The film Cabaret gives many indications as to why the Nazis became increasingly important in Germany in the early 1930s.

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The film ‘Cabaret’ gives many indications as to why the Nazis became increasingly important in Germany in the early 1930s. The film mercilessly depicts Berlin in the last days of the weakening Weimar Republic, exhibiting some of the circumstances and events which led to Nazi popularity. The first of these was the economic situation and effect of the Depression on German citizens. The film also investigates the increase in Anti-Semitism, internal threats such as communism and the methods which the Nazi Party used in order to contain these threats. Following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the German economy was in a horrendous state. Unemployment had reached almost six million by 1931 and the financial desperation was evident amongst the German population. As Fritz states early in the film, “business is bad.” The song “Money makes the world go around,” is an example of the nation’s new attitude towards the importance of money. The desire for economic security is obvious in ‘Cabaret’ with the financial lure of both Maximillian and Natalia. Economic difficulties are once more displayed when Sally is forced to sell her fur coat in order to pay for her abortion. This yearning of monetary stability contributed to the increase in support for the Nazi Party. To the economically depressed, Hitler promised to punish Jewish financers who were seen to be exploiting German citizens and profiting during the financial crisis of the early 1930s. Cabaret comments on the growth of Anti-Semitism in Germany at the time. This change on the political stage is represented by the victimisation of Natalia and her family when her dog is slaughtered and ‘Juden” is painted on her doorstep by a group f young boys. The Nazi Party used the Jews as scapegoats for internal turmoil during the period, “If they can’t destroy us one way then they’ll try another.” Another example of the rising
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