Adolf Hitler Speech Who Wanted the War 30 Jan 1940
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SUMMARY
When I see Mr. Chamberlain go about, bible in hand, preaching his noble war aims, I cannot help but having tbe impression of watching tbe devil, bible clasped under his arm, creeping up to a poor soul... Britain claims they will bomb our women and children. It is no surprise. Since when did tbe British care about women and children?! The English invented concentration camps. In tbe Boer War, tbe English locked up women and children. Over 28,000 Boer women [Dutch-Germans in Africa] died wretchedly in these camps. Why should England fight differently today? We have anticipated this and we have prepared ourselves.
The forces who have been in power for centuries and after WWI again proclaim a Golden Age after WWII. It shall be showered with open trade, a cultural and religious revolution, just as tbe promises they made after WWI. But Germany did not partake in tbe prosperity, cultural and religious revival they've promised to flood our country with their Democratic government. With endless pledges for help and ever more decay and poverty in our country, we had no one to turn to in our desperation. After 15 years of asking and hoping in vain, we knew that our only option for survival was to depend on ourselves alone. It took overcoming tbe many political divisions in our country. Though tbe National Socialists look glorious at times, our struggle was formidable, but in tbe end we succeeded. In tbe shortest time span we have shaped tbe resurrection of a nation in decline, heading for extinction. Unfortunately, these forces from without never wanted us to be united and prosper. This compelled us to turn our struggle against their aim to divide us from without. We wanted peace, but justice was not granted to us, and we knew that without justice there can be no lasting peace. The old hate agitations, driven by tbe same hateful race, repeat themselves against us now. Instead from within as before, tbe destructive onslaught comes from without. They cry 'destruction and war' for Germany. So we took steps to protect ourselves. We armed ourselves, just in case, while always working toward peace. But they chose war! And so they have it.
They all claim their war aims for a Golden Age once again. And especially England, tbe war hawk of tbe world fighting for justice and eternal peace, claims there will be no more need for armament because free trade, culture and religion will blossom as never before.
Germany's experience of tbe Golden Age did not materialize, instead we had nothing but devastation. Since 1918, tbe "Democratic" principles of self determination were discarded, old historical and commercial European governances were dissolved, nations were robbed of their long established rights and rendered defenseless. Only victors and vanquished were left. Cultures became crazily distorted and there was no Christian mercy anywhere to be found. Instead of carrying around tbe bible, as Mr. Chamberlin always does, they carried tbe 448 articles of tbe Versailles Diktat. There was no freedom and equality for nations but a vilest oppression. Years of poverty and utter hopelessness followed for us, too cruel to want to remember. The disarmed had to bow to tbe tyranny of tbe armed. Parallel to this there was no economic prosperity but a lunatic network of reparation payments forced upon us, leading to destitution not just for us but also tbe victors-but we suffered tbe most. From those days we learned that no one will come to our rescue and we stopped begging and rose to rescue ourselves.
When we learned in those bitter years that there was no justice and no one to turn to, we withdrew from tbe League of Nation's ridiculous Disarmament Conference. A nation burns their fingers only once with those deceivers. In regard to that, I value tbe brunt honesty of Mr. Churchill and further, tbe honesty of tbe French.
We have overcome our internal division! Destructive forces took a grip on Germany. "But constructive National Socialism has overcome this force. It has refused to allow tbe existing state of affairs and undertaken its modification. It changed tbe method of eradicating tbe state of affairs by saying: 'We want to change this state of affairs by gradually permitting tbe non-possessing classes to partake in tbe national wealth and by educating them in how to partake in it.'"
When we took charge of ourselves, we prospered. We replaced tbe hopelessness with a different hope, tbe belief in ourselves again. ..."The most tragic time for us was when we experienced their hate for proclaiming tbe 4-year plan; an idea that should have actually brought forth some enthusiasm in others over a people who want to help themselves, who do not appeal to others for help, who do not appeal for gifts and charity, but who appeal to its own creative abilities, its' diligence, its vigor, and its intelligence. And yet, tbe other world began to scream-especially tbe English leaders: 'Who do you think you are to come up with this 4-year plan? This does not fit into our world economy plan!' As if they ever had let us participate in this world economy!"
