Was Hitler A Talitorian Dictator?

By Nikhil Shah

To a certain extent, Hitler was a Talitorian Dictator. He led a one party state that essentially controlled the lives of the German population from the cradle to the grave. Hitler exploited three main tactics to institute and fortify his dictatorship; the manoeuvring of the German legal system, the use of brutal terror; and sly propaganda.

The Hitler did various things to manipulate the German legal system, he began with the Reichstag was burnt down by a mad Dutchman, named Maranus Vandelu. Hitler used this current situation to his advantage, by saying, it was a communist act, and in doing so, he asked Hindenburg for complete control over Germany on a temporary basis, to get rid of them. As the delegates of the German parliament were terrified of a communist revolution, they gave him what he asked for, and the Enabling Act was passed in March 1933. Thus, giving him the power to make and pass any law he wished without even consulting or needing a vote in the Reichstag. In essence, it established Hitler’s political dictatorship over night.

Along side the Enabling Act, Hitler banned all KPD/SPD parties’ i.e. communist and socialist parties. He then passed a further law, banning the formation of the formation of any new parties and any existing parties, eliminating any rising opposition. He then sent his opposition and local leaders to concentration camps such as Dachau after arresting them. Put simply, by eliminating any fatal opposition before it rose, furthered his power on a more national level.

In conjunction with the enabling act, he also abolished Lander, which was Germany’s Regional Government, and replaced them with Reich governors, concluding the era of representative government, democracy, and finally the party political system. Essentially, Hitler received political control over the local and national level, through his tinkering of the German political system.

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Nazi Party Structure Diagram

Fundamentally, the interconnected and highly organised Nazi party, allowed Hitler to keep tabs on opposition groups at a local level. Thus furthering Hitler’s political power, and even more so establishing Hitler's power as a dictator in Germany.

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Nazi Party Structure Diagram

Besides the abolition of Landers he also abolished trade unions. The reason behind disallowing trade unions was really quite simple and ingenious, as, f the workers protested, it would have made the country weak. Consequently, the country would have turned to radical politics, and in turn to these change of events, Hitler would no longer be in power. He then, to check the unrest of workers he set up an organization labelled the Labour Front., allowing workers free travel across Germany and state sponsored holidays. Put simply, this halted any economic disruptions, minimizing any threat to his dictatorship, as a prosperous Germany would determine a successful Nazi Regine.

Along side the abolition of trade unions, Hitler abolished the old court system, replacing it with the peoples court i.e. got rid of all the judges and replaced them with Nazi’s, he now could send his opposition or people who he just disliked to concentration camps. In essence, his dictatorship now had the backing of the German legal system.

In conjunction with the courts, Hitler had issues with the church. Hitler, at first signed an agreement with the pope briefly stating that the Nazis would leave the church alone providing the church stayed out of politics. However, Hitler soon realised that it was an unfeasible working relationship, as Nazi principles; intolerance and racism were in direct conflict with church principles; tolerance, equality and compassion. In addition, church and Nazi youth groups conflicted with each other for the exact same reason. Thus realising this, he outlawed the church in 1937. Consequently, he eliminated a potential and threatening of religion and church leaders.

Along side Hitler’s manipulation of law in Germany, he also inflicted terror to bolster his dictatorship. To do this he used state sponsored violence to dispose of his enemies, to strengthen his power

Hitler’s instruments of terror were very brutal. It consisted of the SD, which was responsible for state security, the wauffen SS units, supported the army, death head units, which were controlled by the concentration camps, and finally the Gestapo’s-which searched out the enemies of the state (under Himmler). All these methods of torture were widely used in conjunction with the D.11 form. By 1939, Hitler had imprisoned a 162,000 Germans without a trial. Fundamentally, through terror, no one dared say anything different, thus giving him the support of the people.

In 1934, on the 30th June, Hitler had ordered the SA to murder Rohm along with the SA leaders. There two main reasons he did this: Rohm was a major threat to his leadership, and even though he had helped him to get to power, he was his greatest rival, and could take the risk. Secondly, to carry out Hitler’s plans he needed the backing of the army, and the army disliked Rohm, so with him out of the way, the army would now engage full support to Hitler. Concisely, Hitler had got rid of his rival, thus securing his leadership. Coupled with that, he made the army swear an oath of Hitler, not Germany, so the army would do as Hitler pleased with no concern of Germany’s welfare. Therefore his army could not rebel and follow him till the end, even if it was not in Germany’s interest.

In conjunction with the manipulation of the law, and terror, Hitler also used Propaganda to reinforce his dictatorship. Propaganda was the usage of biased information to the German public favouring new ideas. He also made sure, only his ideas were expressed to the public, by censoring the flow of media i.e. press, radio, posters etc.

Nazis took complete control of the press, radio, arts and films. In doing, so they made sure only the information they wanted to give to the public was being shown. In addition, they shut down free press, so only their ideas came through. All the information that did go through came from Nazis News Agency (DNB). The Nazis also burnt all the books with anti-Nazi views. Now the German public only had one view, which was not even theirs, but there were not any ideas against it as Hitler had seen to them. Primarily, Germany was now a Nazi country, which was racist and intolerant towards anything and everyone.

Coupled with the censorship of the media, Hitler had proposed this idea, of him ‘covering Germany’. Trying to portray the idea across that he was their new Messiah, with Nazism the new religion. He did this through the usage of new technologies, such as the microphones-to increase the volume of his voice, giving more impact, speakers allowed millions more to hear him, and aeroplanes, as it was the quickest method of transport, and it covered Germany. Reinforcing his idea of being the new Messiah, and covering Germany, as if he was watching over them. Broadly speaking, the public were starting to believe the ways of Hitler, were the way forward, thus emphasizing hid dictatorship as he had the side of the people.

In conjunction censorship and new technologies, Hitler and the Nazis came to the Annual Mass Rallies at ‘Nuremburg’. Showing that he enjoyed the things as the German people, and that there was strength through joy, as the Nazis were there. At these Annual Mass Rallies Hitler celebrated advances such as (PWP) i.e. autobahns. This illustrate that Hitler was not a harsh man and that he too enjoyed celebrating thins. Essentially, banning different ideas and reinforcing his own, improved the relationship with his people, securing his dictatorship.

Along side the media and the German public, Hitler also took a great deal of interest within the youth, as they were the future, and the ones to keep him in power. Therefore, by 1936 he had made it compulsory to the youth to go hiking, camping, and shooting, and BDM for the girls. These were the qualities necessary in an army, so you could say he was training them from children. He also, as the education system was corrupt and he controlled it, only Nazi ideas through to the youth, and brainwashed them, as did not need them to think but to only continue to support him. He did this through the Hitler myth, which covered three main aspects: he played with kids to show he was caring, he read books, implicating that he was clever and intellect, and he was seen in uniform, giving the thought that he was brave and strong (though in actual fact probably never achieved any medals). He did not need to be seen doing this, but these were the images portrayed through posters, billboards, newsreels etc. In basic terms, the image in the minds of the people of Hitler was kind, intellectual, brave and strong etc. these were the kind of qualities they wanted in a leader. Though Hitler may not have been all that, it eliminated any doubt throughout Germany of his leadership. This made Hitler look superhuman and thus gaining further support from German people, and thereby strengthening hid dictatorship.

In my final analysis, Hitler was a Talitorian Dictator. He led a one party state that in fact controlled the lives of the German inhabitants from the cradle to the grave. To do this Hitler exploited three main tactics to establish and strengthen his dictatorship; the manoeuvring of the German legal system, the use of violent terror; and cunning propaganda.