"Criticism of Hindenburg, Papen, and Schleicher cannot, therefore, be justly based on the accusation that they intentionally brought Hitler to total power, but it must be limited to the charge that their dilettante methods resulted in bringing about precisely what they had wanted to avoid. It is not evil intent but political folly that they may be reproached for—the imprudence of political dilettantes let loose on Germany at Germany’s expense, combined with breach of the Constitution, with weakness of character in critical situations, and with a more than average self-confidence, in Papen’s case based on a strange mixture of piety and personal vanity."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Arnold Brecht, The Political Education of Arnold Brecht, An Autobiography 1884-1970. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1970, pp. 342-43.
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Paul_von_Hindenburg
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Related Quotes
"Once in office, and influenced by his strong sense of duty, Hindenburg, to the surprise of many, stuck to the letter …"
"He is not only a monarchist, but in the true sense of honorable old Prussianism a Royalist. The splendor of the Borus…"
"Field Marshal von Hindenburg has forfeited the right to wear the field grey uniform of the army and to be buried in i…"
"These achievements made the reputation of Hindenburg as a virtually invincible general. A cult of the hero quickly de…"
"Elections in July 1932 saw the Nazi vote soar above 37 per cent. True, it fell back to 33 per cent when new elections…"
"In the year 1925, General Field Marshall von Hindenburg became president of the republic. With this imperial soldier,…"
"The mass of the [German] nation...swung round to the deepest distrust of those who had hitherto been their idols—espe…"
"Four points about the election of Hindenburg are worth stressing. First, there was a close correlation between the el…"
"The victors imposed upon the Germans all the long-sought ideals of the liberal nations of the West. They were relieve…"
"In these hours of overwhelming concern for the existence and the future of the German nation, the venerable World War…"