The Economic Depression.
Hitler needed a serious boost from the mediocre years the Nazis had from 1924 to 1928. The boost that Hitler got was in the form of the depression.
Unemployment in Germany grew from 1 million in 1928 to 3 million in 1932. This turned out to be good news for the Nazis as votes increased from 1 million to 6 million in the same time. The party had increased their seats in parliament from 13 seats to a much healthier 107 seats. This made them the second largest party in the Reichstag. By 1932 the Nazi's gained even more votes from 6 million to an enormous 13.7 million votes. This easily made them the largest party in the Reichstag with an astonishing 230 seats. This was just the thing that Hitler needed to get him all the way into power.
The depression was important to Hitler and the Nazis. It strengthened their support, and increased the public fear of communism. It is reasonable to say that if there was no depression, Hitler would not have made it into power. It is also fair to say that the depression was a short-term cause as it did not last for a long period of time, and was cured quickly.
Decision By Papen and Hindenburg to Appoint Hitler Chancellor in 1933
By 1932 it was almost impossible for the democratic system to work in Germany. This was because the Communists and the Nazi's controlled the majority of seats in parliament. They could both vote together against the government, this way, anything the government tried to pass, such as trading, laws, and general business could be stopped. This was extremely annoying for the government, as they needed to deal with the problems of the depression. It almost seemed as though the Communists and the Nazis were working together to control parliament, but each party had their reasons. The Communists wanted to see a total breakdown of the system, so that a revolution could take place and a new Communist government could take control. The Nazi's wanted to prove that no one could run the country without their support. This would eventually force the government to do a deal with them. In 1932 Hitler was offered to join a coalition, but refused as his demands to be in overall power, was turned down. By November 1932 unemployment had come down to 5 million. The Nazis lost 2.7 million votes and 34 seats in the Reichstag. Then, a politician called Gregor Strasser tried to split the party, but Hitler defeated his attempt. In January 1933 Hindenburg finally offered Hitler the chance to be Chancellor in a new coalition. Note that Hitler was not seizing power and so he was not breaking the law in any way. He was eventually made Chancellor by Papen and Hindenburg, the government's two leading politicians. They foolishly thought that they could control Hitler and that the Nazis would give them the extra strength needed to run parliament properly. After Hitler had been made Chancellor a new election was planned. This was bad news for the Nazis as they were losing votes due to the decline in unemployment. Once again, Hitler needed to rely on something big, to get people believing in him.
On February 27th 1933, the Reichstag in Berlin was burned down. When Hitler got word of this, he immediately blamed the Communists. As it turned out, a mentally unbalanced man called Martinus Van Der Lubbe was caught at the scene of the crime. He was a 24-year Old Dutch Communist. That same night Hitler ordered the arrest of all leading Communist functionaries. Politicians were imprisoned as well as all other Communist supporters. Most were beaten up, others worse. From then on, the Communists were blamed for just about anything that went on. Still to this day it is not known who started the Reichstag fire. It has never been proved that it was a solitary act, a Communist plot or even Hitler's own doing. All that is known is that the Communists were blamed for all of it. Hitler knew that the fire would work to his advantage. After word had got out that all Communists had been captured, Communism practically ceased to exist in Germany. The public now feared the Communists and entrusted themselves in Hitler. They thought that the country was under attack by dangerous extremists. In such an emergency situation they would be more likely to support the government, and at the time, the Nazis were the government. Hitler now had the nation exactly where he wanted it. Thanks to the fire, the Nazis won the 1933 election with 17 million votes and 288 seats. As soon as Hitler became Chancellor, he appointed Herman Goering, another Nazi, as Minister of the Interior. Goering was now in charge of the police and the prisons. This way Hitler could use the police to round up his opponents once the fire had given him an excuse. So the end result was that by being chancellor he could take full advantage of the Reichstag Fire and the Nazis were able to win the election.
This was a short-term cause for Hitler's rise to power. Obviously it was a stepping stone into his overall rise, but Papen and Hindenberg clearly underestimated Hitler. They thought that they could keep him happy by giving him the title of "Chancellor." They never dreamt that he would ever be so influential on the German government and that he would have the ability to do so much with Germany. At the moment though, Hitler is still insignificant, as he has no overall power yet. This is why this is a short term cause, as he quickly passes the "Enabling Law" which does give him overall power.
Some people say that Hitler was very clever in the way that he handled the situation, others say he was very lucky. The answer is that he was clever and lucky. He was lucky because of the occurrence of the great depression and the Reichstag Fire. Surely without these two elements he wouldn't have got anywhere near to achieving the role of chancellor, that is why they were so important. Still, it was simply a case of good timing. However, we also cannot dispute the fact, that he handled these situations excellently. When the depression came along, he told the German people he would get them out of it and he did. It is possible to say that if he hadn't plagued and brainwashed the German people with his racist and destructive views, he would be one of the most memorable politicians in Germany's history. Then he had to deal with the Reichstag Fire. The answer he found was obvious. Blame the Communists, Hitler's opponents to the forthcoming election. That was all that was needed to win the election. As soon as Hitler told the German people that the Communists had started the fire, they fell for it. Hook, line and sinker. Germany and its people, were now Hitler's properties. He had total control. He was now the leader or Fuhrer of what was to be known as Nazi Germany.
