Adolf Hitler suddenly became the supreme power in Germany, molding it to his will.

by Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis and Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky
Nazi May Day

1934 Parade for Nazi May Day
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

Within six months of appointing Hitler chancellor, Von Hindenburg died. Hitler, who had positioned himself shrewdly, also became president.

The Nazi party became the only legal party, and Hitler was Germany. And it all happened completely legallythrough the system.

With Von Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler not only got the presidency, but control of the army as well. He immediately set out to do as he had promised and, in the beginning, really had tremendous successes in delivering his promises. First of all, he got Germany back on its feet economically. In reality, the nations of the world absolved all the debt of World War I, but Hitler claimed that for his own credit. He threw the country into making arms. War is good for business. Now, the military was behind him, and industry was behind him.He eliminated mass unemployment and the masses now identified with him, too.

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Mass Meeting for Hitler

Mass Meeting for Hitler
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

In huge rallies, he captured the minds and imaginations of everyone. All of Germany was behind him now. He became the "Fuhrer," the unquestioned supreme authority in Germany.

The Supreme Court declared allegiance to Hitler, not Germany. Whoever opposed this policy was an immediate candidate for the first concentration camp, Dachau, just outside Munich, where they went in for a little bit of re-education.

 

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Pledging Allegiance to Hitler

Judges Pledging Allegiance to Hitler
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

Published: Wednesday, December 31, 1969
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Visitor Comments: 95

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About the Author

Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis

Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis studied biology and geology at Northern Illinois University. In addition, he spent time as a deep-sea diver in the oil fields in the North Sea between Scotland and Norway and has circumnavigated the seas of the world in a sailboat. Rabbi Ellis received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah where he is a senior lecturer at the Discovery and Essentials programs.

Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky

Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky received his BS from Cornell with a major in Communication Arts and a minor in Archeology, and did post-graduate work at UCLA in the field of Desert Plants and Natural History. Prior to moving to Israel, he worked in the field of Urban Ecology including several years as a landscape designer in Beverly Hills. Rabbi Silinsky received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He currently teaches at the Yeshivat Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem.

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