The Rise of National Socialism in the Bavarian Highlands: A Microhistory of Murnau, 1919-1933

Description

The Rise of National Socialism in the Bavarian Highlands offers a microhistory of the town of Murnau between 1919 and 1933, a period which witnessed the rise of national socialism in Germany. National socialism had its roots in Bavaria, where the Weimar Republic found it difficult to secure popular support amongst the rural population. It was in this region that economic hardship and effective national socialist propaganda furthered the erosion of democracy. Focusing on Murnau, this book examines the political and economic state of the town, as well as the mentality and social composition of its inhabitants. It also looks at the development of tourism in the interwar period, a topic which has received little scholarly attention. Although the study limits itself to one town, the reactions of its inhabitants reflect a common attitude of nostalgia for a seemingly better past and a rejection of the ‘excessive’ demands of modernity that the Weimar Republic exacted on them. This book will appeal to scholars and students of national socialism, as well as those interested in the Weimer Republic, Nazi Germany, microhistory, and the history of tourism. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of figures Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Introduction Sources and current state of research Structure 1. Murnau at the beginning of the twentieth century Life in Murnau Population Clubs and societies Tourism 2. Murnau during the early years of crisis (1918/1919–1923) Bavaria after 1918: politics in a state of emergency Revolution and demobilization Parties and elections on local, regional and national levels The citizens’ militia Economic crisis, plight and inflation Local protagonists and völkisch propaganda Agitation against the Allies and reparations The Oberland League Andreas Hofer League The founding of the National Socialist local branch in Murnau Membership in the NSDAP local branch Campaigning for the NSDAP Hitler’s visit to Murnau Murnau citizens participating in the Hitler Putsch War legacy Returning soldiers and the death cult James Loeb and the controversy about ‘Jewish’ money Sports and politics Winter Sports Club Aviation as rearmament effort ‘Schützenvereine’: Marksmen’s clubs Warriors’ and Veterans’ Association and League of Front Fighters Tourism and xenophobia Shrovetide Cultural self-assertion 3. Murnau during the roaring twenties (1924–1928) Tourism and politics Politics The Association for Germandom in Foreign Lands Imposters and the bankruptcy and closure of businesses Mass entertainment under völkisch rumbling Retail’s struggle against consumer cooperatives Infrastructure and welfare 4. Murnau and the slide into dictatorship (1929–1932) Propaganda Communal, Landtag and Reichstag elections Mastering crisis The year 1930 The year 1931 The Murnau hospital: a perfect solution? Excursus: the trace of money The year 1932 Conclusion Bibliography Name Index