*** Germany World War II -- German people messianic leadership








World War II: The German People and Messianic Leadership

Hitler messianic leadership German youth
Figure 1.--Here we see a large group of people cheering Hitler at Zepplin Field in Nuremberg during September 1938, He was demanding that the Czech Sudetenland be turned over to Germany. There are many girls, all dressed in drindls. Look at the expressions on their face. These were not girls that had been just rquired to attend. They fervently adored Hitler. In front are SS men to control the crowd and protect the F�hrer.

A very difficult question to answer is what the German people saw in Adolf Hitler. Americans and Brits lestening to Hitler's speeches are repelled and have a difficult time understanding how the this frenzied politican could have moved a great nation. We can understand how some of the nationalist issues resonated (war guilt, loss of territory, Germans left in foreign countries, military restrictions, and repriations). What is more difficult to understand is why Hitler captured the hearts of so many Germans. There is no doubt that he did. His stature steadily grew after he became Chancellor. It should not be imagined that he appealed to all Germans. Some Germans were repelled by him. It is impossible to quantify this given the consequences of freely expressing one's views. There is not doubt, however, that there is one group in particular to which he appealed--young Germans. Again it is not clear what young Germans saw in him. Perhaps it ws the highly nationalistic environmrnt at the time. Perhaps it was the freedom that the Hitler Youth program offered young people in a still very conservative society. Perhaps it was Goebbels effective mass media. It might be argued that a totalitarian state can use its control of the media to turn anyone into a national hero. Perhaps, but we suspect tht more ws involved here. After all, Hitler developed a very substantial following before he had the resources of the state at his disposal. There seems to have been something compelling about Adolf Hitler that tapped into the yearings of the German people. This is probably a question that only the Germans themselves can answer. One German author who has made an important effort to address this question is Sebastian Haffner. Haffner grew up in Germany during the inter-war era. He fled Germany in 1938 when he was 27. He decribed his efforts to resist the NAZIS as "... a duel between two very unqual adversaries: an exceedingly powerful, formidable, and ruthless state and an insignificant unknown private individual". Haffner is not easy on the Germans. He tells us, "At the moment of truth when other nations rise spontaneously to the occasion, the Germans collectively and limply collapsed". [Haffner] And the Germans continue to follow Hitler even after the country physically collapsed around them. Even though the War was lost by 1943, the Germans continued to support Hitler and the NAZIs. There was no national uprising. Almost earily, Germany began to change only after Hitler's death in Berlin was broadcasted. It was almost as if magically his grasp on the national psyche was released.

The Question

A difficult question to answer is what the German people saw in Adolf Hitler. How could such a hateful man rise to power in a democratic country? We can understand how some of the nationalist issues resonated (war guilt, loss of territory, Germans left in foreign countries, military restrictions, and repriations). What is more difficult to understand is why Hitler captured the hearts of so many Germans. There is no doubt that he did. Very few Germans would admit after the War that they were mesmorized by Hitler. But you can see it on the faces of the people in the crowds that cheered him. It was certainly the case with young people, but certainly not only the young people. Germans trusted the man. There are mzny instances that individuals would write Hitler to report abuses at concentration camps or the killing of handicapped children. They could not believe that Hitler could have ordered such things. Some of these individuals were as a result arrested.

Outside View

Americans and Brits lestening to scenes of Hitler's speeches in movie newsreels were repelled. Even without understanding the words we were repelled. The words however repellent do not seem to have the same adverse impact as his histrionics. We have a difficult time understanding how the this frenzied. hateful politican could have moved a great nation.

Rise to Power

Hitler rose to power in a democratic system. He did this without the power of the state behind him. The NAZIs never gained a majority of the electorate, but they became the largest party. And Hitler became the most dynamic politican in the country. He failed in his bid to replace President Hindenberg, but he sucessfully presented himself a modern and dynamic. Flying from city to city in particular made this point. He also used the radio unlike any other German politican.

Governing Years

Seizing control of the German state of course made a huge difference. Now all the resources of the state could be used to build Hitler's image. Critics could now be easily and permanently silenced. Hitler's stature steadily grew after he became Chancellor. There were accomplishments or actually apparent accomplishments. He put Germans back to work and reduced unemployment. And unemployment was the primary problem that undermined public confidence in the Weimar Republic. The principal tool to end the Depression and unemployment was a massive rearmament program. That created jobs. And after conscription was introduced (1935), removed young men from the work force. And NAZI policy was to reuce the number of girls pursuing higher education, this further reduced unemployment which as aocial issue primarily mean male unemploymdnt. There was also the RAD--a CCC-like youth work program. Unlike the CCC it was compulsory. The NAZIs steadily took over welfare agencies from religious groups, further improving their image. Worker groups set up vacation programs. An element of NAZI social policy was to reduce class barriers this was popular with many young wirking-class Germans because of the opportunities opened to them. Than came the stunning international successes: the Saarland, the Rhineland, the Anschluss (1938), and finally the Sudetenlans (1938)--all achieved without war. And the German media manahged by Propaganda Minister Goebbels trumpeted the doestic and international achievements. It should not be imagined that he appealed to all Germans. Some Germans were repelled by him. They were forced to keep quite. It is impossible to quantify his popularity given the consequences of freely expressing one's views. There is little doubt, however, that many Germans were impressed and that Hitler was a very popular figure. The NAZI pre-War economy, especially the massive military spending, was unsustainable, but clever financial management hid this from the German people and of course the press did not ask questions.

Humanizing Image

It is often thought that it was Goebbels that built Hitler's image. Goebbels was important, but his role came after the NAZIs seized power and he was appointed Minister of Propaganda. It was an appointment that Giebbels did not at first appreciate. And even then, Goebbels was not the only person involved in creating Hitler's image. Particularly important was the work of the work of Heinrich Hoffman who became his personal photographer. Hoff,an loved to photograph Hitler with children. These images were very widely distributed in Germany. And these were images that did not appear in the Western newreels which tended to run images of the belicose Hitler.

Youth

There is not doubt, however, that there is one group in particular to which Hitler appealed--young Germans. Again it is not clear what young Germans saw in him. I am not sure that any author has really explained this. Perhaps it ws the highly nationalistic environmrnt at the time. Young highly idealistic people saw Hitler as reversing what Hitler called the "shame of Versailles". Perhaps it was the freedom that the Hitler Youth program offered young people in a still very conservative society. Perhaps it was Goebbels effective mass media. Or perhaps it was Hitler's interest in youth. No German politican either before or after Hitler has given such attention to youth. He of course did it because he realized the benefits to the NAZI state. But for young people in a conservative society it was exhilerating. Certainly the Hitler Youth program played a critical role in building Hitler's relationship with youth. Wether Hitler could have built his hold on German youth without the Hitler Youth we are not sure. Young people of course were an eaier mark intelrctually. They had fewer experiences and educational experiebces which could have countered the NAZI appeal. But his appeal was of course not intelectual, it was emotional.

Compelling Presence

It might be argued that a totalitarian state can use its control of the media to turn anyone into a national hero. Perhaps, but we suspect that more was involved here. After all, Hitler developed a very substantial following before he had the resources of the state at his disposal. There seems to have been something compelling about Adolf Hitler that tapped into the yearings of the German people. This is probably a question that only the Germans themselves can answer. One German author who has made an important effort to address this question is Sebastian Haffner. Haffner grew up in Germany during the inter-war era. He fled Germany in 1938 when he was 27. He decribed his efforts to resist the NAZIS as "... a duel between two very unqual adversaries: an exceedingly powerful, formidable, and ruthless state and an insignificant unknown private individual". Haffner is not easy on the Germans. He tells us, "At the moment of truth when other nations rise spontaneously to the occasion, the Germans collectively and limply collapsed". 【Haffner】

German Media

The media is of course all important. And Hitler of course had an evil genious manaaguing the media fir him -- Josef Goebbels. Control of the media can aford anyone to create a cult. Thus you have people like Stalin, Mao,. or the Kims with terrible records become neloved by their people. But these are countries with no history of a free press. Goebbels suceeded in doing it with a Western country that had a free press, especially during the Weimar Republic. But even in Imperial Germany there was a history of a sunstantial degree of press freedom. And the importasnce of the media can be seen even in America which had a notable free press. The lionization of Barack Obama shows what can happen when the press loses its objectivity. Goebels was masterful in his mamjagement of the German media. Hitler seized power at a time that many Germans had doubts about him. Those doubts steadily eroded after Hitler seized power. This was the result of Hitler's achievements, especially how they were presented to the German people. Some of itler's growing popularity as achievements, invluding the Rhineland, the Saar and brining Austrua, and the Sudetenland into the Reich. A big factor was ending unemolyment. But much of the econnimic achievements were based on borrowing huge anounts of money, oprimarily to finznce rearmament. This was possible because of a brilliant and respected economist managaging Reich finances--Hjalmar Schacht (Hitler's President of the Reichsbank and Minister of Economics). Hitler respected Schacht so much that he was the only person in the Reich allowed to cruticize actions against the Jews. 【Avalon Prioject】 He and Goebbels managed to keep the level of debt concealed.

Cementing the Connection: Fall of France (June 1940)

Many Germans were impressed, but it was the German victory in the West--the fall of France that would cement Hutler's hold on the German people. We think it is safe to say that a majority of Germans, especially the young people were impressed with Hiler before he launched the War (1939). Many young people by gthus time idolized him. But there were still doubters. We don't think that the major reason for doubt was the brutality of the regime or the campaign against the Jews. Some were concerned about these issues, but as far as we can tell it was a small minority. This is hard to measure. We would be interested in what CIH readers think about this. It was of course hard to measure this because no sane person in Germany by 1939 was ignorant enough to speak freely. Athough the Gestapo did actually attempt to gage public opinion. The doubters were primarily older people who had strong memories of World War I and the aftermath. Fear of another War was thev primary reservatiions thatb many bGermans had with Hitler. And there was no outpouring of popular sentiment when war came as was the case when Germany launched World War I by invading Belgium. But then one astonishing victory followed another. All were quick vuictories--even against the mighty French Army. France had been the mainstay of the Allied resistrabce in the SWest during Workld war I. The Kaisers armies were blocked for 4 years, sustaining huge losses, and finally defeated. Hitler armies smashed the French Army and aachieved victory at limited cost and in only an amazing few weeks. Victory in the West, especially the Fall of France, seems to have cemented a bond between Hitler and the German people. He had achieved the impossible. Many of thevdioubters were now onboard. He must have been right all along. Tragically, it was not an unrealistic conclusion at the time. Many people in France and even Britain reached thevsame conclusion. The British War Cabinent came periolously close to deciding to make peace with Hitler (May 1940).

What They Cheered

Seeing the cheering crowds it is commonly assumed that they were cheering for what we now know about the murderous NAZI regime. This would be a serious mistake. Most of those cheering were not emotionally committed to concentration camps, Jrewish ghettoes, and death camps or even agressive War. Hitler was popular because he ended the Depression in Germany, albeit though economic smokes and mirrors. Even so, he was widely credited for an economic miracle and achiebing full employment. Goebbels skillful propaganda proved very effective. And he gave Germans a new sense of pride after the defeat of World War I and the humiliating Versailles Peace Treary. They were proud to restore German birders and bringing Germans in foreign countries within the Reich. It is probably true that many if not most were pleased to see the Jews go, but few would have endorsed or cheered mass murder. Many Germans seem imopressed with the New Order, a national enterprise that was breaking down class barriers and pursuing a range of bold projects. Launching another War was not at first popular which is why Goebbels propaganda trumpeted the lie of a Polish attack. And it was Britain and France that declared war on Germany. And the spectacular victories only burnished Hitler's image.

Breaking the Spell

The Germans continue to follow Hitler even after their country physically collapsed around them. The Soviet Winter offensive before Moscow wreaked terrible damage on the Wehrmacht (December 1941). It meant in essence that Germany could not win the war. This was, however, not obvious to the Germany people. This only began to dawn on Germans with the disaster at Stalingrad (January 1943) and the onset of the increasingly intense Allied bstrategic bombing campaign. Even though the War was lost, the Germans continued to support Hitler and the NAZIs. It is unclear how this could hve been the case. Hitler who was once omnipresent disappeared. He rarely appeared in public. He gave few speeches. And he never appeared in bombed-out cities to offer encouragement. Instead Goebbels did much of this. Yet Hitler maintained his sway on the Germans. There was no national uprising. Almost earily, Germany began to change only after Hitler's death in Berlin was broadcasted. It was almost as if magically his grasp on the national psyche was released.

Sources

Avalon Project. "12. Hjalmar Schacht," Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Vol. 2, Chappter XVI, Part 12 ( Lillian Goldman Law Library: Yale University, 2008). Chapter XVI Part 12

Haffner, Sebastian. Defying Hitler.






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Created: 4:32 AM 12/24/2007
Last updated: 3:13 AM 1/30/2013