Chapter 34 Chapter 5 "Someone So Crazy and So Reasonable" (5)

What Murphy reflected was just the impression of local officials in Bavaria.These officials mistook the post-May 1 political silence as an inevitable sign of disengagement from Hitler and his movement.This political inactivity has continued, interrupted only by a brief disturbance.The riots were sparked by the execution of German nationalist Albert Leo Schlaget for bombing a railway near Doesburg in protest of the French occupation of the Ruhr.He was tried for sabotage and was shot on May 26. When Hanfsteinl heard that many patriotic organizations would hold protests at Koenigplatz next week, he felt that Hitler, who was on vacation in the mountains, should rush back to participate.He took the train to Berchtesgaden—a beautiful health sanctuary on the German-Austrian border—and found Hitler (“I fell in love with the scenery”).Hitler used the pseudonym Herr Ulf at the time and lived in the "Militz Apartment", which was built on a steep hill called Obersalsberg.At first, Hitler was not enthusiastic about giving a speech to the demonstrators because everyone could listen to it; but Hanf Stangl insisted repeatedly, and Hitler had to agree.So, the two drafted a speech.

That night, Eckart, who was staying at the same time as Hanf Stangl, complained that Hitler often brandished a rhinoceros whip, bluffed everywhere, and showed off in front of the wife of the apartment manager. "I don't like Hitler's behavior," he said. "It's obvious that the guy is crazy." . . . The luxury, the extravagance, the injustice, the splendor, and the wealth of the Jews, disgust me so much that I can hardly believe it. It almost seems to me that I have come to the temple of God, and found and exchanged The Jesus of the moneymakers," Eckart said, and Hitler brandished his whip, shouting that his holy mission was to come to the capital like Jesus and scour the corrupt.

The next day, Hitler accompanied Hanf Stangl to the train station.As he stepped off Obersalsberg, he said Eckart, the recently ousted editor of the party paper, had become "an old pessimist, an old and incompetent weakling."Schopenhauer turned him into a suspicious Thomas. "Where would I go if I listened to his vague nonsense? What a lofty theory! Reducing the will and the will of men to a minimum! Lost the will and all is lost. This life is war. " After speaking, he whistled "with a strange trill" and played the swan song from "Loangrin". Anton Drexler and Heiko also disapproved of Hitler's performance at the Obersalsberg.Hitler's rising revolutionary enthusiasm also made them panic.Those who objected that Hitler was not building a firm base of true socialists among the working class, but was on fire with the industrialists, the rich, and the bankers, were also terrified.Hitler must have known in his heart that he was facing yet another rebellion within the party—a revolt born of the discontent and consternation of those who had begun with the highest hopes in Hitler, who had revered him as the new leader of Germany.

In early September of that year, Hitler attempted to prop up his declining prestige with public appearances.It was at the "Germany Day" commemorative meeting held in Nuremberg on September 1 and 2 to celebrate the first anniversary of the "Battle of Sedan".On that day, more than 100,000 nationalists flocked to this ancient city and held demonstrations on the streets.According to the city's police report, the event generated "an enthusiasm not seen since 1914."The streets were filled with a sea of ​​Nazi and Bavarian flags, as people chanted "Hail!", waved handkerchiefs and threw bouquets at Ludendorff and the marching troops. "The defeated, the miserable, the uprooted, the shattered, saw a glimmer of hope, a ray of liberation from slavery and poverty. This celebration is an unbridled expression of that sentiment. Many men and women cried, unable to contain their emotions."

Most of the marchers were National Socialists.After the congress began, Hitler gave a speech in one of the venues.He looked smarter than in Coburg: he wore neatly pressed clothes, his hair was neatly cut, and his shoes were no longer high. "In a few weeks, the dice will be rolled," he declared prophetically. "What is taking shape today will be greater than a world war. It will be a monument to the world on German soil." The next day, the "German Fighting League" was formed.Ostensibly a coalition of nationalists, it was in fact an invention of the National Socialist Party: its secretary-general was Schebner Richter, its military chief was another right-hand man of Hitler, and one of the main organizations was Ruled by Rohm; its first proclamation (written by Feder) sounds like it came from Hitler.It declared against parliamentarism, international capital, class struggle, pacifism, Marxism and the Jews.

The "Germany Days" at Nuremberg and the founding of the "German Fighting League" marked Hitler's public return to the political arena of his revolution.This became even more apparent a month later when he officially became the political leader of the new organization.Its "programme of action" openly called for the seizure of power in Bavaria.There were rumors that Hitler was deploying another revolution.In fact, he did declare that he intended to act to prevent the Reds from taking power again. "The task of our movement, as in the past, is to prepare for the collapse of empires. That way, as the old trunks fall, new saplings have grown."

Bavaria's chancellor, Eugene von Niering, agreed with some of Hitler's ideas, but was overwhelmed by Hitler's mob tactics. On September 26, Nirin told the cabinet that because of the urgency of the situation, a state commissioner must be appointed immediately.Although this member belongs to the leadership of the cabinet, "but he can freely exercise executive power."He proposed former prime minister Karl on the grounds that he has the support of several nationalist groups and is respected by conservative monarchists and the Catholic Church. Carl accepts this onerous duty in the name of law and order.The first action he took was to order the banning of the 14 Nazi rallies that were to be held the next day.For Adolf Hitler (he had just returned from a Swiss fundraiser), the move was both a threat and an opportunity.If he bowed his head, it could mean ruin; if he resisted successfully, he could become one of the important statesmen in the country.People persuaded him to retreat and to make a comeback in the future; they believed that the party was not strong enough to take action.But people close to rank-and-file party members urged him to act. "If there is no indication now, the fighters will slip away," said the commander of the SA Munich regiment. “To keep the soldiers united,” Schebner-Richter said, “something has to be done, otherwise they will turn into leftist radicals.”

These urging words caught Hitler's attention.This impulsive behavior set him on the path of revolution and set out to find allies for action in and around Munich.He was busy meeting and visiting all kinds of influential people every day: military chiefs, politicians, industry people and officials.He also talked to party stalwarts and wavering elements—promising, threatening, sweet-talking.One of his favorite sayings is: "We have to give in to these people so they can move forward with us." "Once he had made up his mind, no one could make him change his mind," recalled Helena Hanfstagel. "Many times, when his followers tried to force him, I noticed that there was a look in his eyes. A distant, dismissive look. As if his mind had been shut off to hear anyone but his own." That autumn, that distant, dismissive look in his eyes had a special meaning.He felt he was taking on Mussolini—and his goal was Berlin.Nor is it just a hallucination revealed only to cronies.At a meeting of right-wing military leaders, he called on all Bavaria to attack Berlin with all its strength. "Now Napoleon's and Messianic ideas took root," recalled a member of the meeting who attended the meeting. "He declared that the call to save Germany was ringing in his chest, and that sooner or later the task would fall to him. Afterwards, he A series of comparisons were made with Napoleon, especially after Napoleon returned to Paris from Elba."