Early Life and Education

1. Early Life and Education Albert Speer was born on 19 March 1905 and came from a wealthy German family who lived in a spacious 14 bedroom apartment. Family life was lacking in warmth and affection in effect making Speer appreciate solitude. He developed into what most people would call a handsome young man. In August 1928, he married his childhood sweetheart Margarete and they had six children together. Speer was a dedicated student whose interest lay in math. His parents thought architecture would be a more appropriate career choice. He began studying at the Technical university of Karlsruhe and then transferred to Munich’s more reputed University of Technology. When Speer graduated in 1927, he became a graduate assistant, a good position for a first year out. A turning point in Speer’s life came about when he attended a political meeting in 1930 which Hitler addressed. Speer was fascinated by this “alluring” speaker and applied to join the Nazi party the very next day.

2. 1905 – Speer born, Mannheim Germany 1927 – Graduates 1931 – Becomes a member of Nazi party 1933 – May Day Rally, designed by Speer 1933 – Becomes a personal friend of Hitler 1934 – Designs stadium at Nuremberg 1943 – Appointed Reichminister of Armaments and War Production 1944 – Informs Goebbels the war is doomed 1945 - Hitler says Speer “is the best of all” 1945 – Hitler orders the scorching of Germany 1945 – Speer countermands the scorching policy 1946 – Speer Sentenced to 20 years imprisonment 1966 – released from Spandau prison in Berlin 1981 – dies in London Hospital from a cerebral hemorrhage Timeline of Albert Speer

3. Speer – Themes and Roles.

4. Speer as Reichminister Speer as Hitler’s Architect & Friend

5. What was Speer’s relationship to Hitler? • Described as Hitler’s only friend • Albert and his family invited to live in a mountain retreat, near Hitler’s lair the Berghof • 1945 – Hitler expresses that Speer is the “best of all” • Historic discourses that stipulate Hitler designated Speer as his successor • Relationship deteriorates over time Portrait of Hitler

6. Designs stadium at Nuremberg –used at Olympics 1936 • Nuremberg parade/rally grounds – based on Doric style • created Cathedral of Light • Reich Chancellery in 1938 What was the purpose of Speer’s controversial architecture? Propaganda poster featuring Speer’s Cathedral of Light

7. Hitler’s Personal Office in the Reich Chancellery, Berlin which Speer designed.

8. Speer’s Architecture – some points to consider • Forced people to walk along certain paths, manipulated their transport and environment – Controlled space • Propaganda purposes, for instance “Cathedral of Light” made Hitler’s rallies sensational, spectacular and unique, enhancing all effects • Caters for Nazi German ideology - architecture evokes discipline, submission, obedience and efficiency, manifested through its stark demeanour

9. An initial excuse for further mistreatment of the Jews? (Jew flats, labour) • New ideas in architecture for the new city…….. Germania Hitler’s new central capital of the world, where the Third Reich would reign for the next 1000 years.

10. How involved was Reichminister Speer in the “slave” camps for the armament works? • “The result was that we had to work out guidelines for a joint undertaking with the SS leadership – what was to be called the Central Works. My assistants went into it reluctantly, and their fears were soon confirmed” • “Himmler promptly made every effort to push his way into the field of armaments production” From Speer’s Memoirs Inside the Third Reich, p 369 • “Total war, he (Speer) told Hitler, required sacrifices and discipline from all Germans, whoever they were” From Sereny’s Albert Speer: His Battle with Truth • ………. “was one of mass deportation and mass enslavement carried out by force, fraud, terror, arson unrestrained by any considerations of compassion….was also a policy of underfeeding and overworking foreign labourers [and] of subjecting them to every form of degradation” From American deputy prosecutor Thomas Dodd at Nuremberg 1945

11. Nuremberg trials The Nuremberg trials, tried a number of leading Nazis, accused of a multitude of horrible crimes. • Speer pleaded “not guilty”, as did all other Nazi defendants (Hess said “nein”) Court Transcript Mr. Justice Jackson:……..you have said to us that you did use and encourage the use of forced labour from the concentration camp” Speer: “Yes………” • Denied knowledge of the Death Camps and implications of Hitler’s Final Solution • Took responsibility for certain actions • Found guilty for Indictments 3 – War Crimes 4 – Crimes against humanity

12. Focus Questions • What attracted Speer to Nazi ideology? • What was Speer’s relationship to Hitler? • What was the purpose of Speer’s controversial German architecture? • How involved was Speer in the “slave” camps for the armament works? • How would you evaluate Speer’s presentation at the Nuremberg trials? • Was Speer effective as a Reichminister in the Nazi German war effort and the Nationalistic machine? • Could Speer be described as the “good Nazi”?