Hitler And Speer example essay topic

Albert Speer 1. Born in March 19th 1905, and the middle child of three sons, you could say Albert Speer had a life of a movie star. Having a father who was a successful architect in Mannheim, and a mother who came from a wealthy family you would say that the Speer family was more than well off. The Speer family had their own cook, kitchen maid, chamber maid, butler, chauffer, nanny and governess; Albert Speer was the upper class instead of the upper-middle which he classified himself into. But too all-good things there are bad.

Not liking his brothers, he would get picked on by them. Albert's relationship with his parents was poor and had conjured in his mind that they didn't have anytime for him at all or even loved him, but that his governess had shown him more affection towards him. Albert was never allowed to interact with any other children that weren't in the upper class. He was never allowed to play in parks or even on the streets. At the age of 17 Albert met Margaret Webber to whom he fell in love with and had gotten married to after he left his studies. Wanting to become a mathematician Albert was forced to follow his father's footsteps and become and architect.

Not being able to become a mathematician and becoming an architect Albert had never really gotten to follow his dreams but it did give him the opportunity to work with one of the greatest dictators. Hitler. 2. Having wanted to establish his own architectural practice, in Albert's early days of leaving his studies it had been unsuccessful for him. Due to the depression that had hit Germany in the 1920's the demand on construction had a down turn, which made it possible to find any jobs for Speer. Not finding work and resigning from his assistant lecture's position, Speer had decided to move back to Mannheim to try and create his practice there, but once again the demands for designing work was low.

Realizing that there was no chance in building his practice in Mannheim he moved to Berlin in which he gained his first work of redecorating Karl Hanke district organization head quarters. 3. Not being able to find work or establish his practice, Speer's main concern at the time in which he had entered into the Nazi party was purely for his career and not for the politics. Speer's only contribution to the party was to drive party members in his can of official business. But Speer had seen the party as a building in which he could achieve his ambitions and to become a successful architect. Speer's decision on joining the Nazi party had an improvement of impact to his work as an architect.

Even though that didn't give him many opportunities to create buildings it still gave home work in the field that he loved doing. Having been given the chance to redecorate headquarters, Speer still had shown that he was a willing and capable person to achieving anything and by doing so it had created more jobs and had pushed him closer and closer into becoming a well know architect. Having seen the plans for the Nuremburg rallies Speer, being a person to welcome on challenges had stated that he could do better with the designs for the rally. Speer had wanted to create a setting designed to impress the audience that would make them walk into the stadium at night that then they were confronted with a raised platform to which was draped with two huge black, white and red banners, each taller than a 10 story building with a third swastika banner between them.

Illuminated by 130 searchlights this headed towards the heaven this 'cathedral of lights' had been the main design and basis for the rally. Splendid in design and marvelous in sight, this was one of Speer's memorable works, which had given him his statue as a magnificent architect. 4. Speer's status as a nobody at the early stages of his years had banished. Having shown his work not only to Hitler but also to the world had given Speer the respect and recognition of a superb architect. By gaining this respect and recognition Hitler had invited Speer to have dinner with him.

This dinner had been the beginning of Speer's career within the Nazi party and Speer was determined to achieve his ambitions. Speer wasn't given much major works to complete by Hitler. But once Hitler's main architect Paul T roost died, Hitler knew whom he would appoint to take his place. Speer.

This gave Speer more responsibilities. Speer was appointed to build a permanent sire to the Nuremburg rallies. Speer was now the right hand of Hitler and was the person to help Hitler create his perfect Germania for the Aryan people. Having been appointed Hitler's new architect, you can say that Hitler's and Speer's relationship would be getting closer, and that it was going to get even closer.

Speer said that "At one stage I was so mesmerized and hypnotized by Hitler that I hadn't noticed what was happening around me". Hitler and Speer would have dinner in the mountains and would talk about architectural designs all day. They would go to coffee and discuss more architectural designs and how to create the perfect Germania. Speer wouldn't see his family for months for that he was always besides Hitler wherever he went.

