastern Front for whimsical retort!

Sadly Darges still worshipped him:

Darges died on Saturday still believing in the man who engineered the as “the greatest who ever lived.” His memoirs will be published now in accordance with his will.

There will be a lot of interest in his memoirs.

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