Who financed Hitler: The secret funding of Hitler's rise to power, 1919-1933

by James Pool and Suzanne Pool

Book Overview

Called "one of the most useful and illuminating studies of Nazism" by The New Yorker, this highly acclaimed work of history unravels the secret financial web which Hitler spun across Europe and around... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0803790392
• ISBN13: 9780803790391
• Release Date: January 1978
• Publisher: Dial Press
• Length: 535 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The hobo philosopher

After reading both of Mr. Pool's books on this subject, I felt that these books should be required reading for every World War II veteran - possibly all veterans. And now I would expand that recommendation to all who have ever fought in any war and to those who may be forced to do so in the future. Reading such books will help to get through a lot of the "who harr" and hoopla of what most everybody "thinks" war is all about. "Where's the Money and Follow the Money" are always good questions - and invariably eye-opening. Conclusions: Fear of Communism or anti-Communism was the chief motivational concept behind the rise of Nazism and Adolf Hitler. From the man in the street to the captains of industry and the nobles and aristocrats the hatred, fear, and spirit of anti-Communism was common. Patriotism and nationalism were the second strongest motivational characteristics of Hitler contributors inside Germany. Industrialists, aristocrats, white Russian refugees and wealthy advocates of the capitalist system all around the world found cause in Hitler's anti-Communism. The secret Thule Society is for me a new discovery. I had never before read of this group. The Aryan and the anti-Jewish attitudes seem to be a whole other study. This book would suggest to me that anti-Communism was a bigger motivation for the monetary support of Nazism or Hitlerism. Books written by Richard Noble - The Hobo Philosopher: "Hobo-ing America: A Workingman's Tour of the U.S.A.." "A Summer with Charlie" "A Little Something: Poetry and Prose" "Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother" "The Eastpointer" Selections from award winning column.

Revealing work.

Pool is able to give us a compelling report about who really financed the Nazi-party and why Hitler had friends in high places, and that despite the fact that many first hand historical documents disappeared.First, there was the fear for communism (Fritz Thyssen, Henri Deterding of Royal Dutch, Norman Montagu of the Bank of England ...). These people supported Hitler's party to win the working class and the ruined lower middle class away from communism.Secondly, his anti-semitism (Henry Ford). Third, his racist/nationalist stance (the secret Thule society: a group of lawyers, judges, professors, policemen, aristocrats, scientists and businessmen). Fourth, friendly régimes (Mussolini).And last but not least, the donations of his party members and his daily newspaper (a milk cow).Pool gives us a penetrating picture of the political/economical situation in Germany after the First World War: the unbearable Versailles Treaty, the poverty, the unemployment, the hopeless division of the political parties and the plotting of von Papen and his backers, who supported Hitler when his party was losing support, for fear that his followers would jump over to the communists. Von Papen thought that after the elections, he would easily get rid of Hitler, a terrible mistake.Pool convinced me of the ease with which money can subvert the democratic process.One of the more controversial statements in this book is the reason of the abdication of King Edward VIII of England: not because of Mrs. Simpson, but because of his pro-Nazi attitude. This statement needed more underpinning.

Eye-Opening: The Friends of Nazi Party!

I've read both of Pool books, and I've found them both very insightful on the American, England and German "money" interest in the Nazi's rise to power. Without their backing, Germany would have fallen into a communist state in the early 1930s. Certainly, the high-powered money interest of Europe preferred the Nazi Party to the communist. This is why the "money" interest supported the Nazi party. Understanding this truth is key in understanding the Nazis rise to power. We all know what Hitler's views were, but we haven't until Pool research, addressed what powerful forces were instrumental in his rise to power. As a history major, Pool represents what the craft of history is all about. A high recommended reading for anyone.

Excellent synopsis of Hitler's ascendence.

As a novice reader in this area I found the book tremendously helpful in setting the context for Hitler's inexorable rise to power and illuminating the financial machinations that made it possible. His political adversaries badly underestimated him and the Allies sowed the seeds of WW2 as far back as the punitive Versailles treaty. He was an opportunist par excellence and obviously capable of great evil but Mr. Pool does an admirable job of presenting the everyday, human side of Hitler and the Nazi movement. After all, despite the carnage he wrought he was a man born like the rest of us. Many others, including representatives of countries who eventually ended up sacrificing the flower of their youth to contain his destructive actions, aided and abetted the formation of a totalitarian state. Mr.Pool's greatest achievement is making the book read like a rather exciting novel. It is not at all dry as the title might suggest. You feel a certain sense of tension and anticipation as they struggle towards their utterly contemptuous goals. The great tragedy is that the average Nazi Party member, and the other politicians who tried to use the Hitler bandwagon for their own more moderate aims, thought they were doing a good thing for Germany. Sadly they could not control the beast they unleashed. I look forward to reading the sequel "Hitler's Secret Partners 1933-45".