Their friendship had gotten so close that Hitler had given Speer a house in the same area of the mountain that hitters house was situated. But there friendship was based purely on the love of architectural designs and the creation of the new Germania. As the years went on their friendship had decreased and they had ended up in different situations. Not having much knowledge nor experience of armaments, Speer having been elected minister of armaments had great responsibility but Speer was willing to show that he was capable. Such duties that Speer was required to do was to monitor and develop the creations of armaments, issue orders to the arms factories, he was also given the responsibility to 26,000 workers which were needed to construct large buildings to build for the army and air force and to build air raid shelters in Berlin. He organized the repair of the Russian railway system so that they could deliver goods to the front.

Speer's role in the economic survival of the Nazi regime was enormous portion. Speer's ideology of the war was that "For a nation to start a fight and to win the major world war requires, the efficient use of its economic potential and a set out a plan in which needs to be followed and set's out hat weapons and materials are needed". Speer didn't allow the Nazi leaders and their military tactics; overcome the fact that Germany will only fight these 'short wars' with there amount of planning. Having chosen and followed Speer's ingenious planning and tactics the war's that Germany had soon be facing, may taken a different turn and even a successful turn, for that Speer understood the fundaments and supplies could easily cost you the war, this was Speer's own viewing of why WWI had failed, for that there were shortages on the home front and that was the reason why Speer wanted to plan, so that this same scenario doesn't occur when Germany attacks. Speer had opposed to Hitler for that Speer had saw Hitler as being a "Amateur who mad a series of wrong decisions" to which were the major causes of Germany losing the war. Hitler didn't understand a majority of factors to which had major factors concerning the war.

Speer would state that Hitler never really paid close attention to how the war was progressing and to the background work in which was needed to have a successful win. By not doing this, it had made Hitler give stupid orders and tactics to which Speer knew they were pathetic and knew they would not wor. Speer mentioned that if "Hitler just listened and understood the matters of the war and the implications and effects and not worrying so much on his status and that he knows all for being a leader, it may have had led Germany to actually win the war: /With Hitler's scored-earth policy to destruct all of Germany's industries, Speer had informed Hitler that such a decision could destroy and create catastrophe for the German industry an its people. Hitler as usual over-riding his power's ordered the destruction of the eastern industries. This had pushed Speer more and more away from the friend that he knew called Hitler. 5.

Hitler having committed suicide, the only people left to lame were the remaining leaders of the Nazi party. Speer having been part of it, even though that he wasn't involved in all of the crimes committed still was going to be fried for all the crimes. The comrades of the Nazi party had decided to state that what Hitler had done was a good plan but it had failed in certain areas. Speer had a different view. In court Speer had went against the party and said that what Hitler done was wrong, was not humane. Speer had accepted the responsibility of what had happen, but he didn't state that he was guilty of the crimes.

Speer didn't want to whitewash what Hitler had done and he didn't want to suffer at the same consequences as the rest of the arty wanted but to be trailed differently from the rest. Even though this had resulted in the party who had stopped talking to Speer, but he didn't mind, all he wanted to do was to show that he had no understanding of what was going on, he was too focused n the creations of the buildings for the new Germania. Speer had worked with his lawyers constantly to create his defense story to which he had presented in two days. In his argument Speer had accepted responsibility as a leader, for all of hitters orders that he had carried out.

Speer also stated that "although subordinates have to obey orders the leaders have to accept co-responsibility for them being issued". By saying this Speer had admitted the responsibilities of the crimes that were outside of his departments. Having admitted to those crimes, Speer was found guilty but of only part-responsibility. Speer was given 20 years. Speer's life in the Spandau prison was somewhat like palace compound to what other criminals would receive for committing petty crimes. Speer's 3 m long and 2.7 m wide cell had yellow walls and white ceilings.

