View source for Führer

{{Short description|German word meaning 'leader' or 'guide'}}
{{About|the German title|the dictator who used it|Adolf Hitler|other uses|Führer (disambiguation)}}
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{{lang|de|'''Führer'''}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|jʊər|ər}} {{respell|FURE|ər}} {{IPA|de|ˈfyːʁɐ||de-Führer.ogg}},<!-- [[WP:DICTIONARY]]: derived from the verb {{lang|de|führen}}, a cognate of the [[Old English language|Old English]] words ''faran'' {{gloss|to make one's way}} and ''fær'' {{gloss|road, journey}} and the [[Modern English]] words derived from the older terms such as ''{{lang|eng|fare}}'' now mostly used in compounds such as ''wayfarer'' and ''sea-faring''.<ref>http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=F%FChrer {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> These are also cognates of the [[Latin language|Latin]] ''peritus'' ({{gloss|experienced}}), [[Sanskrit]] ''piparti'' {{gloss|brings over}} and the Greek ''poros'' {{gloss|passage, way}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=fare|title=Online Etymology Dictionary}}</ref>--> spelled '''''Fuehrer''''' when the [[Umlaut (diacritic)|umlaut]] is unavailable) is a German word meaning {{gloss|[[Leadership|leader]]}} or {{gloss|[[guide]]}}. As a political title, it is strongly associated with [[Adolf Hitler]], the [[dictator]] of [[Nazi Germany]] from [[Adolf Hitler's rise to power|1933]] to [[Death of Adolf Hitler|1945]]. Hitler officially called himself '''''der Führer und Reichskanzler''''' ({{gloss|the Leader and Chancellor of the Reich}}) after the death of [[President of Germany (1919–1945)|President]] [[Paul von Hindenburg]] in 1934, as well as the subsequent merging of the offices of ''[[Reichspräsident]]'' and ''[[Chancellor of Germany|Reichskanzler]]''. 

Nazi Germany cultivated the {{lang|de|[[Führerprinzip]]}} ({{gloss|leader principle}}), and Hitler was generally known as simply {{lang|de|der Führer}} ({{gloss|the Leader}}).<ref>{{Cite book|chapter-url=http://fcit.usf.edu/HOLOCAUST/resource/document/DOCNAC3.htm|chapter=Means Used by the Nazi Conspiractors in Gaining Control of the German State (Part 4 of 55)|publisher=Florida Center for Instructional Technology|via=College of Education, University of South Florida|title=Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression|volume=1|page=191}}</ref>

In [[Compound (linguistics)|compound words]], the use of {{lang|de|Führer}} remains common in [[German language|German]] and is used in words such as {{lang|de|Reiseführer}} ({{gloss|[[Guide book|travel guide]]}}), {{lang|de|Museumsführer}} ({{gloss|[[museum docent]]}}), {{lang|de|Bergführer}} ({{gloss|[[mountain guide]]}}) and {{lang|de|Oppositionsführer}} ({{gloss|[[Leader of the Opposition (Germany)|leader of the opposition]]}}). However, because of its strong association with Hitler, the isolated word itself usually has negative [[connotation]]s when used with the meaning of ''leader'', especially in political contexts. 

The word {{lang|de|Führer}} has cognates in the [[North Germanic languages|Scandinavian languages]], spelled ''{{linktext|fører}}'' in [[Danish language|Danish]] and [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]. In Norwegian, the word has the same meaning as the German word. The Norwegian word for mayor is ''ordfører'', literally meaning ''word leader''. In Swedish {{lang|sv|Ordförande}} means {{gloss|Chairman}} and applies to a wide range of situations, for example in corporate boards or as the head of an official gathering of members. In [[Swedish language|Swedish]] and Danish, ''{{linktext|förare}}'' and ''fører'' normally means {{gloss|driver}} (of a vehicle), a meaning ''Führer'' can also have in German. However, in the compound word ''{{linktext|härförare}}'' and ''{{linktext|hærfører}}'', that part does mean {{gloss|leader}}, and is a cognate of the German ''Heerführer'' (military leader).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linguee.com/german-english/translation/heerf%C3%BChrer.html|title=Heerführer - English translation – Linguee|website=Linguee.com}}</ref>

==History==
===Background===
{{lang|de|Führer}} has been used as a military title (compare Latin {{lang|la|[[Dux]]}}) in Germany since at least the 18th century. The usage of the term "''Führer''" in the context of a company-sized military subunit in the [[German Army (1935–1945)|German Army]] referred to a commander lacking the qualifications for permanent command. For example, the commanding officer of a company was titled "[[Company (military unit)|''Kompaniechef'']]" ({{lit|Company Chief}}), but if he did not have the requisite rank or experience, or was only temporarily assigned to command, he was officially titled "''Kompanieführer''". Thus operational commands of various military echelons were typically referred to by their formation title followed by the title {{lang|de|Führer}}, in connection with [[mission-type tactics]] used by the German military forces. The term {{lang|de|Führer}} was also used at lower levels, regardless of experience.

