Adolf Hitler was not the first man to drastically implement a strong nationalistic country. However, he was the first to implement a distinct form of nationalism, which imbedded highly raciest overtones for the everlasting purification of an Aryan Germany. Hitlers raciest ideals originated from the German Youth Movement during the inter-war period.
In short, the Bundische youth carried nationalistic ideals, which were anti-liberal, anti-Semetic and Volkish, these were the three main characteristics of Hitlers platform for a nationalistic Germany. Hitler strongly believed that any alien race, especially Jews would ultimately destroy Germany. Therefore, he had to find a solution that would cure Germany from any infectious people. Lebensraum (living-space) and autarchy became synonymous to Hitler for the purpose of the growth of nationalism and self-determination.
Hitler and the Nazi regime would stop at nothing to achieve the growth of this national aim. Politically, Hitler would not have been able to take over Germany if the old regime of the Reichstag was in place. The Nazis quickly forbade any political parties by the use of force. Hitlers sense of a national community could only come to rise by the implementation of the Nazi party and the Nazi party only! Economically, Hitler saved Germany form the Great Depression, only it was at the expense of the Jews. The Nazi party relinquished any economic hopes for the Jews for the growth of the Aryan race. The Third Reich went beyond its territory to achieve economic gain by the destructive and deceitful policy of smash and grab.
German Nationalism in the years 1933-1945, were, in an extreme sense, geared toward one race in its manifestations for the growth of the social, political, economic and military aspect for the sole benefit of the Gemeinschaft and the Volksdeutsche.Nationalism in Germany between the years 1933-1945 originated around the German Youth Movement during the inter-war period. The words Volkish (the German people), Bundische (German bond), and Wandervogel (the wanderers) became synonymous with each other in the years approaching 1933. The contribution made by the youth movement, and the younger generation as a whole, contributed to the shaping of German society and politics.
This notorious youth movement came into full force in 1914, but it was not seen again until the rise of the Third Reich. The youth movement may be said to have contributed, directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, to the successful rise of Hitler.In short, the Bundische youth carried all of the characteristics to which Hitler yearned for, even when he was just a lonely artist in Austria. It is pointed out that Bundische youth, was, in general, nationalistic, anti-liberal, romantic, anti-Semitic, Volkish, authoritarian, anti-urban and irrational, thus an indisputable section of the wider restorative, anti-modernist forces in Weimar society.Hitler aspired for a strong nationalistic character and he believed that the only way of doing so was to create a final solution which was the subsequent murder of fellow citizens who had been publicly stigmatized as Un-German.
The Bundische youth aims to exclude those who are not of German blood, Hitler took this idea and practiced it to the highest degree, all in the name of German nationalism. Hitler was determined to select only the best, the soundest German blood, he ordered careful screening with respect to physical fitness, origin, ethnic political attitude, and vocational training in order to create a tough and pure pioneer society.Hitler believed that his backward looking social ideals would save the state of Germany form a class struggle which would ultimately lead to the downfall of the German race. Hitler condemned this class split because it rent the nation in two; it was the very opposite of his ideal of national unity and coherence.Hence, his ideas for a pure nation-state was set fourth and to anyones dismay, the implementation process of this was indeed coercive.
One was taught to sacrifice for the stateand to yearn for the community and the Volk.Hence, the social extremities that took place during the life of Nazism was the sole basis for Hitlers German nationalism and was geared toward the triumph and cleansing of the Volk.Aside from Hitlers backward looking aspects from the Youth Movement, his ideals for the German family was the key element to national unity during the course of the Nazi life span. Hitlers backward looking ideals went far beyond that of the German youth.
Hitler became obsessed with the idea of the Aryan race to which he believed existed far beyond the youth movement. The ancient German tribesmen were assumed to have been brave, simple, pure and self disciplined as well as tall, blond and blue eyed in appearance.To Hitler, the Jews were the opposite of this ideal, and hence, contributed to the downfall of German society with respect to nationalism before he took power. Hitler blamed their defeat in World War One on the Jews; they stabbed Germany in the back in1918.In his eyes they were a counter-race whose aim was to enslave and ultimately destroy the Aryan race.The exclusion of any other race was prominent in upholding the most strict nationalism known to man, Nazi nationalism.
Nationalism in its most extreme forms glorified the state andused genocidal policies to eliminate ethnic diversity.Since we are national socialists, we cannot permit an alien race, which had no connection with us, to impose itself upon working people as their leaders.In turn, it is evident that the ethnic diversity was forbidden in Nazi Germany. Hitler took on the so-called task to be the savior of the German race from integration, which, in Hitlers view would ultimately kill nationalism and pure culture in Germany.
Social welfare goesto the roots, precisely because it searches people out where they are in danger, when they run the risk of becoming antisocial (asozial).Hitler unconsciously creates a distinct form of nationalism to which he and his followers are unaware that this nationalism that was imbedded in the German mind was in fact kitsch. I was proud of the Hitler Salute because it struck me as signifying a new start, and through it I was entering an order of things were nothing was easy where all was more pure and honest.This is kitsch in that, it is blatantly false. There was no order in Nazi Germany because it lacked a stable government and to say the least, there was absolutely no element of honesty within Hitlers speeches or the Nazi regime as a whole. For the German people to believe that Hitler was pure and honest is Kitsch in itself, they lived reality through lies.
Hence, Hitlers Aryan race was his main key to nationalism, which was implemented by genocide at the expense of the Jews and any other asozial race that stood in their way.
Militarily, Hitler went to great lengths to fulfill his aspirations for Germany nationality on an expansionist level. The term lebensraum (living space) became a familiar word throughout Germany during the life of the Third Reich and thereafter. Hitlers speeches manipulated the German population into thinking that the production of armaments was the only way to achieve lebensraum. The need for lebensraum, and his conviction that other countries would oppose the restoration of Germany as an independent Great power.
