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Why Hitler Came into Power
In 1934 Abel went to Germany and offered a prize, under the auspices of Columbia University, for autobiographies of members of the National Socialist movement. The 600 essays he received constitute the best source on grassroots opinion in the Nazi Party, and they form the empirical foundation for this fascinating yet curiously neglected 1938 book.
345 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1938
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June 17, 2016
UPDATE 6/17/16 ...
As I prepare to write Book 2 of A FLOOD OF EVIL, covering the years from 1934 to 1945, I have reviewed my notes from Abel's report. These are particularly revealing ...
... Hitler's followers submitted themselves to him willingly and unquestionably … to them he was a prophet whose pronouncements were taken as oracles … he was a hero whom they naïvely trusted to perform the impossible if it were necessary … he was seen as a man of superhuman power with a special star guiding his destiny
... Hitler personified all my desires for a new Germany … I accepted and internalized his fanaticism and his belief in ultimate victory
... I began to appreciate the danger of Jewish intelligence … when one considered that public opinion was created almost exclusively by Jews, one was filled with horror … from that evening on I occupied myself with the Jewish problem and the more I understood it greater opponent of the Jews did I become ... Through enlightening books I found confirmation of the fact that in Germany everything in politics and economics at that time depended on Jews ... There was only one conclusion: that I must fight against the Jew by all means as the embodiment of wickedness and evil ... It could not possibly be God's will that the Jews were intended to dominate the world
... We learned that our Fuehrer had stated that he would not take the state by force ... that he would proceed in a legal fashion
***
EARLIER COMMENTS ...
This is a fascinating report, drawn from essays written by Nazi members in 1934, in response to a contest organized by a Columbia University professor. The timing is just after Hitler took power and well before his intentions to murder the Jews of Europe were as clear as they later became.
As I enter the phase of my new book where my main German character is "drawn" into the Nazi world, these statements by others who decided to become Nazis are invaluable sources of understanding. One of the challenging aspects of my novel-in-progress ["Choosing Hitler"] is to write in a manner that accurately and honestly shows the enthusiasm of those who were drawn to Hitler when I myself am filled with repulsion and hatred for every aspect of Hitler and those who supported him.
UPDATE May 5 ...
Here are some of the hundreds of notes I have taken from this excellent but little known book ...
... the racial doctrine advocated by the NS was equally important to the principle of leadership in underpinning the ideology of the movement … there were three main tenets … one was the belief in the biological superiority of the "Germanic" race … Second was the opinion of that racial purity is the basis of national health and that intermixture of races is the source of all social decay ... Third is the claim that the Jews are an inferior race and that their influence on the economic, political, and cultural life of Germany, past and present, is responsible for everything that was and is evil
... The tendency to interpret personal experiences in a fashion that made Jews the culprit … the prevalence of anti-Semitic literature in Germany … the acts of violence perpetrated against Jews … have for their background a tradition which is at least 1000 years old
... The spread of the NS movement depended largely upon adequate promotion … modern advertising psychology was utilized to produce mass effect … the sheer bulk of the propaganda effort was remarkable … the party propaganda covered Germany with a thoroughness that made its doctrines known in almost every home in every city and throughout the countryside
... People who supported Hitler were primarily influenced by the belief that they were backing a winning contender … this confidence was supported by the superiority of the NS organization over that of all other parties … it was better coordinated and disciplined and show greater vitality and driving power ... its military aggressive nature appealed to many ...
Hitler had a twofold function … he was the chief executive, the planner, and organizer … he also played the role of prophet of the movement … he commanded unquestioned allegiance to his person and through this personal allegiance inspire members with loyalty and devotion to the movement
Hitler's followers submitted themselves to him willingly and unquestionably … to them he was a prophet whose pronouncements were taken as oracles … he was a hero whom they naïvely trusted to perform the impossible if it were necessary … he was seen as a man of superhuman power with a special star guiding his destiny
... If we won Germany was saved ... if we were defeated a gate would open in the East and Moscow's Red hordes would swarm in and plunge Europe into night and misery
As I prepare to write Book 2 of A FLOOD OF EVIL, covering the years from 1934 to 1945, I have reviewed my notes from Abel's report. These are particularly revealing ...
