University of Richmond UR Scholarship Repository Honors Theses Student Research 1998 Enabling Hitler : an able body for a dangerous mind Parker O. Roe Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses Part of the Leadership Studies Commons Recommended Citation Roe, Parker O., "Enabling Hitler : an able body for a dangerous mind" (1998). Honors Theses. 1221. https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses/1221 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Enabling Hitler: An Able Body for a Dangerous Mind By Parker 0. Roe Senior Project Jepson School of Leadership Studies University of Richmond Richmond, Virginia May,1998 ENABLING HITLER: AN ABLE BODY FOR A DANGEROUS MIND I. INTRODUCTION Thereis no doubt today in theminds of theworld's populationthat Adolf Hitler, theleader, the Fiihrerof NaziGennany was responsible forhorrendous acts and possessed of insane intentions. However, what was is that enabled him to see his goals throughto theextent thathe was able? Intruth, there exist hundreds of insane and sadistic people in today's world, however a "Fourth Reich" has not yet emerged. In other words, how was it thatAdolf Hitlerwas able to be thedemi-god of a country and movement which branded the continent of Europe forall eternity and not just anotherangry German looking for an end to post-World War I and Versailles injustice and inflation? The answeris this: Hitler's success was linked to thosepowerful men who followedhim. These devotees becamethe combined incarnatedbody-vessel forthe derangedand dangerousyet intoxicating mind of Adolf Hitler. Three such "architects" of thisinfamous dictator were Hermann Goring, Heinrich Himmler, andJoseph Goebbels. Powerful, skilled, and fanatic, these men had a direct impactupon the success of Hitler's riseto power, maintenance of control, and implementation of his leadership. The intense and somewhat dysfunctional relationshipsthese men had withtheir Fiihrer suggests a deeperconcept at work as well. That concept is a broadened formof codependency andits subset topic of enabling. Therefore, it is my argument, that withoutmen such as theseand the codependent relationships they experienced, Hitler would simply have been one more embittered Germanic madman. II. GORING: MONEY AND GOVERNMENT Knownas Hitler's "firstpaladin," 1 HennannGoring firstmet his future Fuhrerin Munich in 1922.2 Afterinterviewing him for a possibleparty position, Hitler offeredthe fonnerWWI ace theleadership of the SA, theinfamous brown­ shirtedterror troops of the early Nazi Party. Hitlerneeded a distinguished soldier in hisranks at the time, and, althoughGoring pledged his loyaltyto him, their relationship was only laterto become close. The failed revolutionof the Beer Hall Putschin November of 1923 found Goringdrifting away from the Party and flounderingin the underworldof Weimar resistance. Aftera fewyears in exilein Sweden and Italy, Goringreturned to Germanyin 1927 and spentthe yearsfrom then until Hitler's ascension to power reestablishingeconomic, political, andParty power in ways such as becoming one of Hitler's deputies in 1928, being elected to the Reich stag in the sameyear, and eventuallyrising to become President of that body in 1932. It was in thislast positionthat Goring began to aid Hitler politically in any greatmeasure andbecome indispensable to his maintenanceof power. As Overy statesin hisbook: It was from thisposition thathe [Goring] was able unscrupulouslyto conduct negotiationswith otherparties, ostensiblyfrom a disinterested desire to form a stable governmentthat could commanda parliamentarymajority: in 1 R. J. O,,ery, Goering: The 'Iron Man' (London: Routledgeand Kegan Paul, 1984), l50(g). Biographical information takenfrom Overy. 7•21. practiceto find an avenuewhereby Hitler mightcomplete the 'legal revolution and gain the chancellorship.3 Thus began Goring's enabling of Hitler. As Hitler ascended to the power position of Chancellor, he was 4 "inordinately gratefulto Goring,'' because of the partGoring had played in the 'legal revolution'. Therefore, he wasrewarded with a post in Hitler's new cabinet and the importantposition as PrussianMinister of the Interior. Asmember a of Hitler's "kitchen cabinet", Goringserved as one of a small group of top leaders with whom theFuhrer conferred when makingimportant d ecisions. Goring ( along with Goebbels) oftenhelped to dissuade dissenting argumentsto Hitler's plans from other cabinet members, stemmingfrom his intense loyalty.5 In this manner, Goring servedas an immediate and unwaveringassistant in the daily decision­ making of the Third Reich,helping Hitlerto realize andimplement many of his heinous acts. However, lacking any real Partyposition, Goringdepended on Hitler's favor tokeep him in power securedas it was by his overt loyalty to the Nazi leader. Eventually, Hitler commissioned Goring as his economicoverlord in 6 193 8, on behalf of the "all-out war eff ort'' ( afterthe reclaiming of the Ruhrand the successfulAnschluss with Austria)which Hitler was insistentupon. 