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spread social chaos. By the end of
1931, more than six mi Ilion Ger–
mans are unemp1oyed; by 1933,
more than eight million.
Germany is heading toward
nationa1 bankruptcy. Tensions
move toward the breaking point.
The ongoing disunity of the politi–
cal parties makes a drastic solution
of the crisis inevitable. Germans
seek a strong de1iverer.
A born po1itical orator, Hitler
uses the economic crisis as a step–
ping-stone to power. He gives Ger–
mans new hope. He promises them
stabi lity, power,
Lebensraum.
The
confused multitude of German par–
ties are unable to unite against
him.
The National Socialist (Nazi)
movement gains supporters. Jn the
1932 elections, Nazis nearly double
their popular vote, winning 230
seats in the Reichstag (37 percent
of the total number). They are the
largest party in parliament.
Hitler has proved himself un–
equaled in his ability to exploit
events to his own ends.
The Thlrd Relch
On January 30, 1933, Hitler is
asked to form a government. After
years of careful planning, he has at
last become Chancellor.
The Weimar Republic is fin–
ished. A modern-day
interreg–
num- a
"time without an emper–
or"- it has !asted but 14 years.
The Third Reich has begun.
Hitler 's emergence as Chancel–
lor is hailed enthusiastically by the
Ttalian press. Mussolini naively
views Hitler as his Fascist protégé,
someone he can control and utilize
for his own purposes.
Hitler asks the Reichstag to pass
an enabling bill, giving his govern–
ment full dictatorial powers for
four years. The parliament passes
the sweepi ng legislation, and the
Nazis assume complete control of
Germany.
In 1934, the offices of Chancel–
lor and President are merged. Hit–
ler assumes the title of
Fuehrer
und Reichskanzler.
In short order, the German d ic–
tator reinvigorates a demoraJized
country. He strengthens the shat–
tered economy, reduces unemploy–
ment and raises the standard of liv–
ing.
May 1984
But Hitler's aims far transcend
his own country's borders. He is
convinced he has a great mission to
perform. He feels destined to
become ruler of a great Germanic
Empire. He holds an unshakable
convict ion that the Reich will one
day rule all of Europe-and from
there will seize the leadership of
the world! A new order will emerge
in the world , with the German
"master race" at its head!
Hitler compares himself with
Charlemagne, Frederick the Great
and Napoleon. From his mountain
fortress in Obersalzberg, overlook–
ing Berchtesgaden, the Fuehrer has
a panoramic view of the Unters–
berg. It is in this mountain, as
legend has it, that Charlemagne
still sleeps, and wi ll one day arise to
restare the past glory of the Ger–
man Empire. "You see the Unters–
berg over there," Hit ler tells
visitors in a mystical tone.
" It
is no
accident that 1 have my residence
opposite it."
Concordat with Vatlcan
Like Mussolini, Hitler- a Catholic
by birth-sees a need to come to
terms with the Vatican.
On July 20, 1933, the Vatican
signs a concordat with the Nazi
regime, protecting the rights of the
Church under the Third Reich.
Pope Pius XI hopes that Hitler will
discourage the extreme anti-Chris–
tian radicalism of NationaJ Social–
ism. For Hitler, the concordat gives
his new government an outward
semblance of legitimacy.
But relations between Berlín and
the Vatican are strained. Pope Pius
has no illusions about Naziism. He
authors severa! protests against
Nazi practices.
On March 14, 1937, Pius issues
his encyc1ica1
Mit brennender
Sorge
("With Burning Anxiety")
against Naziism.
lt
charges that the
German state has violated the 1933
concordat, and vigorous ly de–
nounces the Nazi conception of life
as utterly anti-Christian.
About the same time, Pius-an
outspoken adversary of commu–
nism-issues another encyclical,
Divine Redemptoris,
denouncing
the Bo1shevik campaign against
religion.
lt
pronounces the political
philosophy and the atheistic ideo1o–
gy behind Marxist doctrine as con-
trary to the Divine Will and intrin–
sically evil.
New Roman Emplre
In Italy, Mussolini has been vigor–
ously pursuing his vainglorious
dream of a modern Roman Empire.
In 1896, Italy had suffered a
humiliating defeat in Ethiopia
(Abyssinia) at the hands of King
Menelik 11. Italian fo rces were
crushed by an Ethiopian army at the
Battle of Adowa. Ten thousand Ital–
ians lay dead. The defeat was disas–
trous to Italian expansion in Africa.
The humiliation has not been for–
gotten. The memory of Adowa still
1ives. The score must be settled.
Mussolini , the modern Caesar,
casts eyes toward Ethiopia. He sees
its conquest as a means of restoring
Roman grandeur.
On October 3, 1935, the Italian
dictator launches his first foreign
military adventure. He invades the
kingdom of Ethiopia as the League
of Nations weakly stands by.
After months of fighting, Adowa
is avenged.
11
Duce's African ven–
ture is a s uccess-a ..Roman
triumph. " The armies of Emperor
Haile Selassie are defeated.
On May 9, 1936, Italy formally
annexes Ethiopia. King Víctor
Emmanuel is proclaimed Emperor
of Ethiopia. A month later, a
decree incorporales Ethiopia with
the existing ltalian colonies of Eri–
trea and ltalian Somaliland into a
single great colony, Italian East
Africa.
Mussolini now proclaims another
resurrection of the Roman Empire.
"At last ltaly has her empire,"
11
Duce declares to an enormous
crowd from the balcony of the Pa–
lazzo Venezia.
"Legionnaires!" he continues.
" In this supreme certitude raise
high your insignia, your weapons,
and your hearts to salute, after fif–
teen centuries, the reappearance of
the empire on the fated hills of
Rome."
Though a great success at home,
Mussolini's Ethiopian adventure
isolates Italy from the Western
democracies. As a result, Mussolini
turns to Hitler as an ally. In Octo–
ber 1936, the "Berlin-Rome Axis"
is formed. Hitler and
Il
Duce forge
an agreement to coordinate their
foreign policies. As in the days of
13