THE FIRST PERIOD IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
NATIONAL SOCIALIST GERMAN WORKERS’ PARTY IF I offer an account at the close of this volume of the first period in the development of our Move¬ ment, and mention shortly a number of matters con¬ nected with it, my intention is not to give a dissertation on the theoretic aims of the Movement. The latter has tasks and aims so tremendous that a whole volume must be devoted to dealing with them. Therefore I shall go thoroughly into the principles as regards pro¬ gramme of the Movement, and attempt to draw a picture of what we understand by the word “State”.
By “ we” I mean all the hundreds of thousands who in the main long for the same thing but have not the words to express what is fluttering in their minds. For it is a remarkable fact of all great reforms, that they often have only one man as champion at the start, but millions carry on the work. Their aim is frequently one which has been desired in secret by hundreds of thousands for centuries, until one arises to proclaim the universal desire, and as its standard-bearer drives the old longing on to victory in a new idea.
The deep discontent felt by millions proves that in their hearts they cherish a longing for a thorough change in conditions as they are to-day. The many who are sick of elections are a witness to this, also the numbers who incline to the fanatical extreme of the Left. It is to those that the young Movement should first turn.
The question of recovering our nation’s political power is first and foremost one of restoring our national 13a desire for self-preservation, since experience shows that the building up of foreign policy, and also