Adolf Hitler's directives, or ''Führer'' directives (''Führerbefehle''), were instructions and strategic plans issued by
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
himself over the course of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The directives covered a wide range of subjects, from detailed direction of the
Armed Forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
' operations during World War II, to the governance of
occupied territories and their populations. In addition to being a reflection of his personality and strategic interests, they were also a reflection of the larger philosophy of the
Nazi regime
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...
.
The directives were absolutely binding and were to be followed to the letter without question. The directives also superseded all other laws in the country, including the
Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed.
When these pri ...
. However, they should not be confused with the ''Führer''
's Orders that Hitler began to issue later in the war, which were more precise and low-level, could be written or oral and were as binding as the more general directives.
Many of them are direct evidence of the commission of
war crime
A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or intentionally killing prisoners of war, torture, taking hostage ...
s such as the notorious
Commando Order
The Commando Order () was issued by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, OKW, the high command of the Wehrmacht, German Armed Forces, on 18 October 1942. This order stated that all Allies of World War II, Allied commandos captured in Europe and Africa ...
. Other orders provide evidence of
crimes against humanity
Crimes against humanity are certain serious crimes committed as part of a large-scale attack against civilians. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity can be committed during both peace and war and against a state's own nationals as well as ...
, such as the Hitler order establishing forced euthanasia of disabled people in 1939 under ''
Aktion T4
(German, ) was a campaign of Homicide#By state actors, mass murder by involuntary euthanasia which targeted Disability, people with disabilities and the mentally ill in Nazi Germany. The term was first used in post-WWII, war trials against d ...
'', and the ''
Nacht und Nebel
''Nacht und Nebel'' ( German: ), meaning Night and Fog, also known as the Night and Fog Decree, was a directive issued by Adolf Hitler on 7 December 1941 targeting political activists and resistance "helpers" in the territories occupied by Na ...
'' order for eliminating civilian resisters in occupied countries.
History
The failure of the
Nazis' attempted
coup in 1923 made the Nazis realise that force was not always the best solution. The failure taught the Nazis that mass participation was necessary for them to achieve their goals. This participation required a legal basis in order to ensure that the public cooperated with the Nazis as a
civic duty.
Hitler and the Nazis put this lesson into practice as soon as he became
Chancellor
Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...
. First, he successfully convinced
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
Paul von Hindenburg
Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg (2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a German military and political leader who led the Imperial German Army during the First World War and later became President of Germany (1919� ...
to sign the
Reichstag Fire Decree
The Reichstag Fire Decree () is the common name of the Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State () issued by German President Paul von Hindenburg on the advice of Chancellor Adolf Hitler on 28 February 1933 in immed ...
after the
Reichstag fire
The Reichstag fire (, ) was an arson attack on the Reichstag building, home of the German parliament in Berlin, on Monday, 27 February 1933, precisely four weeks after Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany. Marinus van der Lubbe, ...
incident in late February 1933, which essentially suspended the Constitution and most civil liberties in the country, which gave the Nazis free rein to eliminate their political opponents. In March 1933, Hitler had the
Reichstag pass the
Enabling Act
An enabling act is a piece of legislation by which a legislative body grants an entity which depends on it (for authorization or legitimacy) for the delegation of the legislative body's power to take certain actions. For example, enabling act ...
, which gave the Chancellor the power to make laws without the approval of the Reichstag. This new power meant that the Nazis could now freely turn their political ideologies into national policy without worry of hindrances from existing legislation. Upon Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler used Enabling Act powers to merge the offices of the President and Chancellor into one office, that of the "''Führer'' and Reich Chancellor" (''Führer und Reichskanzler).''
Hitler mainly used this power to secure personal control over the armed forces, particularly during the course of the war. He achieved this through the directives and orders, ensuring that he was always in direct control of the military's operations without opposition.
Directive of 21 October 1938
On 21 October 1938, Hitler issued a new directive to the ''Wehrmacht'' to prepare for the "following eventualities":
* Securing the borders of the Reich and protection against surprise air attacks
* Liquidation of the remainder of the Czech state. It must be possible to smash at any time the remainder of the Czech state should it pursue an anti-German policy.
* The occupation of
Memelland.
''Aktion T4''
In 1939 Hitler issued an order which became the justification for killing disabled children and adults in ''Aktion T4''. It laid the basis for the
Holocaust
The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
since gassing was a favoured method of murdering many victims. The SS staff who operated the
gas chamber
A gas chamber is an apparatus for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous or asphyxiant gas is introduced. Poisonous agents used include hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide.
History
Donatie ...
s were later employed at
Auschwitz
Auschwitz, or Oświęcim, was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It consisted of Auschw ...
and many other
concentration camps
A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploit ...
and
death camps.
''Fall Weiss'' directive
On 3 April 1939, the directive for ''
Fall Weiss'' (Case White) was ready. It was issued on 11 April.
The first section, written by Hitler, began:
''German relations with Poland continue to be based on the principles of avoiding any disturbances. Should Poland, however, change her policy towards Germany, a final settlement might become necessary in spite of the Treaty in force with Poland. The aim then will be to destroy Polish military strength, and create in the East a situation which satisfies the requirements of National Defence. The free state of Danzig will be proclaimed a part of Reich territory by the outbreak of hostilities at the latest. The political leaders consider it their task in this case to isolate Poland if possible, that is to say, to limit the war to Poland only.''
The ''Wehrmacht'' had to be ready to carry out ''Fall Weiss'' at any time after 1 September 1939.
Commissar Order, June 1941
The notorious Commissar Order (''Kommissarbefehl''), dated 6 June 1941, followed directly on the
Barbarossa decree
The Military Justice Decree (), commonly known as the Barbarossa decree, was one of the criminal orders of the ''Wehrmacht'' issued by ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Wilhelm Keitel on 13 May 1941. The decree declared that the upcoming Operation Barbaro ...