===Origins of the political concept===
The first example of the political use of {{lang|de|Führer}} was with the [[pan-German]] Austrian [[Georg Ritter von Schönerer]] (1842–1921), a major exponent of [[pan-Germanism]] and [[German nationalism in Austria]], whose followers commonly referred to him as the {{lang|de|Führer}}, and who also used the [[Roman salute]] &ndash; where the right arm and hand are held rigidly outstretched &ndash; which they called the "German greeting".<ref>Mitchell, Arthur H. (2007). ''Hitler's Mountain: The Führer, Obersalzberg, and the American Occupation of Berchtesgaden''. Macfarland, [https://books.google.com/books?id=EKe2nFkNFZwC&pg=PA15 p. 15] {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2458-0}}</ref> According to historian [[Richard J. Evans]], this use of "{{lang|de|Führer}}" by Schönerer's Pan-German Association, probably introduced the term to the German far-right, but its specific adoption by the Nazis may also have been influenced by the use in [[Fascist Italy|Italy]] of "{{lang|it|[[Duce]]}}", also meaning "leader", as an informal title for [[Benito Mussolini]], the [[National Fascist Party|Fascist]] [[Prime Minister of Italy|Prime Minister]], and later (from 1922) dictator, of that country.<ref>{{cite book|author-link=Richard J. Evans |last=Evans |first=Richard J. |year=2003 |title=[[The Coming of the Third Reich]] |location=New York |publisher=Penguin |pages=43, 184 |isbn=0-14-303469-3 |quote=Schönerer also invented the "pseudo-medieval" greeting "''Heil''", meaning "Hail".}}</ref>

==={{lang|de|Führer}} of the Nazi Party===
Adolf Hitler took the title to denote his function as head of the [[Nazi Party]]; he received it in 1921 when, infuriated over party founder [[Anton Drexler]]'s plan to merge with another antisemitic far-right nationalist party, he resigned from the party. Drexler and the party's Executive Committee then acquiesced to Hitler's demand to be made the chairman of the party with "dictatorial powers" as the condition for his return.{{sfn|Evans|2003|p=180}}

==={{lang|de|Führer}} and Chancellor===
{{Redirect|Mein Führer|''Dr. Strangelove'' quote|Mein Führer! I can walk!}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = The Führer and Chancellor
| body = the [[Nazi Germany|Greater German Reich]]
| native_name = {{native name|de|Der Führer und Kanzler des Großdeutschen Reiches}}
| insignia = 
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = 
| insigniaalt = 
| flag = Standarte Adolf Hitlers.svg
| flagsize = 
| flagalt = 
| flagborder = 
| flagcaption = [[Personal standard of Adolf Hitler|Standard of the Führer]]
| image = Hitler portrait crop.jpg
| imagesize = 187px
| alt = 
| imagecaption = '''[[Adolf Hitler]]'''<br />2 August 1934 – 30 April 1945
| department = 
| style = {{lang|de|Mein Führer}}
| type = {{ubl|[[Head of state]]|[[Head of government]]|[[Commander-in-chief]]|[[Party leader]]}}
| status = 
| abbreviation = 
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| reports_to = 
| residence = 
| seat = 
| nominator = 
| appointer = 
| appointer_qualified = 
| termlength = 
| termlength_qualified = 
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| precursor = {{plainlist|
* [[President of Germany (1919–1945)|President]]<ref name="bdp_2003" /><ref name="winkler_germany" />
* [[Chancellor_of_Germany#First_German_Republic_(Weimar_Republic,_1919–1933)|Chancellor]]}}
| formation = 2 August 1934
| first = [[Adolf Hitler]]
| last = Adolf Hitler
| abolished = 30 April 1945
| superseded_by = {{plainlist|
* [[President of Germany|President]]
* [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]]}}
| succession = 
| unofficial_names = 
| deputy = 
| salary = 
| website = <!-- {{url|example.com}}-->
| footnotes = 
}}

In 1933, Hitler was appointed {{lang|de|[[Chancellor of Germany#Chancellor of the Third Reich (1933–1945)|Reichskanzler]]}} (Chancellor of the Reich) by President [[Paul von Hindenburg]].

