Top 50 most important Third Reich political figures

[Manstein]

Qvist, Rosenberg had practically no influence in his position as a Reichsleiter of Foreign Affairs. This was mostly handled by Ribbentrop. Before the war, Rosenberg was just viewed as the philosopher of the party and was a subject of criticism and mocking by many party officials.

However, Rosenberg's power got a major boost after he was appointed the Reich Minister of Eastern Occupied Territories. He was responsible for the pillaging and plundering of works of art and he aided in the "Final Solution", quite a lot of it involving slave labor. He also had an overall responsibility of much of the genocide and deportations that happened in east of Poland which was done with his knowledge, approval, and his help. The only atrocities he complained about were atrocities committed to non-Russian, non-Jewish minority groups. This is why Rosenberg gets #10 place in power.

If he continued to be just the Reichsleiter of Foreign Affairs, he would've been as powerful as Franz von Epp, who served merely as a figurehead for most of the Third Reich.

BTW, thanks everyone for helping me to understand who has greater power than who in the Third Reich. I've learned quite a bit.

[Roderick]

IN MY OPINION, I'D PUT THIS SEQUENCE:

Nº 1 - ADOLF (ADI) HITLER - THE FUHRER - AS HE USED TO SAY: "UNLESS MARTIN, EVERYBODY IS IDIOT!"
Nº 2 - MARTIN BORMANN - FREQUENTLY RULED HITLER.
Nº 3 - HERMANN GÖRING - THE SMARTEST.
Nº 4 - HEINRICH HIMMLER - KING OF THE FILES.
Nº 5 - JOACHIM von RIBBENTROP - EVERYBODY THOUGHT HE WAS NOT IMPORTANT.
Nº 6 - JOSEF GOEBBELS - THE CLOWN

ROD

[Helly Angel]

Hey All,

Roderick let me make my impressions:

Martin Bormann was not ruled all time by Hitler, Hitler was very influenced and ruled by Bormann in the last times.

Göring... yes and oportunist too!
Himmler... YES jejeje (or hehehe in english!)
Ribbentroop... very very good... with the Wines!

Göbbels... Sorry I think he was not a clown. If you check the Randall Bytberk´s Website about German Propaganda Archive you can see he was very important in the last years of the Reich, just remember the famous spech in the Sportpalace in 1943 about Total War.

He influenced decrease untill july 1944 before the bomb when he was very active.

Greetings,

[MVSNConsolegenerale]

Nº 6 - JOSEF GOEBBELS - THE CLOWN

I'd have to say I think you grossly underestimate Dr. Goebbels' influence.

Dr. Goebbels' was not a popular man in the Nazi Party, but he was very very popular outside of it, considered to be the second best speaker Germany ever had. He also scared the shit out of the Allies, his information manipulation skills were unsurpassed and he could make the most ridiculous argument sound impressive and cause dissent. At the end of the war I would argue he was Hitler's favourite.

In terms of your comment about him being a clown, I think that most of the people that are put above Goebbels are more clownlike. Especially Goering and Himmler (at least at the end). He was more educated, more hard working, and more of a Nazi ideologist than any of them. And he did his job right up until the end. He gave the Nazi Party an intellectual basis that it clearly did not deserve.

- MVSN[/quote]

[Mark Costa]

I have to add my list to all the others.

1. Hitler
2. Bormann -- even before Hess left he was running the party and Hitler's private affairs. After 1941 he ruled supreme.
3. Himmler -- the all powerful but yieled to Bormann when they allied themselves in the 1943.
4. Speer -- People tend to forget how much power and influence he had in the complete scheme of things. Minister of Armaments was a major role in the war effort and his personal friendship with Hitler can not be discounted.
5. Goering --- even though he was on the slid during the war years his persona was still considerable throughout the reich.
6. Goebbels -- his power and influence was considerable. Although it waned during the war years --until the end -- he still controlled the image of the Fuhrer.

As far the rest -- its pretty much a crap shoot. Ribbentrop was basically a buffoon. Rosenberg thought he had power. Ley was another with delusions of power but really never had any to speak of. Hess had power but really never used it as he could have.

Mark Costa

[Mark Costa]

Another comment on the original list.

Franz Xaver Schwarz had considerable power withing the Party. Even Bormann and Himmler kow towed to him. Himmler recognized that he needed Schwarz to finance his activities. Schwarz controlled the $$$$$ and most leaders gave him a lot of respect. He would be a lot higher on my list.

Mark

[Johnny]

What about Gregor Strasser? He was certainly an important guy before his fall from grace and his sidekick Goebbels moved on.

[Mark Costa]

Strasser was never a major player in the overall scheme of things. In the 1920's he was a rival to Hitler but just barely. Then he came back for more abuse in the early 30's and was basically ignored by all even Goebbels. He is really a side figure to the Reich and Party.


He wouldn't make my top 100 thats for sure.

Mark costa

[Roderick]

HELLY ANGEL AND MVSNCONSOLEGENERALE,

I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS BETTER MY OPINION ABOUT GOEBBELS WHEN I USED THE WORD "CLOWN"

I ASSUME AND ADMIT GOEBBELS POWERFUL BUT NOT MORE THAN OTHERS MENTIONED BY ME.

