Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris

Memoirs,
London, 1954, 21. This was the first time Ribbentrop had met Hitler, who told him he was prepared to work with other political forces but insisted upon the Chancellorship. Ribbentrop came away very impressed, convinced that only Hitler and his party could save Germany from Communism, and joined the NSDAP straight away.
    7 . Vogelsang, ‘Zur Politik Schleichers’, 87–8.
    8 . Vogelsang, ‘Zur Politik Schleichers’, 99–100 n.29; Werner Freiherr von Rheinbaben,
Viermal Deutschland. Aus dem Erleben eines Seemanns, Diplomaten, Politikers 1895–1954,
Berlin, 1954, 303–4.
    9 . See Domarus, 123 for such an inference.
    10 . Hanfstaengl, 15
Jahre,
279. How accurate Hanfstaengl’s recollection of Hitler’s exact words was might justifiably be doubted. In his wartime interview for the American OSS, he had Hitler saying: ‘We’ll see. Perhaps it’s better like this’
(‘Wir werden ja sehen. Es ist vielleicht besser
so’) (NA,
Hitler Source Book,
911).
    11 .
RSA,
V/1, 304–9; Domarus, 125–9.
    12 .
RSA,
V/1, 316.
    13 . The following is based on Paul Kluke, ‘Der Fall Potempa’,
VfZ,
5 (1957), 279–97 and Richard Bessel, ‘The Potempa Murder’,
Central European History,
10 (1977), 241–54.
    14 .
RSA,
V/1, 317; Domarus, 130 (dated 23 August, when the telegram was published in the press).
    15 . Goebbels acknowledged that public opinion was against the party
(TBJG,
I/2, 230 (25 August 1932)).
    16 .
RSA,
V/1, 318–20 (quotation, 319); Domarus, 130; Kluke, 284–5.
    17 . Papen, 200. Hindenburg, on the other hand, claimed on 30 August at a meeting with Papen, Gayl and Schleicher in Neudeck that he was swayed only by legal, not political, considerations. Since the deed had been committed only an hour and a half after the decree came into effect, Hindenburg suggested that it could not be presumed that they had knowledge of it. This dubious argument was accepted by Papen and advanced as the reason for leniency (Winkler,
Weimar,
514).
    18 . Kluke, 286.
    19 . Kluke, 281.
    20 . Kluke, 281–2, cit. VB (11 August 1932).
    21 . Kluke, 285, cit.
VB
(26 August 1932).
    22 . Vogelsang, ‘Zur Politik Schleichers’, 89, 110.
    23 . Brüning, ii.658; see Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
154–5,
TBJG
I.2, 235–6 (31 August 1932, 2 September 1932), where Hitler points for the first time to intrigues and opposition which he saw as emanating from Strasser and his ‘clique’.
    24 . Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
160,
TBJG,
II.2, 239 (9 September 1932).
    25 . Brüning, ii.657–9.
    26 . Winkler,
Weimar,
519–20; Papen, 215–16.
    27 . Vogelsang, ‘Zur Politik Schleichers’, 101.
    28 . Eberhard Kolb and Wolfram Pyta, ‘Die Staatsnotstandsplanung unter den Regierungen Papen und Schleicher’, in Winkler,
Staatskrise,
155–81, here 161.
    29 . Winkler,
Weimar,
518–19; Kolb and Pyta, 165–6. For wide-ranging hopes invested in a revised constitutional arrangement see Hans Mommsen, ‘Regierung ohne Parteien. Konservative Pläne zum Verfassungsumbau am Ende der Weimarer Republik’, in Winkler,
Staatskrise,
1–18, here esp. 3–4.
    30 . Kolb and Pyta, 166.
    31 . Deuerlein,
Aufstieg,
401; Papen, 207; Winkler,
Weimar,
521; Mommsen,
Die
verspielte Freiheit,
474. Göring’s extensive contacts with the national-conservative élite had been important to Hitler and promoted his own advancement within the Nazi Party (though he never became a ‘party man’ as such) and in the Reichstag, which he had joined as a Deputy in 1928.
    32 . Winkler,
Weimar,
521.
    33 . Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
159–60 (8 September 1932, 10 September 1932),
TBJG,
I.2, 239–240.
    34 . Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
152 (28 August 1932), and also 153 (30 August 1932),
TBJG,
I.2, 233–4.
    35 . Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
159 (8 September 1932),
TBJG,
1.2, 238. Goebbels noted the demand for a Hitler Chancellorship again on 9 September. ‘Only Strasser speaks against’ (Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
160,
TBJG,
I.2, 239 (9 September 1932)).
    36 . Papen, 208.
    37 . Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
162 (12 September 1932),
TBJG,
1.2, 241; Papen, 208.
    38 . The above account is based on
Akten der Reichskanzlei. Das Kabinett von Papen,
ed. Karl-Heinz Minuth, Boppard am Rhein, 1989, ii.543–5; Papen, 208–9; Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
162–3 (12 September 1932),
TBJG,
I.2, 241–2; Lüdecke, 433–4; Winkler,
Weimar,
522–4; Schulz,
Von Brüning zu Hitler,
993–4; Bracher,
Auflösung,
627–9; Mommsen,
Die verspielte Freiheit,
475–6.
    39 . Goebbels,
Kaiserhof,
163 (12 September 1932),
TBJG,
I.2, 242.
    40 .