Albert Speer and the Economic Mobilization of the Third Reich “DO YOU WANT TOTAL WAR?” Albert Speer and the Economic Mobilization of the Third Reich

World War II in Europe Source: World History Atlas, revised and expanded edition (Maplewood, NJ: Hammond, Inc., 1989), H-50.

The Krupp Steel Foundry in Essen (1912 postcard) The great Krupp steel foundry in Essen in 1912. SOURCE: Deutscher Bundestag, ed., _Fragen an die deutsche Geschichte. Historische Ausstellung im Reichstagsgebaeude in Berlin: Katalog_, 7th edn (Bonn, 1981), Plate XVI. The Krupp Cannon Factory, Essen (postcard sent by French occupation soldier, 8 February 1923) Postcard of the Krupp Works sent home by a French soldier in 1923

Hitler has traveled to Essen to congratulate Gustav Krupp on his 70th birthday, August 7, 1940 7. August 1940. - Deutsches Reich, Essen. Zum 70. Geburtstag des Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach ist Hitler nach Essen gereist, um dem obersten Repräsentanten der deutschen Industrie zu gratulieren und ihn als Ersten mit der Auszeichnung »Pionier der Arbeit«, der höchsten Ehrung der »Deutschen Arbeitsfront«, zu dekorieren. [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 7991]

“Comrade of Labor, You are Fighting with Us: Preserve Your Strength!” Hitler was terrified of a return of the munitions strikes of 1918, and the Propaganda Ministry returned again and again to the theme of comradeship between soldiers and munitions workers, seeking to involve the latter in the prestige and glory of the former. From the German National Archive, Koblenz (www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa).

“As we fight, so should you work for victory!” (ca. 1942) Rothgängel, "Just as we fight, you should work for victory!" Poster from ca. 1942, in Rhodes, PROPAGANDA, p. 60.

“DO YOU WANT TOTAL WAR?” (Goebbels at the Berlin Sports Palace, February 18, 1943) Joseph Goebbels addresses a mass rally in the Berlin Sports Palace on Feburary 18, 1943, following the defeat at Stalingrad. [Digitale Bibliothek, Band 49: Das Dritte Reich--Daten - Bilder - Dokumente. Bildchronik, p. 8079]

Hitler and Martin Bormann greet the Nazi Gauleiter at the “Wolf’s Lair” in East Prussia, February 7, 1943. They have all just been appointed “National Defense Commissars” as part of the “Total War” campaign Hitler greets the assembled Nazi Gauleiter and Reichsleiter in the Fuehrer Headqaurters in Rastenburg, East Prussia, on February 7, 1943. They have all just been appointed "National Defense Commissars" as part of the government's Total War Campaign. Martin Bormann stands at Hitler's elbow. (Quelle: IB 18.02.1943) [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 8082]

Albert Speer observes naval exercises with Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz, 1943 (Goebbels decreed maximum press coverage of Speer’s achievements) Albert Speer observes naval exercises in 1943 with Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz

Albert Speer’s plan from 1942 to grant industrialists “self-responsibility” (see Speer, pp. 208-12)

Albert Speer and Robert Ley hand out the “Knight’s Cross” to businessmen who have boosted arms output, June 1943 Reich Munitions Minister Albert Speer and the head of the German Labor Front, Robert Ley (second from left) at a reception in Berlin on June 5, 1943, to honor new recipients of the Knight's Cross. For the first time, recipients of this high honor included businessmen singled our for increasing munitions production. [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 8091]

The wheat harvest in downtown Berlin, August 1943 The wheat harvest in downtown Berlin in the summer of 1943. As part of its "Total War" campaign, the government urged that all green space in the cities be cultivated. [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 8093]

“Ready to strive for victory, women do their manly duty in Germany’s arms factories” (March 1940) See Speer, 219-21 März 1940. - Deutsches Reich, o.O. »Einsatzbereit für Kampf und Sieg steht die Frau in Deutschlands Waffenschmiede ihren Mann.« (Originale Bildunterschrift) (Quelle: Hamburger Illustrierte 16.03.1940) [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 8006] War Production Co-Ordinating Committee, "We Can Do It!" (designed by J. Howard Miller and produced by the Westinghouse Corporation). Rosie the Riverter, the strong, competent woman dressed in overalls and bandana, was probably the most widely displayed symbol of patriotic womanhood. SOURCE: www.nara.gov/exhall/powers/women.

