Adolf Hitler's Own Book Mein Kampf (My Battle)/Chapter 9
Chapter IX
German Workers’ Party
One day orders came from headquarters; I was to find out what was back of some political society, called the “German Workers’ Party,” which had scheduled a meeting at which Gottfried Feder was to speak. I was to attend this meeting, and then file a report.
I arrived that evening in the room in the back of the former Sterneckerbrau in Munich—this was a room destined for history important to all of us later. I found about twenty people, mostly from the lower classes.
My impression that evening was not good nor bad. Societies like this one were springing up everywhere out of the wide dissatisfaction, only to fade away again into nothingness. The founders almost always knew nothing of forming a party and a movement, and so they suffocated their ideas, if any, under the innane ways of the Bourgeoise.
This movement seemed no different, and after Feder had finished speaking I was about to leave, when the open discussion began. Some “professor” started an argument with Feder, and had the nerve not only to urge separation of Bavaria from Prussia, but union of Bavaria with Austria. At this I began to talk, and the “professor” soon left the hall like a whipped puppy.
Meanwhile the audience listened to me in amazement. Later, as I was saying good-night, a man ran up and put a political pamphlet in my hand, urging that I read it.
I was still living in the Barracks of the 2nd Infantry Regiment, in a very small room. I was there only when I needed sleep, for most of the time I was with the 41st Rifle Regiment, or at meetings and lectures. Usually I would awaken at five in the morning, and then I would throw crusts on the floor to the mice, and watch them struggle.
I had known enough hunger myself to realize how they felt.
The morning after the meeting of the German Workers’ Party I was awake early and could not sleep, so I read the pamphlet I had received there. It was written by a worker, and described his development through the maze of Marxist and trade union maxims; the title was “My Political Awakening”. It reminded me of my own experiences.
Less than a week later I was surprised to receive a post card announcing that I had been accepted as a member of the German Workers’ Party. My opinion of this was requested; I was asked to attend a committee meeting on the following Wednesday. I did not know whether to laugh or be annoyed at this method of enlarging a party.
I had no thought of joining any existing party—I was going to found my own.
A Political
Meeting
But I decided to go on Wednesday orally to pronounce my feelings on this matter.
Hitler’s “Piecemeal” Strategy
“A shrewd victor will, whenever it is possible, impose his demands upon the vanquished only in installments.
The victor thus gradually weakens the character of the vanquished, making sure that no one demand is sufficient in itself to cause the vanquished to resort to arms in defiance. The more extortions that are accepted, the more unjustifiable violent defense seems to the victims, for no single outrage seems to warrant a struggle after so many outrages have been passed by in silence.”
Mein Kampf—Chapter XXVII
Thus I entered a little room in the Alte Rosenbad Restaurant in the Herrenstrasse at the appointed time. Four young men sat in the dim light of a half-broken gas lamp; they were grouped about a table. One, who greeted me warmly as a new member of the German Workers’ Party, was the author of the pamphlet I had read. I was told that the “National Chairman” was to come later, and so he did. His name was Harrer. The Chairman of the Munich section was Anton Drexler.
Finally the minutes of the last meeting were read, accepted, followed by the treasury report—the party possessed seven marks and fifty pfennigs. Then some letters from various parts of Germany were read aloud, discussed, and answers were proposed. One letter had come from Berlin, one from Dusseldorff, and one from Kiel.
Terrible! This was petty club work of the worst sort. And I was to join this club!
Next, new memberships came up for discussion; then I began to ask questions. Nothing existed save a few cardinal points, plus good faith and will—there was no party program, no leaflets, no printed material at all, no membership card, and not even a rubber stamp.
I lost my smile—this represented to me all the bewilderment of Germany. The force that brought these young people together was the expression of their desire to serve the Fatherland. I hastily read the few principles of the party—they were there in typewritten form— and I saw search for knowledge rather than possession of knowledge itself. It was all very dim, and much was missing—but inner compulsion to find something badly needed was there.
I had long felt just what these people felt: longing for a New Movement that would not be a party in the old sense.
When I was back in the barracks that night, I had formed an opinion of the German Workers’ Party.
The most difficult decision of my life, probably, stared me in the face: should I join, or should I refuse?
Reason urged refusal, but my feeling allowed me no peace. The more I considered the absurdity of the party, the more my feelings favored it.
I was restless for days.
My decision would be irrevocable, for I am not one of those who makes decisions and then commences to shift about. I was deciding this thing forever—I was in deadly earnest.
I began to realize, then, that although my earlier decision never to join one of the big parties still held good, this young German Workers’ Party was still small enough for me to shape it as I would.
Out of just such a cell could spring a movement which could revive the nation. The old parties were of no use—a new world view, a brand new slogan, was needed.
Inferiority
Complex?
Still it was hard to make the decision.
What could I bring with me to the task?
I was poor, but that was nothing compared to the fact that I was nameless. I was one of the millions of beings subjected to the laws of chance, one of those beings which can live or die without anyone else taking notice.
Also, difficulty was bound to come on account of my lack of schooling The intelligentsia looks down upon everyone who has not gone through the obligatory schools. It does not matter what a man can do, but only what he has learned. I could imagine what this “educated” world would say about me.
I was mistaken only in thinking men somewhat better than they really are.
After two days of torturous thought, I decided to take the step.
It was the most important decision of my life—there was no chance of reconsideration.
I registered as a member in the German Workers’ Party, and received a provisional membership card, with the number seven.