Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939 (166 page)

155 
The official communiqué reprinted in
Das Kabinett von Papen
, vol. 1, doc. 101, p. 392n5.

156 
Pünder,
Politik in der Reichskanzlei
, p. 141 (dated 18 Aug. 1932). See Papen,
Der Wahrheit eine Gasse
, p. 224.

157 
Minutes signed by Hitler, Frick and Röhm dated 13 Aug. 1932;
Das Kabinett von Papen
, vol. 1, doc. 102, pp. 393f.

158 
Alan Bullock,
Hitler: A Study in Tyranny
, London, 1990, p. 222. See Konrad Heiden,
Adolf Hitler: Das Zeitalter der Verantwortungslosigkeit. Eine Biographie
, Zurich, 1936, p. 300: “In front of the eyes of the entire German people, Hitler ascended the steps of power, and before those same eyes, he tumbled back down them.”

159 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 180, pp. 330–7 (quotation on pp. 330f.). See Ralf Georg Reuth,
Hitler: Eine Biographie
, Munich and Zurich, 2003, p. 274.

160 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 341 (entry for 14 Aug. 1932).

161 
Hanfstaengl,
Zwischen Weissem und Braunem Haus
, p. 279.

162 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 172, pp. 313–15 (quotation on p. 314: “He was bitter over his rebuff last Saturday by President von Hindenburg”). Joachim von Ribbentrop, who visited the Obersalzberg in August 1932, found Hitler “full of fury with Herr von Papen and the entire government in Berlin.” Joachim von Ribbentrop,
Zwischen London und Moskau: Erinnerungen und letzte Aufzeichnungen
, ed. Annelies von Ribbentrop, Leoni am Starnberger See, 1961, p. 36.

163 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 173, pp. 173f.

164 
On the series of violent attacks from August 1932 see Richard Bessel,
Political Violence and the Rise of Nazism: The Storm Troopers in Eastern Germany 1925–1934
, New Haven, 1984, pp. 87ff.; Dirk Walter,
Antisemitische Kriminalität und Gewalt: Judenfeindschaft in der Weimarer Republik
, Bonn, 1999, pp. 237–40; Blasius,
Weimars Ende
, p. 84; Longerich,
Die braunen Bataillone
, pp. 156f.

165 
Kessler,
Das Tagebuch
, vol. 9, p. 480 (entry for 1 Aug. 1932).

166 
Cabinet meeting of 9 Aug. 1932;
Das Kabinett von Papen
, vol. 1, no. 98, pp. 374–7 (quotation on pp. 374f.). See Winkler,
Weimar
, p. 508; Blasius,
Weimars Ende
, p. 87.

167 
See the documentation in Paul Kluke, “Der Fall Potempa,” in
Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte
, 5 (1957), pp. 279–97; see also Richard Bessel, “The Potempa Murder,” in
Central European History
, 10 (1977), pp. 241–54.

168 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 174, p. 317. See also Hitler’s telegram of 23 Aug. 1932, ibid., doc. 175, pp. 318–20; Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 346 (entry for 24 Aug. 1932): “Major storm of protest because of the death sentence. Hitler has issued a sharply worded call to arms…Things at a boil everywhere.”

169 
Quoted in Winkler,
Weimar
, pp. 513f.; see Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 346: “A sharply worded essay: ‘The Jews are to blame.’ It will do the job.”

170 
Quoted in Reuth,
Hitler
, p. 273. See also Heiden,
Hitler: Das Zeitalter der Verantwortungslosigkeit
, p. 300: “A cry of outrage is going through the general public. That went too far!”

171 
Kessler,
Das Tagebuch
, vol. 9, p. 496 (entry for 28 Aug. 1932).

172 
See Kluke, “Der Fall Potempa,” pp. 285f.; Blasius,
Weimars Ende
, p. 95. Hitler had already announced the pardons of the Potempa murderers in a speech at Zirkus Krone in Munich on 9 Sept. 1932; Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 183, p. 347.

173 
Schacht to Hitler, 29 Aug. 1932; Hess,
Briefe
, pp. 420f.

174 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 348 (entry for 26 Aug. 1932).

175 
Brüning,
Memoiren
, p. 623. On the contact between the Centre and Nazi parties see Herbert Hömig,
Brüning: Politiker ohne Auftrag. Zwischen Weimarer und Bonner Republik
, Paderborn, 2005, pp. 31–5.