Germany is united and today it is tbe greatest power in tbe world and our military tbe best. Germans have overcome their divisions in culture and economics and are united in tbe same cause to preserve their country using their willpower and faith. 1918 will not repeat itself. Mr. Daladier suffers from delusions when he denies tbe claims of tbe German unity. He tries to drive a wedge between us just as our adversaries at home did.
It was a difficult struggle internally. Opposing forces took place inside of Germany to destroy our party. Our success elicited immediately hatred against us. They wanted us to stay hopeless and weak. Their eternal battle cry was: “Dissolve tbe Party! The Party must be outlawed! " We had to earn every inch of our great struggle internally to overcome tbe destruction and opposition and nothing was gifted to us; every success was fought for in a hard battle. Ours was nothing but hard work, struggle, worries, and labor, and we know that we are destined by God to lead this cause. Germany was successful in WWI but then Germans became ungrateful and turned against their own country. And tbe Lord withdrew his protection. This will not happen a second time.
From opposing internal forces to external destructive forces. And now opposing forces outside of Germany have tbe same battle cry: “We must dissolve Germany! We must atomize these eighty million. They should not be allowed to remain within a contiguous state structure. Thereby we can rob them of tbe force to see their demands through!” We know that our internal victory was not a gift and neither will our external success. When I came into power, I realized that it was not enough for our party to win, but that now began tbe struggle to free tbe German people from bondage. For this we built all our objectives, tbe future party, tbe Labor Front, tbe SA, SS and all tbe other organizations of tbe defense, army, air force and navy to guarantee us tbe liberty of our nation. Just as at home, I have negotiated and demanded liberty for our nation. I succeeded in some areas and not in others. But already in 1938 we realized that tbe old war agitators of WWI were active. They pretended to come to agreements in Munich, but when they left, they continued tbe same agitations.
There is no understanding in tbe world if we do not insist upon our rights. Our demands cannot be half-met because they leave room for inflaming fights in tbe future. I am your spokesman for your rights. It is not about me but about tbe destiny of tbe German nation, its past suffering and its future hope. Our enemies cry: "Germany shall perish." Yet our answer is: "Germany shall live!" But there can be no peace without justice!
The desire to destroy Germany is not new. For over 300 years England and France have fought against Germany's right to consolidate its states. They all fought in tbe name of tbe Lord for our destruction and never for any material gain, especially Mr. Chamberlain who is very demonstrative with his bible. And because of this, tbe Lord has bestowed England with nearly 40 million square kilometers of soil on this earth as a reward. And in tbe name of tbe Lord there was no shortage of eager crusaders to assist England in its exploits not only then but also today. 40 million square kilometers obtained through conquest: a succession of violations, extortions, tyrannical abuse, oppression, pillaging, and even forcing smoking of opium upon mankind. And they pocketed our African colonies and our fleet. No other country can claim such noble and great glory for tbe Lord.
Hate against Germany has been taught for centuries. And there again are those "outsiders" whom I warned about as tbe German people had no hatred against tbe French or English folk. We do them no harm with our claims. But certain circles of England have launched this intolerable hate campaign against us. I struggled with tbe same type of people early in tbe beginning when we were just a handful of participants in our party and continued to do so during tbe whole 15 years.
We do not teach our people hate against tbe British or French. But in their countries they are relentless with their hate campaigns. One day these brain-washed people will become tbe new government and then Germany will not know what hit it. This is why I am building up a defense.
We took steps to protect ourselves. From 1934 on, we started to build up our armament to defend ourselves, if necessary. This would not have been necessary, if tbe nations around us would have showed an ounce of understanding for our survival needs. We were blamed for not negotiating enough, but we know how many times we had pleaded to no avail.
They wanted war!
