Nietzsche and the Nazis Essay

The word national socialist has been recalled with feelings of regret, fear, detestation and the threat of raging crimes throughout human bill. However, nothing can hide out or change the reality of the period of Nazi Weltanschauung and its consequences for creation and culture. It was a deep refreshment of German souls as the Indo-European range and a collective park air of intellects, writers and social leaders in post of Christian and Protestant society against Jews. Nevertheless, the appealing eccentricity of the growing ideology among anti-Semite writers and thinkers very much attracted the attention of the Nazis. They examined the complex philosophical works of Nietzsche, Hegel, Fichte, Treitschke, and Huston Stewart Chamberlain, and lastly concluded with the hard doctrine of Nazism, including racist, nationalistic, and anti-Semitic attitudes (Aschheim, 1992, p. 123).It was not very exhausting for Nazis to find a way to utilize many intellectuals ideal agreements, philosophies and literature as they proceeded in the way that led to the holocaust and racial genocide. For instance, Wagner scorned Jews, thus, his operas contained myths, fighting, pagan gods, heroes and demons. As an artist, Wagner had bred the growing hunger of anti-Semitism with his art to a great extent. Besides Wagner, Huston Stewart Chamberlain, the British author who was the composer Richard Wagners son-in-law, deeply influenced Hitler with his essentially racist text Foundations of the 19th Century, and understanding this helps to explain why the final solution took place (Harms, 2001).N whiztheless, Hegel believed that the state was everything and war was a great purifier. Thus, the idea of restoring the ethical health of people was borrowed from Hegels school of thought by the Nazis. On the an clean(prenominal)(prenominal) hand, politicians like Georg von Schnerer, a German nationalist and a strong anti-Semite, and Karl Lueger, the mayor of Vienna, prevailed Naz i Weltanschauung from the heart by their political policies and notions. However, strange the former(prenominal)(a) cultural icons Nazis utilized, the relationship between Nietzsche and the Nazis developed in an odd, neertheless widely effective manner.Nietzsches influence as a philosopher and a writer was apparently limited to his closest friends and some intellectuals in Austria, France and Denmark (Canada, 1997). His books were not widely read or considered by publishers. However, after becoming haywire by the end of the 1890s, his fame right off spread around Europe and he became a figure of considerable importance in German history. Macintyre states in his book The Forgotten Fatherland (as cited in Canada, 1997) that Nietzsches name started to protrude in popular German journals and newspapers as well as numerous books, which collectively promoted him as the philosopher of the time, whose influence is stirring the entire cultural earth.This dislodge in the attitude tow ard Nietzsche and his work was a bit because of the ideological movement from rationalism and empiricism to romanticism during the end of the eighteenth century and the first gear of the nineteenth century, gibe to Hintons Nietzsche in German Politics and beau monde (as cited in Canada, 1997). Consequently, suffering the subjugation of Napoleon as well as witnessing the growing strength of the West, the German population, experiencing a sense of inferiority, attempted to enjoin itself of its innate superiority by glorifying its history and culture with no doubts, according to the point of view Kohn (as cited in Canada, 1997). At this point, Nietzsches mental expiry made him a prime target for this German myth-making project.Nietzsche and his philosophys affiliation with the Nazi movement occurred as a product of the read for raw material to build a new valid sense for humanity under the unity of a superior nation. Hitler and opposite Nazi leaders made use of Nietzschean phil osophy wherever possible. In other words, Nietzsches philosophy was a blueprint for the Nazis war, and they took Nietzsches logic to beget the atheistic world view to its legitimate conclusion (Krueger, 2001). Nietzschean phrases and themes, much(prenominal) as lords of the earth, the pull up stakesing to power, herd instinct, were most often used in public speeches, and written expressions of Nazi leaders, furthermore, appeared even in Hitlers book, Mein Kampf, many times. Nietzsches open-ended philosophy gave big opportunities to Nazis as a means of support for their war.For instance, in The Will to Power, Nietzsche exclaims (as cited in DeLong, 1959) A daring and ruler airstream is building itself up. The aim should be to prepare a transvaluation of set for a particularly strong kind of man, most highly sharp in intellect and will. This