... Hitler's followers submitted themselves to him willingly and unquestionably … to them he was a prophet whose pronouncements were taken as oracles … he was a hero whom they naïvely trusted to perform the impossible if it were necessary … he was seen as a man of superhuman power with a special star guiding his destiny
... Hitler personified all my desires for a new Germany … I accepted and internalized his fanaticism and his belief in ultimate victory
... I began to appreciate the danger of Jewish intelligence … when one considered that public opinion was created almost exclusively by Jews, one was filled with horror … from that evening on I occupied myself with the Jewish problem and the more I understood it greater opponent of the Jews did I become ... Through enlightening books I found confirmation of the fact that in Germany everything in politics and economics at that time depended on Jews ... There was only one conclusion: that I must fight against the Jew by all means as the embodiment of wickedness and evil ... It could not possibly be God's will that the Jews were intended to dominate the world
... We learned that our Fuehrer had stated that he would not take the state by force ... that he would proceed in a legal fashion
***
EARLIER COMMENTS ...
This is a fascinating report, drawn from essays written by Nazi members in 1934, in response to a contest organized by a Columbia University professor. The timing is just after Hitler took power and well before his intentions to murder the Jews of Europe were as clear as they later became.
As I enter the phase of my new book where my main German character is "drawn" into the Nazi world, these statements by others who decided to become Nazis are invaluable sources of understanding. One of the challenging aspects of my novel-in-progress ["Choosing Hitler"] is to write in a manner that accurately and honestly shows the enthusiasm of those who were drawn to Hitler when I myself am filled with repulsion and hatred for every aspect of Hitler and those who supported him.
UPDATE May 5 ...
Here are some of the hundreds of notes I have taken from this excellent but little known book ...
... the racial doctrine advocated by the NS was equally important to the principle of leadership in underpinning the ideology of the movement … there were three main tenets … one was the belief in the biological superiority of the "Germanic" race … Second was the opinion of that racial purity is the basis of national health and that intermixture of races is the source of all social decay ... Third is the claim that the Jews are an inferior race and that their influence on the economic, political, and cultural life of Germany, past and present, is responsible for everything that was and is evil
... The tendency to interpret personal experiences in a fashion that made Jews the culprit … the prevalence of anti-Semitic literature in Germany … the acts of violence perpetrated against Jews … have for their background a tradition which is at least 1000 years old
... The spread of the NS movement depended largely upon adequate promotion … modern advertising psychology was utilized to produce mass effect … the sheer bulk of the propaganda effort was remarkable … the party propaganda covered Germany with a thoroughness that made its doctrines known in almost every home in every city and throughout the countryside
... People who supported Hitler were primarily influenced by the belief that they were backing a winning contender … this confidence was supported by the superiority of the NS organization over that of all other parties … it was better coordinated and disciplined and show greater vitality and driving power ... its military aggressive nature appealed to many ...
Hitler had a twofold function … he was the chief executive, the planner, and organizer … he also played the role of prophet of the movement … he commanded unquestioned allegiance to his person and through this personal allegiance inspire members with loyalty and devotion to the movement
Hitler's followers submitted themselves to him willingly and unquestionably … to them he was a prophet whose pronouncements were taken as oracles … he was a hero whom they naïvely trusted to perform the impossible if it were necessary … he was seen as a man of superhuman power with a special star guiding his destiny
... If we won Germany was saved ... if we were defeated a gate would open in the East and Moscow's Red hordes would swarm in and plunge Europe into night and misery
February 14, 2026
Theodore Abel, a US sociologist from the early 20th century, collected hundreds of personal testimonies of Nazi activists through an essay contest he set up in Nazi Germany. He took those essays and wrote this book, trying to make sense of, well, why Hitler came into power.
It's a fascinating read. Having written it in the 1930s, there's stuff Abel writes about from his point of view, having much more limited information on what went on behind closed doors in the German halls of power than we do now, that has since been updated with better information. This work, therefore, is not the best book to read to answer this question. What's fascinating about it, though, is seeing someone working hard to truly understand it from their vantage point soon after Hitler came to power (and before the Holocaust or World War 2).
The personal essays Abel draws from are really interesting. Considering their extreme bias, you of course have to take them with a grain of salt (or an entire salt mine's worth, really), but seeing the sources for what they are- people recounting their own reasons for why they opposed the Weimar Republic and why they joined the Nazi movement- is interesting, as well as unsettling.