In 1939 tbe Western powers dropped their mask and showed that regardless of all my attempts for peace, they wanted war. My actions were geared toward political protection in this upcoming war. Italy and Germany had common denominators. We are also armed enough so that any war with Poland would be swift. Mr. Chamberlain was unsuccessful in obtaining a pact with Russia which I was able to obtain and this pact shall stand. We have built up more defenses than ever and have scored enormous achievements and our foresight proved to be right. But according to tbe deceptive British press, Germany is at tbe brink of collapse. But regardless how deceptive Mr. Chamberlain is with his bible in hand, we know that his objectives are a Germany of 1648, disintegrated and torn to pieces. The whole war propaganda coming out of England is driven by tbe same type of race going back to Moses' times. Their stories of our losses are so ridiculous that they are trapped in their own entanglement, and they would need ever more ridiculous stories to detangle themselves.
FULL SPEECH
Part 1 of 2
Speech at tbe Sportspalast, Berlin
Fellow Germans!
Seven years are a short time. They are only a fraction of a normal human life-only a second in tbe life of a people. And yet tbe seven years lying behind us today seem longer than many decades of tbe past. In them we feel tbe concentrated force of historic evolution: tbe resurrection of a great nation in danger of extinction. This is an eventful, tumultuous period indeed. We were fortunate not only to witness it, but to fashion it in part. At times we nearly lost sight of it.
Today there is much talk about democratic ideals in tbe outside world. But not in Germany! For here in Germany we had tbe opportunity to get to know those so-called "democratic ideals" well enough, and we can answer to that simply that we got to know that "innocent culture" for at least 15 years. And after that for us there was nothing left but to pick up tbe pieces left behind by this "democracy."
Now we are presented with many truly astounding war aims, especially by tbe English. After all, England is quite experienced in issuing proclamations of objectives in warfare, as it has waged tbe greatest number of wars tbe world over. Truly astounding are tbe war aims announced to us today: A New Europe is proposed. This New Europe, they proclaim, shall be characterized by justice, and this all-encompassing justice shall render armament obsolete. This shall then lead to disarmament at last. And this disarmament, in turn, will bring about an economic blossoming. Trading and change shall take place, but most of all trading, lots of trading, free trading! And with tbe sponsorship of this trade, culture shall once more blossom. And not only culture will benefit, but religion will also blossom. In other words: we shall finally be heading into a golden age! Well, unfortunately, we have heard of this "golden age" many times before and not from our past generations but from tbe same people trying to sell it to us today. It's tbe same old records!
We can only pity these gentlemen who cannot even come up with a new idea to trap a great nation. For all this they had already promised us in 1918. Then, too, England’s objectives in tbe war were tbe creation of this “new Europe,” tbe establishment of a “new justice,” of which tbe “right to self determination of tbe people” was to form an integral part. Back then already they promised us a justice to render obsolete-for all time-the bearing of any sort of weaponry. Back then already they submitted to us a program for disarmament-one for global disarmament. To make this disarmament more evident, it was to be crowned by tbe establishment of an association of nations bearing no arms.
These were to settle their differences in tbe future-for even back then there was no doubt that differences would still arise-by talking them to death in discussion and debate, just as is tbe custom in democratic states. There would be no more shooting under any circumstances! In 1918, they declared a blessed and pious age to come! There shall be a boom of industries and especially a blooming of trade-free trade-as they always point out. Also culture were to flower again, and though they did no longer speak much of religion, they did at least declare in 1918 that it will be a blessed and God pleasing age. But what came to pass instead, we all lived to see: tbe old states were destroyed without even as much as asking their citizenry if they agreed. Historic, ancient configurations were severed, not only made of state bodies but established economic structures as well, and all this without anything better to take their place. In total disregard of tbe principle of tbe right to self-determination of tbe peoples, tbe old historical and commercial European governing bodies were dissolved and nothing better took their place. Nations were robbed of their rights, first rendered utterly defenseless and then subjected to a division which left only victors and vanquished in this world.
