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TOTALITARIANISM IN GERMANY GUIDE TO OFFICIAL DOCUMENTARY SOURCES This guide lists primarily official documentary materials that were produced by the Nazi regime. The materials are listed here by publication name. Using this guide, researchers can efficiently locate official Nazi materials at the relevant institutions in the Washington, DC area. Where possible we have also noted on this guide when certain publications are missing volumes or editions. NOTE: A BRIEF STATEMENT OF PUBLICATIONS PRINCIPLES The World Future Fund serves as a source of documentary material, reading lists, and internet links from different points of view that we believe have significance. The publication of this material is in no way whatsoever an endorsement of these viewpoints by the World Future Fund, unless explicitly stated by us. As our web site makes very clear, we are totally opposed to ideas such as racism, religious intolerance, and communism. However, in order to combat such evils, it is necessary to understand them by means of the study of key documentary material. For a more detailed statement of our publications standards click here. DOKUMENTE DER DEUTSCHEN POLITIK • THE VÖLKISCHER BEOBACHTER • DER HOHEITSTRÄGER ADOLF HITLER: PUBLISHED SPEECHES
• DAS SCHWARZE
KORPS REICHSGESETZBLATT (Reich Legal Gazette) WFF GUIDE TO GERMAN ARCHIVES DOKUMENTE DER DEUTSCHEN POLITIK DESCRIPTION Dokumente der Deutschen Politik was an annual publication released by the Nazi Party press that recounted the past year's most important political events. As such, it represents the most extensive of official NSDAP documentary material in one place. The documents in each volume are arranged by subject area, including developments in the economy, industry, foreign policy, Party matters, and so on. The index to the 1936 edition is included here. The most important speeches given that year by Nazi Party leaders are also included in full. These volumes represent the most extensive single printed collection of Hitler's speeches that are available anywhere. A chronology of the year is included at the end of each volume, as is a listing of which speeches Hitler gave, when he gave them, and where he gave them. WHERE TO FIND THE DOKUMENTE Certain volumes of Dokumente der Deutschen Politik may be found at the Library of Congress. Unfortunately the Library of Congress does not hold a complete set of Dokumente der Deutschen Politik. The volumes it does hold are listed below. The years 1938, 1939, and Part 2 of 1941 are missing. It is unclear if volumes for the years 1942-1945 were ever published. The volume for 1938 is also available at the German Historical Institute (see Research Note below). Click here to access the Library of Congress Online Catalog.
For more information on German historical sources available in the Washington, DC area, see WFF Guide to German Historical Records in Washington D.C. DESCRIPTION The Völkischer Beobachter was the official newspaper of the Nazi Party. As such the VB was one of the most important organs of government propaganda. WHERE TO FIND THE VÖLKISCHER BEOBACHTER The Völkischer Beobachter may be found in the Library of Congress, Newspaper & Current Periodical Reading Room, Madison Building, LM133. Copies of the VB are available either on microfilm or in bound hard copy volumes. University and community libraries may also have collections of the VB for use by their patrons. The VB is also available at the library of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, but only on microfilm. This makes it a difficult source to use. In addition, the articles are printed in Fraktur, which is a complicated German script to read. The USHMM library holds a complete set of the VB on microfilm. Click here to access the Library of Congress Online Catalog or click here to access the USHMM Library Catalog. Ordering Microfilm Copies: Organizations and individuals wishing to order microfilm of the VB an do so via Mikropress or from the Library of Congress. The costs vary depending on the kind of film ordered. For detailed instructions and information on ordering see the web site of the LC Photoduplication Service For additional information on German historical sources available in the Washington, DC area see the WFF Guide to German Historical Records in Washington D.C. DESCRIPTION Der Hoheitsträger was a very ideological publication intended only for official use as political indoctrination material. Der Hoheitsträger was a publication put out monthly by the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF - German Labor Office) of Dr. Robert Ley. The publications was directed at the leadership of various Nazi Party, SS, and police organizations for use in training. Der Hoheitsträger was not to be distributed to the lower ranks of the party or to the general public. The contents typical of an issue of Der Hoheitsträger include photo essays, inspirational quotations by Nazi Leaders and German historical figures, articles of political-ideological interest, antisemitic tracts, and pieces on race history and science. WHERE TO FIND DER HOHEITSTRÄGER Certain bound volumes of Der Hoheitsträger may be found at the
Library of Congress in the
Jefferson Reading Room. The call number is DD253.A22 R43.
