Sometimes I feel like it's a genetic predisposition for emotional compartmentalization. My wife cannot separate her personal feelings about artists from their work. She is also highly emotional and sometimes suffers from the consequences of that. I am almost the exact opposite and generally keep my emotions in check. I have no difficulty separating Polanski, Allen, Cosby, Spacey, Weinstein, etc. from their work. I don't want to meet any of them but I don't have to in order to appreciate their art.
Another aspect of this is the passage of time. Most people can appreciate the artwork of Hitler without conflating it with his genocidal politics. Unlike all of the #metoo stories in our lifetimes, Hitler is just too far removed and allows us a new perspective on his life as a real person and not just a caricature of evil incarnate.
