this post was submitted on 27 May 2026
168 points (86.5% liked)

Today I Learned (TIL)

9132 readers
1 users here now

You learn something new every day; what did you learn today?

/c/til is a community for any true knowledge that you would like to share, regardless of topic or of source.

Share your knowledge and experience!

Rules

founded 4 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Nothing surprising given how terrible Trump is, but nonetheless.

He also was present at a Ku Klux Klan demonstration in 1927.

top 49 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 79 points 2 months ago (4 children)

It’s a toothbrush mustache, and more than one historical person wore them, Charlie Chaplin who Hitler likely copied was one of them.

[–] gramie@lemmy.ca 14 points 2 months ago

The toothbrush mustache became popular because it was the only kind that would fit under the gas mask. I believe that's why Hitler had one, he was a corporal in WWI (and was temporarily blinded by a gas attack).

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Yeah. That's all true. But would you say that Micheal Jordan briefly had a Charlie Chaplin mustache? Or would you say Micheal Jordan briefly had a hitler mustache?

[–] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 29 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The difference is that one of them wore it before it got labeled as a Hitler moustache and the other did it after

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social -5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

and? Things can get tainted by millions dying in tacit relationship. Just like the swastika has been a symbol for centuries before.

[–] cmbabul@slrpnk.net 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

The mustache for sure can and has, same thing with names, how many Adolfs yall know?

Chaplin is obviously blameless unless he had future sight, but the thing about the Jordan attempt was that anyone that has even kinda followed Michael Jordan knows that he only did it because he thought he was a big enough icon to overcome the stigma of a Hitlerstache

Clearly his ego had grown too large

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I know zero Adolfs, and would question their parents.

[–] starlinguk@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I know one. He's 104.

Fun fact: in many countries outside the Western world, Hitler is treated as just some dictator.

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I would also question people naming their kids after any dictator or famous terrible person, especially one directly responsible for the Holocaust.

[–] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Why are you assuming they are naming their kid for that particular person?

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social -1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'm not. I said, "question". What part of asking questions makes you think assumption?

[–] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Why would you even question it if you weren’t being prejudice? Lol.

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So you just fundamentally fail to understand any of this conversation, then? Fucking pathetic losers ignoring history... You DO what they say about people like you, right?

[–] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago

Oh I’m understanding it quite well, you’re prejudiced, it’s that simple.

We’re not ignoring history, I think a large portion of people know we need to leave unneeded stigmas behind.

It’s a name, and a face covering, what’s so evil about that? Adolf type names are common in other countries, just because you don’t know one doesn’t mean it isn’t done lmfao. What a take.

[–] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 months ago

A toothbrush mustache, anything else shows prejudice.

[–] ArmchairAce1944@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago

Oliver Hardy (from the Laurel and Hardy series) also wore one. Without it he looked like a giant baby.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

No Hitler did not likely copy Chaplin, he much more likely kept the "toothbrush" from his WWI army days, when it was common because it fit under a gas mask.

[–] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

He was known to be a Charlie Chaplin fan, there’s not proof to either side. It’s not like we can ask him or he let us know for sure. We can speculate though.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

And that's what social media is all about - opinions in a vacuum based on minimal information and defended as if it were a matter of life and death.

[–] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

In my original comment I never stated it as a fact, I said likely, since we can’t know for sure.

And are you trying to mock me for just defending my point when you attacked it? That’s… quite the interesting tactic.

[–] ZombieCyborgFromOuterSpace@piefed.ca 52 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So did Hardy from the comedy duo Laurel & Hardy, or Charlie Chaplin.

It was a style of moustache that was very popular for a time until Adolf Hitler came along.

[–] rabidhamster@lemmy.dbzer0.com 34 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (4 children)

Just like the swastika was fucking everywhere for decades before Hitler usurped it. I've got an early 1900s Sears catalog with swastika watches, pins, clocks. All when Hitler was basically a tween.

Point being: Fascists always steal culture, they never create it.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

The chuds stole Pepe from us

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Was it the swastika? Or was it a mirrored swastika?

The mirrored one WAS a sign of peace and inclusiveness.

Then one asshole changed everything.

[–] rabidhamster@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

Wish I could double-check. It's on the other side of the country from where I live these days!

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I always hated that I’ve found the swatstika frustrating appealing as a shape. Why’d they have to ruin such an interesting geometric symmetry?

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 1 points 2 months ago

Are you the gay kid from Curb Your Enthusiasm?

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago

Right? It's such a great design, dead simple yet evocative.

[–] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That’s not entirely true, they created plenty of unique sigils too, the SS bolts for one.

[–] blarghly@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Gotta admit, them nazis had pizzazz

[–] BillyClark@piefed.social 15 points 2 months ago

In Fred Trump's defense, there were a lot of famous people with toothbrush mustaches back then, and Fred Trump simply wore a toothbrush mustache because he was a huge fan of Adolph Hitler.

[–] Chais@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

In Germany we like to call it a "Rotzbremse," which translates to snot brake.

[–] GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

omg, that is brilliant. 😂

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I heard it was a WWI response to the necessities of gas masks, following a period of artistic facial hair

I’ve no doubt that this guy isn’t one of humanity’s greatest, but it’s not indicative of anything - well, beyond the war at least.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 months ago

I mean this is unfair what time was this photo taken. Since he was alive before WWII. And then you have the point did people of that time call it Hitler mustache like did everyone just shave it off after WWII. Or was it newer generations who called it that?

[–] Greg@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

TIL people think Hitler invented the toothbrush moustache

[–] resipsaloquitur@lemmy.cafe 2 points 2 months ago

He didn’t invent the name Adolf either, but definitely killed it.

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social -4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Np, just ruined its iconography. Why are you so dense as to fail to understand that? Want to defend it?

[–] Greg@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

lol, I can think Hitler and Trump are awful people AND point out stupid arguments. Stop making stupid arguments.

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social -2 points 2 months ago

So dense it is. Sad.

[–] shittydwarf@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Shit apples don't fall far from the shit tree

[–] lobut@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 months ago

I like it when John Oliver was talking about how shit Ivanka is and said something like, "it looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the orange"

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

I really wish we'd stop planting those on this planet.

[–] fonix232@fedia.io 3 points 2 months ago

I'd say it's very on the nose, but this time it's arguably under it, not on.

[–] GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Also evicted Woody Guthrie from his house, and got a diss track from him.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Pre-war soul patch.

[–] Nangijala@feddit.dk 2 points 2 months ago

Trump's mother just looks like Trump in drag.

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago

Just a moustache.