The Motor Highways built by Herr Hitler: The Planning, Construction and Importance of the Reich Motor Roads

Abstract

After the Nazis rose to power, one of their earliest initiatives was to address that in the aftermath of World War I, Germany had fallen behind in building modern roads. This situation was resolved by planning and building an entirely new network of highways instead of upgrading existing roads. The relevance of the highway program is explained as an anti-Bolshevik initiative aimed at overcoming class hatred—automobiles are for the rich only—in favor of car ownership across the German people. Building the roads before there was even a sufficient number of cars traveling on them was meant to increase car ownership. It was also an incentive to develop cars better suitable to the technically perfected roads. Finally, the design of the highways beautified the German landscape; traversing the vast scenes of Germany on those new highways would even help Germans “to think on broader lines.” (p. 274)

Keywords:

• Fritz Todt
• motor highways
• landscape
• Third Reich

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fritz Todt

Originally published in Germany Speaks by 21 Leaders of Party and State, ed. Anon, trans. Anon (London: Thornton Butterworth, 1938), 255-56, 259-60, 272-74 (excerpts).