3 Overy, IO. A Overy. 11. ' 6 William Carr. !htlcr�_Stu<h_in Personalit\· and Politic<; (New York: St. Martin's Press. 1979). 31 Michael H Kater. Jhe N:u.i Partv: A Soda\ Profile of Members and Lcudcrs. 1919-1945 (Camhridge· Harvard University Press, 1983 ), 89 It is important tonote that Goring was also themajor proponent of Anschlusswith Austria. However, Goring wasmore interestedin the practical reasons forannexation rather than the ideological reasons Hitler stressed and spoke of in Mein Kampf. As theno n-violent diplomatic and political solution to the Austrianproblem drew closer to feasibility,Hitler remained "full of doubt and hesitation."7 However, Goringhad his sights set upon the naturalresources and foreignexchange reserves of Austriawhich would greatlyboost the German economy and, subsequently, pressured Hitlerinto immediate action. 8 Therefore, even in conjunctionwith one of Hitler's main ideological goals, Goringproved to be theinfluence he needed to succeed. The Rome-BerlinAxis treatywith Mussolini's fascistItaly was completed in November 1936. This new turn of events called for "are-orientation of foreign policy which did not correspondwith the Mein Kampf strategy which Hitler is commonly supposed to have adhered to."9 Therefore, Goring was able to step in andinfluence Hitlerin the redefining of this policy, thereby increasing Hitler's dependence upon him. Once in power, Goring, at Hitler'sbehest, had almost successfully completed the transformationof the German economy into a state-controlled entity. This process included thefonnation of state-run industry such as "Mining 7 Carr, 55 8 Carr. 55. 9 Carr, 54. EnterprisesHermann Goring" and the slow takeoverof private industrialist empires. 10 Most of thiswas completedby 1939. It is in thismanner that Goring enabled Hitler to increase his power even furtherby securingthe financial means to do so. Goring's actions allowed Hitler, who alreadyhad the ultimate political authorityat the time, to gain access to the industrial and economic frameworkof his growingThird Reich. Thispower would eventually lead himto financehis greatwar machine and, intum, execute the calamitiesof World WarII and the atrocitiesof theHolocaust. Hitler also leaned on Goring for his credibilityand trustworthiness. The nature of much of Hitler's earlyplanning and goal implementationafter his appointmentto Chancellorwas radical enoughto receive weightyopposition at times from othergovernment officials. Goringwas able to assist in the "greasing of theaxles" to help these ideas do through at thetime andthis areaof assistance forthe Fuhrermerely broadened as theReich grew in power. When explainingh is motives concerningeconomic and foreignpolicy to his commandinggenerals on August22, 1939, Hitler cited Goringas beingable to confirmthe waning economic strengthof the Reich withoutthe securing of more national resources from areas such as the Sudetenland and Poland. 11 Thisconfidence in Goring's testimonyis important because of the general view the majority ofhigh Partyand governmentalleaders had of Goringand his lack of official Partystatus. 10 Kater. I 05 11 Carr. 58. Goring's experiencewith air force strategies also made hima leaning post forHitler in those areas. More oftenthan not, Hitler did not interferewith Goring'smilitary plans forthe air force especially duringthe war, even if it meant defeatfor the Luftwaffe as inthe Battleof Britain. Hitler retained confidencein hispaladin even in darktimes such as that until the evidence of Goring's failure was clear. 12 Although Goringfell out of favorfor this unsuccessful attackon the British, Hitler kept a close place forhim in Reich and war affairsexemplified by the acceptanceof Goring'sair liftplan to aid the failing Stalingrad campaignin the fall of 1942. Goringis linked to anotherone of these"enabling men", Heinrich Himmler, in that he helped to foundthe Gestapo and the concentration camp system.13 These twoelements would later prove to be instrumental to thereign of terror which kept orderthroughout the Partyand theReich 14 thereby solidifying Himmler's enabling of Hitler. 12 Carr, 91 13 Carbal J. Nolan, The Longman Guide to World Affairs (White Plains, NY: Longman Publishers USA. 1995}. 142 Ill. HIMMLER: TERROR AND CONTROL Heinrich