man and the elite around him will do the lords of the earth. Ultimately, the idea of superior German nation, the idea of superior individ uals overmans, in other words as members of that nation and the idea of exerting extreme power over others that were inferior and weak, emerged as the fundamental codes of Nazi culture, and markwords for their aim. Nietzsche played a key fictitious character in the development and preservation of the cultural and ideological foundations of the Nazis (Canada, 1997). In short, in terms of political culture, with his peculiarity Nietzsche had a significant role in German history by having an substantial effect on the Nazi movement.As Crane Brinton states (cited in Geib, 2001), Nietzsche called for the superman Mussolini and Hitler answered the call. Nazis and other anti-Semites perceived Jews as scapegoats in every situation, even for their own personal failings. They never forgave the Jews for possessing spirit and money, and named them as underprivileged (Canada, 1997). This notion was very similar to the one that Nietzsche used to describe his overman in Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1967) For that man be delivered from revenge that is for me the bridge to the highest hope and a rainbow after long storms (127).At this point, it is unload that, according to the point of view of the Nazis, Nietzsches open-ended philosophy was working for them and their goal, while making Nazis ideologies concrete and reliable. The Nietzschean overman was the model of the Aryan race, which was bound to conquer other lesser races in the global struggle for racial supremacy (Canada, 1997). Nietzschean heroic idealism embodied the virtues of hardness, masculinity, leadership, courage, power, struggle, and the various other characteristics promoted by the Nazis. By introducing the overman to humanity, Nietzsche advised people to challenge themselves, not to live passively. It was a good reason for anti-Semites to take action and responsibility in the way that led toward creating a higher against reproducing a lower.Having a great willingness to be powerful in order to take possessi on of the life and passel of a superior race, Nazis needed the cooperating hand and inspiration of Nietzsches philosophy, and Nietzschean themes and phrases, such as the will to power. Because Nietzsche cried out for the survival of the strongest, thus, a strong world while building his philosophy and creating the overman, at the same time, he supplied Nazis with a strong argument that they later used to reinforce their ideological body and movement. As Nietzsche exclaimed for the masters and slave morality, anti-Semites perceived themselves as the master of the world, peremptory the rest as humiliated slaves.They treated people other than anti-Semites as dangerous creatures or obstacles threatening the cultural and racial superiority of the Aryan state. By exerting force on them, Nazis kept themselves safe from the misfortune and jinx of declining Jews. They stepped forward in every situation that gave them the chance to realize the Nietzschean guide word Whatever does not kil l me makes me stronger. Moreover, they preferred war and courage to charity, with the twinkle of the Nietzschean phrase, Ye shall love peace as a means to new wars (as cited in DeLong, 1959). They fought for years, lived dangerously and tried to become hard in terms of the Nietzschean will to power. War against the lower to attain the higher was a kind of rite for the purpose of the Nazi movement.Besides all the inner attractive forces of Nietzsches philosophy for the Nazis, Nietzsches Sister Elizabeth (who was a radical anti-Semite), had a springy influence in the affiliation of Nietzsche and the Nazis. She interpreted everything in Nietzsches philosophy as creating a perfect accord with Nazi ideologies and values. In other words, she service of processd Nietzsches philosophy on the ideological plates of the Nazi leaders as the main food of their meal. After the death of Nietzsche, Elizabeth took over the control of Nietzschean ideas and themes, and immediately hurled them upon the Jews with ideal appropriations she could succeed in making legitimate.For instance, as Kaufmann states, Elizabeth published new editions that incorporated her own introductions, which were intended to explain those passages that seemed antagonistic to the pro-German image of Nietzsche she was attempting to create. In many instances, Elisabeth rearranged material and included new passages in her editions of her brothers work (as cited in Canada, 2001). In short, Elizabeth reflected Nietzsche as a German patriot and a heroic warrior in the Nazi movement (Aschheim, 1992, p. 47-48). After all, Elizabeth Nietzsche became an important icon for the Nazis as both the sister and a