Hello,
The Third Reich had a philosophy as all mass movements do. It also seemed to attempt a melding of mysticism, political theory, and economics. This did not originate with Hitler though My Struggle could be considered the manifesto of Nazism.
Hitler and the party had to been reading from the same books, listening and debating the same ideas. These idea's had to have been also known to the general public, perhaps not believed or accepted, but people where probably aware of them.
What I am trying to figure out and read is the writers the prepared the ground for Hitlers ideas. Who was writing books an articles that had an influence on shaping both Hitlers and the party members in general worldview?
I would think there would be different types of writing: Simplified for the workers, writing targeted for the middle class, etc...
I remember a priest telling us in class "No social engineering is possible without out first verbal engineering".
These are names I have run across but I am hoping someone can recommend what is the best to read. Or perhaps others.
Oswald Spangler
Darre
Nietczche
Marx - I think those attracted to Marx would be equally attracted to National Socialism.
Hess?
Spiritual Writers & Philosphers of the 3rd Reich
Lanz von Liebenfels
Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels. He was one of the völkish ariosophist, but not in the more pagan way like Guido von List. He mixed mysthical christendom (+ theosophy?) with racial 'science' in a very strange way. He published a Journal with the name 'OSTARA - Bücherei der Blonden' (=OSTARA - libary of the blondes; Ostara = germanic goddess of sex and fertility - Easter is named after her, or so is said...). His main work was "Theozoologie -blablabla..." - I have forgotten the whole title.
Anyway. There was a book publlished at the begining of the 1950's. I don't know the name of the author but the title is "Der Mann der Hitler die Ideen gab" (=the man who gave Hitler the ideas). The author managed to interview this Lanz von Liebenfels, who was still alive at the beginning of the 1950s. He told the author, that the young Adolf during his times in Wien, had visited him and obtained issues of OSTARA. Liebenfels for himself was convinced that the whole nazi-movement, was a political expression of his ideas.
Here is a link with some info - not about Liebenfels or Hitler, but about Wiligut and Himmler:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=6107
-----------------
Grüße!
Kephra
Anyway. There was a book publlished at the begining of the 1950's. I don't know the name of the author but the title is "Der Mann der Hitler die Ideen gab" (=the man who gave Hitler the ideas). The author managed to interview this Lanz von Liebenfels, who was still alive at the beginning of the 1950s. He told the author, that the young Adolf during his times in Wien, had visited him and obtained issues of OSTARA. Liebenfels for himself was convinced that the whole nazi-movement, was a political expression of his ideas.
Here is a link with some info - not about Liebenfels or Hitler, but about Wiligut and Himmler:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=6107
-----------------
Grüße!
Kephra
I would suggest the following titles as being worthy of your reading.
Meta-politics. The Roots of the Nazi Mind by Peter Viereck
The Politics of Cultural Despair. A Study in the Rise of The Germanic Ideology by Fritz Stern
The Crisis of German Ideology by George Mosse
These titles, albeit old by today's standards, will provide you with basic interpretations and sources on this subject.
Meta-politics. The Roots of the Nazi Mind by Peter Viereck
The Politics of Cultural Despair. A Study in the Rise of The Germanic Ideology by Fritz Stern
The Crisis of German Ideology by George Mosse
These titles, albeit old by today's standards, will provide you with basic interpretations and sources on this subject.
I think you forgot the most important writer, as he is always forgotten or maybe unknown outside of germany, even though he was a roman.
Tacitus - Germania
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/tacitus1.html
I consider this very important, this is the main reason why Hitler and some others really believed in german super fighters etc...
It was something like a historical fact to them, even now it's unclear whether it is just plain propaganda for the romans or reallity (presumably a cocktail of both, as usual)
Tacitus - Germania
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/tacitus1.html
I consider this very important, this is the main reason why Hitler and some others really believed in german super fighters etc...
It was something like a historical fact to them, even now it's unclear whether it is just plain propaganda for the romans or reallity (presumably a cocktail of both, as usual)
Houston Stewart Chamberlain, author of Foundations of the Nineteenth Century, was a strong influence on German racial thinking and destiny, having married into the Wagner family and assosiated with prominent German leaders.
Le Comte de Gobineau was another.
There was also Alfred Rosenberg and his magnum opus The Myth of the Twentieth Century, which carried a heavy spiritual-racial focus. But it had little influence, and Hitler, who always took a rather harsh attitude toward Rosenberg, called it "rubbish".
Le Comte de Gobineau was another.
There was also Alfred Rosenberg and his magnum opus The Myth of the Twentieth Century, which carried a heavy spiritual-racial focus. But it had little influence, and Hitler, who always took a rather harsh attitude toward Rosenberg, called it "rubbish".
Thank you all for the replies:
After reading the replies, doing some more research, and going to a bookstore, I have started, I hope, organizing this in my head better.
Yes, the public was ready to accept some of the general beliefs of the NSDAP, i.e, anti-semitism existed in European culture long before the party.
After the loss in 1918 and the depression, nationalism and direction, of any kind, was welcome. There had to be tension between and because of the increasing industrialization of Germany vrs. agriculture and the changes in value systems...etc. Landowners vrs. factory owners. Nothing really new there.
The theory that I am working from is that the Nazi's were really a reaction to capitalism as was communism. Both systems were reactions to the changes that the industrial age brought and the crumbling of a millenia of a system based in land ownership.
Nazism did not embrace the changes that the industrial age brought. Rather is was a system of thought that sought to preserve the "old ways" as defined by the party. In many ways I see Nazism as a return to tribalism. So you had philosphers that promoted the old agricultural way of life. The old Gods and worship grounded in that. An economic system built around the state and the cult of the leader. And the cult of the warrior.
What do you think? Am I lost?
After reading the replies, doing some more research, and going to a bookstore, I have started, I hope, organizing this in my head better.
Yes, the public was ready to accept some of the general beliefs of the NSDAP, i.e, anti-semitism existed in European culture long before the party.
After the loss in 1918 and the depression, nationalism and direction, of any kind, was welcome. There had to be tension between and because of the increasing industrialization of Germany vrs. agriculture and the changes in value systems...etc. Landowners vrs. factory owners. Nothing really new there.
The theory that I am working from is that the Nazi's were really a reaction to capitalism as was communism. Both systems were reactions to the changes that the industrial age brought and the crumbling of a millenia of a system based in land ownership.
Nazism did not embrace the changes that the industrial age brought. Rather is was a system of thought that sought to preserve the "old ways" as defined by the party. In many ways I see Nazism as a return to tribalism. So you had philosphers that promoted the old agricultural way of life. The old Gods and worship grounded in that. An economic system built around the state and the cult of the leader. And the cult of the warrior.
What do you think? Am I lost?