Hitler as a Leader

This week, the control Hitler had over his followers seemed amplified to me. His stress on the importance of the “leader” was not necessarily shocking to me, but was a theme that I saw repeated throughout the reading. I was interested that the force of the police could not stop Hitler’s direct challenge to Ballerstedt. Needing to ask Hitler to call his men to order, the only way they were going to listen, seems to me like the type of control Hitler was always looking to have. Hitler was clearly happy because his attempt had succeeded, but also saw this as proof that his followers had absolute faith in him. His supporters were basically wrapped around his finger. Kershaw strengthens this belief when he writes, “For Hitler, these violent clashes with his opponents were the lifeblood of his movement. They were above all good for publicity.” (176) The fact that bloody revolts and harsh control were what Hitler relied on as his best form of publicity shows how skewed the people’s perception of “right” must have been at the time.

At Hitler’s speech in November 1922 when he spoke about the importance of obedience to the leader, Hitler’s intentions of being the sole operator were given “reason”. Calling this obedience the “first duty” (Kershaw 183) shows how faithful he was in himself. He had no doubt that since these people were supporting him; they were willing to do whatever he said without question. Again, when he spoke against the Parliamentary system in May 1923 he made his hopes extremely clear. The people saw something in him because he was telling them they really had a part in what was going to happen. That they were the ones making the change and that they were important. Hitler also used the word us instead of you or me, He stated the need for a ready people, a group who will follow the “worthy leader” and change Germany. He was clearly the one fit for the position in his own eyes.