Adolf Hitler, Austrian-born German politician and leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party gained victory as the Fuhrer (Combination of Chancellor and President) only 10 years after the Munich Putsch of 1923. Many factors contributed to his rise to power within this period. Factors include his charismatic personality, key individuals and groups, President Paul Von Hindenburg, Franz Von Papen, Kurt Von Schleicher, Dr Joseph Goebbel.
The role of these key individuals influenced the significant events assessing how Hitler was able to rise to power, Wall Street Crash, The Great Depression, Political Elections, Reichstag Fire, Implementation of the Enabling Act and the Death of Hindenburg. This lead to one of the most important historical events of time, Hitler’s rise to power by 1933. Due to Germany’s defeat in November 1918, the severe economical and political instabilities Germany faced in the early 1930’s, remarkably aided Hitler’s rise to power.This introduced the onslaught of hyperinflation 1923 and the disastrous crisis of the Great Depression 1929.
The Weimar Republic suffered political disorder, violence and economic hardship. One in particular, the signing of The Treaty of Versailles, specifically the guilt clause 231, a dictated treaty “diktat” forced upon them, given responsibility for the destructions and deaths caused during the First World War.The Treaty demanded a loss of 15% of land, 12% of people, 10% of industry and a total reparations bill set of US$32 billion dollars. This in turn created immense hatred toward the government, referred these Political signatories of the Armistice as “November Criminals” of which was believed to be unpatriotic.
Karl Ludecke, an early follower of Hitler in 1924 expresses “Of course, I was ripe for this experience. I was a man of 32, weary with disgust and disillusionment, a wanderer seeking a cause, patriot seeking an outlet for his patriotism. Therefore, this emphasises on the increased discontent spread amongst Germany, clear evidence of Weimar Germany’s desperate search for extreme measures to assist them from this crisis of also other factors contributing to the failing of Weimar Germany’s democracy; instability and frequent elections were encouraged as the implementation of the policy of proportional representation developed a series of inadequate and insubstantial governments.Powerful opponents such as industrialists, the Prussian Land Aristocracy and the army who favoured all aspects of the Nazi Party created difficulties for the government to gain substantial results.
This marked the rising of Hitler’s National Socialist German Worker’s Party, The Nazi Party (NSDAP). The economic disaster of 1923 is an eminent factor in addition to German society’s strong distrust and hatred of the Weimar Republic, in remedy of Hitler’s rise to power. The hyperinflation dramatically spun the economy out of control.Example.
The cessation in 1923 of the Ruhr, followed by the policy of passive resistance had detrimental results for Germany’s economic status of which had already been failing. Costs had escalated approximately 700% within the year by the summer of 1923. Money virtually lost all its value as the Germany economy degenerated into hyperinflation. The Wall Street Crash 1929 is another contributing factor in the failure of the Weimar Republic, aiding to Hitler’s rise to power.
Germany’s reliance on the US on foreign investment meant as the US stock market crashed, a downward economic spiral resulted, leading to the event of the Great Depression. This vigorously triggered the increase in unemployment of 2. 5million in 1929 to 6 million by 1932. The effects of this economic downturn were deplorable on Germany, in which this consequential event links to Hitler’s rise to power when The Great Depression granted Nazis, the opportunity to gain support.
Also, due to an increased fear of Communist takeover as the Communist party on the extreme left gained popularity, Hitler contravened this by using its extreme opposition to Communism as a means of attaining greater votes and support from the number of Germans who feared communism. The vulnerability of Germany enabled Hitler’s extremist Nazy Party to prosper as due to Germany’s weak democratic system, no other possible strategies were implented which reinforced Germany to acknowledge the Nazi’s as a possible alternative.Therefore, Adolf Hitler grasped this advantage to authenticate his political skills in order to win more votes to be held in the following elections, as well as gain popularity and recognition in the mass media to draw awareness all over Germany of his determination in leadership. The Nazi’s capitalised on these issues and desperation as without these issues, it’ll ultimately be impossible to influence society of his revolutionary ideas.
In reference to Karl Ludecke, “He was holding the masses, and me with them, under an hypnotic spell by the sheer force of his beliefs.His words were like a whip. When he spoke of the disgrace of Germany, I felt ready to attack any enemy,” this statement is evident to suggest that Hitler’s proposition of the main ideas of NSDAP; Reversal of the Treaty of Versailles, an expansionist foreign policy to provide Germany with ‘living space’, Greater germany (Gross Deutsche), the union of German volk, self-sufficiency in economic life, confiscation of war profits and unearned income made by German citizens, nationalism of major industries and a living to be guaranteed for all citizens was in no doubt a success.Hence, emphasises Hitler’s right path in rising to power, assessed through Karl’s judgement of how the reasons presented were successfully achieved.
That is, Hitler’s political skills in the disillusionment of people through the cause of Weimar Germany’s economic disaster, as declared by AJP Taylor “The depression put the wind in Hitler’s sails. “
