Economic Elites Delivered Germany to Hitler Through Cowardice, Ambition, and Opportunism, Says Historian

French historian Johann Chapoutot asserts that Germany's economic, military, and cultural elites were complicit in Adolf Hitler's ascent to power. He argues that their actions, driven by "cowardice, ambition, and opportunism," ultimately delivered the nation into Nazi hands.

In his book, "La Bascule," Chapoutot meticulously documents how influential segments of German society, including industrialists, the Church, the military, and the educated bourgeoisie, actively supported or passively enabled the Nazi regime. This support was often strategic, seeking to leverage Hitler's power for their own ends.

Chapoutot points to Hitler's early rhetoric, including his February 1933 radio address promising protection for Christianity, which garnered support from the Catholic clergy. Figures like Cardinal Faulhaber of Munich initially welcomed Hitler's pronouncements, seeing him as a bulwark for traditional values. This initial embrace, Chapoutot contends, was a critical miscalculation.

The historian further details how political maneuvering, such as that by Franz von Papen, aimed to control Hitler but ultimately failed. The crucial vote by the Zentrum party, led by Mgr. Kaas, granting Hitler full powers in March 1933, marked a definitive step in the consolidation of Nazi dictatorship. This act, renewed in 1937, solidified Hitler's authority, demonstrating how established institutions capitulated to the rising Nazi power.