Reorganizing the Ranks
August 20, 1924. The sweltering Bavarian summer. I had finally been granted parole after six months in prison, just as the court had sentenced.
On the day of my release, DDRAP members had an automobile waiting, lined up on either side in formation. Ernst Hanfstaengl, Gregor Strasser—who had served as interim party chairman in my absence—and Max Amann and Rudolf Hess, who had helped write My Struggle, along with countless other party executives, had all come to greet me.
Among them stood a particularly striking figure.
"Congratulations on your release, Chairman!"
"Well now... you..."
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. You may not remember, but I am Paul Joseph Goebbels."
"Ah, yes. Goebbels. Of course I remember. That fanatical young man."
It was Goebbels. Even though I knew he had already joined DDRAP, I had deliberately given him no special privileges or high position. Yet here he was, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the other executives. That meant someone had promoted him in my absence.
But... my soul brother, Yahn Krichz, was nowhere to be seen. Frowning, I asked Hanfstaengl,
"Where is Yahn?"
"Mr. Krichz is on duty right now. Actually, about a month ago, there was a slight misunderstanding with the Steel Helmet Corps that needed sorting out."
"Steel Helmet Corps? That paramilitary group?"
"Yes. It's mostly resolved now. Oh, and Chairman, there's a lot to discuss. Come with me for a moment."
Hanfstaengl said this as he guided me toward the car. But his steps were quickly blocked—by Gregor Strasser.
"No, Chairman. Come with me. Since I was handling the interim chairmanship, it'll be faster to report to me directly."
Strasser shoved Hanfstaengl aside as he spoke. For a man who had started as a low-level Wave Corps grunt, he was remarkably bold. I glanced back and forth between Hanfstaengl and Strasser.
Unfortunately for them, with my memories of two previous regressions and modern South Korea intact, I read the room lightning-fast.
Internal strife. They've been fighting.
I understood immediately. The Steel Helmet Corps issue was likely tied to this schism as well.
"I'll go with Mr. Hanfstaengl, Strasser. Thank you, but for grasping the national situation from a neutral third-party perspective, it's Mr. Hanfstaengl. I hope you understand."
"...If that's your will, Chairman."
I boarded Hanfstaengl's car. From there, I learned everything about DDRAP's situation in my absence.
It started, unexpectedly, with Ludendorff.
While I was in Landsberg Prison reviewing the first edition of My Struggle, at the party congress, Ludendorff had denounced me for betraying the German Alliance for Struggle for his own ideals and political showmanship. This enraged many party members.
After that incident, Ludendorff no longer had a voice in DDRAP, but doubts about me began sprouting everywhere, starting with him.
Ironically, the Munich Beer Hall Putsch—which had made me an overnight political star—had also dented my grip on the party.
I'd half-expected this. It's manageable.
The real problem came next.
Ludendorff's faction sparked a divide between pro-Falkenrain and anti-Falkenrain groups. Simply put, pro-Ludendorff vs. pro-Falkenrain.
Ludendorff wanted no more internal strife, but Strasser and Krichz went berserk attacking him, even telling those who didn't trust me to leave as traitors.
"The atmosphere back then was cutthroat."
"Why didn't you tell me? I could have mediated."
"The timing wasn't right. I'm sorry, Chairman, but Strasser opposed informing you."
"Why?"
"You'd see it in his eyes. Even as a businessman, his greed terrifies me. He was scheming something."
I nodded at Hanfstaengl's words. Yes. He had tasted power as interim chairman.
Hanfstaengl continued. While My Struggle was being written and distributed nationwide, Strasser purged all the pro-Ludendorff faction—except Ludendorff himself. In the process, wielding immense power, he now aimed to seize the party entirely. Krichz and Amann had blocked him.
That explained the tension between Hanfstaengl and Strasser. Got it. Strasser was no longer gunning for second-in-command—he wanted to be number one.
I'd known a day like this would come.
"I've got the gist. Now, what about the Steel Helmet Corps?"
"General Ludendorff brought them in, feeling threatened. Used them like mercenaries."
"That's trouble."
"No need to worry. They had little interest in DDRAP and didn't want to stir up trouble. They poked around and left. The issue was Strasser politicizing it, blowing it out of proportion."
"The Steel Helmet Corps isn't our organization. It's hardly trivial."
"Agreed, but using it to oust other executives was unforgivable. Amann, Krichz, and I stood against him. Lucky you returned in time."
Strasser was clever. He knew exactly how to usurp the top spot. Politics isn't about factions—it's about enemies. Create enemies, and factions form naturally. Factions create enemies too, but the reverse holds as well.
In other words, Strasser manufactured enemies, branded them traitors, built his base that way. Impressive maneuvering. The problem was it was now aimed at me.
"Oh, and that Goebbels fellow? Strasser groomed him. Sharp kid. Even if something happens to Strasser, salvage that one."
Hanfstaengl shared that about Goebbels, then drove in silence. I sank into thought.
Time to clean house.
Some doubt about my leadership was inevitable for party unity. It was a chance to weed out the disloyal. Perfect.
I headed straight to party headquarters.
Upon arriving, I gathered the executives and countless members and began my speech.
Unlike six months ago, a splendid red carpet led to the podium inside headquarters. I ascended, surveying the members staring up at me.
"In my absence, the party has fallen into chaos."
I started with a curse. Their faces darkened. They couldn't refute it. It was true.
"I staked my life on street marches to end Germans pointing guns at each other. I nearly faced execution for treason. That decision was for Germany and its people, not just myself. I didn't want to hinder unity."
"... "
"Yet you lot couldn't even unite the party, let alone the nation. You fought among yourselves. No progress."
Silence fell at my calm explanation. I turned to Ludendorff in the corner. He said nothing, but knowing his deeds, aligning with him was impossible.
"General Ludendorff. Disappointed in me?"
"Falkenrain, to be frank: I respect your resolve, but you botched a winnable revolution for your ideals. Because of you, I bore disgrace, and the Alliance dissolved. You erred this time."
"General Ludendorff, our paths end here. Thank you, but please leave headquarters."
"Who are you to decide? Don't delude yourself, Falkenrain. This isn't your party. It's ours—all of us. You didn't even found it."
I nodded at Ludendorff's words. Same as what I'd once told Anton Drexler. The party belonged to all members, not one leader.
But I wasn't breaking with him for authority's sake.
"Your crime of obstructing unity and dividing the nation is grave. The Bavarian court may have cleared you, but I haven't. I won't say it twice. Leave."
"I'm not going."
"Then I'll eject you. Ludendorff, I strip your membership here and now. And Gregor Strasser—your interim chairmanship and secretary role are revoked. You too, leave."
"Chairman...? Why me?"
"I declare: From this moment, all in our German Third Reich Workers' Party unite as one. Rally under my leadership. If I fail? I'll step down. But I won't fail."
I descended the podium slowly, pointedly passing Strasser. I ignored the reluctant Ludendorff too, moving behind them all.
Executives distanced themselves; newcomers drew close.
"You have two choices: Fight with me, climb over our enemies' corpses—or fracture, fight each other, and let enemies climb over ours. Choose. If the latter, leave now."
I spread my arms wide, then gave the DDRAP salute and shouted,
"Victory forever! Germany forever!"
"Victory forever! Germany forever!"
Only Ludendorff and Strasser stayed silent.
Overwhelming charisma needs no rhetoric. Mere presence alone reunites a fractured party. That was my legacy.