The business leaders who funded Hitler’s election campaign

It has often been asserted that the Nazis were funded by big business, however this is nonsense - except for one occasion and that was the March 1933 elections. On 20 February 1933, Hitler and Goering met leaders of German industry in order to point out the dangers of Marxism and that there is no cash to fight the forthcoming elections. Of course this effected the other parties as well, but one thing that the Nazis were good at was public relations and they managed more rallies than any other party. A Nazi rally was not just a political event, they would also arrange some entertainment such as a band, a dance and some beer or food. Whereas the events were usually not free, they were not money spinners either. Today this is a normal part of electioneering, but then it was quite revolutionary. To ensure they got their point across, the Nazis brought in their big names to ensure a bigger crowd, something other parties did not do as a rule. In this photograph, for example, we can see WW1 hero General Litzmann addressing the audience. President Hindenburg had considered electioneering below him. He won the 1932 presidential elections without making a single public appearance. A number of industrialists were invited by Hermann Göring to his official residence in the Reichstag presidential palace. The stated purpose was that Hitler would like to explain his ideas and as he was then Chancellor, attendance cannot be seen as showing support for either his party or his policies. The list of invitees was drawn up by Göring and his adjutant. Hjalmar Schacht later said “almost all the men in German industry from all sectors were represented” On 18 February a letter was sent out by Gustav Krupp, Ludwig Kastl and Jacob Herle to various industrialists suggesting that attendees do what they can to ensure that the economic policy of the new government takes into account the justified demands of industry. The letter suggested that all of them should work for a stable government but left the “practical conclusions from this general principle” to the “sense of responsibility of every individual industrialist”. Krupp had even planned a small speech for the event. The meeting kicked off with Hermann Göring keeping everyone waiting for 15 minutes . When he eventually turned up, he was accompanied by Walther Funk. They said a few words about the ongoing election campaign. Then Hitler appeared in a respectable business suit with his adjutant shook hands with everyone gathered. Behaving quietly and in a defential manner, he took a seat at the head of the table. He spoke softly for 90 minutes. The most important points of his speech being his belief in private property, something that must have worried those present given not only the risk of the communists winning an election but also the original programme of the Nazi party itself. Hitler outlined some of his economic ideas which according to the notes of some of the attendees showed no understanding of economic matters. Hitler promised that there would be no economic experiments which just went to show that he had no idea on how to turn the economy around and indeed his recipe would be to continue as before. However he did have ideas on government. Bearing in mind that many of those present believed in the establishment, were opposed to the Weimar Repbulic and probably were monarchists at heart, Hitler pointed out the benefits, as he saw them, of an authoritarian regime over democracy. Weimar, he said, brought about the risk of communism. He claimed that the only the Nazis could save Germany from the Bolshevik threat. He promised to increase military spending, something which would appeal to those in heavy industry claiming that only a well-defended nation can have a flourishing economy, although he said nothing of territorial expansion. Hitler wanted to use all of the power of the state to overthrow communism. Once Hitler had finished, Krupp expressed his thanks and emphasized the commitment to private property and defence. Hitler then politely left and Goering once more pointed out that the Nazi piggy bank was empty. Then Goering left the meeting and Hjalmar Schacht said: “And now, gentlemen, to the cash register!” Schacht demanded that three million Reichsmarks be raised. It appears that none of the invitees had understood that they were being invited in order to make donations although no doubt they were used to such requests. When President Paul Hindenburg appointed Hitler to the post of Chancellor at 11:30 AM on 30 January 1933, there were only two other Nazis in the cabinet. The other eight cabinet members were conservatives around Franz von Papen and Alfred Hugenberg who were trusted by business. In his memoirs, Hjalmar Schacht wrote about the meeting and states that 3 million Reichsmarks was raised as a result of it.