The Leadership Principle

Cross Examination of Hermann Goering

[From "Eighty-Fourth Day, Monday, 3/18/1946, Part 16", in Trial of the Major War Criminals Before the
International Military Tribunal. Volume IX. Proceedings: 3/8/1946-3/23/1946. Nuremberg: IMT, 1947.]

[Testimony on 3/18/46]

THE PRESIDENT: Do the Chief prosecutors wish to cross examine?

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: You are perhaps aware that you are the only living man who can expound to us the true purposes of the Nazi Party and the inner workings of its leadership?

GOERING: I am perfectly aware of that.

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON You, from the very beginning, together with those who were associated with you, intended to overthrow and later did overthrow, the Weimar Republic?

GOERING: That was, as far as I am concerned, my firm intention.

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: And, upon coming to power, you immediately abolished parliamentary government in Germany?

GOERING: We found it to be no longer necessary. Also I should like to emphasize the fact that we were moreover the strongest parliamentary party, and had the majority. But you are correct when you say that parliamentary Procedure was done away with because the various parties were disbanded and forbidden.

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: You established the Leadership Principle, which you have described as a system under which authority existed only at the top, and is passed downwards and is imposed on the people below; is that correct?

GOERING: In order to avoid any misunderstanding, I should like once more to explain the idea briefly, as I understand it. In German parliamentary procedure in the past responsibility rested with the highest officials, who were responsible for carrying out the anonymous wishes of the majorities, and it was they who exercised the authority. In the Leadership Principle we sought to reverse the direction, that is, the authority existed at the top and passed downwards, while the responsibility began at the bottom and passed upwards.

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: In other words, you did not believe in and did not permit government, as we call it, by consent of the governed, in which the people, through their representatives, were the source of power and authority?

GOERING: That is not entirely correct. We repeatedly called on the people to express unequivocally and clearly what they thought of our system, only it was in a different way from that previously adopted and from the system in practice in other countries. We chose the way of a so-called plebiscite. We also took the point of view that even a government founded on the Leadership Principle could maintain itself only if it was based in some way on the confidence of the people. If it no longer had such confidence, then it would have to rule with bayonets, and the Fuehrer was always of the opinion that that was impossible in the long run-to rule against the will of the people.

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: But you did not permit the election of those who should act with authority by the people, but they were designated from the top downward continuously, were they not?

GOERING: Quite right. The people were merely to acknowledge the authority of the Fuehrer, or, let us say, to declare themselves in agreement with the Fuehrer. If they gave the Fuehrer their confidence then it was their concern to exercise the other functions. Thus, not the individual persons were to be selected according to the will of the people, but solely the leadership itself.

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: Now, was this Leadership Principle supported and adopted by you in Germany because you believed that no people are capable of self-government, or because you believed that some may be, not the German people; or that no matter whether some of us are capable of using our own system, it should not be allowed in Germany?

GOERING: I beg your pardon, I did not quite understand the question, but I could perhaps answer it as follows:

I consider the Leadership Principle necessary because the system which previously existed, and which we called parliamentary or democratic, had brought Germany to the verge of ruin. I might perhaps in this connection remind you that your own President Roosevelt, as far as I can recall-I do not want to quote it word for word-declared, "Certain peoples in Europe have forsaken democracy, not because they did not wish for democracy as such, but because democracy had brought forth men who were too weak to give their people work and bread, and to satisfy them. For this reason the peoples have abandoned this system and the men belonging to it." There is much truth in that statement. This system had brought ruin by mismanagement and according to my own opinion, only an organization made up of a strong, clearly defined leadership hierarchy could restore order again. But, let it be understood, not against the will of the people, but only when the people, having in the course of time, and by means of a series of elections, grown stronger and stronger, had expressed their wish to entrust their destiny to the National Socialist leadership.

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: The principles of the authoritarian government which you set up required, as I understand you, that there be tolerated no opposition by political parties which might defeat or obstruct the policy of the Nazi Party?

GOERING: You have understood this quite correctly. By that time we had lived long enough with opposition and we had had enough of it. Through opposition we had been completely ruined. It was now time to have done with it and to start building up.

MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: After you came to power, you regarded it necessary, in order to maintain power, to suppress all opposition parties?

GOERING: We found it necessary not to permit any more opposition, yes.

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Since most people who vote in this country are totally clueless, I say that in the nicest way possible, I’ll spell this out.

In congress, right now… there are about 7 or 8 conservative Republicans. All the others are stuck. Stuck between siding with the Rebel Alliance of 7 or 8 ---- or migrating to the left-center (until election time).

We call these others- RINO’s. Republicans in name only. They don’t hold with the ideals they once did. They are weak and then need to go. Badly.

In congress, right now… there are about 4 or 5 JFK democrats. All others are Communists.

NOW you are either really reading or preparing to stop reading. Oh… you are crazy. Another sucker who thinks there’s a communist conspiracy! Get a load of this clown.

I know some of you are thinking this… because *whispers* I used to be just like you.

And if you don’t know anything about politics or history and how the two mingled over the last 50 years… you’ll tend to disregard the rantings of, well, me.

But they can’t call themselves “communists”. So they call themselves “Progressives”.  See what they did there… they changed their name. brilliant. I know some still aren’t convinced and rightly so… I haven’t even started yet. But consider this…

There is a book. It has a dust jacket.

The book is Treasure Island.

The dust jacket says Treasure Island.

Now along comes someone and takes the dust jacket off and puts another one on the book.

The dust jacket says Curious George Rides Again.

What book is it? If all you look at is the dust jacket, you think it is Curious George Rides again.

And if you never look any closer, you’ll be tricked. 

They are counting on you know looking any closer. 

We’re nice: we’re called Progressives! Progress! Forward! Hope! Change! 

When you vote democrat now… you are not voting for Harry Truman or JFK Democrats.

Not even close. You’ve been duped.

Republicans aren’t much better… They mostly worship at the altar of re-election.

Every member of Congress and our President *swears* to protect the constitution.

I invite you to read the constitution.

I then invite you to tell me what member of Congress or if the president defends the constitution.

Go on… I’ll wait.

Here’s the deal. The one’s that do- are made to be demons in the media. You know who they are.

With the election cycle coming up again… be prepared from people to start tearing them down.

It’s started with Christie… and I’m glad- didn’t like him anyway.

He’s a bully. Like Obama. 

Obama passes Obamacare. Not one Republican voted for it and they didn’t need any of their votes.

Time and time again, he’s granted waivers. Time and time again, he’s delayed it- now to 2016 after the next 2 elections. Isn’t that strange? This wonderful law is so wonderful that they can’t enact it totally, because they know they’d be toast in those elections. 

AND- now the white house and the Justice Department say that you cannot, if you are a business owner, cut staff and hours because of Obamacare. If you make cuts to your staff or cut hours BECAUSE of Obamacare-  you will be prosecuted.  You have to swear to the DOJ and probably the IRS that you cut hours NOT because of Obamacare. 

*can’t have Obamacare looking like the reason for the decrease in hours – EVEN THOUGH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE SAYS THAT HOURS WILL BE CUT!!!!*

So the President can break the law, but if you try to augment your business model to absorb new taxes that affect your business- you will be prosecuted.  NEWSFLASH: That’s what businesses do. They try to keep their profits up. Now the Government is trying to force people to adhere to an unconstitutional law (I don’t care what the SCOTUS says) that is so bad that they have to delay its implementation to keep control of Washington. 

Get it? You better. 

Tyranny. This is what Kings do. 

To me… this is like trying to re-teach 2+2=4. 

It’s simple people. The Leadership Principle is being enacted here. Plain as day. Our President believes he can do whatever he wants. He lied before being elected (scolding Bush for all his executive orders) by writing his own at every whim. He lied after being elected (if you like your healthcare, you can keep it).

History is a great teacher. If you pay attention to it, it will impart great knowledge to you.

If you neglect the past, it will sneak up behind you and conk you on the head with the Frying Pan of Ignorance. 

It hurts. Trust me.