Political Dissent in Rottenburg Am Neckar, 1933- 1938

Political Dissent in Rottenburg Am Neckar, 1933- 1938

RESISTANCE IN THE THiRD REICH?: POLITICAL DISSENT IN ROTTENBURG AM NECKAR, 1933- 1938 A Thesis Presented to The Füculty of Grüduüte Studies of The University of Guelph by ELLEN JEAN THORNE In partial fulfilment of requiremenis for the degree of Muter of Arts January, 2000 OEllen J. Thome, 2000 National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wdlington Street 395. rue Wdîingîon OtlewaON K1AW ûRawaON K1A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sel1 reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of ths thesis in rnicroform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retahs ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis.nor substantid extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT RESISTANCE IN THE THIRD REICH?: POLITICAL DISSENT UV ROTTENBURG AM NECKAR, 1933- 1938 Ellcn f cmThornc Advisor: University of Guelph, 2000 Professor E. Reiche This thesis is an investigation of popular opinion and politicül dissent in Rottenburg. Gcrmany from 1933 to 1938. Relying on oral interviews conducted by Gcnnan reseürchers. this thcsis explores the ütt itudes of ordinq Germans to the seizure and strengthening of power by the Nui regime. The main aspct of opinion addressed is ihc effect of the Church-Stüte contlict on this Catholic population and the extent to which ihcir religious and social values were able to withstand Nazi attack. It is found ihat. iilthough there were no major acrs of resistance, a distinct climate of dissent existed within the city. The inhabitants of Rottenburg, like many other average Germans. were not rffectively integrated in the Volk.sgorneinscI~ufrand they did retüin their religious üllegiances and formcr convictions. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There have been many people who have helped me throughout the writing of this thesis. First and foremost 1 would like to thank my advisor Dr. E. Reiche for his constant understanding. support and excellent suggestions. 1 tmly could not have done this without him. 1 would ülso like to thank Dr. W. Cormack for dways king there when 1 needed someone to talk to and for his cüreful attention to detail when reading my dnfts. I was helped immensely during my time in Germany by the archival staffs of the Kreisarchiv Tübingen, the Stüatsairchiv Sigmaringen and the Stadtarchiv Rottenburg am Neckar. I would pürticulürly like to thank Herr. Peter Ehrmann of the Siadtarchiv Rottenburg for his constant help and for answering al1 of my endless questions. I would also like to ihünk Dr. Utz Jeggle of the University of Tübingen for giving me permission to use the interviews which played an integral role in this work. I would like to thank my farnily and friends for their constant support throughout my entire time at grad xhool. 1 thank Sonya Goldberg for getting me to the librüry everyday and for al1 of those lunchtirne thesis discussions. Thanks to James Hall for being there to support me through the last and most difficult part of the revision process. Finally, 1 would like to thank Michele Martin for king there from beginning to end, for everything she did for me while 1 was away doing research and for being the best possible friend anyone could hope for. .. II TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables iii Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: A Typical Swabiün Town? Chapter 3: Rottenburg's Response to the Glricliscltultung Chapter 4: Stlite vs. the Church Conclusion Bibliography Appendices: Appendix A: Germüny 19 18- 1935 Appendix B: Württemberg Appendix C: Rottenburg am Neckar c. 1935 Appendix D: City Centre-Rottenburg am Neckar Appendix E: Reichstag and Landtüg Elections. 191% 1933 Appendix F .. 111 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Population Distribution According to Religion Affiliation 32 Table II: Total Population Distribution into Main Economic Sectors 1933 36 Table III: Reichstüg Elections in Rottenburg. 1924- 1933 38 Table IV: NSDAP Proportion of Total Vote in Reichstag and Württemberg Lündtüg Elections, 1924- 1 933 4 1 Table V: Presidential Elections-Rottrnburg 44 1 Chapter 1: Introduction More than fifty years since the demise of the Third Reich, the image of masses of enthusiüstic men. women and childrcn thronging to have a glimpse of the Führer is still pan of popular imagination. The 'totditürim* image of brainwashed, fanatical masses king led by an al1 powerful leader has been propagated by films, books and the works of some historiüns. The goal of Nazi social reforrn was to integraie the entire German people into a Volksgemeinscli~$tor 'national community'. Through sophisticated propaganda methods the Nazis hoped to mould the population