. It was called ''Instructions on the Treatment of Political Commissars'' and began:
Soviet Prisoners of War: Forgotten Nazi Victims of World War II
In the struggle against Bolshevism, we must ''not'' assume that the enemy's conduct will be based on principles of humanity or of international law. In particular, hate-inspired, cruel and inhumane treatment of prisoners can be expected on the part of ''all grades of political commissars'', who are the real leaders of resistance... To show consideration to these elements during this struggle, or to act in accordance with international rules of war, is wrong and endangers both our own security and the rapid pacification of conquered territory... Political commissars have initiated barbaric, Asiatic methods of warfare. Consequently, they will be dealt with ''immediately'' and with maximum severity. As a matter of principle, they will be shot at once, whether captured during operations or otherwise showing resistance.
''Nacht und Nebel'', 7 December 1941
''Nacht und Nebel'' (Night and Fog) was a directive () issued by Hitler on 7 December 1941 for the arrest and secret incarceration of all political activists, resistance supporters, and "anyone endangering German security" (''die deutsche Sicherheit gefährden'') throughout Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
's occupied territories. In February 1942, two months later, chief of the Armed Forces High Command, Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...
Wilhelm Keitel
Wilhelm Bodewin Johann Gustav Keitel (; 22 September 188216 October 1946) was a German field marshal who held office as chief of the (OKW), the high command of Nazi Germany's armed forces, during World War II. He signed a number of criminal ...
extended it to all persons in occupied countries who had been taken into custody and were still alive eight days later.
The name referred to a magic spell involving the "'' Tarnhelm''" (stealth helmet) from Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
's '' Rheingold'', which could make its wearer invisible and instantly transport him far away. The decree was meant to intimidate local populations by denying friends and families of the missing any knowledge of their whereabouts or their fate. The prisoners were secretly transported to German concentration camps, apparently vanishing without a trace.
''Führer'' Directive No. 46
''Führer'' Directive No. 46 was issued on 18 August 1942 under the title ''Instructions For Intensified Action Against Banditry'' 'Bandenbekämpfung''">Bandenbekämpfung.html" ;"title="'Bandenbekämpfung">'Bandenbekämpfung''''In The East'', marking the radicalisation of so-called anti-partisan warfare. The directive called on the security forces to act with "utter brutality" to achieve "complete extermination" of "gangs", while providing immunity from prosecution for any acts committed during "bandit-fighting" operations.
The directive designated the SS as the organisation responsible for rear-area warfare in areas under civilian administration. In areas under military jurisdiction (the Army Group Rear Areas), the Oberkommando des Heeres">Army High Command had the overall responsibility. The directive declared the entire population of "bandit" (i.e. partisan-controlled) territories as enemy combatants. In practice, this meant that the aims of security warfare was not pacification, but complete destruction and depopulation of "bandit" and "bandit-threatened" territories, turning them into "dead zones" (''Tote Zonen'').
Commando Order, October 1942
The ''Kommandobefehl'' (Commando Order) was issued by Hitler on 18 October 1942 stating that all Allied commandos encountered by German forces in Europe and Africa should be killed immediately without trial, even in proper uniforms or if they attempted to surrender. Any commando or small group of commandos or a similar unit, agents, and saboteurs not in proper uniforms, who fell into the hands of the German military forces by some means other than direct combat (through the police in occupied territories, for instance) were to be handed over immediately to the ''Sicherheitsdienst'' (SD, Security Service). The order, which was issued in secret, made it clear that failure to carry out these orders by any commander or officer would be considered to be an act of negligence punishable under German military law.
Nero Decree
The Nero Decree was a scorched-earth
A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy of destroying everything that allows an enemy military force to be able to fight a war, including the deprivation and destruction of water, food, humans, animals, plants and any kind of tools and i ...
order issued by Hitler on 19 March 1945, ordering the destruction of German infrastructure to prevent their use by Allied forces as they penetrated deep within Germany.
It was officially titled ''Demolitions on Reich Territory Decree'' (''Befehl betreffend Zerstörungsmaßnahmen im Reichsgebiet'') and has subsequently become known as the Nero Decree, after the Roman Emperor Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...
, who supposedly engineered the Great Fire of Rome
The Great Fire of Rome () began on 19 July 64 AD. The fire started in the merchant shops around Rome's chariot stadium, Circus Maximus. After six days, the fire was brought under control, but before the damage could be assessed, the fire reignit ...
in 64 AD.
It was countermanded by among others such as, Albert Speer
Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer (; ; 19 March 1905 – 1 September 1981) was a German architect who served as Reich Ministry of Armaments and War Production, Minister of Armaments and War Production in Nazi Germany during most of W ...
, Minister of Armaments and War Production, who wanted to preserve as much of the country's infrastructure as possible following the imminent defeat.
See also
* ''Führer'' Directive No. 30
* German war crimes
The governments of the German Empire and Nazi Germany (under Adolf Hitler) ordered, organized, and condoned a substantial number of war crimes, first in the Herero and Nama genocide and then in the First and Second World Wars. The most notable of ...
* Lex Krupp
* Severity Order
The Severity Order or Reichenau Order was the name given to an order promulgated within the German Sixth Army on the Eastern Front during World War II by ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Walter von Reichenau on 10 October 1941.
Text of the order
The ...
Citations
Bibliography
*
* Kershaw, Ian ''Hitler 1936–1945: Nemesis''
External sources
Adolf Hitler and World War II: Operational Orders
* Führer Directive No. 21: Operation Barbarossa
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adolf Hitler's Directives
Orders by Adolf Hitler