Overall, this was a really unique read. Like I said, it's not the best book on the subject, but read as a contemporary work with a wealth of firsthand accounts of Nazi Germany, it's worth checking out for its own reasons.
It's a fascinating read. Having written it in the 1930s, there's stuff Abel writes about from his point of view, having much more limited information on what went on behind closed doors in the German halls of power than we do now, that has since been updated with better information. This work, therefore, is not the best book to read to answer this question. What's fascinating about it, though, is seeing someone working hard to truly understand it from their vantage point soon after Hitler came to power (and before the Holocaust or World War 2).
The personal essays Abel draws from are really interesting. Considering their extreme bias, you of course have to take them with a grain of salt (or an entire salt mine's worth, really), but seeing the sources for what they are- people recounting their own reasons for why they opposed the Weimar Republic and why they joined the Nazi movement- is interesting, as well as unsettling.
Overall, this was a really unique read. Like I said, it's not the best book on the subject, but read as a contemporary work with a wealth of firsthand accounts of Nazi Germany, it's worth checking out for its own reasons.
June 4, 2018
Fascinating, almost forgotten book that was first published in 1938. This is a re-print from 1986 that is also out of print now.
The premise is that Theodore Abel, a sociologist from Columbia University set out to Germany in 1934 with a fascinating idea to gather in-depth information why Germans had led Hitler and the Nazis seize power. With the support of German authorities, he ran an essay contest for "the best personal life history of an adherent of the Hitler movement". The contestants only qualified if they had been party members before the Nazis came to power in Jan 1933. He got 683 manuscripts and the book quotes extensively from these, while also analyzing the common thread along different dimensions, like "discontent" , "ideology", "anti-semitism".
One of the key findings is the broadness of the support the Nazi party got in the merely 1930's. Support came from more than one class of citizens.
One other frightening take-away in today's world is the parallel success of populist politics that seemingly addresses grievances and 'unfairness' of a majority of society. One direct quote from the chapter "The First Period: 1919-1923" :
"The outstanding feature of his propaganda. however, was the aggressive tone adopted by National Socialists in their speeches, pamphlets and newspapers. There was no mincing of words, no politeness, and little concern with facts and logic in these outpourings. Aimed at the emotions, they struck heavily but effectively. The rapier play of fine wit was as foreign to them as any attempt at fair play. .... The blunt, unadorned words of the speakers seemed to favor their interests, and pointed the way to fearless, uncompromising action".
Universe help us !
The premise is that Theodore Abel, a sociologist from Columbia University set out to Germany in 1934 with a fascinating idea to gather in-depth information why Germans had led Hitler and the Nazis seize power. With the support of German authorities, he ran an essay contest for "the best personal life history of an adherent of the Hitler movement". The contestants only qualified if they had been party members before the Nazis came to power in Jan 1933. He got 683 manuscripts and the book quotes extensively from these, while also analyzing the common thread along different dimensions, like "discontent" , "ideology", "anti-semitism".
One of the key findings is the broadness of the support the Nazi party got in the merely 1930's. Support came from more than one class of citizens.
One other frightening take-away in today's world is the parallel success of populist politics that seemingly addresses grievances and 'unfairness' of a majority of society. One direct quote from the chapter "The First Period: 1919-1923" :
"The outstanding feature of his propaganda. however, was the aggressive tone adopted by National Socialists in their speeches, pamphlets and newspapers. There was no mincing of words, no politeness, and little concern with facts and logic in these outpourings. Aimed at the emotions, they struck heavily but effectively. The rapier play of fine wit was as foreign to them as any attempt at fair play. .... The blunt, unadorned words of the speakers seemed to favor their interests, and pointed the way to fearless, uncompromising action".
Universe help us !
November 1, 2020
I inherited a hardback copy of this book, with dust cover, from my Grandfather who fought at the "First World War." It is spooky to see the same fascists now in the USA as were in Nazi Germany. Note the book is about "why," not "how," fascism took over parts of Europe.
November 25, 2018
This is an extraordinary examination and analysis of how Hitler used crowd response to propel his successful ascent to power. That it was written in 1938 continues to amaze me. Everything you need to know about the modern political machine in a two party system is in this book.
