Changes in Hitler after Prison

Hitler left prison somewhat of a new smarter man. Following his release he was able to reorganize his party in order to eliminate any chance of obstacles within the party. He also changed the way power would be obtained, by trying to do it legally. Hitler left prison willing to make changes in his politics.

Hitler never really changed his lack of personal organization. He still missed appointments and was rarely seen doing work in his office. However, with the help of his close entourage he was able to reorganize the party. He did this by mediating situations, speeches and handshakes. He made sure that there was unity in his party. When the Worker’s Community opposed Hitler’s entourage and thereby his politics, he initially did not act. However, when he did call for the end of the Worker’s Community, he demonstrated his overall rule of the party. Kershaw states, “With [The Worker’s Community] went the last obstacle to the complete establishment of Hitler’s supreme mastery over the party” (p. 276). I would argue that pre-prison Hitler would have never associated with those that were part of the Worker Community again. In post-Hitler fashion Hitler, instead, “offered to wipe the slate clean”. Even Goebbels notes how this action created unity among the party.

When the SA were going against their leader Franz von Pfeffer Hitler again struck the cord of unity and faith in the leader. Kershaw states, “Hitler was successfully able to diffuse trouble by invoking loyalty to his own person” (p. 296). This loyalty would make it much easier for him to later take power of the nation since no one would dare challenge him.

Hitler now compromised in the sense that he agreed to have his party participate in parliament and try and take control legally. Kershaw states that Hitler thought, “Had he refused…it would have come to new elections and voters could have turned away from the NSDAP. What happened gives an indication of the way at this time the ‘seizure of power’ in the Reich itself was envisaged” (p. 319). Hitler before prison was pretty adamant about his distrust of parliament and the need for violent agitation. However, the decision to enter parliament provided to be a great strategy. He was able to gain a greater following and demonstrate this following in the polls. Kershaw also states that by vowing to take control legally he was able to gain greater support from “respectable circles.”