Führerprinzip
In the political history of Germany, the Führerprinzip (Leader Principle) was the basis of executive authority in the Government of Nazi Germany (1933–1945), which meant that the word of the Führer is above all written law, and that government policies, decisions, and offices all work towards the realisation of the will of the Führer. In practise, the Führerprinzip was the dictatorship of the leader to dictate the ideology and policies of a political party; therefore, such a personal dictatorship is a basic characteristic of fascism.[1]
The Nazi Government implemented the Führerprinzip throughout the civil society of Germany, thus business organisations and civil institutions were led by an appointed leader, rather than managed by an elected committee of professional experts, especially the schools (public and private),[2] the sports associations,[3] and the factories.[4] As a common theme of Nazi propaganda, the Leader Principle demanded personal obedience to the supreme leader who — by personal fiat and force of will — decisively flouts the rule of law inherent to legitimate government, as exercised by appointed committees, bureaucracies, and elected parliaments.[5]
In the History of Germany, the cultural interpretation of the leaders of the German nation — from king Frederick the Great (r. 1740–1786) to chancellor Otto von Bismarck (r. 1871–1890) — and the national culture of the Nordic saga, emphasised the ultranationalist value of the Führerprinzip, the political authority of a visionary supreme leader deified by the people.[6]
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