If you make the claim that “Hitler did not commit suicide in the Berlin bunker on April 30, 1945; he escaped”, expect people to be angry with you; anticipate distrust and disagreement. Understanding why people will disagree with you is essential to formulating ways to positively interact with them. Most of the time, and despite their bombastic, cutting, dismissive and belittling responses, they are not stupid or ignorant.  Responding to them “in kind” will not convince any of them, either.

It is my opinion that it is not wise, nor should it be our task, to be angry debaters and internet trolls. The goal is to get them to drop their antagonism long enough to expose them to the evidence in support of Hitler’s escape.

For this reason I have carefully constructed, defined, and explained the categories of "Nay-Sayers" you will face.  Obviously, combinations are possible too.

The Secret Admirers

Some people have a virulent hatred for the notion that Hitler escaped because they believe Hitler died heroically. While others fled Berlin, their hero “never backed down”, and “fought to the death against Bolshevism and international Jewish finance capital”. Hitler was a physical wreck due to the endless weight of responsibility heaped upon him and the psychologically debilitating nature of being betrayed by nearly all of his closest associates. They believe that Hitler would have "died on the ramparts" if he had had the physical strength to do so, but that because he couldn't risk being captured that suicide was the only honorable alternative.

The Greed-Averse

You will not find absolute consistency among them. However, since most in this group organize their world-view and politics around fighting perceived greed, they will often distrust anything that is "bought and sold". They are suspicious of the idea that Hitler escaped if they suspect you are “profiteering” by “taking advantage of stupid, uniformed people”.

Obviously, they haven’t given much thought to those who have profited from the re-telling of the standard narrative of Hitler’s death. In comparison, those of us who have concluded that Hitler escaped have profited very little.

The “Fellow Travelers”

They privately hold the former USSR in high esteem. You will know them because they typically say things publicly like, "What happened in X country, wasn't real socialism". Since the Soviets officially published the autopsy report in 1968 etc., your saying Hitler escaped is also saying that the Soviets lied.

The “Piano Keys”

They have formulated a concept of Hitler's demise that is strictly black and white: "An evil man got his just deserts; he reaped what he showed". So, when you say, "Hitler escaped" what they hear is, "The perpetrator of the Holocaust got away with it". Don’t expect any nuanced understanding of history from these folk.

The Protectors

They typically don't have an opinion one way or the other, and just assume that what they've heard is what happened. They are concerned that people's feelings may get hurt. If they sense that a belief in Hitler’s escape will somehow hurt people or causes they support, or constitute some form of injustice, you and your contention will draw their immediate and emotional disapproval.

The Militaria Squad

These people are in possession of mind-blowing detail when it comes to WW2 weaponry. They can tell you everything about tanks, planes, ships and guns. They are likely to assume that their knowledge has "transitive powers" when it comes to other aspects of WW2. If they argue with you they're really doing so in order to demonstrate their technical chops.

The best approach is to allow them - unchallenged - to do what they do. Thank them for the details they supply. They are a potential resource.

The Biographers

They are amazingly well-read, biography-driven, amateur historians. They typically have a favorite WW2 personality and have read everything available about him or her. This historical figure is their gateway to understanding every other aspect of WW2.  Avoid offending their gateway figure because they see the war through that person's eyes. Any contradiction to that point of view is sure to draw their enmity.

The Amateur Psychologists

They believe that all human actions, no matter how complex, can be explained by a few key personal oddities, disorders, dysfunctions, traumas, etc. You can identify them because they will say things like, "Hitler's suicide was simply an inevitable expression of his suppressed homosexuality". Pop-history and wartime propaganda play a large role in this group’s thinking. Avoid attacking their pet psychological interpretation and stick to the facts when you go back and forth with them.

The Anti-Revisionists

These folks distrust any re-evaluation of history because they suspect researchers and writers are politically motivated. Since their suspicion is sometimes correct they prefer playing it safe by applying their suspicion to all cases of historical revision. You will find a wide spectrum in this group. Some are low-information objectors, but most are quite the opposite – they often demonstrate an impressive grasp of history, having absorbed and retained the accepted version of Hitler’s 'death' in great detail. They are well-read, have “the facts”, and they will fight to preserve them. They require solid proof, so refer them to it without arguing or politics.