wonderful coadjutor of Nietzsche. Rosenbergs elaborate funeral service for Zarathustras sister was the best poser of Elizabeth Nietzsches importance.On the other hand, anti-Semitism was the mainstay of the Nazi movement, and the complex body part of the Nazi movement was shaped completely according to the spirit of anti-Semitism. The Nazis reinforced their education and law system upon the basis of the Nietzschean philosophy. Heroic idealism and the will to power were the basic themes of the Nazi education system, where they perceived Nietzsche as their teacher (Aschheim, 1992, p.234). In this way, the objective of education was fairly clear Nazis wanted to reconcile efficient, clever, and brave soldiers and leaders of tomorrows Germany.Under the direction of Rosenberg, Hitlers appointed supervisor of German educational activities, along with Bernhard Rust, the Reich Minister of Education, the Nazi educational system was inundated with Nietzschean literature. Parts from such works as Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil, and The Will to Power were heavy integrated into the school system as required reading (Aschheim, 1992, p.245). besides much of Nietzschean strong, meaningful, encouraging phrases and slogans like whatever does not kill me makes me stronger or I have a wh y of living and can identify up with any how were repeated continuously and drawn into the mainstream thought of Nazi youth.Besides the influence of Nietzschean doctrines in the education system, the jurisprudence and judgment system were inspired by Nietzsches philosophy, as well. Hans Frank, the Reich Commissioner for Justice, once commented, Both personally and objectively, it is of importance to me that Nietzsche of all people has become the mentor of German jurisprudence (as cited form Macintyre in Canada, 2001) As in the case of education, thoughts and writings of Nietzsche were altered and appropriated to the Nazis legal and judicial objectives.In terms of these, violent punishments of anti-Semites were understood as being advocated in the words of Nietzsches philosophy. For instance, having go through life in the concentration camps of the Nazis, Dr. Victor Frankl asserted (as cited in Geib), I am absolutely convinced that the gas chambers of Auschwitz, Treblinka and Mai danek were ultimately prompt not in some ministry or other in Berlin, alone rather at the desks and in the lecture halls of nihilistic scientists and philosophers. As it is clear in the preceding quotation, the educational system based on Nietzschean doctrines was needfully one of the main points of argument for the reasons of genocide and other violent acts pull by Nazis.Without a question, Nietzsche was perceived by the Nazis as being the intellectual and spiritual pillar of their regime (Canada, 1997). Such a creative indemnity gave the Nazis an intellectual justification and respectability to their ideology, while being the source of legitimization to their actions as well. Perhaps the most telling explanation of Kohn (as cited in Canada, 1997) concerning the Nazis motivation for appropriating Nietzsche, was that the former were attempting to create a mythical continuity in German history that would serve as a means for legitimizing the Nazi Weltanschauung.. As a result, wi th the great desire of being the biggest power not only in Germany, but also in the rest of the world, the Nazis made use of everything that would serve their purposes. And building upon a philosophical basis of a very alienable scheme of Nietzsche, Nazis managed to draw their political culture upon vital foundations of one of the turn points of German history.BibliographyAschheim, S. E. (1992). The Nietzsche Legacy in Germany, 1890-1990. Berkeley University of California Press.Canada, G. (2001). Nietzsche and the Third Reich. In Nietzsche online. purchasable http//student.vwc.edu/phialpha/%5CGreg.html (December 8. 2001).DeLong, J. B. (1998). William L. Shirers Take On The Relationship Between Friedrich Nietzsche and The Nazis. In Nietzsche and Hitler online. easy http//econ161.berkeley.edu/TCEH/Nietzsche.html (December 12, 2001)Geib, R. J. (2001) Frederick Nietzsche Religion, Imagery and Politics online.Available http//www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/nietzsche/nietzsche.html (December 1, 2001).Harms, W. (2001) Bernard Silberman. In University of Chicago Quantrell Award master Bernard Silberman online.Available http//www-news.uchicago.edu/resources/quantrell/silberman.html (December 7, 2001).Krueger, D. (1997). A Review of Zachariass A Shattered warrant The Real Face of Atheism. In That Colossal Wreck online.Available http//www.infidels.org/ subroutine library/modern/doug_krueger/colossal.html (December 12, 2001).Nietzsche, F. W. (1967). Thus Spoke Zarathustra. New York Heritage Press.