Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

INTERLUDE 227so hated by the radical democrats of Europe that even Marx and Engels,though bitter enemies of Prussia, desired a Prussian victory.This German 'unification on the field of battle' was completed in 1871when the King of Prussia was crowned German Emperor. Even RichardWagner, who had long ceased to be a revolutionary, was unhappy aboutthe 'constant readiness for a new war' which was, in his opinion, one ofthe characteristics of the new empire. He accused Bismarck of havingmissed the opportunity for a genuine reconciliation with France,complained of the annexation of Lorraine by Germany ('Germany's newunity shows its hungry teeth everywhere'), and said it was a scandal thatinside Germany the army, which, after all, was based on 'German labor,'nevertheless was used to 'protect the propertied against the nonpropertied.'And the curse of this age was 'war civilization.'This was the better future he saw and expected for Germany: 'TheGermans, by their special gifts, are destined to become not rulers, butennoblers of the world. . . . With the help of all related Germanicpeoples, we could permeate the world with the products of our specialculture, without ever becoming rulers of the world.' Never let thembecome rulers, for this is the road to inevitable destruction. History, hesaid, shows man to be 'a beast of prey developing through constantprogress. The beast of prey conquers countries, founds great realms bythe subjugation of other subjugators, forms states and organizescivilizations, in order to enjoy his booty in peace . . . Attack anddefense, suffering and struggle, victory and defeat, domination andservitude, all sealed with blood; this is the entire history of the humanrace.In support of his gloomy faith, Wagner always sought out suitableprophets. In the prime of his life, it was Schopenhauer who helped todestroy his pleasure in humanity; in later years, it was a personal friend,the Frenchman, Count Arthur de Gobineau. Gobineau provided anostensibly scientific system into which he could fit his race despair, abiological basis for the twilight of the gods. From Gobineau's Essai surl'inegalite des races humaines. Wagner learned, as he himself said, 'thatthe human race consists of irreconcilably unequal races. The nobler ofthese can dominate the others; by mixture, however, they cannot makethe others like