Hitler’s Motorcars: The Fuhrer’s Vehicles From the Birth of the Nazi Party to the Fall of the Third Reich by John Starkey

Author:John Starkey [John Starkey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781399071420
Google: TMzKEAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Frontline Books
Published: 2023-09-29T21:00:00+00:00

Hitler attending a parade in Berlin in 1936, the occasion being the anniversary of his appointment as Chancellor. (Historic Military Press)

On 13 August, Schleicher and von Papen denied Hitler his right to become Chancellor and Hitler threatened to unleash the SA for three days across Germany to foment violent revolt. However, in an interview with Hindenburg, he revoked this order. November saw Hindenburg again refusing, twice, to make Hitler Chancellor of Germany.

But now fate took a turn. The industrialists and bankers of Germany, including Krupp and I.G. Farben, petitioned Hindenburg to grant Hitler the Chancellorship. The Army high command also wanted Hitler as a leader, as they saw that he would throw off the shackles of the Treaty of Versailles.

Hindenburg, not wanting Hitler to become Chancellor, in the end backed von Schleicher, on 2 December 1932. The problem was, von Schleicher was now not trusted by any of the powers in Germany to work honestly with von Papen in a coalition. Von Schleicher resigned on 28 January 1933.

On 30 January, Hindenburg met Hitler and appointed him Reich Chancellor of all Germany. Suddenly, Hitler had achieved his ambition and shortly afterwards dissolved the Reichstag and declared himself ‘Der Führer’, dictator of all Germany.²⁰

Among Hitler’s first decrees upon taking power were the abolition of registration taxes/charges upon buying a new car, and the announcement of the building of the autobahns. These announcements supercharged the demand for new and better cars. The industry moved towards full production.

Hitler’s income in 1933 was 1,232,335 Marks. Hitler owed 405,494 Marks in tax for 1933 and the advance payment for 1934. However, the Reich President, Hindenburg, died on 2 August 1934 and Hitler immediately declared himself President through the enabling act, even though the German constitution forbade it. As the office of President was exempt from all taxes, the little matter of Hitler’s tax debt was conveniently overlooked.²¹

A little-known fact is that when Hitler became Chancellor, and then dictator of Germany, all the then employed police were required to become members of the SS, which included having their SS numbers tattooed onto their arms. A number of such police were transferred into a new security service in 1933, charged, like the Führerbegleitkommando, with guarding the personal safety of Hitler. They were known as the Reichssicherheitsdienst, or RSD for short.

On the evening of 5 March, Hitler dined with the Army General Staff and informed them that he intended that they should conquer ‘lands to the east’.²²

Now, with public finances from taxpayers’ money available to him, Hitler promptly ordered ten W07 Grosser Mercedes Offener Tourenwagens for the Reich Chancellery motor pool. He could now take his pick from whichever one was available.

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