Setting the record straight
To say that Nietzsche did not have a profound influence on Hitler would be denying one of the core individuals within National Socialism’s ideological tradition of optimism and will-power. Many have seen the infamous photo of Hitler in the Nietzsche-Archiv, but few seem to know the official caption behind it. In Heinrich Hoffmann’s book Hitler, the original caption reads: “The Führer at the bust of the German philosopher whose ideas inspired two great popular movements: that of National Socialist Germany and that of Fascist Italy.” [1] So, already off the bat, we see a public connection between Hitler and Nietzsche in official sources. Keep in mind that Hitler endorsed the Nietzsche-Archiv by privately funding it, giving 50,000 Reichsmarks. [2]
On July 30th of 1943, the NSDAP had documented that Adolf Hitler had personally gifted Mussolini a unique edition of the collected works of Nietzsche on his birthday:
The Führer sent the Duce, as a personal gift for his 60th birthday, through Field Marshal von Kesselring, the collected works of Nietzsche in a specially produced, unique edition with a heartfelt dedication. [3]
If Hitler had not been influenced or simply had ignored Nietzsche, there would be no reason for Hitler to openly suggest the works of Nietzsche to others. The official NSDAP stance on Nietzsche was that he was: “the greatest defender and justifier of life and reality” [4]. This was then justified by Hitler when, in 1942, he appealed to Nietzsche’s words for his own rightful fanatical optimism:
Whoever thinks he can frighten me somehow or surprise me is wrong. I have always taken to heart the words of a great German philosopher: “A blow that does not knock a strong man over, only makes him stronger.” [5]
In private, Hitler had equally praised Nietzsche. According to Walther Hewel in a conversation about Kant, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche in 1941, Hitler said that Nietzsche was:
More intuitive than purely analytical. Affirmation of the laws of nature and of struggle. Positive user manual. Hence, the true philosopher of National Socialism. [6]
Goebbels corroborates this in 1943. In a conversation, he noted Hitler to have said: “Nietzsche is naturally much closer to our viewpoint than Schopenhauer.” [7]
So it appears that Hitler had approved of Friedrich Nietzsche both publicly and privately.
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Bibliography:
[1] Heinrich Hoffmann: Hitler wie ihn keiner kennt, 100 Bild-Dokumente aus dem Leben des Führers
[2] BArch R 43-II/894c Nietzsche-Institut Weimar 1935 p.63
[3] Der Führer: das Hauptorgan der NSDAP Gau Baden; der badische Staatsanzeiger 31.07.1943 p.1
[4] NSDAP Schulungsbrief 1937 #08 „Staat und Kirchen im 19. Jahrhundert“ (Reichsorganisationsleiter der NSDAP) p.299
[5] Völkischer Beobachter, Die Rede des Führers im Berliner Sportpalast, Januar 30,1942 p.3
[6] Diaries and Papers of Botschafter Hewel. Nachlass Walther Hewel. Microfilm DJ-75. Filmed February 1971. Film No 96928, Reel 23 [EP Microform Limited] p.151
[7] NARA, RG 242, T-84, Roll 264 p.296