IN FACT I ONLY WANTED TO LET CLEAR THAT GOEBBELS WAS CONSTANTLY CONSIDERED A RIDICULOUS PERSON BY MAJOROTY OF GERMAN POPULATION.

REGARDS,

RODERICK

[DarExc]

Nº 6 - JOSEF GOEBBELS - THE CLOWN

I'd have to say I think you grossly underestimate Dr. Goebbels' influence.

Dr. Goebbels' was not a popular man in the Nazi Party, but he was very very popular outside of it, considered to be the second best speaker Germany ever had. He also scared the shit out of the Allies, his information manipulation skills were unsurpassed and he could make the most ridiculous argument sound impressive and cause dissent. At the end of the war I would argue he was Hitler's favourite.

In terms of your comment about him being a clown, I think that most of the people that are put above Goebbels are more clownlike. Especially Goering and Himmler (at least at the end). He was more educated, more hard working, and more of a Nazi ideologist than any of them. And he did his job right up until the end. He gave the Nazi Party an intellectual basis that it clearly did not deserve.

- MVSN

I think Himmler was just as much a nazi ideologist as the doc. The Doc probobly didn't believe what he was saying either seeing as he had clump foot. Goering wasn't clown like at all either. Maybe to us now that we know all his little secrets but people at the time knew nothing of his make up using and all that, he was one of the more popular nazis with the citizens.

[R.M. Schultz]

Strasser was never a major player in the overall scheme of things.

Strasser came dangerously close to splitting the party in 1932 and, if he had not been a diabetic, he probably would have led away the left wing into a coalition government with Schliecher. His support in the party was considerable:

Men who cold have been counted upon to support Strasser in the crisis would have included NSBO officials Reinhold Muchow, Walter Schuhmann, Ludwig Brückner and Otto Krüger, P-zero men Konstantin Hierl, Heinrich Haake, Jacob Sprenger, Wilhelm Loeper and Otto Wegener, Gauleiters Karl Kaufman, Joseph Wagner, Alfred Meyer, Bernhard Rust, Karl Röver, Erich Koch, Heinrich Lohse, Helmut Brückner, Wilhelm Murr, Josepf Bürckel, Rudolf Jordan, Friedrich Hildebrandt, Dr. Ernst Schlange. Sympathetic, though less sure, were Martin Mutschmann, Josef Terboven, and personal friend Wilhelm Frick. Doubtful of the party’s future were Feder, Rosenberg, and Buch. Against Strasser were Ley, Goebbels, and Göring.

I think this points up the whole question of when do we rank the powers in the party. In December of 1932 it might look like this:

1] Hitler
2] Strasser
3] Röhm
4] Göring
5] Goebbels

Whereas by December of 1934 it might look like this:

1] Hitler
2] Hess
3] Himmler
4] Göring
5] Goebbels

December of 1938:

1] Hitler
2] Hess / Bormann
3] Himmler
4] Göring
5] Ley

December of 1941:

1] Hitler
2] Göring
3] Bormann
4] Himmler
5] Goebbels

December of 1943:

1] Hitler
2] Speer
3] Himmler
4] Bormann
5] Goebbels

December of 1944:

1] Hitler
2] Bormann
3] Goebbels
4] Himmler
5] Speer

[ihoyos]

In my opinion. EICHMAN, was more important that lot of people on that list. ( 100 list).
Top ten in NAZi era as a whole 1920/1945
-Adolf Hitler
-Herman Göring
- Ernst Röhm.
-Joseph Goebels
-Rudolph Hess
-Heimrich Himmler
-Albert Speer
-Martin Borman
-Reinhard Heydrich
-Joachim von Ribbentrop

[R.M. Schultz]

Top ten in NAZi era as a whole 1920/1945 ... -Joachim von Ribbentrop

Ribbentrop? Really? Name one crucial decision that came down to him. Name one policy that he pushed onto Hitler. Name one time when he stood up to Hitler. I think Ribbentrop was just a flunkey.

[Mark Costa]

RM:

I have to disagree with you on Strasser. I doubt very much if he really would have split the party in 1932. I did not see any of these men you mention, rush to his side when he left in 1932. And not one of them lifted a finger to save him in 1934. His power was all on paper. He had only lukewarm support at best. He and his brother never understood that Hitler never cared about a socialist regime, only about power for powers sake. The left wing had deluded themselves into thinking that Hitler really wanted a "socialist" government. He wanted power by any means with himself as dictator. There was no sharing in Hitler's mind. Strasser never understood Hitler's true motivations. My opinion only on this one.

Mark

[Deine-Zukunft]

Great thread

I just want to say that Göring was highly intelligent and Göbbels was most educated so if we look matter in this aspect,id say these 2 had Hitlers bless.Also offcourse Himmler,treue Heinrich.

Somebody says that Bormann was important,personally,i dont believe that at all.Brutal uneducated building constructer conducts Hitler,that seems too far away searched.Ive seen document about Bormann and sure he did have influence on Hitler but not so great that he would had been second in the hierarchy.