Kershaw’s most interesting analytical perspective on Hitler is his approach of how Hilter came into power – How was the “Hitler myth” created? It is not the solely the Nazi’s propaganda that created the ‘Fuehrerkult”, but that especially the masses created this myth of the savior of the German people. In his introduction to “The Hitler Myth”, Kershaw explains that the ‘Fuehrerkult’ is not new invention of the Nazis, but that it has a long tradition in German history. Thus, it wasn’t Hitler whose characteristics and skills created the Hitler-myth, but rather the people’s longing for a leader in society – and Hitler learned how to fit into this role – the function of Fuehrer:
“’Leadership’, it was claimed, was not found in constitutional ‘systems’, but came as destiny from the inner essence of a people. (…) In stark contrast to the colourless and miserable political compromisers of Weimar, the future leader would be a figure of outstanding skill and political strength, decisive and bold in resolution, to whom his ‘following’ could look in admiration and devotion. A text from the year 1920 specifies characteristics of the ‘leader’ which some fifteen year later were important attributes of the Hitler image.” (Kershaw, The Hitler Myth, p.20)
This idea of dictatorial leadership seems so far away from our belief of democracy that it makes it really hard for me to relate to it. On the other hand, people felt like they are in desperate need for change (just like us today…) – in order to overcome the economic, political and cultural crisis of their country they were looking for THE great leader. We are in a recession right now. And also in our times people have looked for strong political leaders (Obama’s ‘change’ campaign?) that would give them hope and strength to unite the country and overcome the crisis. Sounds familiar?
Hitler became the “Fuehrer” that promised the people to enforce “Germany’s resurrection” (p.21). However, Hitler was not only a political leader – he became a superstar: “At Party rallies, young Nazis competed with each other in claims that the Fuehrer had looked at them.”
Why did the German people wanted ‘a Fuehrer’ so badly? Why was it them that implemented a “Hitler myth” that made Hitler possible…? A feeling of community and belonging when listening to Hitler’s speeches was definitely an indicator for many people becoming obsessed with the Fuehrer – blinding them from the extreme political realties that his ideology and ‘Weltanschauung’ supported (many did not even support most of the things that he wanted…!!):
“The Habsburg middle-class housewife Luise Solmitz, a conservative natiomalist enthusiast dismayed in 1935 to find her husband, a former officer of part-Jewish descent, and their daughter rejected as German citizenz under the Nuremberg Laws, did not conceal her praise for Hitler …” (Kershaw, Hitler 1889 – 1936, p. 590)
I think that the German people wanted a Fuhrer so badly because they associated the terrible financial and social circumstances with democracy. People had high expectations of the democratic government to help them out of their miserable situations, but the performance of the actual government was disappointing. Hindenburg was a symbol of “old” Germany, the face of democracy, the very system that failed the German people. Heroic leadership was considered as “one of the central ideas” of the anti-democratic movement in the Weimar Republic (13). This kind of guidance would ensure a break from the past, counter the leaderless democracy, and lead into a better future in hopes of uniting the people in an “ethnically pure and socially harmonious national community” (19). Hitler declared that a true leader is a liberator of the masses. Germans were undoubtedly yearning for a strong organizer, a person of the people, a Fuhrer to free them from their woes.
ReplyDeleteThis longing for a leader to rescue people from dark times reminds me a lot of discussions I've had on people's views on religion. This belief that a man will come to save the people from suffering is a lot like a Messiah figure. Hitler was spoken about by the German people as a god that knew the truths of the world and how to bring a long salvation. This is much like the view of a Messiah coming to the earth and rescuing people from sin. Some, such as Ludendorff, referred to Hitler as a demi-god that would bring along destruction of the German people since many see him as a high authority. The Germans were going through a long period of hard times through the suffering that followed the first World War and the troubles of the Great Depression so it is not hard to see that they were yearning for a savior to lead them out of this rut. I'm not saying that the Germans thought Hitler was the Messiah. He did, however, present a Messiah-like figure that could potentially lead them out of the depression that was not cured by the Weimar Republic.
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