Nietzsche’s Moral Philosophy: An Evaluation and possible

impact on German thinking leading to Nazism

BY:

Danish Sahni
Introduction
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a very influential German philosopher in the 19 th Century. Born in
1844 in a small German village of Röcken bei Lützen, Nietzsche belonged to a family of Lutheran
ministers and was closely associated with the church in the early part of his life. However, after the
tragic death of his father when he was nearly five years old, Nietzsche’s family moved away from
their home near the church and settled in a nearby village. This marked an end to the influence of
Christianity on Nietzsche and he later went on to challenge the very foundations of Christianity.
Nietzsche developed a great interest in the study of languages (Philology) and went on to become
the youngest chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel at the age of 24. For the next 20
years, Nietzsche wrote more than 15 books on philosophy and philology. Unfortunately, his health
wasn’t as impressive as his writings and he was plagued with illness and disease throughout his life.
His philosophical career was cut short in 1889 when he became mentally ill after which he lived with
family until his death in 1900.

Nietzsche’s philosophical writings can be termed as nothing short of revolutionary. Apart from being
a fervent anti-Christian and anti-socialist, Nietzsche proclaimed himself as an “immoralist” and
rejected the foundations of traditional morality. In this project, I want to analyse his radical views on
morality, most importantly his formulation of a master race (Übermensch) which is supposed to rule
over its inferiors. Since these ideas correspond to the philosophy of Nazism propagated by Adolf
Hitler in the 20th Century, I will analyse whether Hitler indeed took inspiration from Nietzsche.

Nietzsche’s Moral Philosophy

Nietzsche held that the traditional values prevalent at that time were life denying and believed there
needed to be a thorough “transvaluation of values” from the grass root level. He brought upon
himself to put forth a life affirming view of morality which rejected the Kantian and Christian views
popular at that time.

Taking inspiration from ancient Greek mythology, Nietzsche presented his moral philosophy in his
first book, The Birth of Tragedy. He presented two characters with differing outlooks towards life.
The first he called Apollonian (after Apollo, the God of Sun) and the second Dionysian (after
Dionysus, the God of Wine). The Apollonian outlook resembles that of a traditional, life denying one
who is a self controlled, rational sort of a person. This outlook, Nietzsche believes gives rise to a
slave mentality in which irrational, out of the box thinking is not promoted. The Dionysian, according
to Nietzsche is exactly the opposite. He is a passionate character who relies on his instincts and acts
on what he feels, rather than what he thinks. This, Nietzsche believes is a life affirming character
which would give rise to a master mentality and the person is able to break the conventions and
define his own interpretations of right and wrong.
Nihilism
A nihilist at heart, Nietzsche proclaimed “There are no moral phenomena at all, only moral
interpretations of phenomena”. He claimed that nothing in world has any innate value; it is humans
who assign value to what they perceive. The same thing applies to moral judgements. Thus, there is
no absolute right or wrong, but only our interpretation of right or wrong. This, in effect affirms the
case of free will, as one is free to choose his own life path and there is no one correct moral path.

Master- Slave Morality

The central aspect in Nietzsche’s moral code is the Master- Slave morality. He claims that there are
two fundamental types of morality-

 Master Morality: This is the morality of the strong willed who are free to break out of the
conventional ways of interpreting right and wrong. The Dionysian character in his earlier
works is the inspiration for this type of morality. The master is the creator of its own values
and is not subject to the approval of slaves. He can judge independently on an issue while
the slaves respond to his judgements.

 Slave Morality: This is the morality of the weak who are unable to determine for themselves
what is right or wrong and must look up to the master for directions. The valuation of their
actions is based on intention as opposed to consequences. They can only think for short
term goals and thus cannot become leaders (masters) which require long term thinking. The
slaves believe that the majority of human beings are good and it is the nobles who are
oppressive and vicious but they do not seek to transcend the masters, but to make them
slaves as well. This, Nietzsche believes does not allow mankind to reach its potential and
therefore, the slaves must always be oppressed.

Übermensch (Superman)
In his later works, Nietzsche claims “man is something which ought to overcome”. In his book Thus
Spoke Zarathustra, he introduces the concept of an “Übermensch” as a goal for humanity to set for
itself. The "Übermensch" is not subject to the morality of the lower-type of meek and common
people who speak of good and evil in terms of equality.

“All beings so far have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this
great flood and even go back to the beasts rather than overcome man? What is the ape to man? A
laughing stock or a painful embarrassment. And man shall be just that for the overman: a laughing
stock or a painful embarrassment...   Behold, I teach you the overman. The overman is the meaning
of the earth. Let your will say: the overman shall be the meaning of the earth! I beseech you, my
brothers, remain faithful to the earth, and do not believe those who speak to you of otherworldly
hopes! Poison-mixers are they, whether they know it or not. Despisers of life are they, decaying and
poisoned themselves, of whom the earth is weary: so let them go.”

- Thus Spake Zarathustra

 Influence on Hitler
Nietzsche’s radical philosophy is alleged to have found life in the form of Adolf Hitler. In his ideology
as well as his autobiography, “Mein Kamph”, Hitler makes several references to Nietzsche and is
believed to be highly inspired by him. I will try to make out the similarities between both of them by
using succinct examples.

i. Hitler as the Ubermensch

The concept of Superman is perhaps the strongest similarity between Hitler and Nietzsche. Hitler
cultivated the myth of his destiny as the saviour of the German people having written "From ...
millions of men ... one man must step forward" .He used to say "Man is becoming God--that is the
simple fact. Man is God in the making”. Nietzsche said something similar in his book, “The Will to
Power”-

"A daring and ruler race is building itself up... The aim should be to prepare a transvaluation of
values for a particularly strong kind of man, most highly gifted in intellect and will. This man and the
elite around him will become the 'lords of the earth"

ii. Slavery

Nietzsche addressed the Jews as being responsible for the slave revolt and victory over the master
race

“In the context of the monstrous and inordinately fateful initiatives which the Jews have exhibited in
connection with the most fundamental of all another occasion– that it was, in fact, with the Jews
that the revolt of the slaves begins in the sphere of morals; that revolt which has behind it a history
of two millennia, and which at the present day has only moved out of our sight, because it has
achieved victory.”