It contains no directives for action beyond a wish for increased armaments.Hitler breathed, dreamt, and obsessed about war since his solder days in the Bavarian Army. Unlike most of his comrades, Hitler enjoyed the crucial business of war. He never grumbled or griped or spoke about going home, he hated the enemy and longed to defeat him.
The killing that went on around him did not sicken him at all. In all probability his hatreds were stimulated during the war years.Aside from the intention of becoming the dominant world power, Hitlers need for lebensraum was for the growth of the Aryan race. A central purpose of conquest in Europe, therefore, was to provide the master race with land for settlement and resources for exploitation.
Hitler, therefore, implemented a program of strenuous maximization of armaments which, in due course, would lead to his program of nationalization around the globe.What must guide us constantly today, Hitler declared, is the fundamental insight that the regaining of lost imperial territories is primarily a question of regaining the political independence and power of the motherland. He stated that such a task can not be solved by a parliament, by prayers, or by negotiations before the League of Nations, but only by blood and iron.
For Hitler, German Lebensraum was just one method for the superiority of the German race both at home and abroad.Hitlers need for lebensraum was, in short, for the purpose of national self- determination.
Autarky was Hitlers principal plan for Germany, which would, in his view continue for hundreds of years thereafter. Hitler refused to recognize the liberal scheme of world economy against which he postulated national self sufficiency.Furthermore, he charged that world trade as a basis of national life had an unwholesome effect on the social body of Germans.For Hitler, autarky was the only solution that would bring Germany to the top of the socio-economic ladder. Self-sufficiency was the key and the only way of doing so was to overpopulate Europe with Volkish people.
Fortunately, Hitlers plan to which he believed would carry Germany for centuries to come was a failure. It is evident that German nationalism between 1933-1945 rose to unprecedented heights.Hitlers rise to fame could not have succeeded without the political execution of the German Reichstag and the Rechtsstaat which was present in Germany before he took power. Hitlers vision of a national community could not have been conquered if he had to go through the political organs of the Reighstag and Rechtsstaat. Democracy and liberalism were not in Hitlers political peripheral vision.
Only the expansion of the Aryan race was regarded by Hitler for his national community.
The years to come saw the development and honing of the two important ideals which, in embryonic form, were in this concept of the national community: One was that of the superiority of an anti-liberal, anti-enlightened German political tradition, and the other, that of protecting the uniqueness of German culture from alien influence and of exercising the sovereignty deriving form the Reich idea of the middle ages.
Hitlers manipulation rose to new heights at the beginning of his political career, if one can call it such. The German people became increasingly gullible and trustworthy of a man that was going to change European society forever.
It became harder to believe in the Rechtsstaat after the elections of 5 March. As the Nazis moved to consolidate their exclusive power in all areas of German life, the Jews were inevitably increasingly excluded. The Nazis euphemistically labeled the process of Nazification Gleichschaltung (coordination). All the cogs in German society were to mesh perfectly, moving the country toward power, prosperity, and racial purity.
Hitlers way of constructing Nazi power to new lengths never seen before in history was the abolishment of all other political parties. His way of this abolishment was indeed done by coercive measures. An event that carried out this abolishment was known as the night of the long knives. On June 30Hitler struck at the SAhe admitted to seventy-seven victims. In fact several hundred people were slain, including prominent right wing personalities.National community was manipulated by the Nazi regime in their manifestations to take over Germany and instill a country with the same blood and belonging as the Aryan race and thus a Nazi culture would reside.
Economically, Hitler declared himself the savior of the Volkish people in his shrewd way of defeating the Great Depression. Hitler did implement various tactics that would economically benefit Germany, however, it was at the expense of any alien race existing in the Gemeinschaft. The world wide Depression that helped the Nazis into power created additional problems for the German Jews by limiting their financial resources, internal and foreign, by forcing more people to look to the Jewish community for financial assistance, and by limiting the possibilities for successful emigration.Hitlers speeches gave hope for the German people that their future would be bright, hence, they fell into the devious dictators propaganda for nationalism, which will be remembered for always. Come to me. I will lead you to a glorious future.
I will cure your problems, all of them, from unemployment on.Hitlers maneuvers for a wealthy and prosperous Germany did not stop at its borders. The Nazi party used its colonizing efforts for the sole economic benefit of the ethnic Germans. Hitlers goals for an affluent Germany came with terror and deceit both at home and abroad. The simples was a policy of smash-and-grab: to strip each conquered country of its raw materials, foodstuffs, and man power in order to concentrate war production in the Reich and to maintain a high standard of living there.
Overall, the economic manifestations by the Third Reich were for the overall economic growth of the Gemeinschaft in conjunction with the growth of German nationalism.Socially, politically, economically and militarily, Hitlers notion for German nationalism was geared toward the Volk and the Gemeinschaft at the expense of any other alien race. The German Youth Movement and all of the ideals incorporated within it gave Hitler a platform for a race-orientated Germany. In Hitlers eyes, the Jewish people were a spreading epidemic to which he had to cure by his genocidal policies. Hitlers need for German living space beyond its boarders was another policy to which contributed to his nationalistic Germany. Self determination was a prerequisite in order for Germany to gain any power on the European continent once the policy of Lebensraum was put into place.
Politically, Hitler made certain that the Nazi regime was the only political party in tact at the time in order to prevent any opposition. Economically, Hitlers method of ridding Germany of the Great Depression was to seize all economic power held by the Jews and transfer it over to that of the Aryans. The world saw a new sense of nationalism and culture during the life of Nazism. Millions of deaths took place by the hands of the Nazis to uphold a type of drastic nationalism never seen before by any other civilization known to humankind.
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