22 January 2025

The Daily Worker published this story just a couple of days after Adolf Hitler became the president of Germany on 2 August 1934.

On the World Front

By Harry Gannes

For nine years von Hindenburg was President of Germany. And in his last term, when he openly espoused the cause of fascism and put Hitler into power to serve the needs of German capitalism, he came to office with the help of the leaders of Socialist Party of Germany.

Von Hindenburg, the Hohenzollern general, the faithful watchdog of the most corrupt forces of German capitalism, was held up as the very epitome of honest and liberality by the German Socialist Party leaders.

The Severings, the Wells and the Leiparts, leaders of the Socialist International, very readily made a united front with von Hindendburg, but fought against a united front with the Communist Party in support of Ernst Thaelmann as candidate for the presidency.

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The theory of the "lesser evil" was most avidly put forward by the Socialist Party officials in the 1932 presidential elections. In March 13, 1932, there were four candidates namely von Hendendburg, representing a coalition of the capitalist forces; Duesterberg, leader of the Stalhelm fascists; Hitler for the National Socialist Party and Ernst Thaelmann for the Communist Party.

The Socialist Party officials declared they would support von Hindenburg against Hitler - "better the 'lesser evil,' the honest, upright von Hindenburg then the fascist Hitler." They urged the workers to vote for von Hindenburg as the preserver of the Welmar constitution, as the defender of the democracy, as the enemy of Hitler. They bitterly attacked Comrade Thaelmann, declaring that by running in the election against both von Hindenburg and Hitler, he was aiding Hitler.

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The first elections did not bring an absolute majority for von Hindendburg. Another election had to be held. Duesterberg dropped out leave the field to his associates, von Hindenburg and Hitler. Again the Socialist leaders raised the cry: "Smother Hitler with ballots for Hindenburg." They more viciously attacked Comrade Thaelmann, declaring:

"Every vote which is given against von Hindenburg is a vote for Hitler. Every vote which is wrested from Thaelmann and cast for von Hindenburg is a blow against Hitler!"

This is how the Socialist Party heroes fought fascism and Hitler. They aided Hitler and the German bourgeois in attacking the Communist Party, built up the forces of reaction, playing the games of the capitalists in trying to make the workers think there was a great deal of difference between von Hindenburg and his protege, Hitler. They told the social democratic workers "von Hindenburg was and will remain impartial."

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On January 30, 1933, the "impartial" von Hindenburg, the Socialist Party's bulwark against Hitler and fascism, appointed Hitler Chancellor and gave him carte blanche in the bloody attack on the German working masses.

With bolshevik foresight "Pravda" central organ of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, on March 17, 1932, after the first presidential elections, commented editorially as follows:

"It is characteristic of the transition of the bourgeoisie to the open forms of the fascist dictatorship that the most reactionary candidate at the presidential election in April 1925, namely, the monarchist, and Hohenzollern General, von Hindenburg, has now become, as the social democracy proclaims, the 'candidate of the advanced part of the bourgeoisie against its reactionary part,' the candidate who, it is alleged, stands for the remnants of bourgeois 'democracy.'

"Von Hindenburg and Hitler, who at bottom are synonymous, were represented by the social democracy to the politically inexperienced masses as being antagonistic."

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In announcing Comrade Thaelmann as the only candidate of the German proletariat, as the only representative of the anti-fascist front, the Communist Party of Germany pointed out what has since been proven to the hilt, that Severing, Socialist Prime Minister of Prussia, was working hand-in-glove with the von Hindenburg forces to pave the way for Hitler. Severing has since received his pieces of silver in the form of a pension from the Nazis.

The program on which Thaelmann ran and received over 5,000,000 votes stated:

1. Class Against class; 2. Revolutionary united front against reaction from Severing to Hitler; 3. Vote for the revolutionary workers candidate against the candidate of the capitalists, fascists and social democrats; 4. Vote for the supporter of the social and national emancipation and against the tribute and reparations candidate; 5. Vote for the candidate of the poor against the candidate of the rich; 6. Vote for bread and freedom and against poverty and slavery; 7. Vote for a free socialist Soviet Germany in alliance with the Union of Socialist Soviet Republicans of Russia and the world proletariat against the candidate of bankrupt capitalism.