862.00/3020

The Chargé in Germany (Gordon) to the Acting Secretary of State

[Extracts]
No. 2496

Sir: In amplification of my telegram No. 107 of June 23, 2 p.m., I have the honor to report that more than heretofore the Nazis have recently been stressing the principle of “totality,” that is, an exclusive one-party State. The Nazis contend that there is no room in the Third Reich for political parties other than the Nazi Party and that all political organizations must be subordinated to the “Führer.” Especially after the conference of Nazi leaders in Berlin last week, this thought was expressed in public speeches by various Nazi leaders in such a way as to indicate clearly that “a new revolutionary wave” was about to sweep the country.

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Even while the impending “new revolutionary wave” was thus being proclaimed, there was widespread evidence that the new revolutionary activity was assuming definite form. Repressive measures against political groups and organizations whose very existence, according to the Nazis’ philosophic outlook, is incompatible with the principle of “totality,” were already initiated. The first to be hit by these measures were the Nationalist Kampfringe, then came the Stahlhelm, the Juvenile organizations, the Bavarian People’s Party, the Christian Trade Unions, and the Social Democrats. When it is borne in mind that all this happened in one crowded joyous week—from a Nazi point of view—the lengths to which this pace of achievement may lead are not pleasant to contemplate.

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The suppression of the Nationalist Kampfringe was followed on the same day by the incorporation of the Stahlhelm in the Nazi Party. Unlike the Kampfringe, the Stahlhelm was at least nominally a nonpartisan organization. It will be recalled that for some time past there has been growing tension between the Stahlhelm and the Nazi S.A. Of [Page 237] late this tension has led to open conflicts between the two rival groups in various parts of the country, particularly Brunswick, Western Germany and East Prussia. Only a few days ago the Stahlhelm was prohibited in the whole of the Rhine province. Since the last Reichstag election in March, the Stahlhelm has been growing rapidly through the absorption of former members of the Reichsbanner and even of Communist organizations, and the Nazis also resented this because they wished to enroll these elements in their own ranks.

After a conference between Chancellor Hitler, Minister Seldte, the leader of the Stahlhelm, Vice-Chancellor von Papen, and the Reichswehr Minister, the following solution of the problem was agreed upon: The main Stahlhelm units as originally founded by Seldte in 1918, are to remain under his leadership, but they are specifically prohibited from belonging to any political party other than the Nazi Party. It will be recalled that when the Stahlhelm was subordinated to Hitler some weeks ago (see despatch No. 2350 of May 1, 1933), Seldte, its leader, was the only one who became a member of the Nazi Party, while the other Stahlhelmers were expressly barred from membership in this party. Until Seldte definitely threw his lot in with the Nazis, the Stahlhelm was regarded as the semi-military organization of the Hugenberg Nationalists. Through the new arrangement, however, the Stahlhelm will practically become an organization of the Nazi Party.

Like other semi-military organizations in Germany, the Stahlhelm consists of three distinct groups. The Scharnhorstbund, comprising youths from 9 to 16 years of age; the Juvenile Stahlhelm, comprising youths from 17 to 22 years of age; and the main Stahlhelm units, to which men over 22 years of age belong. As the youths grow up they pass on from the first group to the second group and finally to the main Stahlhelm units. The Juvenile Stahlhelm has now been put under Captain Rohm, the head of the S.A., and its leader, Morozowicz, has been assigned to Röhm’s staff, while the Scharnhorstbund has been completely consolidated with the Hitler youth. It is obvious, therefore, that in course of time the Stahlhelm will automatically cease to exist.

That the Nazis attach particular importance to the rearing of the nation’s youth as a means of achieving their goal of a one-party State is evidenced further by the Chancellor’s recent ordinance creating a new department of the Reich Government in charge of all juvenile activities and the appointment of Baldur von Schirach, the leader of the Nazi youth, as the head of the new department. Hereafter the formation of new juvenile organizations in Germany requires the approval of the Reichsjugendführer, which is Baldur von Schirach’s official title. This new instrument of the Reich was put into operation without delay, to further the attainment of a 100 percent Nazi State. One of the first [Page 238] acts of the Reichsjugendführer was to dissolve the “Grossdeutscher Bund,” a juvenile organization comprising various groups of boy scouts headed by Admiral Trotah, and to confiscate its property. In issuing his first official order, Baldur von Schirach, a young man himself, took the occasion to declare that the youth of Germany is to be reared in a spirit of socialism and anti-capitalism.

