Hitler is often depicted as a shrieking maniac who pounded his fist from dawn until dusk. In truth, he wore different faces, especially during his rise to power. Eager for the support of German conservatives and wealthy elites, Hitler tried to negate the image of Nazis as violent hooligans. He wished to create and maintain an illusion (at least temporarily) that the National Socialists were a peaceful, law-abiding political party.
This illusion was nearly destroyed by The Boxheim Documents.
During the summer of 1931, Werner Best, an influential Nazi lawyer from Hesse, wrote The Boxheim Documents. (He and his associates met at a house called Boxheimerhof.) The Boxheim Documents outlined plans in the event Nazis wrested power from a hypothetical Communist government:
- All power would go to the SA (a Nazi paramilitary group)
- Anyone objecting, including civil servants who refused to follow SA orders, would be shot without trial
- Private property would be “immobilized” until further notice
- Food would be distributed through a rationing system for Aryans only. Jews would be “starved out.”
Police found the Boxheim Documents; German newspapers published them in November 1931.
Widespread protests followed.
For many Germans, The Boxheim Documents proved the Nazis were a terrorist organization that would use defense of Germany as an excuse for violence. One Social Democratic paper wrote: “The desire for power is, for them, synonymous with the desire for murder.” The proposed treatment of Jews was inhuman; the section on property “immobilization” terrified the wealthy Germans Hitler was desperate to please.
A furious Hitler instantly distanced himself from The Boxheim Documents. During an interview with foreign press, Hitler said, “A party with fifteen million supporters does not need to make illegal moves.” Top-ranking Nazis dismissed the documents as forgeries and claimed Werner Best had no connection with Nazi leadership.
Although Best claimed only a Communist takeover of Hesse would trigger his plan, police referred the matter to the federal Attorney General. He refused to prosecute for treason. The Boxheim Documents were “… not directed against any government holding office now, and hence affords no ground for a charge of high treason.”
Initial outrage dwindled. Violence, anti-Semitism, and murder were becoming the norm in a Germany beset with poverty, unemployment, and unrest. Germans had lost trust in formerly respected institutions, and outrageous writings and speeches were commonplace. Newspapers began claiming only National Socialists could save Germany from an emerging Communist threat. Some Germans openly agreed with Nazi dogma, particularly the anti-Semitism. Other Germans ignored the Boxheim Documents. They blamed a “fringe” group of Hessian Nazis; The Boxheim Documents did not reflect true Nazi beliefs.
During the 1932 presidential elections, Hitler received one-third of the vote.
Evil does not happen by accident. Evil is not a natural disaster. Men send out feelers that take root and flourish because of agenda, willful blindness, and refusal or reluctance to see the truth. Torah teaches us to turn away from evil, but first, we must recognize it. Unfortunately, evil can wear many disguises. How often do we look back to determine what we missed? How many times do we say, “I didn’t know!” Evil can slither like a snake and hide in tall grass while waiting to strike. But sometimes, as with The Boxheim Documents, evil shouts its existence from the rooftops. And because silence is often interpreted as consent, we must do more than turn away. We must stop evil in its tracks, and claiming ignorance is no excuse. It says in Proverbs 24:11:
“…will you say, Behold we did not know this? Is it not so that He who counts hearts understands?”
Despite the initial muzzling, Werner Best rose high in the Nazi Party. Later, Nazis took revenge on those who made The Boxheim Documents public.
The Boxheim Documents were one of many wasted opportunities to face Nazi evil head on and squash it. Although some Germans instantly recognized the truth (and applauded), too many considered these documents an aberration. These were the same people who later claimed it impossible to foresee the depths of Nazi evil. They were “misled.”
We cannot ignore the warning signs. We can never label extremism and violence as foolishness or mistakes.
And when someone tells us who they are?
Believe it.
This article was published on October 23, 2022 on aish.com.
