Address Unknown

Address Unknown is framed as a series of letters between two German friends writing during the 1930s against the backdrop of the Nazi Party seizing power in Germany. Adolf Hitler was a German politician and leader of the Nazi Party, who rose to power in the 1930s and became the dictator of Germany. He played a key role in the events leading up to World War II and the Holocaust. After Germany’s defeat in World War I, the country was left devastated and economically ruined by the Treaty of Versailles (1919), which imposed harsh reparations and territorial losses on Germany. The country was also beset by political turmoil and struggled to maintain stability amid rising unemployment and social unrest. In this context, Hitler promised to restore Germany’s pride and prosperity.

Hitler’s political career began in the early 1920s, when he joined the fledgling National Socialist German Workers’ Party, or Nazi Party, and quickly rose through the ranks. In 1923, he attempted to seize power in the Beer Hall Putsch, a failed coup that resulted in his imprisonment. During his time in jail, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf, a book that laid out his authoritarian vision for what he saw as a “racially pure” state. The book became a bestseller in Germany and helped to solidify Hitler’s position as the leader of the Nazi Party.

Hitler’s rise to power began in earnest in the early 1930s, when the Great Depression hit Germany. The economic crisis resulted in widespread unemployment, poverty, and social unrest. Many Germans began to look for a strong leader who could restore order and prosperity. Hitler capitalized on this sentiment, using his oratory skills and propaganda machine to appeal to the fears and frustrations of the German people. At the same time, Hitler also began to promote his antisemitic beliefs, blaming Germany’s problems on Jewish bankers, politicians, and intellectuals. He claimed that Jewish individuals were responsible for Germany’s defeat in World War I, the economic crisis, and the decay of German culture and morality. This message resonated with many Germans, who had long harbored antisemitic attitudes and were looking for a scapegoat for their problems.

In the 1932 elections, the Nazi Party won 37% of the vote, making it the largest party in the Reichstag (German parliament). However, Hitler was not yet able to form a government, and President Paul von Hindenburg appointed a coalition government instead. The following year, Hindenburg was re-elected as president, but Hitler’s support continued to grow. This is the point at which the two correspondents in Address Unknown begin to exchange their letters. In January 1933, Hitler was appointed chancellor, or head of government, by Hindenburg. At the time, many Germans (such as Martin) believed that Hitler could be controlled by the more conservative members of his government and that he would be a temporary solution to Germany’s problems. However, Hitler quickly consolidated his power and began to implement his vision for a Nazi state.

One of Hitler’s first acts as chancellor was to pass the Enabling Act (March 23, 1933), which gave him sweeping powers to govern by decree and effectively ended the Weimar Republic, a period in Germany from November 9, 1918, to March 23, 1933. He then purged his government of any potential rivals and consolidated his control over the military, police, and judiciary. Hitler also began to implement his antisemitic policies, passing laws that stripped Jewish individuals of their civil rights, banned them from certain professions, and ultimately led to their deportation and murder during the Holocaust.

Hitler’s use of propaganda and mass media was critical in shaping public opinion in Germany. He used radio broadcasts and public rallies to appeal to the masses, portraying himself as a savior of the German people and promising to restore the country to its former glory. Hitler’s speeches were carefully crafted to appeal to the emotions of his audience, tapping into their fears, prejudices, and aspirations. He also used symbols, such as the swastika and the Nazi salute, to create a sense of unity and belonging among his followers. These propaganda efforts had a radicalizing effect on even liberal Germans, such as Martin.

The events leading up to World War II and the Holocaust were shaped by Hitler’s rise to power and his use of antisemitism. Hitler’s hatred of Jewish individuals was rooted in his belief in racial purity and his view that Jewish people were responsible for many of the problems facing Germany. He saw Jewish individuals as a threat to the survival of an outdated concept called the Aryan race and believed that they needed to be eliminated in order to secure Germany’s future. Hitler's antisemitic policies began with the Nuremberg Laws, which were passed in 1935 and stripped Jewish individuals of their civil rights. Jewish individuals were banned from marrying non-Jewish people, attending German schools, or holding public office. They were also forced to wear a yellow Star of David to identify themselves as Jewish. Over time, the antisemitic policies became increasingly brutal, culminating in the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of six million Jewish people. Address Unknown was published in 1938, by which time many of the Nazis’ most devastating antisemitic policies were in effect but before the true extent of the Holocaust was fully understood by the rest of the world.