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

THE AGE OF GOLD 253Catholic organizations. Parting with Ludendorff was easier for Hitlerthan the world imagined; he hated the Quartermaster General since hehad put him to shame at the Feldherrn Halle by his example of physicalcourage. The hate grew deeper when, at the trial, Ludendorff showed noinclination toward going to prison for an unsuccessful putsch whichHitler had started and lost without asking him. Since then there hadbeen jealousy and hatred on both sides. Hitler was too cautious to makeany public expression of this; but Julius Streicher, one of his fewsupporters to remain loyal, wrote Ludendorff insulting lettersrecommending modesty to the general, since Hitler had reawakened theGerman people while Ludendorff had at best lost the World War.The well-nigh forgotten World War which a well-nigh forgottenrevolution had ended! For another revolution, a bold march into thefuture, the masses lacked strength and curiosity; and when Hitler againorganized his 'band of freedom, seeking light,' only the strangest humanscum rallied to his banners. A dozen more or less dubious characters —that was all that had remained loyal of his great staff of leaders.The most important was Julius Streicher, for he had money. As editorof scandal sheets, as a speaker at scandal meetings, he had assembled,by blackmail and other methods of similar refinement, a fighting fundwith which, for practical purposes, the movement stood or fell. A manof equal ability and unscrupulousness was a certain Hermann Esser;years before, Hitler had said — and admitted the utterance in court —that he knew Esser was a scoundrel, and used him only as long as hecould not get along without him. During Hitler's imprisonment, thesetwo had clung to him most faithfully because, with their unsavoryreputations, they found no one else who wanted their slimy loyalty. Notwithout some justice Streicher accused the so-called 'fine people' in themovement, the officers and men of academic education, of secretlydespising Hitler for his lack of higher education; Esser, who at timeshad been supported by his numerous mistresses, threatened hisopponents with revelations in the 'Jewish' press. These two hadoutshouted each other in praise of Hitler's greatness, uniqueness, andauthority; both had maintained the crumbling Hitler legend with theenergy of the