It came with normal features such as a toilet, iron, bed, but Speer had extra features such as a desk and even a cupboard. Speer had restricted rules while in prison such as, he would only be allowed to receive a letter once a month and have a 15 minute real-time conversation with a family member every two months. Not being able to do much Speer had decided to become a gardener and had replanted 6000 square meters of any plant of his choice. He planted hundreds of fruit trees, and had established a large vegetable patch. Needing to keep his health maintained Speer ran 7 km per day, not only did he exercise his body it also exercised his mind as he used his running to make an imaginary run around the world, and by the end of this sentence Speer had traveled 32000 km and was in Mexico.

Not being able to run or garden at night, Speer had occupied his mind with books on architecture, ancient history, theology and philosophies. Speer had read more than 5000 books and had written a draft 1800 pages of his memoirs. Having been a 'special' prisoner rules would have been broken for Speer and they were. One of the guards at the Spandau prison informed Speer that he would be willing to smuggle his mail out of the jail and into the outside world. This had given Speer the unlimited access to his comrades and family. There had been thousands of pages, which were smuggled out.

The letters had to be transmitted through Speer's former secretary, Frau Kemp, but after 1951 Rudolf Walters's office acted as Speer's secret post office. Walters had organized Speer's affairs on the outside world and had taken care of his family. There had been contributions that were raised from Speer's former officials and friends. Walters had opened a bank account and had deposited the money and the money had accumulated to 150,000 marks. This was enough to support Speer's family and had paid for their children's education. After the years in prison Speer still believed that it wasn't an excuse for what they did, but he blames himself and the rest of the leaders for what they did but doesn't claim they should be guilty of it.

6. The writings of Albert Speer seem to be non-reliable in a historians view. Several historians that had examined Speer's memories and had found that most of what he had written or stated were either off or they were just a figure of his imagination to which he created. One historian who had stirred his point was John Galbriath. He himself had a low opinion of many of Speer's claims and he also believed that many of them contained "elements of fantasy". He also stated that Speer's confession at the Nuremberg trials was part of his "well developed strategy of self vindication and survival " Another historian who had studied Speer and his memories was Matthias Schmidt.

Schmidt had found parts in Speer's autobiography to be inconsistent and dramatic. Schmidt had given and example of Speer's inconsistency at when Speer had written about his birth Speer had written that "I came into the world at noon... the thunder of a spring storm... the bells of Christ church". Schmidt had examined this and had found out that Speer was Born at 11.15 a mo The spring storm had occurred at 3.00 pm on that day, o And that there was no Christ church until 1922- six years after Speer was born. There had been many other flaws in Speer's writings that were not reliable at all to a historian, for that Speer had given false and untruthful information, which had manipulated the truth and that, had manipulated our viewings on Albert Speer.

Speer having done what he had committed and attended to have made many different views of whom Albert Speer really was. Albert had been seen as either a man who was loyal to his work and was blinded from the truth or that he was a conniving, intelligent person who had the power and ability to get away with anything he could. Joseph Perc ico was one of the historians and an author who had analyzed Speer's life / contribution to the Nazi party. Joseph's theory of Speer was that he the ability to get himself saved from the death penalty. Joseph states that Speer realized that he could not defend his action as the 'armaments chief' and so decided to use his actions in the last few months of the war at reasons for reducing his sentence. But on the other hand there was Dan van der dat looked at Speer's early influences and looked at Speer's personality and believed that Speers physical weakness, his brothers bullying him and had no love what so Eva from his parents, turned him into an emotional cripple.

Dan van der dat believed that as a result of Speer's childhood, Speer developed the ability to "manipulate people to compartmentalize unpleasant events" as well as being able to ignore anything that he considered unpleasant or irrelevant. Many people had seen Speer in many different ways, but the only way to judge someone or to be able to enable judgment against a person you must understand what position that person has been in and to understand why they had been in that position.

Bibliography

Books Albert Speer- k How ello World Books Albert Speer 1905-1981- S Frappe ll.