The Enabling Law
After the Reichstag Fire the Nazis won the election, but this did not give Hitler total control over Germany. Although he had the biggest party, he did not have a true majority in parliament. He could only give himself a majority by teaming up with the nationalist party and banning the Communists. Therefore, if the Nationalists broke away he would no longer have a majority. If the Communists were allowed back in, he would no longer have a majority. If there were fresh elections he might lose his majority. There might even be a split in the Nazi party if some members did not agree with his way of ruling the country.
Hitler solved all of these potential problems in one simple decision. He passed the "Enabling Law." Its significance was immense. This gave him the power to do whatever he wanted without needing to get parliament to approve it. Hitler used his brain and decided to act quickly while he still had a majority in the Reichstag. His "Enabling Law" was agreed quickly. This was not part of the Weimar constitution and it was this that was the real Nazi seizure of power. This too, was a short-term cause, as Hitler no longer needed it after he seized power, although this was the definitive link to Hitler's rise into power. As I have said, this law was important as it gave Hitler the power to do most of what he wanted.
Hitler's Oratory, Personality and Leadership
"The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand they quickly forget. Such being the case all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and these must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea. Propaganda must not investigate the truth objectively but must present only that aspect of truth which is favourable to the party."
Hitler hated the Treaty of Versailles. He also had strong racial beliefs, such as, his hate of Jews and his belief that the Germans were the master race. His individual skills were very important when trying to get his views across. Hitler was able to use his great skills of communication to convince his party members about his beliefs. Eventually, through time, his views were drilled into his fellow party men so much that they actually believed in his views as much as he did. This brainwashing technique was used on the whole nation during his campaigning.
This made his opponents popularity fall and his own, rise. After the Putsch he had to rely on his personality to get him through "the years of stagnation." His party did not increase in popularity for 5 years, but Hitler never gave up. He got lucky when the depression came around, as he could use it to his advantage by saying he could get Germany out of it. Hitler was also a very cool character.
Decision By Papen and Hindenburg to Appoint Hitler Chancellor in 1933
By November 1932 unemployment had come down to 5 million. The Nazis lost 2.7 million votes and 34 seats in the Reichstag. Then, a politician called Gregor Strasser tried to split the party, but Hitler defeated his attempt. In January 1933 Hindenburg finally offered Hitler the chance to be Chancellor in a new coalition. Note that Hitler was not seizing power and so he was not breaking the law in any way. He was eventually made Chancellor by Papen and Hindenburg, the government's two leading politicians. They foolishly thought that they could control Hitler and that the Nazis would give them the extra strength needed to run parliament properly. After Hitler had been made Chancellor a new election was planned. This was bad news for the Nazis as they were losing votes due to the decline in unemployment. Once again, Hitler needed to rely on something big, to get people believing in him.
On February 27th 1933, the Reichstag in Berlin was burned down. When Hitler got word of this, he immediately blamed the Communists. As it turned out, a mentally unbalanced man called Martinus Van Der Lubbe was caught at the scene of the crime. He was a 24-year Old Dutch Communist. That same night Hitler ordered the arrest of all leading Communist functionaries. Politicians were imprisoned as well as all other Communist supporters. Most were beaten up, others worse. From then on, the Communists were blamed for just about anything that went on. Still to this day it is not known who started the Reichstag fire. It has never been proved that it was a solitary act, a Communist plot or even Hitler's own doing. All that is known is that the Communists were blamed for all of it. Hitler knew that the fire would work to his advantage. After word had got out that all Communists had been captured, Communism practically ceased to exist in Germany. The public now feared the Communists and entrusted themselves in Hitler. They thought that the country was under attack by dangerous extremists. In such an emergency situation they would be more likely to support the government, and at the time, the Nazis were the government. Hitler now had the nation exactly where he wanted it. Thanks to the fire, the Nazis won the 1933 election with 17 million votes and 288 seats. As soon as Hitler became Chancellor, he appointed Herman Goering, another Nazi, as Minister of the Interior. Goering was now in charge of the police and the prisons. This way Hitler could use the police to round up his opponents once the fire had given him an excuse. So the end result was that by being chancellor he could take full advantage of the Reichstag Fire and the Nazis were able to win the election.
This was a short-term cause for Hitler's rise to power. Obviously it was a stepping stone into his overall rise, but Papen and Hindenberg clearly underestimated Hitler. They thought that they could keep him happy by giving him the title of "Chancellor." They never dreamt that he would ever be so influential on the German government and that he would have the ability to do so much with Germany. At the moment though, Hitler is still insignificant, as he has no overall power yet. This is why this is a short term cause, as he quickly passes the "Enabling Law" which does give him overall power.
