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

408 DER FUEHRERname the National Socialists gave him: 'office general.' To be sure, hewas an officer by profession, but he was a politician if there ever wasone. In 1900 he had entered the Third Foot Guards as lieutenant; in thisregiment, one of the most exclusive of the old Prussian army, he hadbecome the comrade and friend of another young lieutenant, Oskar vonHindenburg, son of the later marshal and president. At thirty-one hebecame captain and entered the general staff; some years later, duringthe war, he became — still captain — one of Hindenburg's closecollaborators; and as friend of the old man's son he became the oldman's own younger friend. A similar, even closer, friendship connectedhim with Groener, who spoke of him as his 'adopted son.' Through allthese personal relations shines one of Schleicher's strongest talents —his ability to win the hearts of people. It almost seems as if the man'sname (Schleicher: crawler, intrigant) had shaped his personality andcareer. Not that Schleicher was a timid or gentle nature; he loved lifeand power and showed it. But he pursued his lofty ambitions by meansthat seemed consciously adapted to his name, utilization of personalrelations, extreme suppleness and amiability in conversation, persistentgood humor. He was always ready with some affable assurance, but notalways to back up his words. His bearing was self-reliant, but neverseemed unpleasant; he was so amiable people forgot that he looked likea Caesar. But even his most congenial manners could not conceal hislack of scruples in the choice of his means.During the war, in Hindenburg's headquarters it had been Schleicher'stask to supervise German politics and at the same time to spy onGermany's allies; to some extent he had been the political brains ofLudendorff's short-lived war dictatorship. The career of Schleicher wasone of those living threads which connected the political struggles of theold imperial army with the fate of the Weimar Republic; for years hehad been the political brains of the Reichswehr Ministry as so-called'Chief of the Minister's Office' — an all-powerful position whichSchleicher in 1928 had secured for himself by an extremely skillful dealwith the unsuspecting Reichstag. He had his share in the overthrow ofSeeckt; the former chief's doctrine that the army ought to remainpowerful and small was not necessarily his.