Unfortunately, the Library of Congress does not hold a complete set of Der
Hoheitsträger. They do, however, hold four bound volumes of the
publication. Each of these volumes contains roughly one year's worth of
issues. These are organized as follows: For additional information on German historical sources available in the Washington, DC area see the WFF Guide to German Historical Records in Washington D.C. ADOLF HITLER: PUBLISHED SPEECHES World Future Fund Reports Hitler Speeches: Some Complete Transcripts German Edition Hitler: Problems in Documentary Record
BEFORE HITLER COMES TO POWER At present two collections of Hitler's writings and speeches are recommended for the years before he was appointed Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933. To our knowledge, these collections include all of the published historical documentation as it pertains to Hitler's political career during the Weimar Republic. These are not collections of excerpts.
MAX DOMARUS' COLLECTION The most widely used reference source for Hitler's speeches is
Unfortunately, however, the Domarus volumes suffer from several significant deficiencies. Contrary to what most people think this is not a complete collection of complete speeches. Some speeches are mere excerpts. Others are missing altogether. Even worse is the fact the confused editorial structure of the book. It is often hard to see where speeches begin and end, and Domarus insists on inserting his comments in the middle of speeches. The main value of the book is that it is a good list of Hitler's speeches and footnotes for those speech listings. The English translation is a particular problem being of very poor quality. THE REDEN DES FÜHRERS (SPEECHES OF THE FÜHRER) SERIES The official press of the Nazi Party periodically published collections of Hitler's speeches as well. These were printed under a variety of titles and in multiple editions. This series is entirely in German. Here is a select list of some of these publications:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE COLLECTIONS Adequate English language sources are very difficult to find. At the moment they are confined to collections of excerpts. Readers of these sources should be warned that the quality of these translations is often poor.
DESCRIPTION Das Schwarze Korps was the official newspaper of the SS, meaning it contains statements of the SS ideology that were officially sanctioned by Heinrich Himmler. DSK also contains copies of speeches from leading SS and Nazi Party officials. WHERE TO FIND DAS SCHWARZE KORPS Das Schwarze Korps may be found in the Library of Congress, Microform Reading Room, Jefferson Building, LJ139B. The Library of Congress holds DSK volumes 1-11, running from 1935 to 1945. The Microfilm Reading Room is on the same floor as the General Reading Room in the Jefferson Building. The call number is DD233 .S35. Request the film rolls by year. Click here to access the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Das Schwarze Korps also may be found on microfilm in the library of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Click here to access the USHMM Library Catalog. Ordering Microfilm Copies: Organizations and individuals wishing to order microfilm of Das Schwarze Korps can do so via Mikropress or from the Library of Congress. The costs vary depending on the kind of film ordered. For detailed instructions and information on ordering see the web site of the LC Photoduplication Service. For additional information on German historical sources available in the Washington, DC area see the WFF Guide to German Historical Records in Washington D.C. HEINRICH HIMMLER: PUBLISHED SPEECHES AND WRITINGS Heinrich Himmler's speeches appeared in various publications throughout the duration of the Nazi regime. This is a select bibliography of those publications.
