The Depression, Nazi propaganda and the weaknesses of the Weimar government were all important reasons why Hitler came to power in 1933. This essay will argue that the Depression was the most important reason for why Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933. It could be argued that the Deppression was the most important reason for why Hitler was appointed Chancellor in 1933. This is because the deppresion increased unemployment and a cut in unemployment benefit which meant that people wanted an extreme change in political leader. Due to the Depression making people want a drastic change in political party in ower there was an increase in communist support and as a result an increase in Nazi support because people were scared of communism and the Nazi's promised to deal with them.
How important was the leadership of Adolf Hitler in the rise of the Nazis to power in Germany by 1933? The National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazis) came to power under the leadership of Adolf Hitler in January 1933. This followed four years of economic and political instability in Germany as a result of the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and ensuing world depression. There are many reasons for the Nazi rise to power such as charismatic personality of their leader, the widespread appeal of their policies, their effective use of propaganda and modern electioneering strategies, and the success of their parliamentary organisation. One also needs to take into account the weaknesses of their democratic government of the Weimar Republic and its failure to deal with the problems of the day.
Thus, this essay will account for the consolidation of Nazi power between 1933 and 1934. The failure of 1923 Munich Beer Hall Putsch triggered for Hitler and the Nazis to alter their means of gaining power. Hitler instead of physical force, to attain political power, he turned to the democratic legal system, and had intended to gain votes into the Reichstag. After the Munich Putsch, Hitler was sent on trial and this gave Hitler and his movement national attention, causing for the increase of his following among right wing nationalists. While the Munich Putsch was not a success, as Hitler failed to seize power through force, his movement was however publicised, and made known to the German people.
However as the war progressed and more issues became apparent, the divide between the rich and the poor and the left and the right wing became vaster. Before the war had commenced liberals and socialists were aggravated with German democracy. Germany portrayed itself as a democratic state, however all the power belonged to the elite. Kaiser Wilhelm II even boasted that he had never read the constitution. Therefore Liberals wanted constitutional reform and more power to be given to the Reichstag.
On its own the Reichstag fire was a very significant event yielding important consequences for the succession to Hitler’s iron fist but in hindsight it was one event in a crowed year and the proceedings that followed only enforced further something that the fire could never have done on its own. On the 27th of February 1933 a blaze was seen towering over Berlin as the symbol of democracy was ironically sentenced to demise without trial. It was “supposedly” set a light by a communist ‘Van De Lubbe’ but was more widely believed to be a Nazi ploy. I believe that this was the most important event on the road to totalitarianism because after the great depression in 1929 Hitler and the NSDAP were not the only ones doing well. 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.
Germany terns from autocracy to constitutional monarchy as the blame would be on the newly formed government the Reichstag. This leads to a revolution as the power has now been given to the civilians and the Kaiser and Democracy is no longer in charge. This means that the people now have a voice and can create a stronger Germany. Furthermore on 19th of January 1919 Germany had its first election for a National Constituent Assembly where 83% people suggested faith in the idea of democracy and 76/1% voted for pro-democratic parties. This is leads to a revolution as now the people are able to elect the government they think will be best for them and Germany.
There were many attributes that aided Hitler in his rise to power. Since the First World War in 1914 Germany’s government had been very unstable, and of course was not helped by the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. Due to the reparations evoked by the treaty and the cost of war, Germany experienced hyperinflation that was only solved in 1924 with a series of loans from America. Just as Germany’s economy was improving the Wall Street crash occurred in 1929 where America requested repayment of all their loans. These events created the perfect conditions for a new radical party to rise to power: The Nazis.
There were many factors to explain why Hitler became Chancellor. They all played their part and in 1933 Hitler become Chancellor but not as he had first planned. After the failure that was the Munich Putsch of 1923, Hitler realised that things needed to be done differently. Normally the leader of the party with the most votes in the Reichstag becomes Chancellor. In 1932 Hitler won 230 seats in the Reichstag, making the Nazi party the largest in the Reichstag automatically making Hitler Chancellor.
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.
Explain how Hitler established a dictatorship in Germany from 30th January 1933 to August 1934 On the 30th of January of 1933, Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany through the support of Hindenburg and Von Papen, two figures who had power but were lacking in popularity. With no one expecting him to succeed, he was severally underestimated and on the 24th of March 1933, the Enabling Act made Hitler a legal Dictator. Within the next year, opponents of Hitler were almost non-existent. By August 1934, Hitler had become the Supreme Leader (Fuhrer) of Germany. This essay will examine the main factors that enabled Hitler to create his empire and argue that all these factors accounted to the legality of his control over every aspect of Germany’s society, enabling Hitler to establish a dictatorship.