As of: March 15, 2024, 1:32 p.m
By: Nathalie Schelle
Comments
Press
Split
Wolfram Pyta from the University of Stuttgart spoke about the (self-)mythification of Hitler as a Landsberg prisoner at the conference in Landsberg.
© Schelle
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the fact that Adolf Hitler was arrested after his failed coup attempt in November 1923 and was held in the Landsberg fortress prison until December 1924.
On the occasion of this important historical event, a lot of remembrance work is currently taking place in Landsberg.
Last Saturday, Peter Fleischmann introduced his text exhibition “Hitler as a prisoner in Landsberg am Lech (1923/24) (the KREISBOTE reported).
Yesterday a conference on the topic “The Weimar Republic and Adolf Hitler – Research Review and New Perspectives” took place in the ballroom of the historic town hall.
Landsberg - While the so-called 'Panel 1' was more about Hitler's path before 1923, 'Panel 2' was directly related to the Lechstadt.
Because here three speakers discussed Hitler's time in Landsberg.
“We have a source problem during the National Socialist era,” explained Peter Fleischmann, professor at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg.
Shortly before the end, most of the documents of interest to history were destroyed.
“What is essential is relatively little.” Therefore, relatively little was known about Hitler’s imprisonment in Landsberg.
At least until 14 years ago.
In June 2010, Spiegel reported on the discovery of Hitler's prison files in Fürth.
This should then be auctioned off in Fürth on July 2nd - interested parties from the USA are also said to have been interested in the file.
“Apparently Steven Spielberg wanted to buy the file at auction.” However, it remained in Germany because it was a “national cultural asset”.
It is now kept in the Munich State Archives.
Not 'prison-like'
The file provided new information about Hitler's imprisonment in Landsberg.
In addition to over 300 speaking cards, it also contained information about Hitler's liability conditions.
They were anything but 'prison-like'.
The putschist was not forced to work; he could read as much as he wanted and receive a lot of visitors.
While other prisoners' conversation times were limited to a few minutes and had to take place under supervision, Hitler was able to hold his crucial political discussions without supervision - for several hours.
He also wrote the first part of “Mein Kampf” during his imprisonment.
On the day of his release, December 20, 2024, the historical picture was taken: Hitler in front of the Bayertor in Landsberg.
The image was intended to convey liberation from a dungeon.
Wolfram Pyta explained that Hitler was able to use his time as a Landsberg prisoner to his political advantage.
In historian jargon, the professor at the University of Stuttgart led the audience through his lecture “(Self-)mythification of Hitler as a Landsberg prisoner until 1933”.
Hitler's political imprisonment was also his political capital.
It gave him a unique selling point and legitimation compared to the SA (Sturmabteilung) - based on the motto: 'I stood up for my political convictions and served prison sentence for it.'
However, he did not call his imprisonment a success.
It was definitely a defeat, but one should not be discouraged by setbacks and carry on.
This also succeeded and culminated in Hitler's appointment as Reich Chancellor on January 30, 1933.
With and without Hitler
“Hitler always leaves?
“Fortress imprisonment” as an exhibition theme in the Landsberg City Museum” is the title of the lecture by city museum director Sonia Schätz.
The permanent exhibition in the museum is scheduled to open in 2025, and an entire floor will be dedicated to the focus on “contemporary history”.
Of course, Hitler's imprisonment in Landsberg had to be part of it, but "making an exhibition about Hitler means making an exhibition without him," Schätz puts forward the daring thesis.
Because the city museum does not want to exhibit any 'Hitler slogans'.
Not a portrait for the sake of a portrait.
Schätz is convinced that all material must have “narrative added value” and requires a high degree of sensitivity in order to inform the visitor and deter the events of this time, which were to plunge the entire world into an “apocalypse”.
The meeting continues today.