For a select listing of archival references to Heinrich Himmler's speeches see the Heinrich Himmler Speeches List. OFFICIAL NAZI PARTY AND SS PUBLICATIONS This select bibliography list some of the important works published by the SS and the Nazi Party. Please note that it is not comprehensive. SS PUBLICATIONS
NAZI PARTY PUBLICATIONS
For additional information on SS and Nazi Party documentary sources see the Heinrich Himmler and SS Documentary List. GERMANIEN: MONATSHEFTE FÜR GERMANENKUNDE DESCRIPTION Germanien: Monatshefte für Germanenkunde was a monthly publication of the SS Ancestral Heritage Office (SS Ahnenerbe). This journal dealt with Germanic art and culture throughout history. A typical issue would contain detailed studies of historical anthropology, race science, runic studies, mythology, and the so-called "Indo-Germanic" history of Aryanism, going back as far as ancient India. WHERE TO FIND GERMANIEN Certain volumes of Germanien may be found in the Library of Congress,
Jefferson Building Reading Room, call number DD1 .G385. Unfortunately, the
Library of Congress does not hold a complete set of Germanien. It
does, however, hold six bound volumes of the publication. These are
organized as follows: For additional information on German historical sources available in the Washington, DC area see the WFF Guide to German Historical Records in Washington D.C. THE NUREMBERG PARTY CONGRESSES THE "YEARBOOKS" (ALSO KNOWN AS THE "BLUE BOOKS") The Nazi press published annual yearbooks for the Nuremberg Party Day rallies. These official yearbooks are often referred to by book dealers as "Blue Books" because of their blue cloth covers (although some limited editions were published with dark red covers). Because the yearbooks were intended for a popular audience they are heavy on photographs. These books only provide excerpts from or summaries of Hitler's speeches. Furthermore, neither indexes, nor tables of contents are included in these books, making it time consuming to locate Hitler's speeches. These books are in German.One benefit to the yearbooks, however, is that they often contain copies of the speeches delivered by Nazi leaders other than Hitler, including Joseph Goebbels, Alfred Rosenberg, and Robert Ley. The addition of these speeches makes them a valuable source.
THE "GUIDE BOOKS" (ALSO KNOWN AS THE "RED BOOKS") A very useful source for the complete texts of Hitler's speeches at some of the Nuremberg Party Day rallies can be found in guides to the rallies that the Nazis published following each Parteitag. Some book dealers refer to these smaller volumes as "Red books" because of their red cloth covers. These guides were intended to provide readers with a detailed description of the rally that had just taken place. Accordingly they include more text and fewer photographs than the yearbooks. Within these guides one can find copies of the complete speeches that Hitler delivered at that year's rally. These books are in German. To the best of our knowledge, these guide books also contain reprints in chronological order of the complete speeches delivered by other Nazi leaders at that rally. Events leading up to each speech, including processions and ceremonies, are also described. The guides thus serve as detailed reference works on the Nuremberg rallies by including information on speaking engagements and the audiences to which comments were directed. Unfortunately, these guide books are very difficult to find.
THE REDEN DES FÜHRERS (SPEECHES OF THE FÜHRER) SERIES Of all the available sources, the most cost effective are volumes that were produced by the Central Printing Office of the Nazi Party of the complete speeches Hitler delivered at that year's Nuremberg rally. Entitled Reden des Führers (Speeches of the Führer), some of these volumes also included speeches Hitler gave at other Party events, such as the annual rally at Bückeberg. Various later editions of Hitler's collected speeches, including his Nuremberg speeches, were also printed. Several of these are listed below. These books are in German.In some cases, volumes of Hitler's speeches were printed specifically for distribution among a target audience, such as a "Special Edition for the Armed Forces" or a "Special Edition for the Luftwaffe." These speech books, when used in conjunction with the yearbooks and the guides, provide complete documentation of Hitler's speeches and the best overview of the contexts within which Hitler spoke during the Nuremberg rallies.
Adolf Hitler, Rede Adolf Hitlers zum 21. Jahrestage der Gründung der NSDAP in München am 24. Februar 1941 (Berlin: W. Greve, 1941). THE MAX DOMARUS VOLUMES The best known collection of Hitler's speeches is the compilation created by Max Domarus. This compilation also includes the Nuremberg speeches. Researchers using these volumes should be warned that Domarus' volumes are collected excerpts of Hitler's speeches. Still more problematic is the fact that in some cases a speech Hitler delivered at Nuremberg has been left out altogether. Also, it is often hard to see where speeches begin and end, and Domarus insists on inserting his comments in the middle of speeches. See our general report on Hitler's speeches for other problems that exist in the Domarus volumes. These books are in German.
THE MAX DOMARUS VOLUMES IN ENGLISH Documentary sources in English translation on the Nuremberg Party Day rallies, including the speeches of Hitler and other prominent Nazi leaders, are almost non-existent. Although the Domarus volumes have been translated, the problems that plague the German editions are also present in the English translations. An additional problem in the English volumes is that the translations of Hitler's statements are sometimes very poor. This further detracts from the usefulness of the Domarus volumes. However, for those limited to researching the Nuremberg Party Day rallies in English, Domarus' are the only relatively complete source that is available.
