The Nizkor Project: Remembering the Holocaust (Shoah)

Office of Strategic Services
Hitler Source Book
Hitler
by Konrad Heiden
(Part 4 of 4)


[Page 13]

(Hitler-Heiden-p. 174 cont.) which the movement had [unreadable] ... opposition to him reduced Hitler to [unreadable]. Visitors hardly recognized him; he swayed to and fro like a reed, gave incoherent answers, could not make up his mind about anything, and if he [unreadable] signified his agreement, withdrew it twenty-four hours later. (Hitler-Heiden-p, 174)

In short, Hitler took at Landsberg the significant step from the idea of a subjugation of the German to that of a winning over of the German--of course, both alike meant the domination of the German. (Hitler-Heiden-p, 177)

The greeting was cool. Instead of a [unreadable] he carried his whip of hippopotamus-hide. "If I had seen the whip, I would have flung him out then and there," said one of the deputies later in court. [unreadable] (Hitler-Heiden-p, 183)

The phrase "the Fuhrer" made an impression; from that day onward it became a household word in the party. The scene illustrates Hitler's frequently noticed incapacity to impose his will in a small circle, and his consummate skill in winning over a crowd prepared by publicity and stage-management, and then, with its aid, vanquishing the small circle too. (Hitler-Heiden-p, 186)

To third persons Rohm complained that Hitler was a man who did not really know what he want, he lacked the military way of thinking, which is based on the principle: who wants the end must also want the means. (Hitler-Heiden-p, 189-190)

Near Berchtesgaden, in the extreme southeast corner of Bavaria, rises the Obersalzburg. Here stands the Platterhof, where Hitler, Hanfstaengl, [unreadable], and Eckart once celebrated their much-censured carousals. (Hitler-Heiden-p, 192)

[Page 14 Unreadable] [Page 15]

The stenographer who took down Hitler's speech had lost her notes. Hitler was beside himself; he suspected a hostile conspiracy and enemy spies. He had long been fuming because most of the employees in the post office and the publishing firm were not National Socialists;.... (Hitler-Heiden-p. 207)

He sent for the editor, whom he held to be responsible, heaped abuse on him, roared that he felt himself surrounded by traitors, and, when the unhappy wretch was about to reply, walked up to him and gave him a resounding box on the ear.

After such scenes, he [unreadable]became invisible for some weeks. The victims consoled themselves philosophically with the reflection that the fellow was not quite normal. (Hitler-Heiden-p. 207)

If an understanding was quite impossible, one must make shift as best as one could. On one occasion the two men were to meet for a discussion of a ticklish question in Leipzig. Hitler knew that Strasser was bringing a whole cartload of complaints. They met in the restaurant. Hitler begged to be excused; he wanted to go to the cloakroom; he went--and he never came back. After a while Strasser grew suspicious; he went out, could not find his Fuhrer, and finally he learned that Herr Hitler had left the restaurant by the side exit and driven off in a car. In this brilliantly simple fashion did the Fuhrer solve political questions; obviously in accordance with the old dictum that there is no business, however important, which does not become more important by being shelved. (Hitler-Heiden-p. 210)

All observers of Hitler testify to his tireless interest in the money question. He tapped everyone whom he suspected of possessing any resources; in the first years he accepted even the most trifling amounts; and he continued to do so after the party had become famous. (Hitler-Heiden-p. 219)

"Everything you say merely proves that you have not the most elementary understanding of art." declared Hitler pedantically. "There is only one eternal art, the Greek-Nordic. Dutch, Italian, German art, the Gothic-- are all sprung from its leadership. Anything which lays claim to the name of art can only be Nordic-Greek." (Hitler-Heiden-p. 233)

[Page 16]

Bruning sent for Hitler, and the latter assured him of his great personal esteem and [unreadable]... of the profound antagonism which separated them. Bruning, on the other hand, decided that Hitler was hovering on the verge of insanity and resolved that, with Hindenburg's moral protection, he would now rule in good earnest. (Hitler-Heiden-p. 242)

1930

He now repeated before the court: Another two or three elections, and he would have a majority in the Reichstag. Then he would seize power legally. The he would root out his opponents legally. "Then will come a Nationals-Socialist State tribunal; then will November 1918 be expiated; then heads will roll! " But only legally! For "the [unreadable] only prescribes the way, not the goal."

This sworn assurance of legality echoed through Germany like a sinister threat. The newspapers wrote for months only of the rolling of heads. The opponents shuddered. Hitler's paralyzing terrorist propaganda began on that day. (Hitler-Heiden-p. 243)

[entire paragraph unreadable]

Schliecher told them about the conversation with Hitler: "The fellow is simply crazy; you can't say a word to him. He simply takes the sentence out of your mouth and then talks like a torrent. You ask me about my conversation with him? They weren't conversations; they were monologues." (Hitler-Heiden-p. 252)

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[Page 23 Unreadable]


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