Relationship with Hitler
Albert Speer had a unique relationship with Hitler. Whereby the relationship was not formed around roles, events or political ideology, but instead around their love for architecture and art. Their friendship could certainly have been the result of their shared interests, but it may also have been because Speer was everything Hitler had wished he had been. The German historian Joachim Fest stated that the relationship between Hitler and Speer was what he calls 'an emotional relationship.' 'He drew Speer to him like no one else, he singled him out and made him great.'[1]
Few men could have been closer to Hitler than Speer. Speer claims he was probably one of the nearest things that Hitler had to a friend. The relationship was certainly mutually beneficial. Hitler needed Speer's work, both as an architect, and an organizer, and Speer needed to continue to be "in Hitler's favours", if he was not to descend after his meteoric rise. "After all, I was entirely dependent on Hitler's whim for achieving my ambitions."[2]
[1] J.Fest, Speer: The Final Verdict, Phoenix Press, London, 1999, P. 340
[2] Softpedia.com, http://news.softpedia.com/news/Albert-Speer-Hitler-039-s-Friend-24896.shtml
Few men could have been closer to Hitler than Speer. Speer claims he was probably one of the nearest things that Hitler had to a friend. The relationship was certainly mutually beneficial. Hitler needed Speer's work, both as an architect, and an organizer, and Speer needed to continue to be "in Hitler's favours", if he was not to descend after his meteoric rise. "After all, I was entirely dependent on Hitler's whim for achieving my ambitions."[2]
[1] J.Fest, Speer: The Final Verdict, Phoenix Press, London, 1999, P. 340
[2] Softpedia.com, http://news.softpedia.com/news/Albert-Speer-Hitler-039-s-Friend-24896.shtml