Gottfried Feder speaks on German economy

Identifier
irn1003167
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2001.359.1
  • RG-60.3703
Dates
1 Jan 1932 - 31 Dec 1932
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • German
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Gottfried Feder was chair of the Wirtschaftsrat [economic council] of the NSDAP from 1931. In July 1933, he became Staatssekretaer [Deputy Minister] for economy.

Scope and Content

Gottfried Feder, in a business suit, faces the camera and delivers a speech about the National Socialist movement and fiscal & economic issues. He claims to be one of oldest, most loyal followers of Hitler, along with Roehm & Frank from the 'horrible chaos' following November 8, 1918, and to have influenced the party's first political agenda together with Dietrich Eckhardt. He speaks on his favorite topics of "Brechung der Zinsknechtschaft" [rupture of the slavery of interest rates] and "Kampf gegen den Gott Mammon" [fight against the deity Mammon] and calls his books on economy & finance a 'catechism' of the National Socialist movement. He calls the attempted coup-d'etat of Nov. 9, 1923 the 'most difficult day of the movement.' The parliamentary elections of 1924 are mentioned as a continuation of the 'relentless struggle' against the treacherous "Novemberparteien" [political parties of November 1918]. Feder criticizes the economic policy of Chancellor Heinrich Bruening & propagates a stronger domestic economy, public work programs, & the nationalization of all banks as an alternative. He explains his idea of "Federgeld" [Feder's money] as 'productive' fiscal policy without rates of interest. He calls the upcoming elections a "Schicksalsfrage" [question of destiny] for the Nazi party already 'in front of the fence of political power.' Feder closes with an appeal to 'take up the red flags.' The closing title demands: "Schafft Euch Arbeit und Brot durch Liste 2" [Create Work & Bread by Voting Nazi Election List 2].

Note(s)

  • Sound: Rupprecht Lauck

  • The film passed censorship July 8, 1932 with two parts prohibited from screening. The USHMM version includes both: the scene mentioning November 9, 1923 as 'sanctified by the blood of the victims' and the reference to Jesus as 'driving the Jews away from the banks'. The film was part of the election campaign propaganda for parliamentary elections of July 31, 1932 (?). One of the most contended issues of this election was Bruening's strict policy of austerity & deflation which was implemented by means of emergency decrees to halt the depression & inflation that evolved from the 1929 crash of the stock market. Feder was one of the leading protagonists of anti-capitalist ideology within the Nazi party & associated capitalism with Jewish control over big business & international finance. His thoughts draw heavily on the distinction between "schaffendes Kapital" [productive capital] seen in the 'honest' work of the German peasant & craftsmen and "raffendes Kapital" [snatching capital] personalized in the figure of the international Jewish ursurer.

  • Conditions of Use and/or Copyright updated. Correspondence from Bundesarchiv in May 2023, initially sent to Leslie Swift states: no rights claimed anymore by Bundesarchiv, but we don't know who the rights holders might be

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