The German Question, Part One Hundred Fourteen

The Rise of Hitler and The Nazis" Part Two/B-4
"The Nightmare Begins: Hitler Becomes Chancellor of Germany"

Germans looked around for a party that could stem the Great Depression, and besides the election gains by the Nazis, the German Communist Party (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands) also increased their share of  representation in the Reichstag, although less so than the Nazis. The largest political party during most of the Weimar Republic's existence was the Socialist Party (Sozialistische Partei Deutschlands), but they did not enjoy a majority. The German Center Party usually joined the Socialists and others in some form of coalition government.* By 1932, the Socialists became Germany's second largest party, as the Nazis surged ahead of them, but the Nazis too failed to receive a majority of German votes.**

With millions out of work, the government unable to get a grip on the situation, the republic besieged by extremists from both left and right, and the Reichstag often so divided that it couldn't pass legislation, President von Hindenburg frequently issued decrees instead. The constitution allowed for "emergency decrees" by the president, if he felt a crisis threatened the nation. These decrees were issued through the Chancellor and there were several such decrees during this tumultuous time. No question about it, this emergency power certainly weakened German democracy.

German businessmen and conservative political forces, some not all that taken with Hitler and the Nazis, felt the country needed someone who could maintain a stable government and thwart any possible communist takeover. Hitler's performance during the presidential election showed that he generated tremendous enthusiasm among working class and lower middle class segments of the population in all parts of the country, and that he was someone they wanted. President von Hindenburg was not a supporter of Hitler, but conservative leaders convinced him of the need to appoint Hitler as chancellor. To cement the deal, the basic idea was to give Hitler the chancellorship, but to load the cabinet with more traditional conservatives (including the Vice Chancellorship) to keep a check on Hitler, and only one other Nazi was given an actual cabinet position.*** The conservatives felt the situation was a winner, for if Hitler succeeded in stabilizing the country's political leadership and the economy, all would be well, and any communist threat would dissipate. If Hitler failed, and some thought he would, that would end his political career, and the country would be done with him. Seldom have men ever been so naïve. President von Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. It was January 30, 1933, a nightmare was beginning.

Next..."The Nightmare Continues; Hitler Rules Germany"

* The German Center Party (Deutsche Zentrumspartei) had started out as a Catholic political party to protect and represent the interests of German Catholics, who were a minority in Germany. Its name was a good one, because it really was somewhere in the "center" of the political spectrum, sometimes leaning left, and sometimes leaning right, and this gave them an ability to work with both sides. They pretty much received a reliable, but modest share of the vote.

** Hitler ran for president in 1932. His opponent was Field Marshal von Hindenburg, who, though 84, chose to seek re-election. Hindenburg won by a wide margin, but Hitler solidified his position as a national political figure. To qualify to run, Hitler officially became a German citizen (remember, he was born in the Austrian part of Austria-Hungary; thus, while "German" in background and nationalistic point of view, he was not a German citizen).

*** This was Wilhelm Frick, who was appointed Minister of the Interior. Hermann Göring was made "minister without portfolio," which simply meant he had no specific office.

WORD HISTORY:
Flag (continued, Part 2)-English also has "flag," which means "a piece of flat stone, a slab of stone," and while not commonly used anymore, it is "supposedly" still in use by some dialects in England. It "seems" to go back to Old Norse "flaga," which also had to do with "flat stone slabs," This was from Old Norse "flak" (not the anti-aircraft weapon), which meant "piece cut or torn from a larger object." This was derived from Old Germanic "flagon/flakon/flakan," which carried the notion of "flatness." This traces back to the Indo European "plak," also with the notion of "flat, flatness," which came from Indo European "pele." When Old Germanic "spun off," so to speak, from Indo European, the "p" sound became "f" in Germanic. This form of the English word "flag" came into English circa 1500, and it is closely related to "flake," "a piece cut or broken off of a larger object." A verb form also developed meaning "to lay down stones."

There is yet another English word "flag," meaning "a type of plant with sword-like leaves," and it is also likely to trace back to Old Norse, and perhaps to the same base above, as a sword is "flat-shaped," but this in not certain. Danish, one of the descendants of Old Norse, has "flaeg," a name for a type of "iris." Old Norse, another Germanic language of old, had influences on English, as Norwegians and Danes, raided the English coast on a fairly regular basis, and eventually settled in the northeastern part of England and southern Scotland. While English and Old Norse were related (both Germanic), the Norse brought some new words into English, thus enriching the language.

Further, there is the verb "flag," "to tire or weaken to the point of stopping," as in, "We will not flag in our quest to give tax cuts to the very wealthiest Americans, as they are the productive class." (I think I just came up with a new slogan for the Republicans!) Anyway, this form seems to have come about in English during the 1500s, and it is likely related to "flag, the piece of cloth," in the sense of the flag drooping. This shows how words can shift basic meanings, as "flag," the "cloth banner," came from a word meaning "to flutter," but "flag," the verb, came to mean "droop;" thus, "tire, weaken."