Synthesis: (Kershaw) Working towards the Fuhrer: ambitious Nazis seized upon Hitler’s vision of conquest, racial purity, social Darwinism to pursue policies that fitted in with Hitler’s overall ideas. Hitler gave his verbal approval to euthanasia program put forward by Bouhler’s office acting on a letter.
Lack of formal restraints led to CUMULATIVE RADICALISATION
Hitler’s role was to legalize different groups’ attempts to fulfil his wishes. His role was as a ‘figurehead’; without him the regime would have collapsed because he was the integrating force.
So, neither a totalitarian regime or weak dictator, but a system of ambitious Nazis with Hitler as their figurehead working along the lines of his Weltanschauung. Weltanschauung based on ‘struggle’ and ‘force’.
Hitler was the mobiliser, legitimator of policies, but did not specifically initiate many policies.
Hitler was uninvolved in decisions but this highlights his great power. To maintain his image as the infallible leader, he could not be involved in factional struggles, but just let the strongest official win.
All the subordinates worked along the lines of the fuhrer; nothing could be done without these central ideas. So Hitler was CRUCIAL, but he did not need to send out a stream of directives.
Hitler had a clear blueprint of intent, based on a strong and coherent ideology which inspired his policies, accompanied by a complete opportunism in his methods and tactics.
‘Through working towards the fuhrer, initiatives were taken, pressures created, legislation instigated – all in ways which fell into line with what were taken to be Hitler’s aims, and without the dictator necessarily having to dictate’ (Kershaw)
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