EXCERPTED SOURCES Those interested in reading a general study of the Nuremberg Party Day rallies in English may consult the title listed below. Some excerpts from the speeches of Hitler and other Nazi leaders are available in this work.
HEINRICH HOFFMANN'S PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONS OF THE NUREMBERG PARTY CONGRESSES As Adolf Hitler's personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann had unlimited access to the events of every Nuremberg Party Day rally. He used this access to create photo albums of each rally throughout the 1930s. Here is a complete list of Hoffmann's Nuremberg Party Day rally photo albums.
Click here to access the Library of Congress Online Catalog. For additional information on the Nuremberg Party Congresses see our report on the Documentary Record of the Nuremberg Party Congresses, 1934-1938 and the Schedules of The Nuremberg Party Congresses, 1934-1938. REICHSGESETZBLATT (Reich Legal Gazette), 1933-1945 The Reichsgesetzblatt (abb. RGBl) is an official, governmental compilation of every law enacted and published by the German federal government in a given year. Each volume is organized by year and the day of each laws' passage by the Reichstag. This collection is an invaluable source of information on the legal structure and official laws of the Nazi state. A sample can be seen here (PDF File). Each year is made up of two volumes, each of which is called a "Teil". These volumes are then subdivided into sub-volumes in some cases. Thus, for example, the year 1940 has two major volumes, Teil 1 & Teil 2, and Teil 1 has a first and second part. Volume one of each year contains the text of all German federal laws. Volume two for each year contains the texts of treaties made with foreign governments in that year, as well as legislation relevant to relations between the federal government in Berlin and the German states, and publications on subjects as varied as economic concerns and military rearmament. Readers should note that until and including the year 1938, each volume is printed in German gothic script (Fraktur). Beginning in 1939 the script is standard type. The volumes examined for this study were located in the Law Library of the Library of Congress, Madison Building, in Washington, DC. Unfortunately the Law Library does not appear to hold a complete collection of the Reichsgesetzblatt series (For more information on the problems with the LC collection see below). Volumes, the existence of which has been confirmed, are listed here. Years with a question mark signifies that a volume for that year could not be found:
Problems with The LC Reichsgesetzblatt Collection: As of this writing (January 2005), the LC computer record for the Reichsgesetzblatt was completely incorrect. The computer record lists a complete collection of the RGBl in the LC holdings on microfilm and available in the Microfilm Reading Room of the Jefferson Building. A visit to this room and the Microfilm Reading Room of the Law Library in the Madison Building yielded no such collection, at least for the years 1933-1945. In fact, no microfilm of the Reichsgesetzblatt for any of the years of its history (1871-1945) could be located. Several printed volumes for the Nazi period do exist. These volumes are listed above. However, they cannot be retrieved via call number, via the computer record, or via the card catalog because no record of these books exists. The books can only be obtained via the Reference Desk of the Law Library on the second floor of the Madison Building. The books cannot be read in the Main Reading Room of the Jefferson Building. Each of the volumes has the following call number printed on the side of the book: LAW <Germany 1>. However, a search of the computer catalog using this reference number yields only the post-1945 Bundesgesetzblatt, not the volumes from the Nazi period. In short, it is only possible to locate and read these volumes by asking for assistance from the Reference Desk at the Law Library. They will refer researchers to a specialist in the field who can help locate the necessary volumes. These specialists may know where the missing volumes (listed above with question marks) in the series can be found. WFF research could not locate these volumes. Lastly, a useful index to the Reichsgesetzblatt is available. Its title is as follows: Schlegelberger-Hoche, Das Recht der Neuzeit: Ein Führer durch das geltende Recht des Grossdeutschen Reichs und das Preussische Landsrecht, 1914-1944 (Berlin: Verlag Franz Kahlen, 1944). Call Number: LAW Germany 2a 1944.
DOKUMENTE DER DEUTSCHEN POLITIK • THE VÖLKISCHER BEOBACHTER • DER HOHEITSTRÄGER ADOLF HITLER: PUBLISHED SPEECHES
• DAS SCHWARZE
KORPS REICHSGESETZBLATT (Reich Legal Gazette) • WFF GUIDE TO GERMAN ARCHIVES |