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Adolf Hitler and Charismatic LeadershipHitler's Conception of his Role as Fuehrer
When Hitler came to power in 1933 it was not by a majority vote. In spite of this his strength as a leader lay in the German nation's ecstatic belief in the Fuehrer.
On 1st August 1934 the offices of Reich President and Reich Chancellor were merged to form the unique office of 'Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor' which was later shortened to 'Fuehrer'. According to its official Nazi conception Fuehrer power was 'free and independent, exclusive and unlimited'. This is in direct accordance with Weber's definition of charismatic leadership in that it rejected 'all ties to any external order in favour of the exclusive glorification of the genuine mentality of the prophet and the hero'. Hitler as a VisionaryHitler gained this 'charismatic status' partially because of his political skill and magnetism. He had experienced considerable success in cutting the unemployment figures and this was essential. However, it was somewhat overshadowed by his unshakeable conviction in his own historical role. Hitler often spoke of a 'mission' and claimed 'I go with the certainty of a sleepwalker along the path laid out for me by Providence'. It was this 'mission' achievable only for Hitler, that allowed him to transcend bureaucratic processess and become 'charismatic'. Hitler's Style of LeadershipThis is certainly in keeping with the way in which he clumsily handled legislative procedures. Edward Peterson has asserted that Hitler 'was bored by paper work which meant he usually signed papers on administrative and personnel matters without reading them'. Hitler was a visionary, not a natural head of state and this is how he perceived his role. Hitler's Restrictions as a Charismatic LeaderDespite Hitler's notionally limitless power as Fuehrer, he was in fact acutely aware of how his power could be circumscribed. In order for him to maintain his prophetic status Hitler required the support of the Party and more importantly the German nation. Peterson has stated that Hitler 'never ran counter to the opinion of his Gauleiter, his district commissioners. Each of these men was in his power, but together they held him in theirs'. Similarly, Hitler was aware of his reliance on the German people and this affected the way in which he defined his role. He boldly declared 'I am not a dictator and never will be a dictator... as a dictator any clown can govern'. As such he conceived of his role in accordance with his unshakeable conviction of his mission; he did not dictate, he was Germany's guide. Unsurprisingly then, he did not believe in the existence of 'unlimited power'. However, he knew his weakness lay in his followers and this explains why in defeat he blamed Germany for his own military errors. SummaryHitler conceived of his role in terms of a duty to restore Germany to a great power, and this belief in the importance of his historic mission, shared by the German nation, enabled him to take on the characteristics of Weber's 'charismatic leader'. Hitler's own perception was a romantic notion of an artist with a vision, rather than a politician with an aptitude for running a state machine. As such he could transcend official bureaucratic procedures in governing the country and he relied on German support to do so. Sources Fest, Joachim C. Hitler (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1977) Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris (London: Penguin Books, 1998) Noakes, Jeremy and Pridham, Geoffrey (ed.) Nazism 1919-1945 Volume II: State, Economy and Society 1933-1939 (Exeter: University of Exeter Press, 2000) Peterson, Edward The Limits of Hitler's Power (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969) Weber Max, Gerth H. (ed.) and Wright Mills C. (ed.) From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology (London: Routledge, 1991)
The copyright of the article Adolf Hitler and Charismatic Leadership in German History is owned by Sophie Castle-Clarke. Permission to republish Adolf Hitler and Charismatic Leadership in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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