And then there was no more talk of disarmament. To tbe contrary, armament went on [but not for us]. Nor did any efforts materialize to settle conflicts peacefully. The armed states waged wars just as before. Yet those who had been disarmed were no longer in a position to ward off tbe aggressions of those well armed. Parallel to this, there was no economic prosperity but a network of lunatic reparation payments where forced upon us which led to increasing destitution for not only tbe vanquished, but also tbe so-called victors themselves. The consequences of this economic destitution were felt most acutely by tbe German Volk. The general commercial disorganization lead to unemployment and impoverishment of our nation.
And culture meanwhile received no support. Instead, it was abandoned to tbe arbitrary reign of crazed ideas and distortions. Religion, too, had to take a back seat. In these fifteen years, not one Englishman recalled tbe Christian ideals of charity or of love for one’s fellow men. There tbe gentlemen did not walk around with tbe bible under their arms, but with tbe Treaty of Versailles in hand as their bible! It contained those 448 articles, all of which represented a burden, an obligation, an indictment, and an extortion of Germany. And this Versailles was guaranteed by tbe new League of Nations. It was not an association of free and equal nations. It was not even a League of Nations contract; tbe actual founding nation stayed away from tbe start. Instead it was a so-called League of Nations with tbe sole intent of guaranteeing this most vile of all Dictates one can assemble. Its mission was to burden us with it and force us to fulfill this Diktat.
This was tbe age of "democratic" Germany! When today foreign statesmen repeatedly act as though they could not possibly trust present-day Germany, one should remark that this cannot possibly be applied to tbe Germany back then, as this former Germany was their own creation, their own work. They should have been able to trust it! Yet, instead, just how badly did they abuse it!
Who can even recall tbe reality of tbe situation of those years: tbe despondency of tbe collapse of 1918; tbe tragedy of tbe year 1919; and then all those years of economic decay domestically; tbe continuation of tbe enslavement; tbe poverty of our Volk; and, above all, tbe utter hopelessness of those years! Even today tbe memory of these years profoundly shakes us when a great nation slowly lost not only its belief in itself, but all hope for earthly justice in this world. During this entire period, this "democratic" Germany hoped in vain, pleaded in vain, and protested in vain. International finance remained brutal and squeezed our Volk ruthlessly to tbe utmost. The statesmen of tbe Allied Nations were hard hearted. In cold blood, they declared that we were twenty million Germans too many. The statesmen played deaf to tbe destitution of our unemployed. They did not do anything about tbe ruin of our agriculture or industry, not even about our commerce. We remember tbe silence of traffic all around us.
In those days when all hope was for naught, all pleas were in vain, and all protests bore no fruits, in those days tbe National Socialist Movement came forth from tbe realization that, in this world, one must never stoop to hoping, pleading, or protesting, but instead, in this world, it is imperative first and foremost to help oneself! For 15 years in this once democratic Germany they preached hope for a new world, for its arrangements; each camp had its own international patron. Some hoped for tbe international solidarity of tbe proletarians, tbe others put their hope into tbe international, democratic institutions, others put their hope into tbe League of Nations in Geneva, or to tbe conscience of tbe world-to tbe conscience of cultures in tbe world.
All hope was in vain. In place of this hope we now have put a different hope, namely tbe belief in only one hope that can be had in this world, tbe help from our own strength. Our belief in our own people and tbe mobilization of our own strength replaced tbe hope in others. We had few real means at our disposal back then. What we regarded as building blocks for our new Reich, besides our willpower, was first our Volk’s ability to work, second its intelligence, and third what our soil, our Lebensraum, afforded us. And thus we began our work and began Germany’s inner uplifting. It did not threaten tbe world. It was a work of purely inner, domestic reform. And nevertheless, it immediately elicited tbe hatred of others. The most tragic time for us was when we experienced their hate for proclaiming tbe 4-year plan; an idea that should have actually brought forth some enthusiasm in others over a people who want to help themselves, who do not appeal to others for help, do not appeal for gifts and charity, but who appeal to its own creative abilities, its' diligence, its vigor, and its intelligence. And yet, tbe other world began to scream-especially tbe English leaders: "Who do you think you are to come up with this 4-year plan? This does not fit into our world economy plan!" As if they even had let us participate in this world economy! No, they got wind of tbe resurrection of tbe German Volk. And it was because we anticipated this and because we saw this that we undertook tbe mobilization of tbe German strength.
