- Anti-Semitism (Especially Jews)
- The idea of Herrenrasse (a.k.a. The Master Race)
- Rejection of other ideologies
- Relation to Fascism
Anti-Semitism
Fig. 2.1 (from left to right) A Jew and a German
Roughly translates "The year of it ends. Let the rampage proceed."
This is a Anti-Semitism poster that encourages Germans to mistreat the Jews.
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| (Fig 2.2 A portrayed rich Jew) |
Anti-Semitism is an idea of being against the "Shem" race (Semites is derived from Shem) and Anti-Slavism is an idea of being against the Slavics. However, the most targeted race in Germany was Jews. This hatred for Jews was not only started in the 20th century but since the ancient times. For Europeans in the early 1900s, the Jews are hated for their wealth and successes in business, politics and media. Germans especially despised the Jews because of this reason as well. Not much native Germans were really rich and successful and they blame it all to the Jews because most of them are successful. The Germans even claimed that the Jews are controlling Germany.
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| (Fig 2.3 "Germany's Children are Starving" Photograph in 1923) |
Because of the wealthy Jews in Germany, the Germans have believed that the Jews are responsible for the poverty of Germany. Many said that "Jews are stealing our bread from our tables." -quoted from Hitler:The Rise of Evil. With the help of the economic crisis in Germany, it let Hitler use the Semites to take the blame and made it easy to persuade his fellow Germans to believe that it is all the Semites fault for the suffering of the Germans. Hitler mainly used this example to gain support from middle and lower class. His speech about Jews causing harm to Germany was an effective catalyst to wake up the nationalism among the native German population.
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| Fig 2.4 An Anti-Semitism propaganda poster |
"What the Jews did to the Germans during the Weimar period they are now doing to the American people. They have stolen our wealth—our freedoms—our prosperity—our traditions— our moral character—our honour, our wholesomeness, and our Christian heritage. Should a strong new voice of clarity and conviction appear and convince me and my family that he could and would lead us out of this occupation by aliens and unite our people in a just cause—ending Jewish influence—I would follow him since there is no other choice—no other hope—you’re damn right I would. Perhaps Jewry would do well to learn a lesson from Weimar and how it was addressed by the Third Reich—because next time it just might be the whole world screaming for justice and an end of Jewry’s evil. This time, once and for all!" - Joe Cortina
Hitler believed that the Jews have migrated to Germany to strip them from their heritage, contaminate the Purity of the German Race, and destroy Germany socially and economically as what Joe Cortina explained. Hitler believed strongly in Nationalism and have believed that Jews should not be compromised with. All because they are not Pure Germanic Race or part of the Aryan race. He only believed in the nobility and purity of Germans that could only make German great again. In Fig 2.4, this poster tells about the perverse traits of the Jews, mainly believed as backstabbers, lustful, and greedy, and how they harm (from knife pointing at a soldier) the Germans in order to get the benefits they wanted. This poster intended to support the idea of eliminating Jews from Germany.Hence, Hitler further gained a large support base.
The Herrenrasse
This ideology is close to Anti-Semitism however this focuses on the unification of the Germanic states. This idea is to unify all German blood or the Aryan race and eliminate the inferior races. The Aryans was known as a superior race -worth of nobility and are pure. Additionally, their race were known as
naturally having health, more moral than others, more noble than other races
known. So, in this ideology, the hierarchy structure is by race. The most superior are the Aryans, the lowest are the inferior races like Slavs and Jews. Of course, the people of Germany will really support this idea since they have been separated from Austria-Hungary after the WWI. Because of this element, the people of Germany supported Hitler which helped him to rise in power.
The Rejection of Other Ideologies
Karl Marx was a Jew and this has sparked Hitler an idea that the Jews are making way to control the world through Communism. This is also because in Communism and Bolshevism emphasized on working with different races and compromise with them to reach the nation's goal. In my perspective, if different races worked together to achieve one goal then all of these races has the credit. Whereas, if it is only the Germans made Germany rise again, then all credits goes to the Germans. Not Jews, not Slavs -Purely Germans only. This concept of crediting helps more to understand why Hitler reject Communism and Bolshevism. Not only that, but economically speaking, Hitler rejected Communism as it was a threat to Germany and the people. Hitler feared Communism as it may worsen the status of Germany. The people feared Communism because it may lead to deaths like what happened to Russia in October 1917. Hence, Germans (who are neutral especially) would support Hitler from this element.
Secondly, Hitler rejected Democracy as well. This is because of the outcome of the Weimar government's action towards the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler could not fathom the fact that the new government surrendered and allowed misfortune upon Germany. As a patriotic veteran Hitler was, he could not simply accept it. My opinion regarding his rejection of the democratic government is that, democracy can allow stupid people to be in charge of the country -frankly speaking. Since it is everyone chooses a leader, the people would go for the one they think is more comfortable but not exactly what they need. As for Hitler, he believes truly in his country and I believe that he knows what should be done but it could not be possible through a democratic governemnt.
Overall Analysis
As far as I have researched on this topic, most clearly show that Nazism is about strong nationalism to the extent of there is no such thing of being compromised. Hitler's Nazi ideology is all based on defense of blood and soil (which are represented as red and black on his flag) as his main goal was to create a pure German state that is known to be a great nation. However, I have observed that as his life goes on from childhood, there are incidents that made him hate the Jews more. The immorality influence in Germany -especially media, the Jewish people in politics and army. He solely believed in the rights of the German people to their country and this reason gave him passion to be a voice to his people. All because of the elements of the Nazism ideology, Hitler was able to catch the attentions of investors, publishers and more people that could help him to rise, and eventually become a speaker that could appeal people because of his ideology to a leader. Without the Nazism ideology, he would not be even interested in politics. He would not have gotten attention from people and would still be an average person. Therefore, I believe Nazi ideology allowed him to rise in power.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZWqaXgSO8o
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