Only 34 per cent of West Germans would “do everything in my power to prevent” the ascendance of a new Nazi party, according to a poll taken among Germans by the Allensbach Institute of Demography. Results of the poll were made public here today by the World Jewish Congress.
To a question reading “assuming a new Nazi party would try to come to power, what would be your attitude?”–29 per cent answered they would be against it but do nothing specific; 18 per cent said it would make no difference to them; 5 per cent said they would favor it but do nothing specific; and 2 percent said they would support such a new party. Thirty-four per cent said they would oppose such a party; 12 per cent made no reply.
In response to another question, 53 per cent said Germany was really responsible for the outbreak of World War II. Asked what was the reason for Germany’s defeat, 40 per cent thought it was Germany’s weakness and the strength of “the enemy”; 15 per cent blamed “treason, sabotage”; 9 per cent attributed Germany’s defeat to “wrong leadership and policies”; and 11 per cent blamed Hitler.
On the other hand, 35 per cent of those queried thought that, without defeat in the war, “Hitler would have become one of the greatest German statesmen.” when it came to ranking past leaders who had done most for Germany, 28 per cent placed ex-Chancellor Konrad Adenauer first; 21 per cent named Bismarek; and only 5 per cent named Hitter.
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