Why Hitler Came into Power

by Abel, Theodore

• ISBN13: 9780674952003
• ISBN10: 0674952006
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1986-10-08
• Publisher: Harvard Univ Pr

Summary

In 1934 Theodore Abel went to Germany and offered a prize, under the auspices of Columbia University, for autobiographies of members of the National Socialist movement. The six hundred essays he received constitute the single best source on grassroots opinion within the Nazi Party, and they form the empirical foundation for Abel's fascinating yet curiously neglected 1938 book. Although a number of scholars have drawn on these reports, Abel's own treatment has never been surpassed. Of particular value is his presentation of the life histories of a worker, a soldier, an anti-Semite, a middle-class youth, a farmer, and a bank clerk, all of whom explain in their own words why they joined the NSDAP. In the vast literature on National Socialism, no more useful or revealing testimony exists. In a new Foreword, Thomas Childers discusses how the past half-century of research and writing on Nazi Germany has uphold Abel's original insights into the broad appeal of the National Socialist movement, thereby reaffirming this work's enduring value for students of the topic.

Table of Contents

Foreword, 1986 by Thomas Childers

Introduction

Who Wrote the Life Histories?

General Comments

Historical

The Background of the Hitler Movement

The Revolution of 1918

Reaction to the Revolution

The Versailles Treaty War

Prisoners and Occupation

Counter-Revolution Military organizations

Semi-military organizations Political groups

The First Period: 1919-1923

Origin of the Movement

Hitler Becomes the Leader

The Hitler Putsch

The Second Period: 1924-1929

After the Putsch Organization

Significance of the local group Propaganda Finances

The Third Period: 1930-1933

Opposition Conflict Victory

Analytical

Discontent As a Factor

The Drawing Power of National Socialist Meetings

The Basis of Discontent Opposition to Other

Panics Ideology As a Factor

The Idea of Gemeinschaft National Socialism

The Principle of Leadership Anti-Semitism

The Why of the Hitler Movement

The Function of Discontent

The Functions of Ideology

The Function of Tactics and Strategy

The Function of Charismatic Leadership

Conclusion Critique of Other Interpretations

The psychoanalytical interpretation

The Marxist interpretation

Selected Life Histories

Six Life Histories Introduction

The Story of a Worker

The Story of an Anti-Semite

The Story of a Soldier

The Story of a Middle-Class Youth

The Story of a Bank Clerk

The Story of a Farmer

Appendices

Chronology of the Hitler Movement

Statistics The Growth of the Movement

Number of members in the National Socialist party

Number of supporters in elections General Statistical Data

Geographical distribution Education

Religion and marital status

History of employment (1919-32)

Military activities

Membership in organizations before joining the National Socialist party

Miscellaneous data

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.