Communists or the KDP also saw the opportunity that Hitler saw but with the democracy on its way out there was only room for one government, and Hitler new this. The ploy had so many advantages to Hitler that it would be hard to see how Hitler could not have been involved. This one event allowed him too effectively dishevel his main adversary, the foremost blockade that stopped Hitler’s dictatorship. How he went about “blaming” the communist for the event and thus eliminating them, was also a catalyst for all the events to come. By convincing Hindenburg that there was a large communist threat the country was put into a state of emergency and, with Hindenburg’s backing, Hitler was allowed to pass decrees to govern Germany anyway he liked, with the financial backing of krupp and bosch etc, which in this case is fortunate for the question at hand.
They believe that this approach maintained Hitler’s personal power. Hitler took responsibility for all the important decisions in the Nazi party for example foreign policy, this made everyone believe that he was a strong leader and doing what was best for Germany. Also the fact that there were other powers in the Reich did not detract from Hitler’s personal power; he only hired those who were most loyal to Hitler for example Himmler. The only way to maintain or increase your power in the Nazi regime was through access to Hitler, in order to get this people had to do as he wished or their power would diminish. This interpretation supports the idea that Hitler had full control of the Reich, all the
Eventually, after von Schleicher resigns, Hitler is made Chancellor after von Papen persuades Hindenburg. Von Papen thought that as long as there were a limited number of Nazis in the cabinet then Hitler could be controlled. Von Papen was wrong. Also there was the weakness of the Weimar
Anti – democratic figures had seen the Nazi party as potential allies to provide popular support for an authoritarian regime. From this we can learn that the increase of support in which the Nazi party had gained, Hitler had also gained too. However the Nazi party were only ever capable of receiving 37% of the vote, this implicates that despite the increase in popularity, the level of support was not as significant as Hitler had hoped and therefore he could not had been elected by popular support alone. On the one hand, it must not be diminished that the Nazi party created a new outlook for most Germans. They were beginning to doubt that Germany had any pride left.
Some historians say it was the consent and willingness of the German people that took him to Fuhrer but there are other strong arguments such as the Enabling Law, the demolishment of other political parties and trade unions, his agreements with the church, media and industrialists and the Night of the Long Knives. One of the main reasons Hitler was able to come into power was the consent from the German people. Without their willingness to believe and back Hitler, he wouldn’t have been able to gain any real momentum. On the 5th of March in 1933 the Nazis increased their vote from 33.1% to 43.9%, securing them 288 seats. One of the ways Hitler got the backing of the German people was by telling them what they wanted to hear.
Eventually, after von Schleicher resigns, Hitler is made Chancellor after von Papen persuades Hindenburg. Von Papen thought that as long as there were a limited number of Nazis in the cabinet then Hitler could be controlled. Von Papen was wrong. Once you let Hitler in, it’s nigh-on impossible to get him out again. Also there was the weakness of the Weimar government, which played its part in
The reality is there was no one individual cause for Hitler’s rise to power; it was combination of all of these situations which fit together like pieces in a puzzle to create a unique situation for Hitler’s emergence to dictatorship. While Hitler’s chance to take power in Germany did not occur until the 1930’s, factors that made this possible were already occurring in the early 1920’s when Adolf was still a mere street painted in Vienna. When the Germans heard about the Treaty of Versailles which ended War War One, they felt ‘pain and anger,’ and felt it was too harsh and unfair. The Weimar government it brought about was despised by many Germans, as it caused large government coalitions where decisions could not be made. Hitler’s While there was a brief “Golden Age” of economic upturn, the death of Gustav Stresemann and especially the Wall Street Crash put a quick end of this.
It could be argued that the Hitler attributes was the most important reason for why Hitler was appointed Chancellor in 1933. This is because with out it then people would not know who the Nazi party was or what they stood for and as a result they would gain no support or poularity. Without the Nazi Campaining then they would not get the extra support due to the communist threat because it would not be in the public eye that the Nazi's promised to deal with them. A lot of Nazi campaigning was rallys and this impressed a lot of people because of the high numbers and order and discipline shown by the Gestapo
However, this was not manifested in reality, in which Hitler maintained power through his Kommandogewalt and appeal to the German public. This is highlighted in Kershaw’s statement that Hitler’s “power was charismatic, not institutional”. Hitler’s self-appointed omnipotence was only feasible due to his popular support from the German Volk and not any leadership structure. Hitler’s capacity to control a totalitarian state was also undermined by the nature of his rise to power. The Hitler Myth, which depicts Hitler as Germany’s saviour from the “ruin” following World War 1 and the Treaty of Versailles, undermined his ability to lead the Nazi state through means of violence and terror because his power
Despite the efforts of many to encourage Hitler’s appointment, there was no intention of forming a permanent leadership with him; the elite groups around Hindenburg planned to use Hitler to gain his support base, then abandon him when he was no longer needed. This was a huge misjudgement, particularly on Vice-Chancellor Papen’s part: a month after Hitler’s appointment, he told a conservative friend “within 2 months we will have pushed Hitler so far into a corner that he’ll squeak.” Papen completely underestimated