Hitler’s Rise to Power

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Hitler’s Rise to Power

        

Question 1:

The economic depression of 1929 played an important part in Hitler’s rise to power. This is because the industrial boom in the US led to a number of businesses over-manufactorng their goods. The goods then weren’t sold and the businesses went bankrupt. Gradually the US went bankrupt then the whole world. The US then stopped giving out money and they started to bring in more money from the loans to Germany. After the loans were called upon German businesses went bankrupt and the German industry could not run without any money. Unemployment in Germany rose to 3 million in a few short weeks, and by 1932 had doubled in number. In 1923 there was hyperinflation in Germany where the middle class had money in the banks, but the depression of 1929, the lower-middle classes lost their money due to banks going bust.

Germany’s hope faded even more when the current Chancellor of Germany Gustav Stresemann had died of a heart attack on 3rd October 1929, 26 days before the Wall Street Crash began. This put Germany in an even worse political position and it became even more worse as the President of Germany, Hindenberg was unable to rule due to illness. Stresemann’s successor was a man called Bruning, Bruning tried to re-establish Germany’s economy by introducing a number of policies. However these policies didn’t produce quick results and unemployment continued to rise.

        Hitler took advantage of the depression as at a time of economic uncertainty the people turn to the left and right wing parties. Hitler played on people’s fears of Germany becoming a communist country and this gave Hitler more votes and more seats in the Reichstag. Hitler said that the middle and upper class would be stripped of their wealth and this got them very worried. Hitler told the German people that if he were Chancellor Germany would be strong again, people will be employed full time and all German speaking people would be joined together to make Germany a proper country again. Hitler blamed the Jews, the communists, the Weimar Republic and the November criminals for Germany becoming weak. Hitler told the people his views and this gave people someone to blame, Hitler inspired the German people and a flicker of hope appeared for them. In the 1932 election Hitler’s vote had grown to 13 million and was catching up Hindenberg’s 19 million. Hitler was made chancellor in 1933.

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Question 2

        There are a number of long and short- term causes that helped Hitler into power, the Enabling Law was one of many short-term causes which helped Hitler.  In March 1933 Hitler wanted to pass laws without consulting the Reichstag, to do this hitler had to have support of over two thirds of the Reichstag, Hitler only had half. Hitler ordered SA men to intimidate the opposition and the 81 communist members of the Reichstag were expelled and the Enabling Law passed by 441 votes to 91. This gave Hitler ultimate power for four years. During the ...

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