Albert Speer was a major contributor in multiple ways during World War II. One vital way in which he involved and contributed himself to Adolf Hitler’s regime was through his status as Chief of Architect in the Nazi Party. Speer’s first attendance of a Nazi Party rally, merely actioned out of curiosity, found himself strangely drawn to Adolf Hitler, not only because of Hitler's proposed solutions to the threat of Communism and his renunciation of the Treaty of Versailles, but also drawn towards the man himself. Speer's first major commission as a Party member came in 1932 when Karl Hanke recommended him to Goebbels to help renovate the new District Headquarters in Berlin, and, later on, to renovate Goebbels' Propaganda Ministry. Goebbels was impressed with Speer’s work and recommended him to Hitler, who then assigned him to help renovate the Chancellery in Berlin.
Hitler approved the finished result, however Goebbels did not like its simplicity and had it redecorated. In July 1933, Speer was commissioned to prepare the Nuremburg Rally where he proposed the Theory of Ruin Value. Speer was made architectural advisor to Hitler’s architect, Ludwig Troost. The pair refurbished the chancellery building in Berlin. During this event Speer and Hitler became close friends and when Troost died in 1934, Speer filled his position as the Party’s Chief Architect.
Hanke gave Speer the job of redecorating the headquarters of a district branch of the Nazi Party, Grunewald Villa. Speer’s design of a bright red vestibule and yellow office walls raised a few eyebrows. In the summer of 1932, Hanke offered Speer the job of redecorating Goebbels’ headquarters in Voss Strasse and in March 1933 he again invited Speer to visit Berlin and offered him the job of redecorating Goebbels’ new ministry building. Speer won plaudits for his work and soon his life was entering a new sphere. Speer was quickly beginning to impress the Nazi Party leadership, including Hitler himself.
Hence, fortune and opportunity significant assisted Speer’s rise. Speer’s subsequent design of the Nuremberg rally and his trademark Cathedral of Light formed the basis of Speer’s initial international prominence. On 30th of January 1937 Speer was officially commissioned as Inspector General of Buildings for the Renovation of the Federal Capital (GBI). Speer’s power grew, leaping prominent figures such as Goebbel’s as he became answerable only to Hitler for the ‘Germania’ project to refurbish Berlin and 40 “Fuhrer cities”. Speer’s successes constructing the
Speer’s appointment as Architect of the Third Reich contributed greatly to his rise in prominence. Karl Hanke was the district leader of the Nazi Party, and knew of Speer’s architectural qualities. He then employed Speer to redecorate the inside of the new district organisation headquarters. Hanke moved swiftly up the ranks and hired Speer for projects such as; the redecoration of the new district headquarters in
Albert Speer was with no uncertainty a significant figure and member within the Nationalist Socialist Party who contributed a noteworthy amount to Nazi ideology and practice. His influence however within the Nazi Party grew as time went on holding key positions such as Hitler's architect, Head of German Labour Front and Minister for Armaments and Munitions from 8 February 1942 among other tasks. At this position Speer had substantial power and was also said to be the second most powerful man in the Third Reich after Hitler. In 1934 Speer became the ˜First Architect of the Reich,' before this however he had menial tasks such as renovating the Gauhaus in Berlin and organising a backdrop for the May Day rally at the Templehof airfield in Berlin
Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin were both powerful, ambitious leaders that worked their way into positions of power. Stalin took over after Lenin died to lead the USSR after the Russian Revolution. Hitler became leader of the Nazi Party and gained the people’s support with promises of a strong leader that resisted western powers. On their rise to power, both Stalin and Hitler became leaders of political parties, eliminated opposing parties, and promised a better future for the people and country, but Stalin used the people’s support as leverage in his power struggle with Trotsky while Hitler used his passion and the economic situation in Germany to become leader of the Nazi party and gain support over the socialists. Both Hitler and Stalin started their journey towards power by joining political parties.
Albert Speer (born Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer;[1] pronounced [ˈʃpeːɐ̯] ( listen); March 19, 1905 – September 1, 1981) was a German architect who was, for a part of World War II, Minister of Armaments and War Production for the Third Reich. Speer was Adolf Hitler's chief architect before assuming ministerial office. As "the Nazi who said sorry",[a] he accepted responsibility at the Nuremberg trials and in his memoirs for crimes of the Nazi regime. His level of involvement in the persecution of the Jews and his level of knowledge of the Holocaust remain matters of dispute. Speer joined the Nazi Party in 1931, launching him on a political and governmental career which lasted fourteen years.
Explain why the Nazi Regime proclaimed “Total War” in February 1943. (12 Marks) One factor behind why the Nazi regime went ahead with total war was because it offered a chance to revive public morale following the defeat at Stalingrad. The public morale down at this point however going to war with allies seemed the perfect opportunity in regaining the trust of people in the regime. Josef Goebbels speech proved to be a great example in uplifting the people’s moods in regards to total war. His powerful speech was influential and enabled the German public to feel more optimistic within the war as well as regime.
Even before 1933, the Nazi Party leadership, Hitler aside, was undermined by its inability to exert control over the regional Gauleiters, who saw themselves as Hitler’s personal representatives responsible only to him. “In the Party, the leader principle had formed the real foundation of Hitler’s strength long before 1933.” Indeed, since Hitler re-founded the Party in 1925,