[slibhb]

Heidegger became a Nazi -- literally, he joined the party -- but he was not a "Nazi ideologue" for any reasonable definition of "ideologue".

And the idea that Hannah Arendt needs "defenders" because she had an affair with Heidegger is just bizarre.

[joe_the_user]

Heidegger joined the NAZIs before they captured the state and very much wished to have his own philosophy elevated as something like the official NAZI ideology - resigned his position when it became obvious that the NAZI wasn't interested in his approach. An ideologue by some definition is someone who produces ideas with the aim of furthering a movement, state or similar force. By that definition Heidegger was a NAZI ideologue though perhaps "would-be NAZI ideologue" would be more accurate.

[throaway198234]

an ideologue who at one time was a NAZI member

[slibhb]

Your premise doesn't imply your conclusion. A "Nazi ideologue" is someone who believes/promotes Nazi ideology. Not someone who seeks to use Nazism to promote his own philosophy.

[joe_the_user]

That argument is "protesting too much". Like a multitude of political movements (say MAGA), lots of people joined the NAZIs with their spin on the cause.

Heidegger aimed to use the NAZI movement to promote his own ideology, which he viewed as compatible with and appropriate to the movement. It was different from other versions of NAZIism and they were different from each - only at point the NAZIs fully consolidated their state control and wielded top-down state propaganda did things become uniform. But the idea-point leading up to that point (say, about when Heidegger resigned his rectorship, after The Night Long Knives) should most simply and clearly be called "NAZI ideologues".

And yes, that's not something those who like Heidegger's writings like to hear.