A German farmwife must plow the field and tend her small child, spring 1940 A German farmwife must plow the fields and care for her small child while her husband serves at the front in the spring of 1940. The labor shortage was so acute in agriculture that millions of POWs and conscripted foreign workers were sent to German farms. [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 8094]

Young, unmarried women report for labor conscription, summer 1940 Sommer 1940. – Deutsches Reich, o.O. Junge Frauen melden sich mit ihrem Arbeitsbuch zur jetzt obligatorischen Erfassung für den Reichsarbeitsdienst. [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 7983]

“Get Rid of your old Cloth and Shoes “Get Rid of your old Cloth and Shoes!” (recycling poster, May/June 1943) "Get rid of your old cloth and shoes!" This poster appeals for the cooperation of housewives with a nationwide drive to collect old clothes and shoes in May/June 1943. From the German National Archive, Koblenz (www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa).

“Woman as Air Raid Warden!” "Woman as Air Raid Warden!" Posters depicting women with an active role in the war effort were extremely rare in the Third Reich, in contrast to Great Britain and the USA. From the German National Archive, Koblenz (www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa).

Robert Ley addresses some of the 7 million “foreign work comrades” laboring in German factories in August 1944 Robert Ley addresses some of the seven million "foreign work comrades" laboring in German factories in August 1944. Nazi propaganda cited their presence as proof of the existence of a "unified anti-Bolshevik Europe," but their ranks included large numbers of workers conscripted forcible, prisoners of war, and outright slaves from the concentration camp system. [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 8094]

Russian women conscripted for labor, fall 1941, and their barracks in eastern Germany 1941. – Sowjetunion, o.O. Russische Frauen werden zur Zwangsarbeit in Deutschland in Güterwagen verladen. Im Auftrag des »Generalbevollmächtigten für den Arbeitseinsatz«, SS-Obergruppenführer Fritz Sauckel, bringen die »Erfasser« schätzungsweise 5 Millionen Zivilisten als Arbeitskräfte nach Deutschland. [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 8048]

Conscripted workers from many countries, deployed for labor on the big agricultural estates of East Elbia, 1942 Germany in 1942: Conscripted foreign workers from many countries are forced into slave labor on the large agricultural estates of East Elbia. [Bildchronik: Das Dritte Reich, S. 8049]

“The Enemy Sees Your Light! Maintain Blackout!” (1941) Herweg, "Blackout! The enemy sees your light," ca. 1940. This vivid image seeks to prepare the urban populace for the saturation bombing campaign by the RAF. From Rhodes, PROPAGANDA, p. 63. From 1942 onward the German people’s experience of war was shaped more and more by devastating air raids of all major cities. Instead of crushing popular morale, the psychological result was to generate intense hostility toward the British and Americans, while giving Nazi Party locals an opportunity to show themselves useful to people in distress.

Residents of Hamburg spend the night in an air raid shelter Grunfeld, The Hitler File, p. 354.

“Where is Frau Brylla?” A soldier on leave finds his home a heap of rubble in Hamburg in 1943 A soldier on leave in Hamburg has just found his home a heap of rubble in 1943 (Grunfeld, The Hitler File, p. 355). At least 500,000 German civilians died in air raids.

“The Jew: Warmonger, War-Prolonger” (1942/43) Air raids inspired the regime to intensify its anti-Semitic propaganda, and one of the most widely distributed cover stories for the deportation of Jews from all German cities in 1942/43 was that they had to be “evacuated to the East” to protect them from lynch mobs of good Germans enraged over the destruction of their neighborhoods. Poster from the German National Archive in Koblenz (www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa).

“Mothers, Fight for Your Children. ” (ca “Mothers, Fight for Your Children!” (ca. 1944): Goebbels’ appeals for further struggle became ever more terrifying, with German women depicted as victims "Mothers, fight for your childen!" Despite the caption, this mother of four looks absolutely terrified; she appears to be a victim, not a fighter. This confusing image from late in the war seems to be intended to motivate men to fight to protect German families. From the German National Archive, Koblenz (www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa).

“VICTORY or BOLSHEVISM” (1944) "Victory or Bolshevism," propaganda poster by Mjoelnir, 1944/45. This poster illustrates the increasingly desperate mood in Germany during the last year of the war. From the German National Archive in Koblenz (www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa).