ADOLF HITLER'S GREAT SPEECH BEFORE THE REICHSTAG.
Berlin, 21 May 1935
Voelkischer Beobachter, Southern Germany Special Edition No. 142 a. of 22 May 1935. [Pages 1, 3, 4]
Deputies! Members of the German Reichstag!
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Leaving these general conclusions now and arriving at a precise fixation of the present current problems for me the
Position of the German Reich Government results as follows:
1. The German Reich Government refuses to adhere to the Geneva Resolutions of 17 March.
The treaty of Versailles was not broken by Germany unilaterally, but the well known paragraphs of the dictate of Versailles were violated and consequently invalidated by those Powers who could not make up their mind to follow the disarmament requested of Germany with their own disarmament as agreed upon by the treaty.
2. Because the other powers did not live up to their obligations under the disarmament program, the Government of the
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German Reich no longer considers itself bound to those articles which are nothing but a discrimination against the German Nation for an unlimited period of time, since through them Germany is being nailed down in a unilateral manner, contrary to a the spirit of the agreement.
But it solemnly declares that this measure is being taken only with regard to those well known paragraphs which are discriminating against the German people in a moral and factual way.
Therefore, the Government of the German Reich shall absolutely respect all other articles pertaining to the cooperation [Zusammenleben] of the various nations including territorial agreements; revision which will be unavoidable as time goes by, it will carry out by way of a friendly understanding only.
3. The Government of the German Reich has the intention not to sign any treaty which it believes not to be able to fulfill. However, it will live up to every treaty signed voluntarily even if it was composed before this Government took over. Therefore, it will in particular adhere to all the allegations under the Locarno pact as long as the other partners of the pact also adhere to it.
The Government of the German Reich regards the fact that it has to respect the demilitarized zone, as an extremely difficult contribution by a sovereign power, to the pacification, and it believes to be compelled to call attention to the fact that the constant increase in the number of troops on the other side may not just be regarded to be of great comfort to these efforts.
Extracts from a speech to the Reichstag, on Germany's withdrawal from the disarmament program, and its willingness to abide by other agreements as long as the other nations do
Authors
Adolf Hitler (Fuehrer, Reich Chancellor, Supeme Commander of Wehrmacht)
Adolf Hitler
Austrian nationalized German politician, leader of the National Socialist party and dictator of Germany (1889-1945)
- Born: 1889-01-01 1889-04-20 (Braunau am Inn) (country: Austria-Hungary; located in the administrative territorial entity: Archduchy of Austria above the Enns; statement is subject of: Adolf-Hitler-Geburtshaus)
- Died: 1945-04-30 (Berlin Führerbunker) (country: Nazi Germany; located in the administrative territorial entity: Berlin; statement is subject of: death of Adolf Hitler)
- Country of citizenship: Cisleithania (period: 1889-04-20 through 1918-11-11); First Republic of Austria (period: 1919-01-01 through 1925-04-30); Nazi Germany (end cause: death of Adolf Hitler; period: 1933-01-30 through 1945-04-30); Republic of German-Austria (period: 1918-01-01 through 1919-01-01)
- Occupation: painter (statement is subject of: paintings by Adolf Hitler); political writer; politician (reason for preferred rank: generally used form); soldier
- Member of political party: German Workers' Party (period: 1919-09-12 through 1921-07-11); Nazi Party (series ordinal: 556)
- Member of: Nazi Party
- Participant in: Aktion T4; Beer Hall Putsch; The Holocaust; ethnic cleansing
- Significant person: Albert Speer; Benito Mussolini; Eva Braun; Joseph Stalin
Date: 21 May 1935
Literal Title: Excerpts from Hitler's Speech before the Reichstag on 22 May, 1935. . . . Adolf Hitler's Great Speech before the Reichstag.
Total Pages: 1
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: PS-2288
Citations: IMT (page 417), IMT (page 456)
HLSL Item No.: 450616
Notes:The text is dated 21 May 1935; it was published on 22 May 1935.
Trial Issues
Conspiracy (and Common plan, in IMT) (IMT, NMT 1, 3, 4) IMT count 1: common plan or conspiracy (IMT) IMT count 2: crimes against peace (wars of aggression) (IMT) Wars of aggression
Document Summary
PS-2288: Hitler’s speech in the Reichstag, 21 May 1935: comments on the Versailles treaty and Germany’s rearmament