The Hossbach Memorandum and Anschluss

Hossbach Memorandum

5th November 1937

Minutes of a meeting with Hitler, von Blomberg (War Minister), Fritsch (Army), Raeder (Navy), Goring (Luftwaffe) and Neurath (Foreign Minister) taken by Hitler's adjutant, Colonel Hossbach.

Can be found at: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/hossbach.htm

This is a statement of Hitler's foreign policy intent.

3 questions from the previous week:

Why is it controversial?

It was used at the Nuremburg trials after the war as evidence to incriminate those present. The way prosecutors manipulated the evidence has been seen to take away from its usefulness.

The Memorandum written up from notes i.e. it was not a verbatim account of what went on in that meeting. The time lag has led some historians to discredit its reliability.

What is notably omitted and why?

There is no mention of Lebensraum and no explicit reference to conflict with the USSR. This was firstly because Hitler was only describing "stage 2" as it were, of his plan, and secondly because he didn't want to alarm his chiefs of staff with the prospect of war with the USSR so soon.

How is it significant?

It is only two years before war broke out and provided a guide to Hitler's foreign policy aims which had been tempered since Mein Kampf by the responsiblity of being in government. Hitler here provides pragmatic policies to implement his ideological aims and it appears to be a reliable account of his true thinking because the notes were taken in a private meeting with his chiefs of staff as opposed to in the Reichstag or elsewhere.

Anschluss

(Kershaw II pp. 65-80)

Anschluss was discussed and questions 1-5 from a handwritten sheet were set in class with 6 and 7 to finish for prep.

Consider from a German and Austrian point of view:

• Economic arguments for/against Anschluss (autarky?)
• Emotions for/against Anschluss
• The Treaty of Versailles
• Self-determination (hypocrisy in T of V)
• Hitler's ideological goals
• The reactions of foreign powers (Italy, Britain and France)

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