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

436 DER FUEHRERsense that in Hindenburg he hated, and at the same time fearedsomething like a father. His struggle against his own father endedalmost murderously by death; a struggle at the same time against thestate, tradition, law, and common sense seemed to revive in his relationto Hindenburg. And ultimately it had a similar end.Now he informed this menacing, fatherly figure that he, Hitler, wasready to honor him as his marshal, his president (read: his father); butthat Hindenburg must make him chancellor. For that is what he meantby the dismissal of Bruning. We seem to hear old Alois Hitler: painter?— no, never as long as I live! Several times Hindenburg said almost thesame words: Hitler — chancellor? Never, as long as I live; and certainlynot by these indelicate, blackmailing methods. Moreover, in a talk withHugenberg, the questionable ally, who made up for his dwindlingpolitical importance by a provocative, overbearing attitude, Hitler inrage had claimed the Reichswehr Ministry for himself — they werealready dividing the future power over Bruning's political corpse.Hugenberg had seen to it that this should come to Hindenburg's ears.The Reichswehr spy wanted to become Reichswehr Minister! Almostany concession might have been wrung from Hindenburg — but theReichswehr never; to prevent that was almost a religious duty.Immediately (January 12) he sent word to Hitler that the dismissal ofBruning was out of the question.For Hitler there followed nights more sleepless than usual, a time ofcovert watching and waiting. He listened to a thousand counsels andcould not make up his mind to follow any of them. Goebbels reckonedthat if Hitler should declare that he himself were running for president,Hindenburg might retreat to avoid the clash. On January 19, Goebbelswrote in his diary: 'Discussed the question of the presidency with DerFuhrer. No decision has yet been reached. I am pleading strongly for hisown candidacy. By now nothing else is seriously possible.' But twoweeks later he was no further advanced. 'Der Fuhrer's decision,'Goebbels noted on January 31, 'will be made on Wednesday. It can nolonger remain in doubt.' On February 2, Goebbels wrote: 'Der Fuhrer isdeciding to run himself,' but a week later, on February 9, he is obligedto admit: 'Der Fuhrer is back in Berlin. New debate on the presidential