[Page 597]

(7) Ideological training and education. Rosenberg's value to the conspiratorial program found official recognition in his appointment in 1934 as the Fuehrer's Delegate for the Entire Spiritual and Philosophical Education and Supervision of the NSDAP. is activities in this capacity were many and varied. The National Socialist Year Book for the year 1938, at page 180 describes as follows the functions of Rosenberg's office a the Fuehrer's delegate:

"The sphere of activity of the Fuehrer's Commissioner for all spiritual and ideological instruction and education of the movement, its organization, including the 'Strength through Joy', extends to the detailed execution of all the educational work of the Party and of the affiliated bodies. The office, set up by Reichsleiter Rosenberg, has the task of preparing the ideological educational material, of carrying out the teaching programme, and is responsible for the education of those teachers suited to this educational and instructional work." (3531-PS)

As the Fuehrer's delegate, Rosenberg thus supervised all ideological education and training in the Party.

It was Rosenberg'. belief that upon the performance of his new functions as ideological delegate depended the future of National Socialism. An excerpt from an article by Rosenberg appearing on page 9 of the March 1934 issue of "The Educational Letter" states:

"The focus of all our educational work from now on is the service for this ideology, and it depends on the result of

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these efforts, whether National socialism will be buried with our fighting ancestors or whether, as we believe, it really represents the beginning of a new era." (3552-PS)

In his capacity as the Fuehrer's Delegate for Spiritual and Ideological Training, Rosenberg assisted in the preparation of the curriculum for the Adolf Hitler schools. These schools selected the most suitable candidates from the Hitler Jugend and trained them for leadership within the Party. They were the elite schools of National Socialism. An excerpt from "Documents of German Politics" reads as follows:

"Voelkischer Beobachter, 19 January 1937. -- 'As stated by Dr. Ley, Reichsorganisationsleiter, on 23 November 1937 at Ordensburg Sonthofen, these Adolf Hitler Schools, as the first step of the principle of selecting a special elite, form an important branch in the educational system of the National Socialist training of future leaders [Fuehrernachwuchs] "Voelkischer Beobachter dated 24 November 1937. ***

The curriculum has been laid down by Reichsleiter Rosenberg, together with the Reichsorganisationsleiter and the Reich Youth Leader." (3529-PS)

Rosenberg exercised further influence in the education. of Party members through the establishment of community school for all organizations of the Party. The following statement is taken from the 1934 edition of "Das Dritte Reich"

"We support the request of the Fuehrer's Commissioner for the supervision of the whole spiritual and ideological training and instruction of- the NSDAP, Party member Alfred Rosenberg, to organize community schools of all organizations of the NSDAP twice a year, in order to-show by this common effort the ideological and political unity of the NSDAP and the steadfastness of the National Socialist will." (3528-PS)

Rosenberg's program was endorsed by Schirach as well as by Himmler, Ley, and others.

Virtually every phase of National Socialist training came under Rosenberg's influence, and unified ideological concepts were inculcated in every echelon of the party due to his influence. The 1936 edition of "Das Dritte Reich" under the heading "Education in the Ordensburg" states:

"Those Party members, selected for training in leadership in accordance with such points of view (who must have completed their labor service and their military service satisfactorily) are to be taught in the Ordensburgen by the best teachers in history and science of race, philosophy and cul-

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ture, economics and specialized training, etc. To determine the ideological direction of this education, to choose suitable teachers and to train them, is one of the tasks of the Senior School of the Party [Hoche Schule der Partei] which is to be established in the near future and will be placed under the direction of the Reich Leader Party member Alfred Rosenberg in his capacity as Delegate of the Fuehrer for the Supervision of the Entire Spiritual and Ideological Teaching and Education of the NSDAP." (3552-PS)

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