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Old 05-20-2008, 08:58 AM
 
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Since Hitler proclaimed Germany the ''Third Reich'' or Empire why then didn't he call him self emperor??

Ist Reich founded by Emperor ......Otto I 962
2nd Reich founded by Emperor .....William I 1871
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Old 05-20-2008, 05:36 PM
 
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Well Kaiser means "king" right? And Fuhrer is translated to "leader". The king title would not fit the party platform of the nazi party, which was unification of the German race regardless of class and party line, and the nazi party was not a monarchy. He was, afterall, elected into office by the fine German people (sarcasm here), not christened or coronated into office. Also he wanted to seperate himself from the title of the leader that had recently lost the last world war.
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Old 05-20-2008, 07:51 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dd714 View Post
Well Kaiser means "king" right? And Fuhrer is translated to "leader". The king title would not fit the party platform of the nazi party, which was unification of the German race regardless of class and party line, and the nazi party was not a monarchy. He was, afterall, elected into office by the fine German people (sarcasm here), not christened or coronated into office. Also he wanted to seperate himself from the title of the leader that had recently lost the last world war.
Thanks for the explanation Dd714.... I guess then i'm still curious why he chose ''Reich'' which means empire or kingdom if i'm correct??

6/3
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Old 05-21-2008, 01:50 AM
 
Location: The Netherlands
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Originally Posted by
Quote:
I guess then i'm still curious why he chose ''Reich'' which means empire or kingdom if i'm correct??
Before Germany was Germany they were all seperate small kingdoms.
I guess der Adolf sees himself as a true Roman Caesar who is able to unite the people. The Roman Empire enlisted the conquered kingdoms/nations to their empire, so they have been pacified... I mean united.
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Old 05-21-2008, 07:42 AM
 
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I believe "Caesar" also can be translated into Kaiser.
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Old 05-21-2008, 07:56 AM
 
Location: The Netherlands
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Originally Posted by Trudeyrose
Quote:
I believe "Caesar" also can be translated into Kaiser.
True.
I guess Hitler wanted to be a kaiser because a kaiser (or fuhrer) outranks a king?

Quote:
A king is a male monarch, or a head of state, who may or may not, depending on the style of government of a nation, exercise monarchal powers over a territory, usually called a kingdom or a realm. A king is the second highest noble title, surpassed only by emperor.

Source: King - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote:
Kaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". It is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the name of Julius Caesar.

Source: Kaiser - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Old 05-21-2008, 08:04 AM
 
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I have not read as much as I should about Hitler...The whole idea is just beyond comprehension...I've talked to people (Germans) who lived through the era and I still can't comprehend what he did. I'm not talking about WW2.. that can be understood...Good thing someone like him does not come along too often.
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Old 05-21-2008, 10:22 AM
 
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Hitler was a fascist, not a monarchist. However, he did give the the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm an honor guard once he took over Holland.


"Reich" can also mean nation or land. One of Hitler's goals was to united all German-speaking peoples under one roof so the term Reich fit in well with this goal.
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Old 05-21-2008, 10:57 AM
 
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Much of the face of Hitler and the Reich was carefully orchestrated. In fact, an excellent case for the entire ritual and semi-religious nature of the Reich is exposed in a little known and under-appreciated History Channel program, "The Last Days Of World War II", sub-section "Last Secrets of the Axis," focusing on Karl Haushofer.

If you read the standard fare on the man, such as in Wikipedia:

Karl Haushofer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

you come away less than impressed. However, the format of the History Channel program provides a very cogent dissection of the importance of Haushofer.

The DVD is available for rental, this site provides a bit of a review:

DVD Verdict Review - The Last Days Of World War II

"...Last Secrets of the Axis, takes an in-depth look into one of the most powerful, influential, and yet completely invisible figures of the Third Reich—an exploration into a man who has been described as "Hitler's Merlin," Karl Haushofer. ... ...Of particular importance in this feature is how part of Haushofer's theory was the construction of a pan-continental alliance, comprised of Europe, Russia, and Japan, which could stand up and defeat the Anglo-Saxon threat (the US and the UK). The documentary suggests that the formation of the Axis during World War II was directly attributable to Haushofer's influence within the Nazi party. "

What the program doesn't dwell enough on, IMO, is the entire concept of Germany living out the archetype that Haushofer presented and packaged. I regret that Joseph Campbell didn't (to the best of my knowledge) write anything directly on the subject before his death, for it appears that Haushofer was as talented at his craft as George Lucas was when he penned and shot the original "Star Wars," with Campbell's assistance.

To give you an idea of the power of the imagery the Reich used, imagine yourself, as a young man in the 1970s, experiencing rhetoric and visuals that would allow you to believe that you and the country were part of a real "Star Wars" alliance, and then imagine that all critical dissent of that rhetoric was dismissed or repressed by the leaders of the time. Fighting for and supporting that alliance would become a crusade that fed upon itself, with every victory or defeat reinforcing the archetype. That power over the mind is power that only archetypal imagery can wield, and that is the power that held Germany of the 1930s and 1940s in its grasp.

For anyone who has read and understood Joseph Campbell's work, and has even a passing knowledge of WWII, that one program segment clears up just about all of the big questions of how the German people were motivated. In comparison, the actual battle planning and troop movements are mere mechanics and ho-hum standard politics and infighting.
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Old 05-21-2008, 09:25 PM
 
Location: Tolland County- Northeastern CT
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The Russian Empire's equivalent was The Czar.
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