In my previous post, I talked briefly about how we were assigned specific chapters to read in Mein Kampf in our FSEM class. I was assigned to read chapters 6-10, as well as the introduction. To read my review of those chapters, go to my previous post! As for now, I will be reviewing my understanding of chapters 8-10.
In chapter 8, Hitler begins giving us a glimpse us how he is starting to feel politically since this chapter is quite literally titled ‘The Beginning of My Political Activity.’ On page 188, he returned to Munich, but apparently, the soldiers’ council’s activity was “so repelling, he left almost instantly.” He then returned back in March of 1919, but he seems to be yet again disappointed because of the revolution. Eisner’s death is deemed to be what secured the development of dictatorship or “the passing rule of the Jews.” He really just blames the Jews over and over again for everything. In every problem that’s expressed in this book, he sees a common enemy in every scenario, and for some reason, that is the Jews. He contemplated a solution to this problem, and I start to wonder if this is where he starts to think about eliminating Jews altogether. He says for days he wonders what he could do, but he slowly starts to realize how useless he is. Hitler was arrested due to the disapproval act from the Central Council. It’s not stated what exactly the act is, but I can only imagine. He discusses creating a new group that later he understood had the same ideas as the ‘German Workers Party’, which his name was the ‘Social Revolutionary Party’. So I would say this is the beginning of Hitlers’ “revolution,” where he was going to take care of the newly founded Republic of Germany. At the end of the chapter, he states he became acquainted with like-minded people, who later form the nucleus of the new movement. What I take away from this is that he has started his political movement and now has people to back him up later on.
In chapter 9, he is sent to attend a meeting of the German Workers Party. At first, he seemed very skeptical and like he wasn’t too interested, to begin with. He states that his impression was neither good nor bad. After being approached by one of the executives, he then becomes very intrigued. He takes two days to think about whether he wants to join this membership or not, but ultimately he does.
Hitler starts off chapter 10 talking about the fall of the Reich. From what I can understand the Reich is the empire of Germany, maybe even royal. He really talks about why Germany can’t recover from this after the war. This chapter felt really long honestly and I had a hard time getting through it. It just felt like he kept going on and on about the same things.