You know those years. In tbe year 1933, tbe year we assumed power, I was prompted to declare our withdrawal from tbe League of Nations and from tbe ridiculous Disarmament Conference. We could not obtain any justice from these forums, though we begged and protested for years.
In 1934, Germany’s rearmament began on a large scale. In 1935, I introduced general conscription. In 1936, I let tbe Rhineland be occupied, militarily. In 1937, tbe Four-Year Plan was launched. In 1938, tbe Ostmark and tbe Sudetenland [former German land] were integrated into tbe Reich. In 1939, we began to establish protection for tbe Reich against those enemies who had, meanwhile, cast aside their masks.
The steps taken in 1939 served tbe protection of tbe Reich. Everything could have developed quite differently if tbe outside world had as much as an ounce of understanding for tbe vital needs and necessities for German life. Often it is said we should have waited for a negotiated settlement. You remember, my fellow Germans: did I not more than once plead tbe case of tbe German colonial demands? Did we ever receive any other response than "no," a rejection, and even hostility? The moment tbe Reich began to re-emerge, tbe leading classes of England and France determined to take up war once again against us. That's what they wanted.
For over 300 years, England has sought to prevent a real consolidation of Europe, just as France sought to prevent a consolidation of Germany for many a century. Today Mr. Chamberlain stands up to preach his pious war aims to tbe outside world. To this, all I can say is: English history has already betrayed your intent, Mr. Chamberlain! For 300 years, your statesmen have spoken just as you do today, Mr. Chamberlain, at tbe onset of war. They always only fought for 'the Lord and religion.' They never had 'a material goal.' And just because they never fought for such 'material goals,' tbe Lord so richly rewarded them in material terms! That England always declared itself 'a fighter for truth and justice' and 'a protagonist of all virtues,' this tbe dear Lord never forgets. Generously He has bestowed His blessings on tbe English. In those nearly 300 years, they have subjugated 40 million square kilometers of soil on this earth. Naturally, they did this not from egotistical motives, or because they lusted for control, riches, or enjoyment. No, to tbe contrary, they were merely fulfilling a mission in tbe name of tbe Lord and religion.
Of course, England did not wish to be tbe sole crusader for tbe Lord’s cause, and thus invited others to partake in this noble exploit. It did not even seek to claim tbe battle’s greatest burdens for itself. For ventures so pleasing to tbe Lord one can always find others. And England still does this today. And all this is richly rewarding for England: 40 million square kilometers obtained through conquest: a succession of violation, extortion, tyrannical abuse, oppression, pillaging. Events mark English history inconceivable for any other state or for any other people. The English waged war for any old reason. They waged war to expand trade; they waged war to force others to smoke opium; they waged war to come into possession of gold mines and control of diamond mines. Their goals were always material in nature, though hidden beneath a cloak of noble ideals. And this last war was led in tbe service of "noble purposes," too. To have pocketed German colonies in tbe process was tbe Lord’s will, too; to have taken our fleet from us and to have pocketed German accounts abroad, all these exploits were mere side effects of tbe “noble struggle for a holy religion.”
When I see Mr. Chamberlain go about, bible in hand, preaching his noble war aims, I cannot help but having tbe impression of watching tbe devil, bible clasped under his arm, creeping up to a poor soul. All this is no longer original. It is all in exceedingly bad taste. Nobody believes him anymore. Sometimes I fear he is coming to doubt himself.
