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RRAMARE PUBLICATIONS
EOlteO by RicbarO

Monnig

No.1

riJK
5
L

(
L

.^

i
!i

ADOLF HITLER
n SHORT
SKETCH OF HIS
LIFE

BY
[
;1

PHILIPP BOUHLER

PUBLISHED BY TERRAMARE OFFICE/ BERLIN

ADOLF HITLER
A SHORT SKETCH Of
BY
HIS LIFE

PHILIPP
Head of

BOUHLER
Personal Chancellery

the .Fiihrfr''s

1938

TERRAMARE

OFFICE, BERLIN

Ws

Library
University of Texas
Austin, Texas

April ADOLF HITLER was born on the Bavarian


in

20, 1889, at

Braunau
Because

Upper

Austria, close to

frontier.

it

is

situated

the

German

people, Hitler has spoken of

on the frontier that divided two branches of Braunau as repre-

senting for

of uniting

him "I'he Symbol of a Great Task", namely that one State. His father, who was all Germans in

the son of poor peasants from the forest district, had worked himself upwards through his ow^n study and perseverance
until

he became a civil servant. At the time that Adolf was born his father was Customs Officer at Braunau. Being proud of his own achievement and the status he had reached, his
dearest
service
;

desire

was that

his

son should

also

enter the civil

but the son w^as entirely opposed

to this idea.

He would

be an

artist.

When
alone in

four years

he was thirteen years old Hitler lost his father and later his mother died. So that he found himself the world at the age of seventeen. He had attended

the primary school and subsequently the grammar school at Linz but poverty forced him to give up his studies and earn
;

his bread. to

He

w^ent to Vienna, with the intention of

studymg

be an architect but he had to w^ork for his livelihood as manual labourer at the building trade, where he mixed the mortar and served the carpenters and bricklayers. Later on he
earned a daily pittance
as

an architectural draughtsman. Hav-

ing to depend entirely on himself, he experienced in his own person from his earliest years what poverty and hunger and
privation meant,

And

so he shared the daily fate of the workers,

the "proletariat" in the building trade, and

felt

where the

slioi-

Though
na meant
with
life,

the years spent in Viena

pinched.

Thus

it

came about

that he began to think in

tcnii^t

hard and

bitter struggle

of social reform dvn-ing his early years.

the experience gained in

He

busied himself with the political questions of the dav.

this school

In this study he was influenced by the personahty of Schoencn-i


the leader of the

afterw^ards.

was of inestimable value Hitler was now yearna

Pan-German

Austrians, and Lueger,

who

\v;if*

ing to live as
itself,

German

in

Germany

the Vienna Burgomaster and founder of the Christian-Soeiai


Party. Hitler conceived a great admiration for these

two men, an exhaustive study of the teachings of Karl Marx and here came to the important conclusion that one had l(t know Judaism in order to have the key to an inner and n-al

from the oppression under w'hich the German element had to


free
suffer in that potpourri

He made

of nations

w^hich

made

up
left

the

Habsburg

Empire. So he
to
live

knowledge of what Social Democracy meant. At the building site where he worked he came into
with Social Democracy for the
to
first tim.e.

Vienna and came in Munich. That was on

comiii'l

April 24, 1012.

''^^'^^
W'as

He

at

once began
it
;ni(l

In those days Munich


chief centre of artistic
life

the

The
a

Nti

Soldier

make

a careful study of the literature dealing with

thus acquired a detailed knowledge of the Marxist prograiimu'

in

Germany.

and cultural Still hoping to make

name

for

him-

and the w^ays and means which were proposed to put it inlr) practice. This led to controversies with his fellow workcr.

And

he refused to join their organization. At that time he dn]


in the idea that the

time an architect, Adolf Hitler now devoted as at while architecture, and energy as possible to the study of and designing the same time he had to earn his daily bread by
self as

much

not behave

trade-unions were an appropii;ii<

means of protecting the

interests of the w^orking classes agaiiiul

colouring placards. Recently he had been doing a good deal of reading for purposes of self-education. lie continued this during
his artistic studies
speciality,

the arbitrary importunities of the employers.

He

only saw

lli;il

the political attitude of the trade-unions was Marxist and he

and w^ork in Munich, making history his which had been his favourite subject at school. But
this, for

considered the trade-unionist

idea as definitely

identical willi
as

he went further than


in order to save the

he

literally

denied himself food


,

that of Marxism, while he looked on that

Marxism

something

would destroy

all

civilization.

him down from scafFolding. I'hey succeeded in forcing him to give up his job. In his next job he had to go through much the same experictur. But as he acquired a more thorough understanding of thecharacU-r
fellow^ w^orkers

His

threatened to fling

and hearing Grand Opera, especially the nmisic dramas of Richard Wagner, whom he revered as a German artist and reformer in the

money

for visits to the theatre

'

grand

style.

It

was

especially during those years that Hitler

foundations of that allround knowledge which surprises everybody wdth whom he discusses general questions today.
laid the

and tendencies of

his

opponents his influence on the olhcr

August

2, llJl-l,

arrived.

spirit of fervid

but solemn enthus-

workmen

increased and he soon realized

how

they reacted

i(>

iasm ran through the whole nation.

Wave

after

wave

of

German

He then saw^ clearly that the ( Ici-nian worker was by no means a bad fellow in himself, thjit he \v;m
his different view of things.

youth rushed enthusiastically to join the volunteer regiments and reser\-e battahons. Hitler, who had always felt that he -was
a

not anti-national and that he was only the victim of unscni|uiliiiri


agitators.

German

first

and foremost, presented himself

at the

head-

quarters of one of the Bavarian regiments and volunteered for

the front.

He

regarded this act as a matter of course. Ncm- wcfj

treatment. Within a few


left hospital in

there any technical difficulties in the way; for


of that year he

the R-hniury''
oblij^aliofi

months he was on his feet again. He March 1917 and immediately volunteered once
During the great
offensive of 1918, while

had been

definitely

exempted from the


October
10, 1914,

more

for the front.

of military service in Austria.

On

he

Irll

li.i

carrying dispatches, he succeeded in ambushing a French otficcr

the front as a soldier in the 16th Bavarian Reserve

hiriniii',

Regiment.
Destiny seemed to have preordained that Hitler shoultl sn\r
in the old

and about fifteen men and brought them back prisoners. For this he was awarded the Iron Cross of the First Class.

German Army,

that organization

cent example of the folk

which was a nni^iiilicommunity and which he had for h

On

the night of October 13/14, 1918, the British launched

an attack with

phosgene gas

in the

sector south

of Ypres.

long time envisaged as the kind of social formation thr{jM|]i which the German people would finally reach its destined j^oul

Hitler's regiment suftered severely and the casualties were extremely heavy. Hitler himself suddenly felt an excruciating

Adolf Hitler threw himself body and soul into the work (if his new calling as a soldier. He received his baptism of fire in Planders, where he faced death in the ranks of that regiment which was made up of German youth who stormed the trenchon

pain in the eyes as he was returning with a dispatch to his


lines.

own

back however and deliver his dispatch. After that he was sent to hospital, totally bhnd.
to struggle

He managed

While the German armies were


all

still

fighting desperately

on \

and fought and fell while they sang Deiitschland ilher alln During the attack on the Bayernwald and in the subscqucni engagements around Wytschaete Hitler showed remarkiillibravery; so

fronts for the very existence of their native land, defeatism


at

was

work behind the

lines

and

at

home. Under the corroding

infiuence of the

much

so that already
first

on December

2,

1914,

Ifs^

agencies at

propagandist poison spread by anti-national home, civilian morale was steadily crumbling. This

than two months after he had

entered the trenches, he w^i-

process of disintegration gradually reached the soldiers at the


front,

awarded the Iron Cross of the Second Class. Having shtn\ii himself resourceful and courageous, without being foolhtirds', he was now given one of the most hazardous jobs in the ngiment, namely that of dispatch- runner, for which only
soldiers are used. In carrying out this task he

where it took on a graver character day after day. The coming downfall cast its darkening shadow even across the
fighting lines.

pkhA
dc.il

won

good

The

revolt of the sailors at the naval base in Kiel

was the

of admiration,

especially because on more than one occasion he voluntarily stepped in and took on himself a piece of dan^rr ous work which otherwise would liave fallen to the lot of oldn

signal for the revolution.

On November
It

9,

1918, the day of


,

the general collapse had come.


archical constitution in

Germany

that

was not merely the monwas overthrown. No, but


itself,

men who had


as

wives and famihes

at

home.

On

the whole

everything else with


it
(';iii

it

the Fatherland

faith

in the

be said without any fear of contradiction that Hitler's comlm


a soldier

Fatherland and
i

in,

one's fellow

man, order and

discipline.

won

the unstinted admiration of his superiors;

Hitler
first

was in

hospital at Pasewalk in

Pomerania when he

while his companions in the trenches, no matter


their political views

how

opposed
Iiim

heard the news.

The

pain in the eyes had gradually become

were

to his,

admired

his

courage and

less severe.

genuine

spirit of
G,

comradeship.

of regaining his normal powers of vision.


in the thigh

His sight began to return and he now had hopes The impression which

On October
splinter

1916, he was

wounded

by a

slu'iipncl

the news then

made was described by him some


:

years later in

and had

to be sent to one of the

home

hospitals im

the following words

npi

"So

all

had been in

vain. In vain all the sacrifices


thirst for endless

and

priv.ii

ions, in vain the

hunger and

months,

in

viun

those hours that

we

stuck to our posts

when

the fear of death'


\^ln^
til'

gripped our souls, and in vain the deaths of two millions


fell

in the fulfilment of their duty.

Think of those

hundrtnl;.

thousands who set out


land,

w^ith hearts full of faith in their Vallu-i;

and never returned

ought not their graves to

opeti, MOi

that the spirits of those heroes bespattered with

mud

and blood

home and wreak their vengeance on those wlio had despicably betra^^ed the greatest sacrifice which a Ihiukih being can make for his country. Was it for this that the solthein
should come
gave their
lives in

August and September 1914,

for this thai

the*

volunteer regiments followed the old comrades

the auliinin

of the same year

Was

it

for this that those boys of sevcdiccii

years of age Avere mingled with the soil of Flanders?

Was

thin

meant

to be the fruits of the sacrifice


for their

made

which German motlK'n Fatherland when, with heavy hearts, they said

goodbye

to their sons,

who

never returned

Was

all

this

donp

Photograpli of painting by

Ik the Beguining was the Word Hermann Otto Hoyer

in order to enable a

gang of despicable criminals


a

to lay

hands on

the Fatherland?"
Hitler
tors of

had
burning hatred agauist the
little

set themselves.

History would have

known nothing
it

of this
its

now developed

circle

of six

men had

not destmy presented


Hitler,

with

perprti;i

the same time

what he considered to be a most dastardly crime and ut it became apparent to him that Fate had destined

seventh member. This was Adolf

him

for a certain task.


/

On that

day he decided to take up poliUcul

work.

GENESIS OF THE
In the
a

MOVEMENT
men
set

summer

of 1019, at Munich, six

about

forniiiij^

At the end of November 1^J18> he was back again in Munich and had rejoined the reserve battalion of his regiment; but this fell under the control of the Soldiers' Council, which was hateful to Flitler. So he went to Traunstein and remamed there until the camp was demobilized. Then he returned to Munich, in March 1 9. Shortly afterwards a Communist regune on Soviet lines was established there. On April 27, he was to have been arrested by
S-1 1

which they called the German Workem* Party. They had before their minds a vague idea of organixinK a national party which would oppose the Marxist Workcn Party. These six men certainly meant well but they had resources whatsoever and above all there was nobody aniont',
political party,

new

order of the Central Council of the Reds, on the charge of

having

participated

in

anti-revolutionary

activities.

But the

three bravos wlio

came

to carry out the order for arrest turned

tad and departed

when

Hitler presented a bold face

and showed

them

his rifle.

them who could claim


ship.

to have the necessary quahties for lc;nl(i in face of the task to

Early in

May

the '^nd Infantry Regiment set

up

Committee

And

so they

were helpless

which iIhv

of Enquiry to investigate the events that led to the revolution.

10

II

Library
University of Texas
Austin, Texas

Lance-Corporal Hitler received instructions to participiiU' m the work of that Committee. This \vas the practical start of Hitlci
'

pohtical career. Courses of instruction were estabhshed for Un purpose of teaching the duties of citizenship to the soldiers iu tli army. It was during one of the debates which followed a leetuir

on

this

topic that

Hitler

was given the

first

opportunity

ol
In:;

speaking in public. As a result of the impression which

speech made on that occasion he was appointed, a few days


as a so-called instruction officer to
ill

luit-i

Munich

at

one of the regiments statioiH'd that time. One day he received orders to niakr
**

enquiries about the


hitherto

German Workers*
a
at

Party'*,

an organizalixn
I

unknown. He attended

meeting of

this party in

In-

former Sternecker Brau,


the Separatist
feet.

which about twenty persons wennl


!iii

assembled. Towards the end of the meeting a representative

Movement spoke and that brought Hitler to His speech in reply made a marked impression on

tin

audience. It was thus that he

became acquainted with the aiinn of this new workers' party. Subsequently he was requested In become a member. After turning the problem over in his iiiiml
for several days, Hitler agreed to join, one of the reasons
fni

"On January
Party Congress

2S,
-zcfis:

1923,

the first

)ie!don the Marsjeld

Natiomd SodaHs! ." in. Munich


.
.

control of the propaganda department to him.