A month later, the decision to vote with the Nazi Party taken by the MPs of the [[Centre Party (Germany)|Centre Party]] allowed the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Nazi-dominated Reichstag]] to reach the qualified constitutional two-thirds majority required for passage of the [[Enabling Act of 1933|Enabling Act]] allowing the cabinet to promulgate laws by decree, rendering in practice the system of checks and balances defunct. The Act became the official legal justification for such decrees later routinely issued by Hitler himself.

===={{lang|de|Führer}} and Chancellor of the German Reich====
One day before Hindenburg's death, Hitler and his cabinet decreed the "[[Law Concerning the Head of State of the German Reich]]", which stipulated that upon Hindenburg's death, the office of the president was to be merged with that of Chancellor.<ref name="1934 law">[http://www.documentarchiv.de/ns/stobrhpt.html Gesetz über das Staatsoberhaupt des Deutschen Reichs], 1 August 1934: <br />"§&nbsp;1 The office of the Reichspräsident is merged with that of the Reichskanzler. Therefore the previous rights of the Reichspräsident pass over to the Führer and Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler. He names his deputy."</ref><ref>{{cite book| last = Shirer| first = William L.| author-link = William L. Shirer| title = [[The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich]]| publisher = Simon & Schuster| location = New York| year = 1960| lccn = 60-6729| pages = 226–227}}</ref> Thus, upon Hindenburg's death, Hitler became {{lang|de|Führer und Reichskanzler}} &ndash; although eventually {{lang|de|Reichskanzler}} was quietly dropped from day-to-day usage and retained only in official documents.<ref>[[Evans, Richard J.|Richard J. Evans]] (2005) ''[[The Third Reich in Power]]''. New York: [[Penguin Books]]. p. 44. {{isbn|0-14-303790-0}}</ref> Hitler therefore assumed the President's powers without assuming the office itself – ostensibly out of respect for Hindenburg's achievements as a heroic figure in [[World War I]]. The Enabling Act had specifically prohibited legislation that would affect the position or powers of the Reich President, but the first one-party Reichstag elected in November 1933 had passed an act on the first anniversary of Hitler's appointment as Chancellor, 30&nbsp;January 1934, abolishing those restrictions. It was then approved by a [[1934 German head of state referendum|referendum on 19&nbsp;August]].<ref name="bdp_2003">{{cite web|url=http://www.bpb.de/publikationen/02735619745887542775109928829773,5,0,Beginn_der_nationalsozialistischen_Herrschaft_%28Teil_2%29.html#art5 |title=Beginn der nationalsozialistischen Herrschaft (Teil 2) |first=Hans-Ulrich |last=Thamer |year=2003 |work=Nationalsozialismus I |publisher=Federal Agency for Civic Education |location=Bonn |language=de |access-date=4 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208173001/http://www.bpb.de/publikationen/02735619745887542775109928829773,5,0,Beginn_der_nationalsozialistischen_Herrschaft_(Teil_2).html |archive-date=8 February 2008 }}</ref><ref name="winkler_germany">{{cite book|last = Winkler| first = Heinrich August|author-link = Heinrich August Winkler| title = Germany: The Long Road West vol. 2: 1933–1990| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=gXflC2Ipo_QC| access-date = 28 October 2011 | isbn = 978-0-19-926598-5| pages = 38–39 | chapter = The German Catastrophe 1933–1945| year = 2006| publisher = Oxford University Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fileserver.net-texts.com/asset.aspx?dl=yes&id=26426|title=Führer – Source|access-date=7 March 2014|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044912/http://fileserver.net-texts.com/asset.aspx?dl=yes&id=26426|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===={{lang|de|Führer}} and Chancellor of the Greater German Reich====
On 28 July 1942, the title was changed to "{{lang|de|der Führer und Reichskanzler des Großdeutschen Reiches}}" (Leader and Chancellor of the Greater German Reich).<ref name="jong" />

==={{lang|de|Führer}} and Supreme Commander of the ''Wehrmacht''===
{{Further|Military career of Adolf Hitler}}
According to the [[Weimar Constitution]], the President was the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Unlike "President", Hitler did take this title ({{lang|de|Oberbefehlshaber}}) for himself. When conscription was reintroduced in 1935, Hitler created the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, a post held by the [[Ministry of the Reichswehr|Minister of War]]. He retained the title of Supreme Commander for himself. Soldiers had to [[Hitler Oath|swear allegiance]] to Hitler as "{{lang|de|Führer des deutschen Reiches und Volkes}}" (Leader of the German Reich and Nation). [[Generalfeldmarschall|Field Marshal]] [[Werner von Blomberg]], then the Minister of War and one of those who created the Hitler oath, or the personal oath of loyalty of the military to Hitler, became the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces while Hitler remained Supreme Commander. Following the [[Blomberg–Fritsch affair]] in 1938, Hitler assumed the commander-in-chief's post as well and took personal command of the armed forces. However, he continued using the older formally higher title of Supreme Commander, which was thus filled with a somewhat new meaning. Combining it with "''Führer''", he used the style {{lang|de|Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht}} (Leader and Supreme Commander of the {{lang|de|[[Wehrmacht]]}}), yet a simple "''Führer''" after May 1942.

==={{lang|de|Führer}} of the German Reich and Nation===
Soldiers had to swear allegiance to Hitler as "{{lang|de|Führer des deutschen Reiches und Volkes}}" (Leader of the German Reich and Nation).<ref name="auto">{{cite book|author=Joseph W. Bendersky|title=A Concise History of Nazi Germany: 1919–1945|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ATCXucbTYX0C&pg=PA105|year=2007|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|pages=105–106|isbn=978-0-7425-5363-7}}</ref> In his [[Last will and testament of Adolf Hitler|political testament]], Hitler also referred to himself as {{lang|de|Führer der Nation}} (Leader of the Nation).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ns-archiv.de/personen/hitler/testament/politisches-testament.php|title=NS-Archiv : Adolf Hitler, Politisches Testament|website=ns-archiv.de}}</ref>

===Germanic ''Führer''===
{{Further|Greater Germanic Reich}}
An additional title was adopted by Hitler on 23&nbsp;June 1941 when he declared himself the "Germanic Führer" ({{lang|de|Germanischer Führer}}), in addition to his duties as ''Führer'' of the German state and people.{{sfn|De Jong|1974|p=181}} This was done to emphasise Hitler's professed leadership of what the Nazis described as the "[[Nordic race|Nordic]]-[[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] [[master race]]", which was considered to include peoples such as the [[Norwegians]], [[Danes]], [[Swedes]], [[Dutch people|Dutch]], and others in addition to the [[Germans]], and [[Greater Germanic Reich|the intent to annex these countries to the German Reich to form the Greater Germanic Reich]] ({{lang|de|Großgermanisches Reich deutscher Nation}}). ''[[Waffen-SS]]'' formations from these countries had to declare obedience to Hitler by addressing him in this fashion.<ref>Bramstedt, E. K. (2003). ''Dictatorship and Political Police: the Technique of Control by Fear'', pp. 92–93. Routledge. {{ISBN|0-415-17542-9}}</ref> On 12&nbsp;December 1941, Dutch fascist [[Anton Mussert]] also addressed him as such when he proclaimed his allegiance to Hitler during a visit to the [[Reich Chancellery]] in [[Berlin]].<ref name="jong">{{cite book|last=De Jong |first=Louis |year=1974 |lang=nl |title=Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in de tweede wereldoorlog: Maart '41 – Juli '42 |pages=199–200 |publisher=M. Nijhoff |isbn=90-247-1641-1}}</ref> He had wanted to address Hitler as {{lang|de|Führer aller Germanen}} ("Führer of all Germanics"), but Hitler personally decreed the former style.<ref name="jong" /> Historian [[Loe de Jong]] speculates on the difference between the two: {{lang|de|Führer aller Germanen}} implied a position separate from Hitler's role as {{lang|de|Führer und Reichskanzler des Grossdeutschen Reiches}} ("Führer and Reich Chancellor of the Greater German Reich"), while {{lang|de|germanischer Führer}} served more as an attribute of that main function.<ref name="jong" /> As late as 1944, however, occasional propaganda publications continued to refer to him by this unofficial title.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20181019101413/https://www.hasufali.nl/titel-a/adolf.htm ''Adolf Hitler: Führer aller Germanen'']}}. Storm, 1944.</ref>

==={{lang|de|Führerprinzip}}===
{{further|Führerprinzip{{!}}''Führerprinzip''}}
One of the Nazis' most-repeated political slogans was {{lang|de|Ein [[Volk]], ein Reich, ein Führer}} – "One People, One Empire, One Leader". Historian {{ill|Joseph Bendersky|de}} says the slogan "left an indelible mark on the minds of most Germans who lived through the Nazi years. It appeared on countless posters and in publications; it was heard constantly in radio broadcasts and speeches." The slogan emphasised the absolute control of the leader over practically every sector of German society and culture – with the churches being formally the most notable exception.<ref name="auto"/> The designation {{lang|de|Führer}} itself was initially used only in the context of the Nazi Party, though its meaning gradually sprawled to cover the German state, the German Armed Forces, the German nation, and ultimately all the Germanic peoples.

