Julius Streicher

Julius Streicher, the son of a teacher, was born in Fleinhausen on 12th February, 1885. He worked as an elementary school teacher until joining the German Army in 1914. Streicher won the Iron Cross and reached the rank of lieutenant by the time the Armistice was signed in 1918.

In 1919 Streicher he helped to establish Wistrich, an anti-Semitic organization, but it became part of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) in 1920.

In 1923 Streicher founded and edited the racist newspapers, Der Stuermer (1923-45) which he used to build up a deep hatred of the Jewish race. Eventually the newspaper reached a circulation of 800,000.

In the newspaper Streicher argued that the Jews were responsible for the depression, unemployment and inflation in Germany. He claimed that Jews were white-slavers and were responsible for over 90 per cent of the prostitutes in the country.

Streicher had a low IQ (102) and was considered by many observers to be insane. Despite this his newspaper and his speaking tours made him one of the best known leaders in Nazi Germany.

In 1940 he was deprived of all party offices after printing untrue stories about Hermann Goering. However he remained on good terms with Adolf Hitler.

Julius Streicher was found guilty of crimes against humanity at Nuremberg War Crimes Trial. His last words before execution on 16th October, 1946, was "Heil Hitler".

Primary Sources

(1) Julius Streicher, speech (1937)

The Jew always lives from the blood of other peoples, he needs such murders and such sacrifices. The victory will be only entirely and finally achieved when the whole world is free of Jews."

(2) Julius Streicher, Der Stuermer (May, 1939)

There must be a punitive expedition against the Jews in Russia, a punitive expedition which will expect: death sentence and execution. Then the world will see the end of the Jews is also the end of Bolshevism.

(3) Julius Streicher, speech (31st October, 1939)

This is our mission at home, to approach these future decisions without hesitation, to do our duty and to remain strong. We know the enemy, we have called him by name for the last twenty years: he is the World Jew. And we know that the Jew must die.

(4) Julius Streicher, Der Stuermer (6th January, 1944)

Developments since the rise of National Socialism make it probable that the continent will be freed from its Jewish destroyers of people and exploiters forever, and the German example after the German victory in World War II will also serve to bring about the destruction of the Jewish world tormentors on other continents.