On

February

24,

doing so being that he had already thought of founding


of his own. Moreover, tins
little

a piiriy

society,

although

it

had im
lie

programme

or fixed aims, had a sort of framew-ork

on

whicli

1920, he was Hofbrau Haus. It expounded the Programme

at last able to

mass meeting, in the was on that occasion that he promulgated and


hold the
of the
first

German

National Socialist

could build a Avorking plan for the realization of his

own

ideas.
ilir.

The
little

chief difficulty which

now

presented

itself
fift it

was

to gel

movement known.
it

and place

on

was necessary to footing where it would


It

out of obscurity

attempt on the part of the communists to frustrated by a handful of Hitler's former meeting was wreck the taken on themselves the responsibility had w^ho war comrades,

Workers' Party.

An

attract

and hold

llie

for

attention, of the general public.

terror should not only be

maintaining order. Hitler's contention that the Marxist smashed by mental weapons, but also
force,

The

process

of

doing so went forward very slowly.

The

by physical

was proved for the

first

time

at this

meeting.

first meeting was composed only of the original seven mcmbei>., with one or two onlookers. So meagre were the propagaiidii

resources that the

number

of people
11,
Iri,

who

attended subseqiieni

Hencefortli almost week after week the Munich hoardings displayed large red placards calling on the public to attend the mass meetings of the German National Socialist Workers' Party

meetings increased only to

17,

23 and H4 respectively

At the meeting after that 111 persons w^erc present. Hitler imw
spoke regularly
of his oratorical
at

meetings and in that way became

conscioiiit

which Party Comrade Adolf Hitler w^ould speak. These posters, which had a footnote stating: "Jews will not be admitted", were They also displayed statements designed by Hitler himself.
at

gifts.

He

induced the committee to entrusi the

dealing with the political questions of the day.

12

In December, 1920, the Party took over the Volkisclwr Beohachter and thus had a press organ of its own. At first llii^ paper appeared twice weekly. But early in 1928 it was brought oul
as a daily
first

newspaper. Towards the end of August


its

in that year

i(

appeared in

present large

size.

Hitler

was not yet chairman of

the party,

though in

reality

In-

was
all

Its

leader.

Some members

took part in an intrigue to get

rid
oi'

of him; but the consequence

was

that at

a general meetin|^

of the Party, held towards the end of July 1!I2 1, the whole direction was entrusted to Adolf Hitler and a new
statute

the

members

was enacted which invested htm with

special plenipoten-

tiary powers.

able to go ahead with the work of reorganl/inr, whose meetings and decisions had hitherto bc<-ii conducted on parliamentary principles. In reorganizing tliemovr ment he proved that he was not only a coiivmcing speaker ami

He

Avas

now

the party,

controversialist but that he

was

also

an excellent organizer.

'I'lic
tlit-

governing principle

now adopted
it

for the

development of

movement was

that

should

first

acquire for itself a position

ol

power and influence in one centre before it started to sprea.l out and form district branches. The party had to expand organicaliy. For a long time, therefore, Hitler confined his activiticM
exclusively to
local

Munich, before taking

in

hand

the task of

formiiij.:

groups outside.
llic

At the same time the foundations were laid on which Storm Detachment was subsequently established. In the

be-

ginning this detachment was simply a body of men acting as hall guards for the maintenance of order at meetings; but it lis been known as the Storm Detachment (Sturm AbUi/im-,
I

hence S.A.) ever since November 4, 1921. On that day the Pai-ty held a meeting in the banquet hall of the Munich Hofbrau i laus. The Reds turned up in force for the purpose of crushing out llic

The

fifteen years

through which we strug'^dcd for

power, amidst continual persecution and oppression

new movement once and for all. But they met with a hitler disappointment. As the meeting progressed the op]iosili<.n raised an outcry and a furious fight ensued. Though the Nhiixisi

on the part
but, above

of our adversaries, served to increase


Partj''

not only the inner moral strength of the


all, Its

capacity for external resistance.


Hjtler,

February 20.

1.9Sg.

.^'^^mr

disturbers

were

much

superior

in

numbers,

the

Natioji:

stormed the Red front again and again, beer mugs were flung from one side to the other and free hand-lohand fights raged, until finally the Marxists were cleared froiti
Socialist guards

the hall and

many

of

them

sent

home with

bleeding skulls,

'I'lu-

National Socialists remained masters of the hall


that they could fight

They had shou n


mass demon
all

and hold their ground.


of 1922 a

Towards the end of the summer


stratioa
patriotic societies,

was held on the Konigsplatz

Munich by
officially

tiniti

The

National Socialists

took part

the meeting. In the

autumn of that year, October 14, a Congress which was entitled "German Day". 'VUCoburg was held at National Socialists took part in it. Coburg had hitherto been a Red stronghold. At the head of 800 Storm Troopers from Munich Hitler entered Coburg and marched through its strcrh.
with flags flying and bands playing. Several fights took pLur; but the National SociaHsts succeeded in suppressing the Hc.l
terror once

and for

all in

that city.

stration of Hitler's statement:

"We

This was a practical dcnuHi have dealt with Marxism

PrpQCSsion in Munichj in

Commemoration

of

Xavember

B;

19"^3

in a way which shows that henceforth the masters of the stn-ci are the National Socialists, as they will one day be the maslrr. of the State."
idea was clearly proved to be right,

namely

that the strong

is

On January 28,
that the
first

strongest

when

alone.

1923, the

first

National Socialist Party Congrt-Mtt


it

was held on the Marsfeld


S.

in

Munich and

was on

this occ;ishiii
in-rii

A. standards were dedicated, which had

THE COUP D'KTAT


On September
patriotic leagues
Socialist
2,

Soon afterwards, Flight Caiiliiin designed by Hermann Goring became Chief of the S. A. It was he who expanded and perfected their organization.
Hitler himself.

1923, the

first

great Congress of the

German

was held in Niirnberg. On that day the National Party formed a coalition with the Ohedand League and
title

An attempt was made


a "United Front

to force the National Socialist Party

iiLit*

the Retchsflagge League, with the general

"The German

from Right

to Left", but Hitler's detcrmiiicd

Fighting League" and under the political leadership of Adolf

opposition shattered the attempt.

He saw

clearly that an uiui(M

standing with the

"November Criminals"

of 1918 would

iiii

only be meaningless but also impossible.

The first manifesto issued by this coalition stated: "Revolution and Versailles are inseparably bound together in the relation of cause and effect. We want to free our Fatherland
Hitler,

There were temporary working

coalitions with othtMtitnt'.


1

:i^is<H in
1

from slavery and

disgrace.

But

liberty can

be achieved only by

tions but they lasted only for a short

11

ihcsi' ruses

liilci 'n

the people themselves, working together in a national union.

16

The new German

State

which was founded

in

be the standard-bearer of the movement for

Weimar cannot German hberty/'

On
its

September
date

26, 19-^3, the

Government

of Bavaria registercil

reaction to the establishment of the that

German

Fighting Leaj^nr,

Herr von Kahr was appointed General Stair Commissar. The conflict between Bavaria and the Reich becaiiir acute. The central figure in this conflict was General von Loss(jvv.

On

Commander of the Bavarian Army. The signs of a separatist movement in Bavaria became more and more pronouncc<l.
Currency
done.
inflation reached fantastic figures.

Events of the day


to br

were heading

for a catastrophic situation.

Something had

As the

result of discussions that lasted for several

weeks

Hitlci

gained the impression that those

who

then held power

in Baviiri;i
itl

Kahr, Lossow and von


d'etat.

Seisser,

who

w^as

Commander

the Bavarian Police were ready to

collaborate in the coi]p

On the hfth anniversary of the


a

outbreak of the 191.8 revoiutiiMi

November 8, 1923 meeting was held in the Munich Biirgerbrau Haus at which Kahr was to have announced befonthe assembled patriotic associations what his future policy wsm
to be.

m. Hitler appeared, at the head of his Storm Troops, and declared that the Government of the Reich wjih therewith deposed and substituted by a National Governrnt'iil.

At

8.45 p.

At

first

the meeting accepted this proclamation with reserve,


it

regarding

something directed against Kahr; but under influence of Hitler's magnetic speech, the audience gave enthusiastic consent. Kahr, Lossow and Seisser accepted
as

tlu'
ilw tlic

new Government and

the portfolios allotted to

them.

THE LATE PRESIDENT VON HINDENBURC AND ADOLF HITLER IN 1934

Tow^ards morning it was repeatedly rumoured that Kulir, Lossow and Seisser had withdrawn from the new Governineni, As a matter of fact they \vere prisoners in the hands of the arinv generals who were deputizing for Lossow. Entirely on their own

i8

responsibility these generals

had sounded the alarm

ai-imni,

army and
Hitler

police forces.

now decided

to take an

extreme

step, llierc

\v:r.

\ui
ili.

intention to oppose the machinery of

power

in the hantls

nl

final

Government and the idea would have been nonsensical. Uul move had to be made which ^\'0uld impress the public ;iii>l
.1

change their whole

attitude.

On

the morning of the ninlli

n|

November
started

Hitler and his comrades formed a procession


Bi.irgerbrau Keller and

v:liiili

of the town. Hitler himself


dorff

marched into the ccniu' marched at the head of it, with laidniand other popular leaders. With flags flying, the procession

from the

wound
of the

Odeonsplatz.

way through the Marienplatz and from there to llu The majority of the Munich inhabitants who wn. nationaHst way of thinking came out to greet and appl:nii
Its

the procession.
Sw^astika flags

were
its

flying

from the City Hall. In the

[<v>a

denzstrasse the crowds were so great that the procession


literally to

Inn!

push

kept the street

way through. At the FeldherrnhnUe clear. The procession marched on.

the police
Berlin, Jiinuary
:-jO,

li);-57

And then
on
this

the incredible happened.

The

soldiers

opened

lire
1

column of men that w^as marching in the cause of Gennai liberty, led by Hitler and the famous Quartermaster- Genernl nl the World War. Sixteen of the marchers w^ere killed and two win
"were

Socialist Workers' Party and stipulating heavy penalties for anyone attempting to carry on the work of the party any further.
(.)n

the following day police cars appeared in front of the business

Rekkszvehr.

wounded died subsequently in the barracks of the lonil A great number were wounded. Hitler himscll suffered damage to his arm after being thrown on the road. The
coup
d'etat

lieadquarters of the Party in the Corneliusstrasse and confiscated

had

failed.

everything they could lay hands on. But they did not find the most valuable of all documents, which was the roll containing the names of members.

Some

friends of Hitler took

him

to their

home

outside MunicliJ

later and imprisoned in tbt: Landsberg. Several of his comrades and fellow^ men)bers were arrested afterwards and imprisoned in the same

where he was arrested a few days


fortress of

Munich was like an armed camp. The people were furious. They joined in mass demonstrations which w^ere scattered by mounted police using their trunchions freely. Kahr sat safely
behind
his

barbed

w'ire

entrenchment

fortress. All those

who belonged

buildings and "liquidated" the

in the Government movement which had caused so

to the

Fighting League were

ordered to surrender their arms.

On the same date, November 9, 192;-j, the General State Commissar issued an order dissolving the German National
20

much annoyance. The authorities confiscated all the property belonging to the party, which was now outlawed. The attempt to change the disastrous fate underwhichGermany
had been suffering
for the past five years

ended

in failure, at least

21

for the time being.

The system which had been


and

initiated

in

November 1918
whole nation.

still

held the mastery, to the detriment of the


his friends

And

yet the efforts of Hitler

were

not in vain. *'A manifest sign that the 8th of


the fact that in response to

November was
in

successful", said Hitler in Court afterwards, "can be seen in


it

the youth rose like a flood-tide

storm and massed


of

its

forces together.
it

The most important


considerably."

result
tlie

November

ft

was that

did not cause any depression in


it

public spirit but helped to raise

CRITICAL DAYS
and Companions" was once the War Academy. The case was brought before w^hat was called the Volksgericht or People's Court, The result was that Hitler was sentenced to be imprisoned in a fortress for five years and he was given to understand that a term of probation would follow.
February
at

On

26, 1924, the trial of "Hitler

opened

Munich

in the

same building

that

Several of his companions were sentenced to longer or shorter

terms of fortress
the prosecution

imprisonment,

felt

But the leading counsel for himself obliged to declare in his summing-u])

before the Court that "Hitler's honest effort to reawaken faith in

Germany among
"a highly gifted

downtrodden and disarmed people" mnwl

certainly be regarded as an act of service.

He

called Hitler

man who through

his

own

efforts

had

risen

from a modest
estimation, a

status in life to a foremost position in public


sacrificed himself for his ideas aiu

man who had

who had
manner." and

fulfilled his duties as a soldier in the

He also

paid tribute to the sincerity

most admirable of Hitler's meaning

intention.