176 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 348 (entry for 26 Aug. 1932).

177 
See Brüning,
Memoiren
, p. 624; Hömig,
Brüning: Politiker ohne Auftrag
, p. 34.

178 
Hugenberg to Albert Vögler, 19 Aug. 1932; BA Koblenz, N 1231/39. In late August, rumours started circulating in Hugenberg’s party that a “cabinet of Schleicher (Chancellor)-Brüning-Strasser” was already a “done deal.” Quaatz,
Die Deutschnationalen und die Zerstörung der Weimarer Republik
, p. 201 (dated 27 Aug. 1932).

179 
See Winkler,
Weimar
, pp. 515f.

180 
Cabinet meeting of 10 Aug. 1932;
Das Kabinett von Papen
, vol. 1, no. 99, p. 382. See also Eberhard Kolb and Wolfram Pyta, “Die Staatsnotstandsplanung unter den Regierungen Papen und Schleicher,” in Heinrich August Winkler (ed.),
Die deutsche Staatskrise 1930–33
, Munich, 1992, pp. 155–81.

181 
Memorandum by Meissner dated 30 Aug. 1932; Hubatsch,
Hindenburg und der Staat
, pp. 339–43; also in
Das Kabinett von Papen
, vol. 1, no. 120, pp. 474–9.

182 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 176, pp. 320–2 (quotation on p. 320).

183 
Quoted in Döring,
Parlamentarischer Arm
, p. 335 (also the previous quote). See Quaatz,
Die Deutschnationalen und die Zerstörung der Weimarer Republik
, p. 202 (dated 30 Aug. 1932): “Nazis very well-behaved in order to convince Hindenburg of a ‘functioning Reichstag.’ No socialists in the presidium since the Centre has moved to the right!”

184 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 354 (entry for 1 Sept. 1932).

185 
Ibid., p. 359 (entry for 9 Sept. 1932), p. 361 (entry for 11 Sept. 1932). See Pyta,
Hindenburg
, p. 736.

186 
Brüning,
Memoiren
, p. 625.

187 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 178, pp. 325–9 (quotations on pp. 328f.). See Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 355: “Sportpalast full beyond capacity. Hitler almost consumed with ovations. He spoke better than ever. A sharply worded final reckoning with Papen and the reactionaries. Storms of enthusiasm. This speech will work miracles.”

188 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 180, pp. 330–7 (quotations on pp. 331, 335).

189 
Ibid., doc. 183, pp. 339–50 (quotation on p. 350). See Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 358: “In the evening Zirkus Krone. Hitler really went after Papen. Thunderous ovations from the more than capacity house.”

190 
Papen,
Der Wahrheit eine Gasse
, p. 235. On the Reichstag session of 12 Sept. 1932 see Döring,
Parlamentarischer Arm
, pp. 337–44; Winkler,
Weimar
, pp. 522f.

191 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 362 (entry for 13 Sept. 1932). See Pünder,
Politik in der Reichskanzlei
, p. 145 (dated 13 Sept. 1932): “The only positive is the vast majority for a vote of no confidence.”

192 
Kessler,
Das Tagebuch
, vol. 9, p. 502 (entry for 13 Sept. 1932).

193 
See the cabinet meetings of 14 and 17 Sept. 1932;
Das Kabinett von Papen
, vol. 2, no. 141, pp. 576–83, no. 146, p. 599.

194 
Pünder,
Politik in der Reichskanzlei
, p. 149 (dated 8 Oct. 1932).

195 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 372 (entry for 28 Sept. 1932), p. 373 (entry for 29 Sept. 1932).

196 
See Longerich,
Die braunen Bataillone
, pp. 159f.; Horn,
Der Marsch zur Machtergreifung
, pp. 357f.

197 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/3, p. 38 (entry for 16 Oct. 1932).

198 
See Turner,
Grossunternehmer
, pp. 354–8.

199 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 1, doc. 193 (dated 24 Sept. 1932), pp. 362–5 (quotation on p. 363). See also Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/3, p. 30 (entry for 2 Oct. 1932): “Hitler very optimistic. Probably too much.”

