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Friday, March 18, 2011

Research Paper on Albert Speer

Research Paper on Albert Speer

Albert Speer was born in March 1905 in the city of Mannheim, Germany. Growing up Speer was a very intelligent boy whose parents were reasonably wealthy and provided very well for their son. Speer, like his father was destined to be an architect, which was something he liked doing.

But little did he know that his love for architecture would lead him to form a close friendship with arguably one of the most evil men in history, Adolf Hitler.

Albert Speers association with Adolf Hitler began in December 1930 after he was persuaded to attend a political meeting where Hitler was to present a speech at the Institute and Berlin University. Speer quoted that he was ‘captivated by the magic of Hitler’s voice’ and on 1st March 1931 Speer joined the Nazi party.
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In 1933 Hitler ordered that his chancellors building be renovated and his own architect at the time, Paul Ludwig Troost was given the work. However, Speer was in charge of the overall project. Hitler was very pleased with Speers work condemned him on his efforts.

Hitler was to give Speer his first major project in January 1934, where Speer was asked to build a stand for the Nuremberg rally. Speer, being inspired by the Pergamon Altar of the ancient Greeks designed a massive stone structure. It stood 24 metres high and was 400 metres in length. Later that year also occurred the death of Hitler’s main architect Paul Ludwig Troost, upon which Speer was approached by Goebbel’s State Secretary Walthur Funk who told him ‘Congratulations, now you are number one.’ Speer was now required to design complex buildings at the Nuremberg Party Rally site. He had huge plans including a giant stadium ‘Great stadium’ and also a huge Congress Hall.

During the period of 1936 Speer planned a German pavilion, which was opposite the Soviet Union pavilion. To demonstrate the Nazi’s power Speer made the pavilion enormous compared to the Soviets.

Hitler’s official residence, the Chancellery, here some of the great leaders had previously stayed including Bismarck. Hitler however was displeased with the current state of the Chancellery and in January 1938 he instructed Speer to build a new Reich Chancellery. Speer, however on had twelve months to complete the new building in. A year later Speer had successfully fulfilled Hitler’s wish and completed the construction of Chancellery. Hitler was extremely pleased with the outcome and Speers work.

When Germany attacked the Soviet Union in 1941 and declared War on the United States, Speer’s architectural skills were not required. However, his skills as an organiser were. So after the death of Germanys Minister for Armaments and Production, Dr Fritz Todt, Hitler appointed Speer Reich Minister for Armaments and Production.

In 1942 Speer set up the Central Planning Board for control of raw materials and their allocation. During this time Speer would not let any other governing body to overtake his responsibility

Albert Speer’s role in the Nazi war effort was a very vital and important one. Speer was considered by many historians as a very intelligent and complex man. His architectural abilities were very impressive and his organisational skills were of great assistance to the Nazis as well.
When Speer first joined the Nazi party in 1931 he was given work from Nazis for his architectural abilities. At first he was asked to renovate the home of Nazi official Karl Hanke. Hanke was very impressed with Speer’s work and through him Speer was given more work. His next project was rebuilding the Party Headquarters in Berlin. After the completion of this, the Nazi leadership was very impressed.

In 1933 Speer designed the decoration for the Nazi Party Rally in Nuremberg. His design which included a huge eagle dominating the Zeppelin Field was very impressive. Little did Speer know just how effective and how much assistance they would provide for the Nazis in their war effort. As Hitler would be giving many speeches from here and it was vital that he be seen in such a high position and Germany could show her dominance.

Speer’s work caught the eye of Hitler and he was very impressed with what was being done. The more work Speer did for the Hitler and the Nazi’s the more assistance he gave them to the war effort, as well as his relationship with Hitler has grown.

It wasn’t until 1942 when Germanys Minister for Armaments and Production, Dr Fritz Todt, was killed in a plane crash that Speer got his opportunity. As a result of Todt’s death Germany was left without a Minister for Armaments and Production. Hitler could see nobody better then Albert Speer himself to take on Todt’s responsibility. Even though Speer had very little knowledge of weaponry and armaments, his organisational skills were very effective and as a result of this he was appointed the Reich’s Minister for Armaments and Production.

It was from 1942 to the end of the war in which Speer’s role in the Nazi war effort was to become a crucial one and which helped Germany stay in the war for longer then they anticipated. Speer was one of the main planners in the war economy and was responsible for production of armaments and building strategic defenses.

Speer’s main role in the Nazi war effort was his ability to increase the level of war production. Historians have suggested that as a result of this, Speer had actually made the war go on for another year and possibly two.

In the first six months of Speer being Minister for Armaments and Production he had successfully increases production of armaments by 55 percent. This was a great accomplishment and the Nazis would be very thankful for Speers work throughout the war.

Speers role in the Nazi war effort was ever so crucial and without him the Nazis would have lost the war within the first few years.

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Warning!!! All free online research papers, research paper samples and example research papers on Albert Speer topics are plagiarized and cannot be fully used in your high school, college or university education.

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