Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

THE REICHSTAG FIRE 577him about the letter. Frick replied that it was in his portfolio and that hewould attend to it at the first possible opportunity. This was the last thatKaas heard of the letter. He may only have been pretending to believethat it existed at all.False witness and simulated confidence ushered in the new era. Thosewho had expected the old times back again were quickly and bitterlydisappointed. After the day at Potsdam many had thought that thenational revolution was on its way back to the Prussian monarchy, toimperial Germany. In vain had Hitler repeated over and over again forten years that the past would not return, that the wheel of history couldnot be set back, and that this was good, for the past had been bad androtten — who had noted the exact content of his speeches? The rumorwent about that he would soon make place for the Hohenzollerns; thathe had even promised as much to Hindenburg. In his government statement,Hitler destroyed this fantasy: 'In view of the distress nowprevailing among the people, the national government regards thequestion of a monarchist restoration as undiscussible. It would view anyattempt at an independent solution of this problem in the individual"countries" as an attack on the unity of the Reich.' This was the first ofmany statements of similar nature by the Chancellor.No, his dictatorship was the end itself; not the means to an end. But hepromised to wield this dictatorship with moderation: 'The governmentintends to make no more use of the powers given it than is necessary forthe execution of vital measures . . . the existence of the states will not beabolished, the rights of the Church will not be narrowed, its relation tothe state will not be changed.' The speech contained many anotherphrase smacking of moderation and conciliation: 'The nationalgovernment regards the two religious denominations as importantfactors for the preservation of our people.' It was the compliment of anatheist who admits the usefulness of Christianity. Even to the Jews hepromised 'objective justice,' a term ambiguous to say the least. As itproceeded, the speech grew sharper — not in tone, which remainedcalm, but in content, which became monstrous. Hitler left no doubt inthe minds of the Reichstag that the old legal state, with its equality of allbefore the law, was dead: 'Theoretical equality before the law