I don't want to turn this into a political rant but I have 1 simple question: did most Germans believe in Hitler COMPLETELY? As in did they agree with all of his racial laws and all of that. Or did they like him because of what he did economically? I want to start learning more about WWII but this question has just been bothering me for quite some time. Btw, no I am not a Nazi, I just simply like to learn about Germany. Idk why, I just felt the need to ask.
Its a difficult question. Its very much like asking do people actually like Julia Gillard or Barack Obama...Theres a whole spectrum of intelligence and experience out there. People will hear the same thing and take different things away from it. Certainly it was compulsory to be pro german and pro nazi...the walls had ears and even children were encouraged to turn their own parents in for any anti german/nazi talk or behaviour....and some did. So because of the threat, implied or otherwise, its difficult to get an accurate idea. I had a janitor at college (1988) whos name was fritz, an old bloke...my history teacher asked him in one day and asked him what he thought of Hitler..."Great man...great man". You will have people blindly likeing the regime , those who understand and supprt the ideaologies of the nazis...and the majority who didn't have a clue what the bloody nazis stood for or wanted. He as good as hoodwinked the poeple to get into power, brainwashed them into beleiving an agressive action was acceptable, and crushed any decent. As i said, its a bit like today, those who loved him, those who hated him, and those who just wanted to get on with their lives and couldn't give a stuff either way. Geographic location also played a part, there were some places more sympathetic to the nazis than other places...i think our German friends may have a better answer though.
Well I mean they did have a reason to like him to some extent, bringing Germany back up and all. Apart from that, idk if anything else motivated them. I know it's a tough question, thats really why I asked it, I just want to get a better understanding. Here's the basic way I see it: Germany was hurting bad, really bad. Hitler comes in and promises everything and he gives them it. Then he eliminates other political parties, starts a dictatorship, basically ran off the fear of the people, and started racial laws which eventually turned into genocide. I know a lot of people like the simple way and profile most Germans during the era as Nazis. I just can't go along with that, it doesn't seem right. If that was the case, then that must mean every Southerner from 1861-1865 was a slave owner. Lets put it this way, the German people had a good reason to look up to the Nazis, but the Nazis just took it too far and screwed over Germany. Hope that sounds right.
Its actualy a pretty good sum up...by my knowledge anyway. Its important to distinguish the Nazis from Hitler though...the two were often thought of seperately...There were poeple who looked up to Hitler, not many looked up to the Nazis...They were in the streets, in your face, being seen and providing a constant threat...just under the surface. the Nazi party was seperate from Hitler, even though he was its commander. It would have gone on without him in other words...the two aren't one and the same.
I reciently read that by 1943 most of the German People had tired of the war, Hitler and the Nazi Party. People who still perdscribed the docturn were becoming oddities in society and the butt of jokes. In regards to the swastika armbands, it was said that those who still wore them were considered to be a minority and it was frequently said: Oh you still wear that old thing! Refering to the Nazi party jokingly as a fashon style. There was another amusing quote in the chapter that I cannot recall now as I am at school will look when I return home.
Wouldn't be surprising considering that most Germans didn't want another war because they were afraid of another Great War.
I believe that Albert Speer mentioned in "Inside the Third Reich", that when the war began, the population was not excited like many were during the first world war. By that time though, Hitler was apparently starting to withdraw himself from public and the huge rallies, and therefore didn't provide the magic, enthusism, and hypnotic affect he had like in the early thirties. However, the majority of the population of Germany was put at ease for a while after the Wehrmacht's early string of victories.
Of course, but as the war dragged on and as Allied bombings increased, it became obvious that the Germans were on the retreat.
In my opinion, a majority of the Germans were behind Hitler in the beginning. Compared to the previous government, Hitler delivered on his promises of providing jobs, building up the economy, getting rid of the Versailles humiliating restrictions imposed on Germany, etc.. Once war was declared, as previously noted, there was no enthusiasm until the victories started rolling in. From 43' onwards, they abandoned Hitler. Part of human nature, they were behind him as long as he delivered on the goods. As for the racial laws, I believe it may have been split down the middle. Not everybody was behind him on that. The ones that supported it were overt about it and those who did not support it were quiet about it.
Check the votes in 1933 for example. German federal election, March 1933 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia If there were some 5 million voting the communist party I don´t think they would turn their back so esaily later on if they were thinking practically the opposite to Hitler´s views... Just what I have been wondering for years..
Good point" Kai.." I recall that when he ran for president against Hindenburg he garnered only about 46% of the vote in the first round, and a bit more in the run-off vote, but still less than half the votes. Hitler was never voted into any office in his life, except the one for leader of the Nazi party itself. The only vote against him was cast by a local librarian, who was found dead in an alley the next day. Clearly a preview of things to come.
