The Currency of Heroism

I was particularly struck by Kershaw's discussion of the development of the concept of a "heroic" leader within the Nazi party. When I think of Nazism I associate it with the term and symbolism of the "Fuhrer", of the great leader that everyone is so bent on following. Yet it's interesting to read that an infamous dictator rose out of a party that was never initially focused on the cult following of a single, almighty leader.

Kershaw suggests that the war is what impressed the archetype of the hero upon the Right wing masses. The NSDAP began to apply it to Hitler out of a seeming necessity to now have someone fill that role and be their hero/champion. We see that Hitler quickly transitioned from his position as the 'drummer' to the 'leader' without much deliberation. In a time of such instability within the government and the Versailles Treaty beginning to take effect, it seems it would be important to take notice of someone willing to speak with strong opinions and follow through on things to make change. Hitler was very quickly becoming that guy.

But he wouldn't have been anything had the people around him not been desperate for a hero and had he not chosen to market himself and his party in the light of a 'savior'. For Kershaw goes on to discuss the very significant financial beneficiaries Hitler managed to garner in a time of extreme economic crises. The fact that the Nazi party was kept well-nourished and continued to develop under such a sparse economic environment is remarkable, and could not have been accomplished without the patrons having faith in Hitler and his party. Kershaw vaguely ties the motivation for the financial support to Hitler's image and his party's platform. Yet it is curious to think that the more support he gained, the stronger and more affirmed he could be in his assumption of the heroic role.

For as much as Hitler needed his patrons we can assume they were expecting something from him in return. It became more and more important for Hitler to play himself up as the hero standing in the face of the 'enemy', and he convinced people that his was what they needed, because that lead to investment in him and the developing idea of the great Fuhrer.

I think Hitler's developing image as the Fuhrer was what brought him great success in essentially being able to squeeze blood from the stone and gain capital for his party at a time where capital was very difficult to come by. Did he do all of it single handedly? No. Yet it was his name coming to the forefront of activity, it was the connections he made, and the actions he took, that were beginning to shape the heroic platform of Nazism. And that heroic ideal was essentially exchanged for money, for men, for weapons, and more. It was all beginning to center around Hitler and the cult of the Fuhrer.

~Cat Crowley