Hitler's word became in practice absolute and ultimate, even when incompatible with the constitution, as he saw himself as the sole source of power in Germany, similar to the [[Roman emperor|Roman emperors]] and [[Holy Roman Empire|German early medieval leaders]].<ref>Schmidt, Rainer F. (2002) ''Die Aussenpolitik des Dritten Reiches 1933–1939'' Klett-Cotta {{ISBN|978-3-60894047-3}}</ref> In spite of that, he took great care to maintain the pretence of legality of his dictatorship. He issued thousands of decrees that were based explicitly on the [[Reichstag Fire Decree]]. That decree itself was based on [[Article 48 (Weimar Constitution)|Article 48]] of the constitution, which gave the president the power to take measures deemed necessary to protect public order. The Enabling Act was renewed in 1937 for four years and again in 1939 for four years by the Reichstag. In 1943, it was extended indefinitely by a decree from Hitler himself. Those extensions by the Reichstag were merely a formality with all other parties having been banned.

However, Hitler had a narrow range of interest – mostly involving diplomacy and the military – and so his subordinates interpreted his vaguely formulated orders and wishes in a manner beneficial to their own interests or those of their organisations.<ref name="auto"/> This led to vicious power wrangles that were immensely beneficial to Hitler in aiding him to ensure that no subordinate amassed enough power to challenge or jeopardise his absolute rule.

==Usage in lower ranks of Nazi Germany==
Regional Nazi Party leaders were called {{lang|de|[[Gauleiter]]}}, "{{lang|de|leiter}}" also meaning "leader". Almost every Nazi paramilitary organisation, in particular the [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] and [[Sturmabteilung|SA]], had [[Nazi Germany paramilitary ranks|Nazi Party paramilitary ranks]] incorporating the title of {{lang|de|Führer}}. The SS including the ''Waffen-SS'', like all paramilitary Nazi organisations, called all their members of any rank except the lowest one a {{lang|de|Führer}} of something; thus confusingly, {{lang|de|[[Gruppenführer]]}} was also an official rank title for a specific grade of general. The word {{lang|de|Truppenführer}} was also a generic word referring to any commander or leader of troops and could be applied to NCOs or officers at many different levels of command.

==See also==
{{Portal|Germany|Politics}}
{{col-begin|width=75%}}{{col-break}}
'''Terms derived from {{lang|de|Führer}}'''
* {{lang|de|[[Reichsführer-SS]]}}
* {{lang|de|[[Reichsjugendführer]]}}
* [[Deputy Führer|Deputy ''Führer'']]
* {{lang|de|[[Oberster SA-Führer]]}}
* [[Führer Headquarters|''Führer'' Headquarters]]
* {{lang|de|[[Führerbunker]]}}
{{col-break}}
&nbsp;
* [[Führer Directives|''Führer'' Directives]]
* {{lang|de|[[Führermuseum]]}}
* {{lang|de|[[Führerprinzip]]}}
* {{lang|de|[[Führerreserve]]}}
* {{lang|de|[[Führerstadt]]}}
{{col-break}}
'''Other'''
* {{lang|es|[[Caudillo]]}}
* {{lang|it|[[Duce]]}}
* {{lang|ro|[[Conducător]]}}
* [[President for life]]
* {{lang|hr|[[Poglavnik]]}}
{{col-break}}
&nbsp;
* [[Supreme Leader (disambiguation)]]
* {{lang|de|[[Zucht und Ordnung]]}}
* [[List of German expressions in English]]
{{col-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Wiktionary-inline|Führer}}

{{Adolf Hitler}}
{{NSDAP}}
{{Nazism}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fuhrer}}
[[Category:Adolf Hitler]]
[[Category:Authoritarianism]]
[[Category:Dictatorship]]
[[Category:Fascism]]
[[Category:Heads of government]]
[[Category:Heads of state]]
[[Category:Nazism]]
[[Category:Government of Nazi Germany]]
[[Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership]]
[[Category:German words and phrases]]
[[Category:Nazi terminology]]
[[Category:Connotation]]