Hitler took

upon himself the

full

and

sole responsibility for

everything that had happened. Speaking in his

own

defence he

stated in the course of a brilliant speech that the overthrow of

Marxism was
a necessary

his

aim but that

this

was considered

essentially

ati

pre-condition for the establishment of Cjcrnuin

22

liberty. "It is

judgment on
history/'

not you, Gentlemen", concluded Hitler, 'Svho pass us. We shall be judged before the eternal bar of

Through
cause of the
so
in

this trial Hitler's

Bavarian frontier.

He was

rightly looked

name became known far beyond Uir upon as the mspirin^


system which had created
affairs

movement

to abolish the

much damage through the mismanagement of puMic Germany during the past five years. His attitude in

Court

enhanced his reputation and ^von sympathy for him in circlrs where he was hitherio more or less unknown. They began to
realize that this

man was

not a mere demagogue and that


a

liis

associates

were something better than

pack of rowdies.

On December
left
first visits

20, 1924, his sentence

was suspended and he

the fortress in high spirits and full of energy.

One

of bis
his
tlic

sole

was paid to the Bavarian Prime Minister, where request was that his comrades might be released for
festivities.

Christmas

Reich

Pisrty

Con^rtss Xurnbcrg,

1H8)>

Hitler was convmced that there could be no question of ever using the existing patriotic organizations as a pillar of suppDri for his future poKcy, and so he decided to re-estabhsh his old
faithful

penniless.

Many became
in Hitler.

wavering in their
it

faith in the

Move-

ment and

National Socialist Workers' Party. He assembled his comrades and on February 21, ]'J25, in the Burgerbriui Keller at Munich, that movement came to life again.

German

had to face government oppression and dishonest treatment on the part of the officials. Then came unbridled terror from the Left, on the streets and in the
factories,

Moreover

together with boycotting in business

life.

Work on

behalf of the National Socialist idea

demanded courage and

In the meeting
Hitler
lines

at which the movement was re-established' announced that it would be conducted on constitutional

strong conviction and unusual powers of exposition on the part

but that the fight against the existing order of governmenl would be a severe one, The Bavarian Government answered
forbidding the

]>y

Movement the right

of public speech, a step which

was followed soon afterwards by most of the other federal


governments. This prohibition lasted for several years.

members. But this was also a benefit; for in way the party was winnowed and sieved. The chaff was separated from the wheat. Hitler's political line of conduct was clear from the beginning, just as it had alw^ays been. In the sphere of foreign pohtics he
of the individual
this

fought uncompromisingly against the Francophile attempt

at

an

And now a difficult and trying period set in for the youn^ movement. In the first place it had no business headquarters, of its own and not even a typewriter, to say nothing of bein^
24

understanding and against the insane fulfilment policy of the


regime, which met with one defeat after another at the various
international

conferences that were held in rapid succession.

Against this Hitler championed a policy of alliances that would

^5

1
be beneficial to Germany. He considered that England and would be the most hkely and useful allies.
In domestic
political
Ihilv

politics the first

important matter was the


the taking

struj^jdr

for the destruction of

Marxism and then

owr

ol

power,

as a condition necessary to carry througli die

fight for

German freedom.
the

More and more

National Socialist Party became

llic

"Prussia of the national

movement

in

Germany".
rij-lii

The

enforced silence consequent on prohibition of the

of public speech gave Hitler the opportunity of completing

[m
liai!

book, Mein Kampf, for which his fortress imprisonment afforded him the necessary time to prepare it and assemble
material.

llu-

volume, which dealt principally with PlitlerV own development, was published at Christmas 1926; while \\\v second volume was completed the next year and dealt with liir

The

first

foundation of the organization.

THE MOVEMENT ADVANCES


Meanwhile Hitler promulgated his ideas among the massrH, Always accompanied by his loyal private secretary and political adjutant, Rudolf Hess, who had also shared his company in ihr fortress, he held meetings in Thuringia, Wtirttemberg, Mecklen burg and Brunswick the federative states in which he slill enjoyed the right of pubhc speech. Hand in hand with this wuiK of propaganda went the process of building up the organization.
North Germany the foundation for ilic establishment of sub-branches was first laid. A constanlly growing staff' of speakers went hither and thither throughoiil Germany, preaching Hitler's doctrines and bringing them hoiiir
In several
districts of

"Xiitioiial Socialist Cj-ermany

wants peace because

to the

minds and hearts of the people. But continued to be strongest in Bavaria, though in Saxony
still

the Movciiu-n(
iilsn
il

of its fundamental convictions.


also

And

it

wants peace

owing

to the realisation of the sin:iple primi-

tive fact that

no war would be
Europe."

likely essentially to

showed

a rapid

development. At

the end of 102G

Dr. Jom-I
thul

alter the distress in

Goebbels was appointed Gauleiter of Greater Berlin. With


26

Hitkr,

May

'n, 1935.

1
the struggle in the Capital of the Reich showed an stage in its advance.
imp(M-(:iiii

Besides the S. A., the S. S. (Schut^ Stqffel


ron) was

Defence

Sqii;

now formed

of

men who had been


as well as

specially selecU'd,
ol

They wear

black uniforms and are entrusted with the task

protecting the

movement
its

with propaganda work

;iiul

other special duties. Since 1VI28 this body of

men

has been uiulei

the control of

Reich Leader, Hcinrich Himmler.


a

The Movement founded


Hitler

Youth Organization known


rapidly
especially

qk

llntlic

Youth,

which

spread

among

children of the working classes. Students soon began to crow( into the Movement and were grouped under ''The Nationiil
Socialist German Students' League", the leadership of w^hich is today in the hands of Ealdur von Schirach. In 9:-52 Schirach wiih
1

also

placed in charge of the Hitler Youth and the Nationiil Socialist School Children's League.

have seemed
to a

Despite the manifest progress that had been made it must a daring step when Hitler summoned his folbwc-rs

Party Congress at Weimar in June, 1926. But this Congress turned out a complete success. Several thousand S. A. and S. S. men took part the march-past and received a tumultuous

from the general public. They wore the brown uniforms on this occasion, instead of the waterproof jackris they had worn in 1923.
reception
it was now proved once agiiin Movement was not dead but very much alive ami steadily growing. And the Party members who attended this Congress gained new strength and new faith for the coming struggle. They felt that the Movement had now passed through

To

a wdder sphere of outsiders

that the

"1 smrted the Xational Socialist KevoJution bv bringing the movement into beinj,^, and smce then
ha\e directed the Revolution into the path o I know that none of us will live to see more than the \-ery beginning of this great revoI

period and that the danger of stagnation was over. At the end of 1925 the number of members had reached
its

most

difficult

action.

27,117.

By December 1926

lutionary development.

it

had increased

What

then couLd
Hitl-er,

wish

to 49,523,

by De-

more than peace and

tranquillity.''"

cember 1927 to 72,590, by December 1928 to 108,717. In Dc cember 1929 the Party had a membership of 176,426.
28

May

2,1,

IflllO.

In 1927 the right of public speech was restored


Bavaria. Prussia restored
it

to Hitler in

in 1928.

The

federative governnu'iihi

and the

parties supporting them found it no longer possibK- Ui maintamapoHcywhichdeniedthe rightofpubUc speech. Moreovci

theyhadto recognize thefactthatthis policy of throttlingtheMoviment, assisted by acts of terror on the part of the Marxists^ did
not hinder the

movement but

rather hastened

its

development.
26, 1221),
:im

With the

election of

von Hindenburg on April

President of the Reich, certain people thought that this would bring a change in the method of government and put an end h* the stupid policy which favoured a Francophile understandin).;.

But these people were bitterly disillusioned. While the govern ments sought by every means to prevent any movement of^hi:
national revival
feckless

from
all

raising
ail

its

head in Germany their

own^^^

attitude towards

decisions in foreign politics was

encouraged and

those factors were lacking which might put

some backbone

into the conduct of public affairs.

Despite

Ids

constantly repeated failures Stresemann saw "the silver

iVew Year Reception of I'oreign Ambassadors


lininj^

on the pohtical horizon", whde unemployment and economir


distress steadily increased.

The consequences

of the

Dawes Plan,

of Germany.

On

the occasion of the Party Congress in 1929

became apparent in all their bitter reality, although a little earlier that Plan was hailed as the salvation t)f i the nation, a Plan that would reinvigorate the national economic system and therewith furnish the conditions necessary for
of the year 1924,
ii

well over 100,000 persons


city.

made

a pilgrimage to the old imperial

Twenty-four new standards were presented to the S. A. following a solemn commemoration service for the dead at the

War Monument
S.

political resurgence,

Against all this Hitler always maintained a determined stand, claiming that no economic revival w^ould lir

in the Luitpoldhain. The march-past of the A. at the close of the ceremony, when Hitler took the salute,

lasted close
stration.

on four hours and formed an imposing demon-

possible until political

power hadbeen wonback. His innumeniliEc


sprcii

addresses to industrial and economic leaders succeeded in

In the realm of higher

politics Hitler

ding his ideas more and more widely

among

those circles. Tlu'tc


t!

upon merely
began
to

as a beater of the big

was now no longer looked drum, but an allround respect


to the

was

a constantly

growing number of people who believed

ml

be shown for

his statesmanlike qualities.

Hitler's

movement was not

only the well-spring from w^hich the


it

Answer
tions

to Her\'e", in

which he replied

His "Open French politician

national idea was being revived but that

was

also the sole

meauH

of saving the

nation from economic collapse.

The

National

1927 and 1929 gavo development of the organization and llir growing influence which Hitler was exercising among the pcofilc
striking proof of the

Socialist Party Congresses at Niirnberg in

his own opinions on disarmament and on how relabetween France and Germany should best be established, brought Hitler before the eyes of the public also in foreign coun-

and stated

tries.

The

fight against the

1929, though the

6%

Young Plan led to the plebiscite of million votes registered on that occasion
31

30

,vere

throu<^h.

From that in the most energetic fashion leading person ^vho represented German enslavement. the fight against the policy of

from being earned not sufficient to prevent the Plan as the time onwards Hitler was accepted

FROM VICTORY TO VICTORY


On their first appearance, May 20, ItldS, the National
as a Party at the

General

lection of

and Socialists secured SUMHH) votes


l!i:!0,

On September 14, sent 12 deputies to the Reichstag. to number of votes which they received increased
The Brown Shirt
deputies

the

(),-l()(),000.

now numbered

107,

which made them

Reichstag. Only the Social the second strongest group in the having oi deputies. Democrats were numerically stronger,
1

anybody not to take the one hand this fact became National Socialists seriously. On the membership and, on the other evident by the rapid increase in extraordinary bitter opposition the by hand, h was demonstrated Movement. the against now put up by all sides
It

was now out of the question

for

Ex-flervice Delegation of linti.h Hitler .peak, .^,th .

Men

measvire the passing of a special

of pr

The number
of 1430 totalled
to 806 294.

of registered

]93;i

On Mav 1,471,114. On

members of the Party at the end mi,m). In December 1931 this had increased on March ;n, mi, it .vas 1,118,270 and

ning Hmdenburg's Brdntg ttempt tailed. Therefore

purpose the Reichstag for the But the Prestdent. term of office as
in

new

election

became una

aviwe
h

I,

terro'rization increased at

oi the other hand the Marxist system was one that rate such ati enormous

.the
state

rar.k of counsellor ri^^.-"-^-; evil service, with the by the Govertiment of tha^ Brunswick, of
'

On

February

26, 1932, Hitler

was made

member

of

|
j

federative state

This act

conferred on

by the Reds. Up to the political powc supreme time that National Socialism took over attack wounded 206 members had been murdered and 25,000
mstigated right in speaking of a civil war

Xenship;

so that he

now

of German him, ipso facto, the rights for the candidate became eligible as

'^?Sr!^^STthe
ranks of the

on them by
service of

These martyrs furnished spirit of sacrifice given to incontestable proof of the faith and and its Fuhrer. the National Socialist teaching
their

opponents.

the

Germatt .as closed m the story of German of born Hitler had been pohticd party Lreaucraey. the \\ ar through frontier. He had fought narcnts on the German l^ng one German Army. His life had

b-

office was nearing its en, As the President's regular period of into the foreground ,n Hitler brought a step was taken which Reich Governmenl the in persons negotiations with certain to consent ! Hitler get to Chancellor Bruning endeavoured

behalf. struggle on Germany's

And

yet the right of


to

German
o^.
,

citizenship

presidential election of Mar Hitler took part in the von Hlndenburg. He received .s a candidate against

was withheld from him up

now
h
1.
1 1..

million

33

32

L.L.jL^l..i...L a.:

whereas Hindenburg received ^>^,i] million. The resuh was by no means a defeat for Hitler but rather a significant success. For this result practically showed that during the previous eighteen months since the last Reichstag election the number of votes cast for him had nearly doubled.
votes,

The regime now used


Socialist propaganda,

all

possible

means

to hinder the National

which was already seriously handicappei


liy

by

one-sided control of the national broadcasting system,

proclaiming the "Easter Truce" the preparatory period for the

second election was restricted to


w^hat

six days.

