Hitler showed great promise in primary school: he earned the admiration of his classmates for his grades and for the charisma that later contributed to his political success. However, this was to change when Hitler entered the secondary level of his education. There appeared to be a lack of direction and competitiveness, resulting in the loss of most of his peer admirers. To combat this feeling of loss, Hitler soon learned to relate to the younger students. By positioning himself as their leader, he was able to order them around as they played the war games that were very popular in strife-torn Europe.

Hitler’s poor academic performance as a child suggested an individual without self-motivation (Cline, Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris, by Ian Kershaw) perhaps, because he did not possess a positive self-image and had a lack of self-assurance. But what he did have was an aura that invited confidence, and a degree of nationalistic awareness that enabled him to display sympathy for popular nationalistic sentiments. Hitler’s ability to in-still confidence in his audience was fundamental to his oratory performance.

A nondescript, odd and introspective person at first glance (Krershaw 1936-1946 Nemesis), Hitler’s eloquent rhetoric in defence of German nationalism was surprising and unexpected. His speeches inspired conviction in others. His eloquence gave the German people a common voice to shout out their grievances and to fulfill their
need for the revivial of their national prestige and power. Adolf Hitler was their voice and motivation. In nationalistic speeches, his effect on the Nationalist Germans was such that they were willing to "kill or be killed" to regain their uncompromised national interests. This was Hitler’s stage. Deeply motivated by what he must have regarded as his calling in life and inspired by his vanity, Adolf Hitler applied his art to enhance the façade of his reign and to arouse the German imagination by references to Aryan supremacy. His characteristic insensitivity, however, made him disregard the consequences of the actions his fiery speeches would lead his fellow Germans to execute.

What made Hitler the great orator? It has been suggested by Stern that there was little difference between the speeches performed before and after 1933. (36.) Hitler’s speeches consistently contained three elements: timing, delivery and structure, all contributing to Hitler’s oratory performance. It is noteworthy that Hitler’s speeches generally followed an event of some sort, be it a victory or political success. After such an event  Hitler focused the audience on his and the crowds part  in the event, praising the German people for their bravery and moral superiority.

"What seems to us almost a miracle as we look back upon it is nothing else than the reward for infinite and unwearying labor...."

Furthermore, it is interesting to note that Hitler always preferred to deliver his speeches later in the evening, allowing excitement and anticipation to build among the audience before his appearance. Before 1933, during Hitler’s push for political power, his speeches would be held in rooms that would be filled with the heightened atmosphere of crowd tension and drama, almost like a film set. The concept of using lights, atmosphere and drama continued through Hitler’s career as an orator, culminating with the ultimate propaganda coup: the Nuremburg Rally.

Hitler’s use and delivery of language was simple but extremely effective. His speeches required audience participation. There was a necessity for the audience to understand his message, therefore, he reiterated old information or information previously fed to the crowd via propaganda just before the speech. To keep the speech fluid and the audience enthralled, the content of Hitler’s speeches would praise the German people, focusing on their successes. There would be a common bond built up between himself and the crowd, reiterating the past political struggles and the future military battles awaiting them. Layer upon layer, Hitler would place the foundations for the justification of his actions and the peoples actions, focusing on their common threats: communist and Jews to name but a few. The crowd would now be bound together with Hitler and his regime.  In each speech Hitler would reiterate how they had accomplished everything together.

"And when today I examine the results of this action of ours, then I am able to say: Judge all of you for yourselves: Have we not gained enormously through acting on these principles?"

As time progressed, the layers would diminish and be replaced by a ritual form of acceptance in the form of ‘Sieg Heil’. However, what was not diluted was Hitler’s continual praise for the German people and himself.

Hitler was now able to incite the crowd into a more proactive participation through the use of simple closed questions. In his book Stern uses the example of Hitler’s speech in 1936:

‘I put this question to the German people: do you desire that the hatchet between us and France be buried at last, and that there should be peace and understanding? If that is what you wish, then say ‘Yes’.

And I shall further ask the German people:  'Do you desire that we should oppress the French nation to curtail its rights?' And I will say  'No, we do not want that!'

I ask myself: who in fact are these elements that do not want peace, that do not want quiet, that do not want reconciliation, that continue to hound us and that must sow the seed of distrust- who are they?’

[Answer from the crowd] 'The Jews!'

What is seen here, is a simple participation from the crowd responding to questions with a 'yes' or 'no'. This participation not only cements Hitler’s position as leader but also includes them, the German people, in the crime. By this association, the crowd, Hitler and Hitler’s ideology become one, through simple manipulation of language by using classic rhetorics. Arguably this methodology extended into his dual general policies: black and white, problem and solution, yes and no. Therefore, Hitler's ideology was summorised into a rhetrocial question which did not require an answer.

Kershaw.I 2001 Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris Penguin:London

Kershaw.I 2001 Hitler: 1936-1946 Nemesis. Penguin:London

Stern.J.P 1975. Hitler The Führer and the People. Collins: Glasgow.

Any further questions?  Please use our question section and we will supply you with the answer.
If you want to join our online publishing site please register.  Our site endeavours to reward both the reader and the author. Online publishing is a very rewarding profession, why not publish your articles and essays. 

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites