German Big Business and the Rise of Hitler

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Did big business play a crucial role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power? For decades, it has been argued that German capitalists undermined the Weimar Republic, financed the Nazi Party, and influenced Hitler's appointment as Chancellor. This groundbreaking work reveals that the records illuminating this connection exist, challenging the belief that they were lost or destroyed. Henry Ashby Turner, Jr. presents evidence that, contrary to popular thought, big business did not, on balance, support Hitler's agenda, overturning conventional views on the origins of the Third Reich. The book explores major corporate archives from Weimar and Nazi Germany, delving into the dynamics between corporations, politicians, and political parties. It begins by examining the heritage of German big business and its political role during the Weimar Republic, scrutinizing the Nazi leadership's attitudes toward economic issues. Turner traces the interactions between the Nazis and business leaders leading up to the Nazi triumph in 1933, employing documentation from both Nazi and business sources. Additionally, the author systematically analyzes the financial contributions to the Nazi Party, providing insights into its sources of income. This volume serves as both a history of business and the Nazi era, offering a new perspective on Germany in the 1920s and 1930s while reflecting on the behavior and influence of 20th-century private corporations.