Eut Hitler launched

may

be called
as

propaganda campaign of gigantic pro-

portions such

second election, on April


increased

had never been experienced before. At the 10, he not only retained his votes but
2^1 million, to
l:),4

them by

million.

This tremendous
in

success was mainly due to the wholehearted

way

which Hitler

threw himself into the

fight.

x\lthough Hindenburg was finally elected the Reich GovernmoiiL had not counted on Hitler being able to obtain the large number of votes he actually obtained. They then took a desperate step.

On

April

l.'i

the

Government issued an b^mergency Order


vS.

immediately dissolvmg the S. A. and


the National Socialist

S.,

the Hitler Youtli,

Motor Corps and

the Flying Corps.

The measure
Interior,

prohibiting the S. A. was a failure. It broughl

about the downfall of Greener, the Reich

Minister of the

who

resigned from the Cabinet. BrlinJng's

own

resi-

gnation from the Chancellorship, together with that of the


of his Cabinet, followed.

rest

Von Papen now formed


Election for July
in
?>!.

Cabinet and

declared a

new General

In his third electoral campaign,

which he used an aeroplane

was the central figure of the: battle and went through the length and breadth of the countiy as a triumphant hero. Within a fortnight he spoke at 4M ui:iss
for purposes of rapid travel, Hitler

meetings.

The

electorate gave 13,700.000 votes for the National

Socialist candidates, with the result that the latter

now

acquired

ment had made

230 seats in the Reichstag. Thus the appeal which the Govercito the country turned out a. failure.

But the Government of the Reich did not

act

on the

logical

consequences of this expression of the popular will. They still attempted to exclude what was now by far the largest pohtica!
party from the responsible government of the country.

The

derogatory ofler

of a

Vice- Chancellorship

received

dircci

negative reply from Hitler.


his

He had

not organized and developed


his

movement

for

the

purpose of lending

name

to

the

emergency decrees of a reacLiunary government,

When
whereby
at the

Hit]er
five

received the news

of the

Reuthner

verdiel,
lie

Silesian S. A.

men were

sentenced to death,

issued a stirring appeal on behalf of his comrades.

He

scoffed

boasted impartiality of a Government which could make no distinction between men who represented the national spirit of the people and a canaille of scoundrels who were traitors to the country. He now announced that he would hght to tlic verv bitter end to save the lives of these live men.

HITLER IN POWER
A
fresh election was held on
result

showed

a reduction

the votes cast in his


in the

November 0. This time the from 18,400,000 to 11,800,000 of favour. There was a corresponding reduction
lUfl

number

of National Socialist deputies, from 230 to

Hitler's

opponents were jubilant over the

result. Hitler obstinatol


tlio]

refused to be satisfied with the Vice-Chancellorship and

Government adopted

a dictatorial attitude

on the other

side,

The
his

situation

which thus resulted created among many peopl

the impression that Hitler had missed his opportunity and that!

movement was weakening. But the jubilant cries of \\\\^ opponents were short-hved. Hitler had the courage and iirni
mind
to wait.

ness of

At the end of January,

19,^:-3,

the then

THE BERGHOF
Hitler's

Chancellor, General Schleicher, stood completely isolated.

On
th

House oa

the Obersalzbertj

January 28 his entire Cabinet

resigned and on January

."!()

36

President of the Reich entrusted Hitler with the task of forming


a

new

Cabinet.

of the
first

The formation of a new^ Reich Government and the abohtion duahsm between the Reich and Prussia created for the
time a basis
for

conducting poUtics on unified national

Unes in Germany, as well as the possibihty of exterminating all elements of an anti-national character. Therewith the National
Socialist

Movement

entered
is

upon the second phase of

its

gigantic struggle; that

to say,

responsible and constructive

statesmanship after twelve years of opposition. In an address


to the

German

people the Chancellor appealed for national

discipUne and asked that the National

four years in w^hich to build up the


authority to
deal with the

Government be granted new Reich from the ruins

of fourteen years of irresponsible government and also be given

unemployment question and the

urgent problem of saving the farming classes from total ruin.

Some

The assumption
off

He

power at last enabled Hitler to throw those shackles w^hich had hitherto fettered his endeavours. was now able to address the outlying districts through the
of

i
W'^hose

ci

ung

Auto

j;

r n

p h fI u n

c rs

name

lieaded

the

list

of candidates

in

every district

radio.

The

broadcasted

speeches he held at gigantic mass meetings and to the whole nation expressed his determined

German liberty and received an enthusiastic response from the public. This wave of enthusiasm reached its
intention to restore

new Reichstag election the Day of Awakening when the Chancellor spoke from East Prussia to the whole nation. The announcement of the firm will to victory, the determination to restore German freedom and the appeal for loyalty to the fatherland raised new hopes in the hearts of millions of Germans at home and abroad.
height on the eve of the

throughout the country. 28S Reichstag seats were won by the National Socialist Party and this gave the Government a :V2% majority in parliament. Although if the result had been different the Government were determined to follow the one and only road which would lead to the restoration of German liberty;
yet the actual result made it possible to carry out the new policy on a strictly parliamentary basis. Marxism and its supporters had received a severe bio\s. The Communists lost twenty
seats

National

and the Centre Party was deprived of

its

key position.

THE THIRD REICH


heritage which Adolf Hitler took over on January ^jO, has been picturesquely described as a heap of ruins. Fourteen years of party strife and mismanagement of national
i!>:')'),

Church
hilltops.

bells pealed joyously. Liberty bonfires

burned on the
were
gaily

The

The

streets
flags.

in

the towms and

villages

decorated with

paralleled in

The magnitude of German


1

the victory
history.

won on March
it

5 was

unas
il

And

was

as

unexpected

was unparalleled.
38

7,3Q0,0(}0 people cast their votes for Hitler,

had reduced the once great and proud German nation In relation to the outside world it was a nation without arms and without rights, respected by no one
affairs

to a state of chaos.

39

.liLLL.iii;..

;l,

and oppressed under a


could not possibly be

"

series

of humiliating
It

treaties

which

fulfilled.

was

a rtatioa that

to the level of a vassal to foreign states,

had sunk Marxist usurpers had

bartered away the honour and property of the Reich.

economic structure had

totally

collapsed and

now

bleeding herself to death in an effort to

The Germany was make reparation


movement

payments.
Part}^ strife

and class-hatred ran

riot.