200 
Adolf Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen—Februar 1925 bis Januar 1933. Vol. 5: Von der Reichspräsidentenwahl bis zur Machtergreifung April 1932–Januar 1933. Part 2: Oktober 1932–Januar 1933
, eds Klaus A. Lankheit and Christian Hartmann, Munich, 1998, doc. 5, pp. 13–15 (quotation on p. 15). See also ibid., doc. 4, pp. 10f. (interview with the Italian newspaper
Il Trevere
from 4 Oct. 1932): “We are neither impatient nor fearful nor nervous because we know that the 6 November elections will necessarily go our way.”

201 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 363 (entry for 14 Sept. 1932).

202 
Von Hassell’s notes on his discussions with Hitler in Ulrich von Hassell,
Römische Tagebücher und Briefe 1932–1938
, ed. Ulrich Schlie, Munich, 2004, p. 217.

203 
Paul,
Aufstand der Bilder
, p. 105.

204 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 2, doc. 54, p. 146 (dated 1 Nov. 1932, Karlsruhe); doc. 22, p. 77 (dated 18 Oct. 1932, Elbing).

205 
Ibid., doc. 56, p. 168 (dated 3 Nov. 1932, Hanover). See ibid., doc. 25, p. 85 (dated 19 Oct. 1932, Breslau), “The only thing that tempts me is leadership itself, genuine power, and nothing else.”

206 
Ibid., doc. 6, p. 16 (dated 11 Oct. 1932, Günzburg); doc. 21, p. 73 (dated 17 Oct. 1932, Königsberg); doc. 16, p. 61 (dated 16 Oct. 1932, Coburg).

207 
See Paul,
Aufstand der Bilder
, p. 106; Ian Kershaw,
Hitler 1889–1936: Hubris
, London, 1998, p. 389.

208 
Heiden,
Hitler: Das Zeitalter der Verantwortungslosigkeit
, p. 302. Kessler,
Das Tagebuch
, vol. 9, p. 513 (entry for 11 Oct. 1932) reported Nazi sympathisers saying that Hitler’s behaviour had shown that he and the party were “pursuing politics for reasons of prestige and elevating the party above the nation.”

209 
Quotations in Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 2, doc. 12, p. 77 (dated 18 Oct. 1932, Elbing); doc. 10, p. 23 (dated 13 Oct. 1932, Nuremberg); doc. 21, p. 75 (dated 17 Oct. 1932, Königsberg), doc. 47, p. 133 (dated 30 Oct. 1932, Essen).

210 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/2, p. 370 (entry for 25 Sept. 1932).

211 
Ibid., vol. 2/3, p. 51 (entry for 5 Nov. 1932). On the Berlin public transport strike see Winkler,
Der Weg in die Katastrophe
, pp. 765–73.

212 
Excerpts from the diary of Luise Solmitz, 4 Jan. 1932–5 March 1933; Werner Jochmann,
Nationalsozialismus und Revolution: Ursprung und Geschichte der NSDAP in Hamburg 1922–1933. Dokumente
, Frankfurt am Main, 1963, p. 416 (dated 6 Nov. 1932).

213 
Falter
et al.
,
Wahlen und Abstimmungen
, pp. 41, 44.

214 
Quoted in Bernd Sösemann,
Das Ende der Weimarer Republik in der Kritik demokratischer Publizisten
, Berlin, 1976, p. 164.

215 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/3, p. 49 (entry for 1 Nov. 1932), p. 53 (entry for 7 Nov. 1932).

216 
Hitler,
Reden, Schriften, Anordnungen
, vol. 5, part 2, doc. 61, pp. 185f. (entry for 6 Nov. 1932).

217 
See Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/3, p. 54 (entry for 8 Nov. 1932): “Yesterday: rotten mood in the Gau”; p. 56 (entry for 11 Nov. 1932) “Bitter mood.”

218 
Ibid., p. 54 (entry for 9 Nov. 1932).

219 
Papen to Hitler, 13 Nov. 1932;
Das Kabinett von Papen
, vol. 2, no. 214, p. 952n2. See Papen,
Der Wahrheit eine Gasse
, p. 240.

220 
Goebbels,
Tagebücher
, part 1, vol. 2/3, p. 57 (entry for 12 Nov. 1932), p. 58 (entry for 13 Nov. 1932).