into a disciplined, obedient mass which would be prepared to fight the nation's ideological enemies. This idealized self-representation of the regime still influences the perceptions of many people today. but how accurately does it reflect the true situation of life in the Third Reich? The subjects of opinion and resistiuice of the German population to the Nazi regime have been intensely debated by scholm around the world for several decades and have produced an enormous body of historical research. While early works tended to see German society in the Third Reich as king rather monolithic, more recent reseûrch has taken new appmaches to the evidence and even to the definition of resistance itself, resulting in the conclusion that there were numerous expressions of dissatisfaction and acts of noncon formity . This study is un attempt to examine the attitudes and opinions of ordinary Germans living in one smdl southwestern town between 1933 and 1938. How did the residents of Rottenburg am Neckar reüct to the changes brought about by the instatement of Niizi policy end ideology? To what extent were the Nazis succesafiil in integrating the population of this town into their 'national community'? Undoubtedly there existed within the Reich ün acclamatory side to popular opinion. however this examination will focus on the "dissenting strinds of opinion. falling for the most piut well short of real opposition let alone resistance to Nüzism but setting nevertheless the ücclüim for Hitler and for certain Nui aims and policies in perspective."' An attempt will be made to cover the widest possible spectrum of opinion within the town. but the study was conditioned by the nvüilability of sources. The main aspect of popular opinion addressed in this study is the effect of the Church-Staie contlict upon the Cütholic population. who t'ormed a majority in Rottenburg, and the extent to which their religious and social values were able to withstmd Nazi attack, In most cases the actions and attitudes of the town's people could be classified as rünging from üccommodation or indifference to non- conformity. but with respect to their religion. and its traditions and institutions. their opinions often led to open oppsition. The reasons for choosing Rottenburg as an area of study were manyfold. This study began as an attempt to research the fate of the city's Jewish community and the 'See Preface to [an Kershaw, Popular Opinion and Political Dissent in the Third Reich: Bavuria 1933-1945 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1983). react ions of the local inhabitünts. While looking through files, however. and upon spending more tirne in the city. it became obvious that Rottenburg was somewhat renowned. at least within its local area. as hüving been a 'resisting* city dunng the Third Reich. It dso seemed that over the years the city hüd in a sense cultivated this image of hiiving resistrd by honouring several prominent citizens. The first of those to he publicly xknowledged was former Württernberg president and Centre Party politiciün Eugen Bolz. who wüs bom in Rottenburg and who had been executed in connection with the Iuly 30th conspiracy. At the Ianuary 1946 ceremony to honour Bolz and twenty-three other local victims of Nazi persecution. the mayor made an intriguing speech in which he clüimed thüt no city had resisted üs much üs Rottenburg and that "it was ü solid bulwark of Christianity and as such an obstacle to the endeavours of Nazism and a permanent monument ügainst its disgraceful deeds."' This was merely the beginning of a series of honours which were to be bestowed on other locai heroes. The anti-Nazi mayor Josef Schneider, who will be discussed at greliter length in chapter three. wiis given the title of honourq citizen of the city in 1949.' He was followed by Josef Eberle (made honourary citizen of the city in 1961 ). ünother local hem who hüs ken honoured over the years as '~tadtarchivRottenburg am Neckar (StAR) A 80.9980. For more information on Eugen Bolz see StAR D 1 1 Eugen Bolz; Joachim Kohler. "Eugen 8012 ( 188 1- 1945). Politiker aus Leidenschaft. Zum 100. Geburtstûg des württembergischen Ministers und Staatspriisidenten." in Rottenburger Jnhrbuclr fur Kirchengeschichte. 1 ( 1982). 2 1-32; Kohler, "Eugen Bolz: Württembergischen Minister und Staatsprikident" in eds. Bosch and Neiss, Der Widerstand im cleutschen Südwesten 1933-1945 (Stuttgart: W.Kohlhammer, 1984), 227-235 and "Die latzten Tage des Staatsprasidenten Bolz" in Schwiibisclies Tngblntt. Tübingen. n0.4~4October 1945. "or additional information on Schneider see StAR DI 1 Josef Schneider; Grosse Kreissindr Rottenburg am Neckac Jahresberichte 1992 (Rottenburg am Neckar: Rottenburger Druckerei. 1993). 5-6.

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