Historians have usually regarded Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann and Adolf Hitler as polar opposites during the interwar period. After all, Stresemann renounced the use of force in contrast to Hitler and also favoured diplomacy, winning a Nobel Peace Prize in the process, compared to Hitler’s aggression against Germany’s neighbours.
However, both Stresemann and Hitler opposed the Versailles Treaty and vowed to pursue a revisionist path. The differences were of method rather than objective. But Hitler’s ultimate aims went well beyond revising Versailles and incorporated a campaign of genocide and military conquest in Europe. Whether the Foreign ministry and the German High Command entirely approved of these objectives has remained controversial amongst historians to this day.
This lecture is part of the 'From Versailles to Potsdam: Diplomacy and Conflict in Europe 1919-1945' lecture series, taking place on Fridays from the 17th of October to the 21st of November. You may either register for individual lectures or the entire lecture series at a reduced price.
Please note: this lecture will close to enrolments at 23:59 on 28 October 2025.