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

CHANCELLOR AT LAST 531ity below. . . .' When Kaas wrote this, he knew that the NationalSocialists would inevitably come to power by way of the Reichstag; butit seemed to him that the only salvation from 'illegality' and all thehorrors inherent in the word was for the inevitable to come aboutthrough the Reichstag and the constitutionally expressed will of thepeople.The crisis between the cabinet and the Reichstag meant a crisisbetween the Chancellor and the President. In so far as personal feelingsplay a part, Hindenburg surely had held a silent grudge against the onceesteemed general ever since Schleicher had forced him to dismissPapen; but since Schleicher had undertaken to bring the parliamentaround, to put an end to the eternal state of emergency, to relieveHindenburg of responsibility for the constant emergency decrees, he hadhopefully let him try. The success in the disarmament question and theupward trend of business conditions had even improved the old man'shumor, and led him to shield Schleicher against the fury of thelandowners. But the whole relationship presupposed that Schleicherwould succeed in controlling parliament.Up to the last days of January, 1933, Hindenburg was determined notto appoint Hitler Chancellor. In Goebbels's diary, depression andexaltation alternate with monotonous regularity. 'Schleicher is doingbadly,' he is 'tottering, but doesn't know it himself; on the other hand,'we must not be too optimistic,' 'great difficulties still lie in our path,''we must not cheer too soon.' Hugenberg's response to Hitler's plans forthe chancellorship was still a determined 'No, no, never!' — and hisassent was necessary for a majority. Papen contented himself withpointing to Hindenburg's insuperable resistance. On January 26, Goringand Frick had a conversation with Hugenberg and conceded that asolution might perhaps be found, with Papen as Chancellor. Hitlertraveled back and forth between Berlin and the provinces, makingspeeches that were none too confident; as late as January 23, he said thatif he went into the government, there must be 'fair play, in which wegive the others our strength and they give us the corresponding power inreturn,' and if they were unwilling to do this, 'I would rather waitanother three months.'