This treaty angered many Germans, particularly nationalists groups such as the Nazi Party. It became a symbol for humiliation and defeat. Germany, by giving in to other countries and having to answer to other countries was viewed as weak and therefore, frustration and anger arose throughout the country. This frustration and anger was, to an extent a factor in the formation of the ideologies of the Nazi Party.
The Nazi Party’s nationalist views and beliefs did originate in Germany, and although Hitler as a soldier in the First World War was fiercely patriotic and nationalist, his nationalist ideologies developed with the introduction of the Treaty of Versailles and its effects on German society. Hitler was extremely embittered by Germany’s defeat, and blamed the government at the time – the Social Democrats – for their ‘weakness’ for not standing up to the Allies. In 1924, Hitler served time in jail for attempting to overthrow the government. Whilst in jail, he wrote the book ‘Mein Kampf’, or ‘My Struggle’. In this book, Hitler outlined his nationalist ideologies, stating clearly that Germany should ‘obtain land by military conquest’ and that Germany must remain strong. As Hitler’s nationalist beliefs were entrenched and developed with the writing of ‘Mein Kampf’, so too were the nationalist ideals of the Nazi Party. The nationalist ideologies of the Nazi Party did have their beginnings in response to the frustration and anger that existed in Germany after its defeat in World War One, and with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
Another of the Nazi Party’s chief ideologies was its anti-Semitic stance. This anti-Semitism was, rather than a product of frustration and anger after World War One, a reflection of Hitler’s ideals and beliefs that he brought with him from Austria-Hungary. In Austria-Hungary, and particularly Vienna, Hitler was exposed to the anti-Semitic views of Lanz von Liebenfels, Georg von Schonerer and the All German Party. In Austria-Hungary too, Hitler adapted the swastika, a secret symbol of Guido von List. Hitler’s anti-Semitic views were not directly established from the frustration and anger resulting from the loss of World War One, but rather developed gradually during Hitler’s upbringing – ideologies which were reflected in the beliefs of the Nazi Party.
Anti-democracy is another of the Nazi Party’s main beliefs. Although to an extent this particular ideology resulted in the frustration with the democratic Social Democrats Party who were in power at the end of World War One, and who signed the Treaty of Versailles, most of Hitler’s anti-democratic views originated in Austria-Hungary and were only reinforced after World War One. In 1906 in Austria Hungary, the members of parliament were allocated proportionally according to their nationality. Subsequently, arguments and chaos ensued in parliament. As an 18 year old, Adolf Hitler visited the parliament and disliked it immensely, firstly for the chaotic nature of this democratic system, and also for the egalitarian nature of democracy. Hitler as a German disliked the fact that the German majority had lost their privilege in the process of democracy. For these reasons, Hitler’s vehement anti-democratic beliefs continued to develop and were carried with him to Germany. Hitler’s anti-democratic stance was adopted by the Nazi Party when he became their leader in 1920, and for this reason, it is evident that the Nazi Party’s anti-democratic stance was founded not in the frustration and anger post World War One, but rather in Austria-Hungary.
Anti-communist beliefs were also included within the Nazi ideologies. This ideal was not brought to the party by Hitler alone (even though Hitler had opposed Communism from his upbringing in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire onwards), but rather embodied by Nazi party member Alfred Rosenberg. Rosenberg claimed to be an expert on both race and the Russian Revolution, having been in Russia for three months in 1917 after Lenin’s revolution. Due to this, Rosenberg claimed first-hand experience of the ‘horrors’ of Communism. Rosenberg’s anti-Communist beliefs were reflected in the anti-Communist sentiments of the Nazi Party. These beliefs, as they originated in Russia, and then brought back to Germany were not established amongst the frustration and anger that existed in Germany after World War One.
The Nazi Party’s nationalist platform originated almost entirely as a response to the frustration and anger existing in Germany with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles and the state of Germany after its defeat in World War One. However, other main platforms of the party such as anti-Semitism, anti-Communism and anti-democracy were established by influential individuals – namely Hitler and Rosenberg within the Nazi Party prior to the end of World War One, and in other countries such as Austria-Hungary and Russia. Therefore, the claim that the Nazi Party had its beginnings in response to the frustration and anger existing in Germany after World War One is true to a slight extent, however not entirely accurate. To a large extent, the beliefs and ideologies of the Nazi Party were formed during Hitler’s upbringing in Austria-Hungary – beliefs and values that were adopted by the Nazi Party, and to a smaller extent in Russia during the Russian Revolution – both outside of and prior to German frustration and anger after World War One. Although some of these beliefs such as anti-democracy may have been reinforced after World War One in Germany, the Nazi Party had its ideological beginnings elsewhere.
5. What tactics did the Nazi Party use to gain support in the economy?
The Nazis used scare tactics in general in order to gain support in the economy, in the workplace and in government in general. The main point of focus of the Nazi scare tactics was the SA, who were effectively the nazi Party’s ‘private army’.
