Published in Morgan Hill October 12-25, 2016
By Marty Cheek
German President Paul von Hindenburg
In Germany’s presidential election of 1932, a Berlin tobacco shop owner cast a vote for Adolf Hitler. My grandfather, Kurt Drückler, thought that what Germany needed at that historic junction was a “strong leader” — one who would bring the nation back to its past glory. His wife, my grandmother, thought that a vote for Mr. Hitler might not be such a good idea — and I’m sure, knowing her personality, she informed Kurt quite strongly of that opinion.
The election that year was won by the 84-year-old incumbent, President Paul von Hindenburg. With 53 percent of the vote, he took office with little enthusiasm. Hitler came in second, with 38 percent of the vote. Seeing Hitler’s growing popularity with the German people, in January 1933 Hindenburg made a political move and appointed Hitler chancellor. When Hindenburg died in August 1934, Hitler succeeded him as head of state and abolished the office of the president entirely, replacing it with the new position of “Führer und Reichskanzler: (“Leader and Reich Chancellor”). The tyrant cemented his rule through that action.
Sometimes I wonder how the nation that gave the world Bach, Beethoven, Goethe, Einstein and quantum physics could have also given the world someone whose control of the German government helped lead to the deaths of more than 60 million people. It comes down to a corruption of the democratic process. The fact is Hitler could never have gotten to a position of power in a democratic society without people like my grandfather who cast their individual votes and enabled his rise to dominance over their destinies.
Much of the Nazi Party’s rapid rise hinged on the economic fragility of Germany in the early 1930s. After the Great Depression started in 1929, American bankers in panic called in their foreign loans and pulled money out of Germany. That action hurt industry and led to the unemployment of six million Germans. In reaction, the government cut its expenditure as well as wages and unemployment pay — truly the dumbest actions to take during a depression. It fueled anger and bitterness among the people, who gave more support to the Nazis, which up until that time had been considered an extreme right-wing political group. (In 1928, the National Socialists had only 12 seats in the Reichstag.)
No doubt, the public speeches the charismatic Hitler gave only fueled the flames of anger in the people. Their frustration and his rhetoric helped them target minorities such as the Jews to blame for Germany’s problems. As workers turned to communism, wealthy Germans grew frightened and in reaction started to finance Hitler’s campaigns. Adding to the anger, nationalists and racists blamed the country’s failure on the humiliation from the Treaty of Versailles and reparations. The perfect storm of public resentment fed the rise of National Socialism — and Hitler’s dictatorship. By July 1932, the Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag with 230 seats.
What lessons can Germany in 1932 provide America in 2016? Most likely many Germans who participated in that presidential election and cast a vote for Hitler never took the time to really consider the character of the candidate. Many voters were no doubt like my grandfather — hungry for a leader who seemed strong through the charisma of a dominant personality and dynamic speaking skills. They were attracted to the perception of power. They got caught up in the simplistic slogans designed to make them feel good again and gain hope for a German greatness to rise from the ashes of their despair. But then there were others — people like my grandmother — who saw through the slogans and propaganda of Hitler and his Nazi Party.
Democracy is serious business. Votes matter. An individual’s decision in filling out a ballot can — combined with other votes — have a major impact on a society’s culture and a nation’s history. So if you intend to cast your votes this Nov. 8 for the various candidates and measures on the ballot, please take your responsibility seriously and do your homework first. Educate yourself on the candidates’ character and where they stand with their positions on the issues. Learn what the ballot measures might mean to you, your family, neighbors and community.
And if you don’t have time to do your homework and learn what your vote might do, perhaps it’s smart for you to sit the election out. If you don’t give a damn about democracy, don’t vote. That’s the advice I would give a certain Berlin tobacco shop owner in 1932.
