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

DEFEAT 437elections. Everything is still in the air.' That was Hitler's force ofdecision, and in order to dispel unpleasant thoughts, he engaged in hisfavorite sport, pistol practice; Der Fuhrer was 'an absolutely dead shot,'wrote Goebbels admiringly in his diary.Then again Hitler spent long hours in Munich at the house ofArchitect Troost, who had to draw plans 'for a grandiose alteration ofthe national capital.' 'Der Fuhrer has his plans all finished,' Goebbelsreports; 'he speaks, acts and feels as if we already had power. This givesa magnificent self-assurance to everyone about him.' Only in the mostimmediate problem, the question of the presidential elections, none ofhis self-assurance was discernible. To be sure, on February 12, after'computing all the figures again with Der Fuhrer,' Goebbels felt justifiedin saying: 'At last the decision has been made!' But he was very muchmistaken; only on February 15 was any decision reached, and it wasHindenburg who reached it; although it was probably Groener who putthis decision through. Hindenburg publicly announced his candidacy,remarking that no one should accuse him of leaving his post in criticaltimes. Could Hitler dare to announce his candidacy in opposition to theold man ? He did not dare. Again Goebbels found his Fuhrer undecided.On February 18, after a conversation with him, he wrote half in despairand half in contempt: 'We must have the courage to live dangerously!'On the following day — for the how-manyeth time?—he was able todeclare: 'The decision has been made,' but two days later, on February21, he was sitting with Hitler and some Italian Fascists in the HotelKaiserhof, discussing 'questions of plutocracy and anti-Semitism,' andon the question which ostensibly had already been decided, Goebbelscould only sigh despairingly: 'The eternal waiting is almostdemoralizing.' Three weeks after the decision had been 'made' for thefirst time!On the next day it really was made. At a meeting in the BerlinSportpalast, Goebbels declared: 'Our Fuhrer is going to be ReichsPresident!' — a propaganda confident of victory could not consider thepossibility that he might not be elected. The audience cheered as amatter of course, and when Goebbels came home, Hitler called on thephone and asked if they had cheered. Goebbels was able to reassurehim, and suddenly Hitler was in a good mood; he