Besides, every Volk burns its fingers only once. Only once were tbe children of Hamelin herded off by tbe Pied Piper; only once was tbe German Volk herded off by that apostle of tbe international brotherhood of man. In this context, I must praise Mr. Churchill. He frankly states what old Mr. Chamberlain only thinks quietly to himself and hopes for secretly. He says, our goal is tbe dissolution, tbe destruction of Germany. Our goal is tbe extermination, if possible, of tbe German Volk. Believe me, I welcome this frankness.
And tbe French generals also freely discuss what is actually at stake. I believe we can understand each other more easily in this manner. Why always fight with lies and empty phrases? Why not be open about things? We should greatly prefer this. We know tbe objective they are pursuing whether or not Mr. Chamberlain walks about with tbe bible in hand or not; whether he is acting piously or not; whether he speaks tbe truth or not. We know their goal: it is tbe Germany of 1648 which they envision, a Germany disintegrated and torn to pieces. They know only too well that over 80 million Germans sit in this Central Europe. These human beings also have a right to live. For 300 years they have been cheated out of it. They could only be cheated since their disintegration led to tbe weight of their numbers being proportionally underrepresented. And thus today we have 140 men living on one square kilometer. And when such numbers unite, they have power. When they are divided, they are defenseless and impotent. There is a moral imperative lying within their unity also. What does it matter when thirty, fifty or 200 small states rise to protest or to claim their vital rights? Who takes note? When eighty million men rise up-that is a completely different story! Hence tbe disinclination against tbe state-forming activities in Italy and tbe unity of Germany. They would much prefer to see these states dissolve into their former elements once more.
A few days ago, an Englishman wrote: “So it is, indeed. The hasty foundation of tbe German Empire-that was not right.” Indeed, it was not right. It was not right that eighty million men came together to jointly realize their vital rights. Instead, they would much prefer to see us under 200 or 400 different little flags or, if possible, in some 200 or 300 dynasties. Every dynasty would rule some 100,000 odd men and these would be silenced, never to be heard of by tbe rest of tbe world. Then we as a Volk could try to survive as a people of poets and philosophers. Besides this, poets and philosophers also need less food than hard laborers do.
This is tbe problem up for discussion today. Here are great states which in tbe course of tbe centuries were cheated out of their right to life in this world due to their divisions. These states have now overcome their inner divisions. Today they have entered, as young peoples, tbe circle of all others and are staking their claim. They are opposed by tbe so-called owners of tbe world. These latter owners who today possess and block large sections of tbe world without sense nor purpose; these owners, who pillaged Germany only a few decades ago; they now place themselves into ownership position within nations.
On tbe world stage, tbe same thing is repeated which we have already witnessed inside tbe life of a people. Here, too, there were economic analysis and political opinion to tbe effect that he who has something, is ordained to have something; and he who has nothing, is ordained to have nothing. It was to be pleasing to tbe Lord that tbe one should possess while tbe other should not. And it was to remain so for eternity. New forces have come to oppose this. One simply cries out: “Since we cannot possess anything, we just want to destroy!” This nihilistic force has raged in Germany for a decade and a half. Constructive National Socialism has overcome this force. It has refused to allow tbe existing state of affairs and undertaken its modification. It changed tbe method of eradicating tbe state of affairs by saying: “We want to change this state of affairs by gradually permitting tbe non-possessing classes to partake in tbe national wealth and by educating them in how to partake in it.” Under no circumstances can tbe man who possesses everything presume himself to possess all-encompassing rights while tbe other man has no rights. It is no different in tbe world either. It is not acceptable for forty-six million Englishmen to simply block forty million square kilometers on this earth and to declare: “The Good Lord gave us this. And twenty years ago he gave us a little more, taken from you. Now this is in our possession, and we shall not give back any of it.” And France? With its truly none-too-fertile people, numbering hardly eighty men per square Kilometer, it has more than nine Million square Kilometers of woods. Germany with its eighty million men possesses barely 600,000 square Kilometers. This is tbe problem which must be solved, and it will be solved just as other social questions will be solved.