Nazi Technical Ideology: Gottried Feder, Fritz Todt and Albert Speer

What is it about?

This article traces the place of technology in Nazi ideology. It describes how key Nazi ideologues provided very differing visions of the role of technology within a National Socialist society, ranging from the 'völkisch' tecnocracy of Gottfired Feder to the technopolitical 'revolution' of Fritz Todt to the pragmatic war effort of Albert Speer. I argue that the 'reactionary modernist' role the Nazis envisioned for technology in their 'Volksgemeinschaft' is exemplified by Todt and best understood by observing pre-war Germany.

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Why is it important?

Unlike historians who argue that the Nazi approach to technology was essentially uniform throughout the Third Reich, I demonstate that it shifted over time. It became less concerned with a radical socio-economic transformation of Germany and more with the regime's 'spritual revolution' and ideological transformation of German engineers -- until Albert Speer jettisoned this ideological approach in favor of the war effort.