Figure 1.-- Many middle-class Germans voted for the NAZIs, seeing them as a bulwark for traditional German values threatened by the Communists. Few abticipated the NAZI revolution that Hitler would implement which was every bit as comprehensive and violent as that planned by the Communists. One element was to shift the primary force in a child's life from the family to the NAZI state.

Adolf Hitler is often seen as a conservative bulwark to revolution in Germany. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is certainly true that Communists in the chaos of post-World War I Germany struggled to seize power. While they failed, they had strong support among working-class Germans. The Communist Party (KPD) was an important party and the Socialist Party (SPD) was the strongest political party in the Weimar Republic until the Depression and rise of the NAZIs. Left-wing revolution was a spector that many conservative Germansd saw as hanging over Germany. Hitler and the NAZIs as they struggled for power garnered support from conservative industrialists and the middle class concerned about Communism and the threat to both capitalism and traditional values such as religion. There were left-wing elements in the NAZI Party which is one reason why 'socialist' became part of the party name. The leading spokesman for the left wing elementb in the NAZI Party were the Strasser brothers, especially Gregor Strasser. Hitler moved against Strasser and what he called 'National Bolshevists' at the Bamberg Conference (February 1926). Considerable support for a social revolution targeting capitalists still existed in the Party, especially the SA. And Hitler relied heavily on the SA in his rise to power. Once in power, Hitler moved against the SA in a deal with the Army--the Night of the Long Knives (June 1934). Hitler ordered the SS to execute Strasser. R�hm and other oppoents were also eliminated or interned. This permanetly ended left-wing influences in the NAZI Party. What conservastives, the middle-class, and the military did not anticipate was that while Hitler was indeed an anti-Communist, he was no conservastive. Hitler had very defenite ideas about a revolution of his own to remake Germany and they include an assault on traditional German values, just what many of the people who supported him wanted to prevent. And many of those ideas were very similar to what the Communists wanted to do. There were several elements to Hitler's NAZI revolution. First, Hitler wanted control over young people which meant replacing the family as the major formitive force in a child's life. Second, Hitler looked down on Christian values such as humility and compasion for the meek and week. The NAZIs proceeded to undercut religion in many ways and were developing tgheir own religion. Hitler delayed a complete break with established churches until after the War was won. Christiasn values were to be replaced with a new ethic in which racial purity became the primary value. Third, Hitler did not want to take over German industry, but he waanted to control it. He was quite willing to have the Krupps and other industrialists operate the factories, but he wanted to control the compasnies to further his rearmanent campaign. Fourth, ,he wanted control over the labor movement. This would help ensure that workers would support the regime and not impede rearmanent. This was part of a larger effort to control professional groups as well. Fifth, he wanted to break down class barriers as part of his effort to create Ein Volk. He pursued this effort in many ways, including the Hitler Youth, schools, Reich Labor Service (RAD), and the conscriotion needed for an expanded military.

Revolution

Adolf Hitler is often seen as a conservative bulwark to revolution in Germany. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is certainly true that Communists in the chaos of post-World War I Germany struggled to seize power. While they failed, they had strong support among working-class Germans. The Communist Party (KPD) was an important party and the Socialist Party (SPD) was the strongest political party in the Weimar Republic until the Depression and rise of the NAZIs.

Conservative Support for the NAZIs

Left-wing revolution was a spector that many conservative Germansd saw as hanging over Germany. He warned, "If you want your country to go Bolshevik, vote Communist. If you want to remain free Germans, vote for the National Socialists." Hitler and the NAZIs as they struggled for power garnered support from conservative industrialists and the middle class concerned about Communism and the threat to both capitalism and traditional values such as religion. Important German industrialists, concerned about Communidts and labor unions, provided critical finncial support to Hitler and the NAZIs from an early point in the NAZI rise to piwer. Hitler garnered great support in small towns which tended to be conservative. He attacked Marxism, not only the Communists but included the more moderate Social Democrats. He also spoke extensively about morality, condeming free love and the rampant immorality of Berlin and other major cities. He promised to confront big city corruption. He demanded a German spiritual revolution and what he called a "positive" Christianity knowing that he could not dare attack Christianity itself. He insently called for a national renewal and the importance of a spirit of national pride which resonated with conservative Germans.

The NAZI Left

There were left-wing elements in the NAZI Party which is one reason why 'socialist' became part of the party name. The leading spokesman for the left wing elementb in the NAZI Party were the Strasser brothers, especially Gregor Strasser. Hitler moved against Strasser and what he called 'National Bolshevists' at thge Bamberg Conference (February 1926). Considerable support for a social revolution targeting capitalists still existed in the Party, especially the SA. And Hitler relied heavily on the SA in his rise to power. Once in power, Hitler moved against the SA in a deal with the Army--the Night of the Long Knives (June 1934). Hitler ordered the SS to execute Strasser. R�hm and other oppoents were also eliminated or interned. This permanetly ended left-wing influences in the NAZI Party.

Hitler's Revolution

What conservastives, the middle-class, and the military did not anticipate was that while Hitler was indeed an anti-Communist, he was no conservastive. Hitler had very defenite ideas about a revolution of his own to remake Germany and they include an assault on traditional German values, just what many of the people who supported him wanted to prevent. And many of those ideas were very similar to what the Communists wanted to do. There were several elements to Hitler's NAZI revolution. First, Hitler wanted control over young people which meant replacing the family as the major formitive force in a child's life. Second, Hitler looked down on Christian values such as humility and compasion for the meek and week. The NAZIs proceeded to undercut religion in many ways and were developing tgheir own religion. Hitler delayed a complete break with established churches until after the War was won. Christiasn values were to be replasced with new ethic in which racial purity became the primary value. Third, Hitler did not want to take over German inmdustry, but he waanted to control it. He was quite willing to have the Krupps and other industrialists operate the factories, but he wanted to control the companies to further his rearmanent campaign. Fourth, Hitler liked the Bolsheviks in Russia wanted control over the labor movement. This would help ensure that workers would support the regime and not impede rearmanent. This was part of a lsrger effort to control professional groups as well. Fifth, he wanted to break down class barriers as part of his effort to create Ein Volk. He pursued this effort in many ways, including the Hitler Youth, schools, Reich Labor Service (RAD), and the conscriotion needed for an expanded military.

Created: 6:05 AM 7/10/2010
Last updated: 8:48 AM 7/10/2010