Politics & Power Quote by Gustav Krupp

Gustav Krupp’s statement provides a compelling window into the ideological environment of Nazi Germany and the complicity of its industrial elite. When Krupp refers to thoughts “flying by themselves” in a “festive hour of our plant community,” he invokes a collective emotional response, binding the industrial workforce not just to a shared enterprise but to a greater nationalist purpose. The phrase “festive hour” implies a celebratory occasion, likely orchestrated as part of Nazi propaganda to unite both workers and management in a symbolic moment of national renewal.

Krupp singles out Adolf Hitler as “the man whom we thank for the resurrection of our Nation,” attributing the revitalization of Germany after the crisis years of the Weimar Republic directly to Hitler’s leadership. This use of “resurrection” carries significant weight, as it suggests not just recovery, but a profound, almost miraculous, renewal after death, a resurrection of the German spirit and state, long held to have been humiliated and diminished after the First World War and during the subsequent economic disasters.

Further, describing Hitler as “the patron of German labor and German art” reveals how the Nazi regime sought to encompass all aspects of society under its ideological banner. Labor and art, typically apolitical domains, are presented as being under Hitler’s direct protection and guidance. Krupp, as a figure at the apex of Germany’s industrial sector, thus legitimizes and sanctifies Hitler’s status not only as a political leader but as a cultural and economic benefactor.

The statement reflects how industrial leaders like Krupp were both beneficiaries and promoters of the new order, intertwining fascist ideology with economic opportunity and technological progress. It illustrates the fusion of corporate power and state totalitarianism, embedding Nazi ideology into everyday speech and public ritual, while also amplifying the cult of personality around Hitler as the savior of Germany.