German Nationalism
Adolf Hitler was not the first man to drastically implement a strong nationalistic country. However, he was the first to implement a distinct form of nationalism, which imbedded highly raciest overtones for the everlasting purification of an Aryan Germany. Hitler's raciest ideals originated from the German Youth Movement during the inter-war period. In short, the Bundische youth carried nationalistic ideals, which were anti-liberal, anti-Semetic and Volkish, these were the three main characteristics of Hitler's platform for a nationalistic Germany. Hitler strongly believed that any alien race, especially Jews would ultimately destroy Germany. Therefore, he had to find a solution that would cure Germany from any infectious people. Lebensraum (living-space) and autarchy became synonymous to Hitler for the purpose of the growth of nationalism and self-determination. Hitler and the Nazi regime would stop at nothing to achieve the growth of this national aim. Politically, Hitler would not have been able to take over Germany if the old regime of the Reichstag was in place. The Nazis quickly forbade any political parties by the use of force. Hitler's sense of a national community could only come to rise by the implementation
Staudinger, Hans. The Inner Nazi. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1981. The years to come saw the development and honing of the two important ideals which, in embryonic form, were in this concept of the national community: One was that of the superiority of an anti-liberal, anti-enlightened German political tradition, and the other, that of protecting the uniqueness of German culture from alien influence and of exercising the sovereignty deriving form the Reich idea of the middle ages. For Hitler, German Lebensraum was just one method for the superiority of the German race both at home and abroad. Taylor, AJP. The Origins of the Second World War. London: Penguin Books, 1991. Aside from Hitler's backward looking aspects from the Youth Movement, his ideals for the German family was the key element to national unity during the course of the Nazi life span. Hitler's backward looking ideals went far beyond that of the German youth. Hitler became obsessed with the idea of the Aryan race to which he believed existed far beyond the youth movement. "The ancient German tribesmen were assumed to have been brave, simple, pure and self disciplined as well as tall, blond and blue eyed in appearance." To Hitler, the Jews were the opposite of this ideal, and hence, contributed to the downfall of German society with respect to nationalism before he took power. Hitler blamed their defeat in World War One on the Jews; "they stabbed Germany in the back in1918." "In his eyes they were a counter-race whose aim was to enslave and ultimately destroy the Aryan race." The exclusion of any other race was prominent in upholding the most strict nationalism known to man, Nazi nationalism. "Nationalism in its most extreme forms glorified the state and...used genocidal policies to eliminate ethnic diversity." "Since we are national socialists, we cannot permit an alien race, which had no connection with us, to impose itself upon working people as their leaders." In turn, it is evident that the ethnic diversity was forbidden in Nazi Germany. Hitler took on the so-called task to be the savior of the German race from integration, which, in Hitler's view would ultimately kill nationalism and pure culture in Germany. "Social welfare goes...to the roots, precisely because it searches people out where they are in danger, when they run the risk of becoming 'antisocial' (asozial)." Hitler unconsciously creates a distinct form of nationalism to which he and his followers are unaware that this nationalism that was imbedded in the German mind was in fact 'kitsch'. "I was proud of the Hitler Salute because it struck me as signifying a new start, and through it I was entering an order of things were nothing was easy where all was more pure and honest." This is kitsch in that, it is blatantly false. There was no order in Nazi Germany because it lacked a stable government and to say the least, there was absolutely no element of honesty within Hitler's speeches or the Nazi regime as a whole. For the German people to believe that Hitler was pure and honest is Kitsch in itself, they lived reality through lies. Hence, Hitler's Aryan race was his main key to nationalism, which was implemented by genocide at the expense of the Jews and any other 'asozial' race that stood in their way. 'What must guide us constantly today', Hitler declared, 'is the fundamental insight that the regaining of lost imperial territories is primarily a question of regaining the political independence and power of the motherland.' He stated that such a task can not be solved by a parliament, by prayers, or by negotiations before the League of Nations, but only by blood and iron.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Austria Bundische, Third Reich, Army Unlike, Youth Movement, Nazification Gleichschaltung, Rechtsstaat Democracy, German Jews, War Jews, Germany Hitler, Autarky Hitler's, youth movement, aryan race, german nationalism, university press, national community, nazi party, bundische youth, german youth, german people, third reich, german youth movement, short bundische youth, movement inter-war period, originated german youth, expense alien race,
Approximate Word count = 2699
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)
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