This, he believed was wrong because by making the master empathize with the Slave, the master
resents the qualities that make him strong.

Hitler points to slavery as the ugliest aspect of human life in the past and present, while linking the
Jews and their influence to the deterioration of values, even going to the extent of calling Jews "as a
parasite on other peoples”

For Nietzsche and Hitler, the Judeo-Christian ethic caused an individual to split himself into two
opposing forces: the interest of the collective (slave morality) and the interest of self-preservation
(master morality)

The dominating force makes an individual either confident and strong, or guild-ridden and
indecisive. For both Nietzsche and Hitler, the latter prevailed throughout Europe.
iii. Anti Semitism and Superior Race

Although Nietzsche was a very vocal critic of the anti-Semitic movement, his social mandate was
very similar to that of Nazism propagated by Hitler. His views on the master-slave morality and the
belief that the slaves must always be oppressed found meaning with Hitler’s ideology of Anti
Semitism. In his book, The Will to Power, Nietzsche says

"Society as the trustee of life is responsible to life for every botched life that comes into existence;
and as it has to atone for such lives, it ought consequently to make it impossible for them ever to see
the light of day: it should in many cases actually prevent the act of procreation, and may, without
any regard for rank, descent, or intellect, hold in readiness the most rigorous forms of compulsion
and restriction, and, under certain circumstances, have recourse to castration ... 'Thou shalt do no
murder,' is a piece of ingenuous puerility compared with 'Thou shalt not beget!!!' ... The [unhealthy]
must at all costs be eliminated, lest the whole fall to pieces”

Hitler used the terms weak and half hearted throughout Mein Kampf, often in conjunction with Jews
or the influence of the Jewish conspiracy. He believed in the survival of the fittest, insisting
adamantly that races must struggle or else they will be doomed to extinction

He deemed the Aryans to be the master race, "forever kindling anew that fire of knowledge which
illumined the night of silent mysteries and thus caused man to climb the path to mastery over the
other beings of this earth."

iv. Ostensible Nationalism

Although Nazism was fervently nationalistic in its ideology, proclaiming the might of Germany, Hitler
confessed that his nationalism was just a means to an end, believing in Nietzsche’s anti nationalistic
views. Hitler admitted,

"I had to encourage 'national' feelings for reasons of expediency; but I was already aware that the
'nation' idea could only have a temporary value. The day will come when even here in Germany when
what is known as 'nationalism' will practically have ceased to exist. What will take its place in the
world will be a universal society of masters and overlords."

v. Blood Poisoning

Nietzsche used the phrase "blood poisoning" to describe the effect of the Judeo-Christian ethic. He
said

“The 'masters' have been done away with; the morality of the vulgar man has triumphed. This
triumph may also be called a blood-poisoning (it has mutually fused the races)…Everything is
obviously becoming Judaised, or Christianised, or vulgarized…”
Hitler also accused the Jewish people as belonging to a race that lacked any culture and manipulated
others to get the strength to survive. Hitler wrote that men did not die from wars, but rather from
the lack of resistance created by pure blood; and it was blood mixture that caused the deterioration
of culture. He believed that the Jews contaminate the higher races and weaken the culture of the
Aryan race.

vi. Spirituality

Both Hitler and Nietzsche argued the essential need of spirituality.Nietzsche reasoned,

“Greatness of soul is inseparable from greatness of spirit. For it involves independence; but in the
absence of spiritual greatness; independence ought not to be allowed, it causes mischief, even
through its desire to do good and practice 'justice' small spirits must obey – hence cannot possess
greatness.”

while Hitler argued,

“Any violence which does not spring from a firm, spiritual base will be wavering and uncertain….It
emanates from the momentary energy and brutal determination of an individual, and is therefore
subject to the change of personalities and to their nature and strength.”

Conclusion
It is indeed very evident that Hitler drew a lot of his inspiration from Nietzsche’s philosophy.
Nietzsche’s works were also very popular among Nazi circles and highly selective readings were
employed to advance their ideology. Phrases like “The will to power” became common in Nazi
circles.

Criticism
After Nietzsche’s mental illness in 1889, his sister became the editor of his works and it is believed
that she modified Nietzsche’s philosophy to conform to her own anti-Semitic and racist ideology,
and appeal to her preferred political party, the Nazis.
Acknowledgment
I would like to extend my heartiest gratitude towards my supervisor, Dr. Vineet Sahu for guiding me
through this project. I would also like to thank my classmates who attended my presentation and
gave valuable feedback.

References
[1] http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nietzsche/

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche

[3] Nietzsche: A Precursor to Hitler? Phillip D. Collins, 2005

http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/Commentary/Nietzsche.htm

[4] Friedrich Nietzsche's Influence on Hitler's Mein Kampf, Michael Kalish, 2004

http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/classes/133p/133p04papers/MKalishNietzNazi046
.htm

[5] A Holocaust Of Words: Review Of Mein Kampf , Thomas Healy, 2007

[6] Nietzsche's Moral Breakthrough

http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ppp/top/top19

[7] http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/notes-nietzsche.html

[8] Bild:Flag Germany 1933.png , Benutzer:Kookaburra