March 6, 2016
A really good resource that I used for a history paper.
January 6, 2021
A very interesting read. The book was based on a survey of Germans in 1934. It gives a glimpse into the early mindset of the German people during the Nazi era without the hindsight of World War II.
February 15, 2026
While Abel's collection of Nazi short stories and interpretations of Hitler's rise to power make for an interesting read, there is not much here that is important for understanding Nazi Germany in its entirety. Abel chooses to ignore much of the anti-Semitic and anti-capitalist drives in Germany during the time that Hitler began to take power, refusing to go any further than a couple of sentences regarding these matters. Abel treats these stories as people "self-propagandizing" just to force themselves to like Hitler, when in reality Hitler had provided a message that resonated with the conservative, monarchist, and military-backed factions of Germany that seemed less rowdy than the Spartacus League.
There is certainly a case to be made about the odd fascination with Hitler amongst the middle class and working classes of Germans, but Abel refusing to fully listen to what Hitler supporters claimed in their stories leaves the reader with only half of a story being told. Abel does not explain much of the history of Anti-Semitism in Europe prior to Nazi Germany, choosing to leave the reader with one claim that Jews in Europe poisoned wells and that's it. He also uses arbitrary classifications for the six stories he uses for the final part of the book, calling only one of the stories the "Story of the Antisemite" while three of the six stories openly promoted Anti-Semitism.
Initially hearing about the book, I was excited to read the stories of people who were convinced by Hitler's ideology in hopes to find clues as to why Nazism felt so accommodating to the German people. Actually reading the book made it clear that Abel just needed to push out something that felt like a revolutionary change to the understanding of Nazism when in reality it was too early to release a book about such a complex period of historical events that led to the rise of Hitler.
There is certainly a case to be made about the odd fascination with Hitler amongst the middle class and working classes of Germans, but Abel refusing to fully listen to what Hitler supporters claimed in their stories leaves the reader with only half of a story being told. Abel does not explain much of the history of Anti-Semitism in Europe prior to Nazi Germany, choosing to leave the reader with one claim that Jews in Europe poisoned wells and that's it. He also uses arbitrary classifications for the six stories he uses for the final part of the book, calling only one of the stories the "Story of the Antisemite" while three of the six stories openly promoted Anti-Semitism.
Initially hearing about the book, I was excited to read the stories of people who were convinced by Hitler's ideology in hopes to find clues as to why Nazism felt so accommodating to the German people. Actually reading the book made it clear that Abel just needed to push out something that felt like a revolutionary change to the understanding of Nazism when in reality it was too early to release a book about such a complex period of historical events that led to the rise of Hitler.
March 17, 2026
read for history 416.
man, i really wish i kept my sociology minor.
abel attempts to understand the rise of not just the hitler, but the nazi party as a whole through written accounts from people within the nazi party. supplemented by six full accounts, and excerpts from others, the reader sees the appeals the average german saw.
this isn’t a history book. it’s a sociological book. it’s not meant to explain the context and history behind the movement, or structural foundations with the rise of the nazi party. it focused on the then “now.” 1930s germany. for the books purposes, it fulfilled its goals on this aspect.
of course, i think the whole book is absolutely fascinating. yet, the last portion: the six life stories is by far my favorite. the only downside that jumps out at me is the lack of women involved within his study, which naturally he addressed anyways.
man, i really wish i kept my sociology minor.
abel attempts to understand the rise of not just the hitler, but the nazi party as a whole through written accounts from people within the nazi party. supplemented by six full accounts, and excerpts from others, the reader sees the appeals the average german saw.
this isn’t a history book. it’s a sociological book. it’s not meant to explain the context and history behind the movement, or structural foundations with the rise of the nazi party. it focused on the then “now.” 1930s germany. for the books purposes, it fulfilled its goals on this aspect.
of course, i think the whole book is absolutely fascinating. yet, the last portion: the six life stories is by far my favorite. the only downside that jumps out at me is the lack of women involved within his study, which naturally he addressed anyways.
November 14, 2023
I didn’t read *all* of this book as I was primarily reading for coursework. However, I read the majority of this book and did find it informative and thought provoking.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews