"The Hitler Myth"

What I have found interesting is this idea argued by Ian Kershaw in "the Hitler Myth" in Nazism and German Society 1933-45 that this myth was different for the four different social groups in Germany at the time. Kershaw argues that the in this myth, Hitler
1) personified national community
2) bulwark against Marxism
3) sought to reassert Germany's "true" status in the world
4) military leader
5) great statesman
6) moderate
7) brought economic success

What is interesting here is that the myth itself was seen and used differently among the 4 different German groups within society. The elites determined that the myth was politically useful, and (incorrectly) judged that Hitler was a moderate, rather than the rest of the Nazi rabble which tended to be more radical. They felt as though they could work with him, and could possibly use him and his popularity to further themselves and their own agendas down the road. The Socialists, communists, and catholics, people who were not part of the "national community," were especially against myth #1, that Hitler personified the German national community, and to an extent myth #2, that Hitler was a bulwark against Marxism. When they saw Hitler, they believed that this man might just take everything away from them, maybe even their own lives. So they, in response to the myth, also became more radical, as the threat of Nazism grew more menacing. The non-organized masses, those who were on the sidelines but not in the game, saw in Hitler a man who would take them, and their beloved country of Germany somewhere- this idea of moving forward. With each political, economic, and military success, they believed this myth even more, thus enlarging the myth to the point that it was self-sustaining and became even bigger than Hitler himself. For the members of the Nazi party itself, Hitler's power base, this myth further entrenched them into this notion that Hitler was the man. With no cynicism, the Nazi party members honestly believed that this list of attributes concerning Hitler were absolutely true 100%. Regardless whether the 7 aspects of the Hitler myth were true of not, these 4 social groups within Germany were affected by the myth, thus increasing the myth's power, until eventually it was a crucial part of life within the Nazi State.