| Original caption: “Nazi troops, wearing steel helmets and carrying Nazi emblems, march before German chancellor Adolf Hitler at Nuremberg, Germany on September 17, 1936. Spectators along the sidewalk and at the windows above give the Nazi salute to the parading soldiers. The buildings are decorated with Nazi flags that are two stories high, emblems and swastikas.” Schutzstaffel (SS) soldiers of Führer und Reichskanzler (“Leader and Reich Chancellor”) Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) private guard march before him, carrying military banners. Sturm Abteilung (SA) and civilians watching the spectacle gather at the sidewalk and the windows above give the Nazi salute to the parade. 2-story-high Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP; “National Socialist German Workers’ Party”) banners adorn Nuremberg buildings. Chicago Tribune, Monday, September 14, 1936: “Hitler Reviews Private Army; Hails Strength Führer Is Saluted by 107,000 Nazi Troops. By Sigrid Schultz. [Chicago Tribune Press Service.] — Nuremberg, Germany. Reichführer Adolf Hitler today reviewed 107,000 men of his ‘party army’ – Storm Troopers, Schutz Staffel men [hand picked guards], the Nazi motor corps, the Nazi air force. The martial appearance of the Nazis left no doubt in anybody’s mind that Hitler’s private army runs a close second in snappiness to his regular army.” “The day started with an impressive ceremony in Luitpold arena, one of the three vast erected at Nuremberg as the site for demonstrations which are designed to drum into the German mind the glory of the national unity. The ritual was the same in all eight Nazi party rallies held here before and since Hitler assumed power. The only difference is that now the men step with the pride of those accustomed to power and determined keep it.” “Funeral Dirge Played. The temple to the memory of the dead opposite the main stand was flanked by twelve flaming cressets. Hitler, followed by the leaders of the Storm Troopers and the Schutzstaffel, marched down the wide aisle to the temple to the tune of a funeral dirge, while the 107,000 men and almost as many onlookers stood riveted at attention.” “‘Death’s Head troops’ in black uniforms and black steel helmets moved ahead in the center aisle 32 abreast. Halfway across the field they suddenly swung into an impeccable goose step.’ “Hitler in reviewing his army stood at attention almost continuously for five hours as the men fled by.” “‘We’re Ready,’ Hitler Warns. ‘Let me tell those who have the slightest doubt in the stability of my government that the men in this field represent less than five per cent of my party army.’ Hitler said in a speech. ‘I can hold more than twenty identical meetings simultaneously in Germany. Our old opponent, the Jewish bolshevik, is trying to become active around our borders and is threatening us.’” “‘But let no one be deceived. ire ready at any hour. We all have one wish – to maintain peace – but with it goes one firm decision: Never to surrender Germany to that enemy we have come to know so well.’” “Hitler’s ‘party army’ roared its approval to these words. Referring to Spain, Hitler continued: ‘I protest against the demonstrations being staged against Fascism and Nazism and for bolshevism, and or the export of arms and fighting men. I have not called upon my men But if I should order a demonstration there will not be assembled ten thousand or twenty thousand undisciplined persons. Millions upon millions would respond with flaming hearts.’” “Host at Luncheon. Before reviewing his private army, Hitler entertained a number of foreign guests, including a group of foreign correspondents, at luncheon in an old castle overlooking Nuremberg. In a conversation he disclosed that the reich possesses the biggest military and semi-military forces in central and western Europe.” “By stating that the Storm Troops total two million men and the Schutzstaffel 260,000 men he revealed that his ‘party army’ numbers close to three million men, including the Nazi Motor corps and the Nazi air force. Add to these the 1.2 million soldiers of the regular army and four hundred thousand members of the Labor Service, then Hitler commands a force of 4.6 million men.” The führer expressed his amusement over the notion which he said he understood had been current in foreign lands that the Nuremberg rally was in effect a sort of training for German mobilization. “Why, that’s absurd,” he chuckled He changed his tone when 1 guest referred to the size and earnestness of the week’s demonstrations. “If I would, could make real demonstration against bolshevism with many millions,” he said. “I would only need to give propaganda a free hand. There would come, not hundreds or thousands, but millions. “It is true we have done with fratricidal quarrels and fighting. But all the same we cannot watch as dis- interested spectators what is now going on. Bolshevism we have known. Only a short time ago, in these very streets, officers were beaten and maltreated. Houses were burned. Our enemy tried to destroy utterly our national organism. “Russians Plot Against Us.” “We won, but after a hard struggle. And now if we see around Germany the same power trying to threaten us and plot against us how can we remain indifferent? Europe is a unit. We live in Europe. We are a part of Europe. We in Germany wish to compete peacefully with such states as we are ourselves – strong, national, and sound. But ruined states, disintegration, and the decay of nations — I cannot permit that on my doorstep.” “And when I think that the metropolis which is striving to dominate Europe is Moscow – Moscow, ha! ha! [He laughed bitterly.] Moscow, of all cities! What a shame! How grotesque!” “The last city with the right to hegemony over cultivated nations is Moscow. If it were a capital with traditions in a civilized country! But Moscow — that goes beyond all limits.” An important declaration involving Germany’s relations with scheduled Russia is to be made at the final meeting of the Nazi convention tomorrow. Plans Political Boycott. The Nazi government is preparing a surprise for “deadly democracies” while Europe is looking forward to a new Locarno conference and negotiations for reforming the league of nations. To increase the effectiveness of his appeal to the world to accept his leadership against “Jewish bolshevists,” Hitler intends to throw down a new gauntlet to Russia and solemnly refuse to take part in any political conferences in which the Russians are represented. Foreign diplomats who heard of Hitler’s proposed plan believe it is an effort to goad the Russians into breaking diplomatic relations with the Reich and thus increase the impressiveness of the Soviet danger in the minds of the Germans and at the same time increase their willingness to make further sacrifices for the army and the Nazi cause.” | |
| Image Filename | wwii1793.jpg |
| Image Size | 317.05 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1027 x 1297 |
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| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 13, 1936 |
| Location | |
| City | Nuremberg |
| State or Province | Bavaria |
| Country | Germany |
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| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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