The Rise of Adolf Hitler

Page 5 of 6

• 1. The drifter
• 2. The early years
• 3. Drifting in Vienna
• 4. A purpose in life
• 5. Demagogic gifts
• 6. Find out more
• Print entire article

Demagogic gifts

Initially, Hitler saw himself as a political evangelist seeking to convert the German people to his 'world view' rather than as a political leader. He was conscious of his demagogic gifts but also of the limits imposed by his lack of formal qualifications and social status. He assumed that some established figure of the extreme Right, such as the war hero, General Ludendorff, would take over power. Between 1919 and 1921, he rejected the offer of the leadership of the NSDAP and only took over when he was forced to do so by the fact that the leaders were pursuing a course which threatened his position.

'Initially, Hitler saw himself as a political evangelist...rather than as a political leader.'

His emergence as unchallenged 'Führer' of the NSDAP and his determination to become dictator of Germany only occurred during the period 1921-23 as a result of his growing self confidence, which was in turn partly the result of the increasing hero worship of his supporters.

It was also the result of his growing contempt for the Bavarian right wing establishment. This culminated in his experience of their pusillanimous behaviour during his Munich beer hall 'putsch' of 8-9 November 1923, when, as he saw it, they stabbed him in the back. It was only at this point that Hitler became convinced of his destiny to lead Germany, a conviction from which he then never wavered.

NextPrevious

Published: 2001-06-11