The

separatist

became acute and threatened the dismemberment of Germany. Tlie Governments of the federative states appropriated ruling
functions to such a degree as to impair seriously the authority
of the Reich. In the Reichstag the representatives of the innumerable parties frittered

controversies

away time and energy with interminable and bartering for ministerial posts. Meanwhile
after

one industrial factory


after

another had to close down. Concern

Farmers had to forfeit and crops because they were unable to pay the arrears of ta?:es and interests on mortgages. The ominous spectre of seven millions unemployed stalked the roads and streets.
their cattle

concern went into bankruptcy.

In Hitler's Studio

L\t

O b er sal zberg;
a plebiscite, the

The

criminal class increased at an alarming rate.

account of what had been done and called for


nation applauded his
efl'orts
9S.)^<,

unanimously and sanctioned

his

I'he

number
it

of votes cast for the

Communist Party

increased

stewardship by giving
favour.

of the total electoral vote in his

to a portentious degree

Indeed

would

set

from one general election to another. seemed only a question of months before Bolshevism up Its rule of terror in Germany, unless the National

No

democracy throughout the world or through the

course of history has ever given a statesman a similar vote of confidence. This overwhelmmg unanimity in giving judgment

Socialists

succeeded in taking over supreme control ofthe State.

When

they did succeed however and

when
all

at the last

moment

the venerable President of the Reich entrusted Hitler with the

formation of a

new Government after

the other cabinets

had failed the most decisive turning point in German history had been taken.

on the policy of the Fiihrer was the deserved fruit of the tireless and successful efforts which he had made on behalf of the country and the people. Here, if ever, the voice of the people could indeed be called the voice of God. One of the first measures which the Fiihrer enacted was that

which established

On March
the
for

25, 1938, the Fiihrer

asked for four years in which

he could put into practice his measures for the restoration of

German
this

nation. The law which gave him unlimited powers purpose was constitutionally passed by Parliament,

and administrative unity throughout the Reich, replacing the governments of the various federative states and their legislatures by a strong central Government in Berlin. At the same time parliamentary parties were dissolved
legislative

and the National


the political will

After the expiry of this period,

when he had given

a public

remained the sole trustee of of the people. For the first time in German
Socialist Party

40

41

and government history the division between political interests was unemployment of problem The interests was abolished.
then
tackled

vigorous

manner.

As

resuh of large-

revived and thrived scale measures, trade and industry were unemployment^ in any longer no so well that today there is degeneration racial agamst laws Hie Fiihrer enacted

Germany.

of the unfit ^vhlch defimtiveiy prevent the further propagation costing the w^ere who unhealthy, and mentally deficient or marks anmially for support and attendance.

country 200,000,000 A law was also passed

of to prevent the further mongrelizing who the Jews, with intermixture through the German people

are of a totally different racial stock.

down price further series of laws, especially those laying estabhshing the law and products regulations for agricultural

hereditary farms,
classes

unions, with
dissolved

improved the position of the agricultural IVadeand prepared the way for more prosperous times. were class-hatred, of policy and class-war their

an and replaced by the German Labour Front, under Germany in worker every embraces organization which
raises the dignity the aegis of the ideal of work as a factor that Socialist National The it. lowers than of human nature rather Sociahst National the founded by Welfare Organization, already been has^ power, political supreme acquired Party before it had it has Help, Winter the with conjunction greatly enlarged. In sacrifice become an eloquent expression of the spirit of ready problems with dealing in nation whole inspires the

which

relating to the

poor and those who need help of one kind or

another.

Service organization of the youth, the Reich Labour which institutions standing now are and'^Strength through Joy" the of wiU creative the to response have been "established in

The

Fuhrer.
has been adopted whereby a clcansnig every distorted and degenerativ abolished process has not only the same time bronglil nboiil a has at kind of Eolshevic art but

cultural

policy

42

revival of

German art and fostered its development in artists have again come into their German every direction. himself an enthusiast for architecture, Fiihrer, The rightful place.
genuine
but has not only planned various gigantic building projects personally. erection their supervised and designed has also largely

Those acquainted with the intentions which Adolf Hitler had in mind kncA^- that he would not rest content with merely
restoring order in the
it

German domestic

situation.

He

regarded
prestige

as

one

of his

paramount

tasks to re-establish

German

horrors abroad. Having personally experienced to the full the


of

modern

warfare, he has lost no opportunity of emphasizing

his absolute love for peace

and

his desire for an understanding

with Germany's former enemies. But

at the same time he has of German honour champion come could be no there therefore Hitler Adolf For and freedom.

forward as the unflinching

question of rest or contentment until the shackles of dishonourable treaties were shattered and until Germany once again resumed her rightful position of equality among the
nations, supported
a powerful army; not only that but also peace and in readiness to defend maintaining as a strong factor in forces of Bolshevism. destructive the against European culture

by

A doir Hitler andPhUipp Bnuhler,


the author of this biography

When w^e consider the changes which have taken place Germany since January ;10, :1.93P>, and review the problems that
are
still

minded and big-hearted and

just,

capable of bringing iron

being resolutely attacked


it is

and solved

for the benefit

of the whole country,

confronted with a veritable miracle,


a great

no exaggeration to say that we are which is the product oi

and courageous logic to the support of his arguments, judicious prepared always time same at the yet in making decisions, and
to share "the sorrows

and joys which

fall

to the lot of his co-

and

indestructible faith.

For

it is

this faith in

Germany's

workers these are the qualities that link


him.

men

inseparably to

future w^hich has inspired the soul of Adolf Hitler-the


soldier of the Great

unknown

War and

it

is

this

same

faith

which has

Party. given hfe and shape and purpose to the National Socialist small this from and party a founded individual An unknown

band

of

sprang a

men, enduring many trials and tribulations, there people's movement and finally a new Cierman Reich,
all this

and has has the magnetic appeal of the genuine orator their voicing is he that feel the power of mabng his audience he because is probably That thought and speaking for them.

He

himself has

come from

the people and

is

able to think and teel

with them.

And

it

is

for this reason that the

German youth
his personal

To

understand

one must understand and apprecial<'


iiro;nl

has gathered so enthusiastically around him. In

the character and personality of Adolf Hitler himself.

45

44

Hitler

on

his

way

to Vienna,

March

12,

1038

requirements Hitler

is

extremely modest.
;

lie

does

not

eat

any alcoholic drinks IS simply because he feels it suits stemious in regard to these things.
or take

meat

nor does he smoke. This


his health better to

be ab-

His movement has restored the nation to its old position of lionour. Because of this achievement and because he himself has the qualities of the born leader, he has become the idol of
the whole nation. They thank him for 'their national renaissance, the restoration of their honour and their prestige, for their

freedom and their bread.


of his leadcrsl^ip.

And

so they have willingly placed

their future in his hands, trusting unconditionally to the

wisdom

46

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