In stressing the importance of rearing the nation’s youth, Chancellor Hitler, in a recent public speech, practically delivered a threat to parents who felt unable to reconcile themselves with the changed political condition in Germany, that their children would be taken away from them in order that they may be reared in the spirit of the new German State. Hitler’s plan to attain his goal of a one-party State from the bottom up, that is, by coordinating all juvenile activities under a Nazi official of the Reich, is certain to evoke serious opposition in church circles. The Catholic bishops have issued a manifesto rejecting interference with the rearing of organized Catholic youths, and even Chaplain Müller, Hitler’s candidate for Reich Bishop of the unified Evangelical Church, has deemed it necessary to obtain definite assurance from the Reischjugendführer that a dissolution of the Protestant juvenile organizations was not contemplated.

The repressive measures against the Catholic parties, particularly the police raid on the offices of the Bavarian People’s Party, the homes of its leaders, and the suppression of its newspapers, as well as the arrest of Herr Bolz, a Centrist leader and former head of the Württemberg Government, are clearly in line with the Nazis’ aim of a one-party State. This is equally true of the recent arrests, on political grounds, of Catholic priests in the Palatinate and Württemberg.

An outstanding instance of the application of the principle of “totality” was a recent order by Dr. Ley, the head of the German Labor Front, practically outlawing the Catholic and Protestant workmen’s organizations because “it is the will of the Führer that there should be no workmen’s organizations except those of the Labor Front.” Following the forcible seizure of the trade unions affiliated with the Social-Democrats, the intimidated Christian Trade Unions “voluntarily” submitted to Nazi leadership (see despatch No. 236242). Under pretexts, which may be described as grotesque to say the least, Dr. Ley has now ousted all the leaders of the Christian Trade Unions from the Labor Front, replacing them with Nazis.

In the light of preceding events, the ordinance of the Reich Minister of the Interior, prohibiting the Social-Democrats from engaging in political activity in any form, and confiscating their property, thus outlawing the second largest party in Germany, was not at all surprising. [Page 239] This ignominious end of a once influential political party will be discussed at some length on another occasion. For the purpose of this despatch it will suffice to point out that the elimination of the Social-Democrats and Communists from the Reichstag reduces the membership of that body from 647 to 446 deputies. The Nazis alone control 288 seats in the Reichstag, 10 short of a two-thirds majority required for measures modifying the Constitution—and these few votes they will doubtless find no difficulty in securing whenever the necessity may arise. Thus the elimination of the Social-Democrats is in fact another step in the direction of the realization of the Nazis’ goal of an exclusive oneparty State.

The complete absence of editorial comment in the Hugenberg press on matters of such vital importance to the Nationalist Party as the suppression of its Kampfringe, the incorporation of the Stahlhelm in the Nazi Party, and the elimination of Nationalist influence over their juvenile organizations, clearly reflect Hugenberg’s present critical position. Political developments in Germany have now taken a turn which Hugenberg and his adherents hardly expected when they joined forces with Hitler in January. It is difficult to see how Hugenberg can continue his hopeless fight much longer.

Sooner or later, it seems, the Nazi Gleichschaltung steam-roller will pass ruthlessly over the Nationalist Party, absorbing what is still left of it. The final struggle for the attainment of the “total” State will then narrow down to a fight between Hitler and the Center Party. Whether or not the fate of the Popolari actually awaits this party, as Kube predicted, time alone will show. In any event, the proverbially unshakable Zentrumsturm is certain to prove the stoutest stronghold Hitler has yet tried to capture.

Respectfully yours,

George A. Gordon
  1. Dated May 5, 1933, p. 273.