The economic depression was the most important factor in Hitler's rise to power, discuss.

were very important elements used by the Nazi propaganda machine to gain popular support..

Therefore, this continual bombardment of concordant ideas meant that the German citizens

were all very well educated and aware of Nazi party ideology. Although in 1924-29 German

people saw the party as a radical joke, they were all aware of them, and the propaganda machine

was lying in wait ready to take advantage of any crisis that might arise. Therefore, when the

economic depression struck in 1929, the party could capitalize immediately on it and did not have

to waste any time setting it up but instead could just reap the benefits. In this way P01 was

important in Hitler rising to power in 1933 because it led to increased support. A leader of a

party within a coalition government is not appointed Chancellor without large support from the

general public and hence gaining support was an essential element in Hitler’s rise to power.

Although propaganda and policies were important, it can also be argued that Hitler needed some

issue to capitalize on and the economic depression provided this sound opportunity to highlight

the Weimar inadequacy and gain popular support. Hitler’s policies and propaganda tactics were in

play long before the economic depression and yet it was only after the economic depression that

his support grew. Thus, this view would support the idea that the economic depression was the

most important factor. However, without the propaganda and Nazi organisations developed

before 1929, the public would not have been aware of the Nazis to the same degree so they may

have voted communist instead, or the upper and middle class may not have turned to the Nazis

after Bruning’s budget if the SA hadn’t created such an anti-communist image. Therefore, the

conclusion is that the propaganda machine and pre-1929 party changes eventually created the

increase in support for the Nazis in the period of 1929-32 which gave Hitler the necessary

political leverage with which he was able to be involved in power-broking.

        The SA, a militant organisation, was formed pre-1923 and held marches through the

streets of Germany at a time when Germany was its lowest after the economic depression and

symbolised, to the voters who remembered the ‘glorious days of the Kaiser’, strength and power.

This was an attractive image that attracted voters. The SA also gained the image of the most anti-

communist party in existence through continually provoking the communists into fights. This

image was vital in the party’s growth after 1929 because after Chancellor Bruning passed a budget

that led to an up to 30% reduction of the income of German people, the socialist voters felt

betrayed and started looking for extreme alternatives. The fact people turned to alternatives after

the economic depression supports the statement.  Naturally the socialists began to vote

communist as their natural voting alignment is on the left, and because the middle and upper

class party began to fear communist rule as it would mean a severe threat to their wealth, they

too began to look for alternatives. The middle class naturally vote DNVP, however, due to the

fact they were so scared of communist rule, many of them turned to the Nazis on the extreme

right. The Nazi Party greatly increased its voting support after 1930 because of the anti-

communist image it had developed pre-1929 due to the SA organisation. Therefore, there is

evidence to suggest that because of the economic depression Bruning had to apply a budget that

annoyed German people and this caused Nazi support to increase as explained previously.

Therefore, this idea supports the statement that the economic depression was the most important

factor in Hitler’s rise to power. However, there is an opposing opinion. If the Nazi’s had not

used the SA prior to 1929 to build up an anti-communist image, then perhaps the Mittelstands

would not have voted for Hitler but for another nationalistic party in times of crisise. Therefore,

the party changes prior to 1929 were the most important factor in Hitler’s rise to power because

the changes helped to gain popular support of the Mittelstand and popular support means power

can be obtained.

        In 1929, Stresseman introduced the Young Plan which was an alteration of the Dawes

plan. Hitler joined with the DNVP in a public campaign against it, in order to undermine the

Weimer Republic. At once Hitler became a National figure again, and although he did not gain

much support from his campaign, the controversial ideas that he was putting forth put him in the

public eye. Hitler was also able to use the finances and organisations of Alfred Hugenberg’s

Nationalists to gain recognition; for example, Hugenberg had a monopoly on billboards and also

shares in film making companies. This meant that Hitler could use billboards and the cinema to

help P01 broadcast his speeches and the Nazi ideas. The Young Plan campaigns also meant that

the German’s were aware that Hitler strongly opposed the Weimar Republic and the Treaty of

Versailles. As one historian states:

“His first great opportunity came with the campaign against the Young Plan…it enabled him to gain

publicity in the Nationalist press and to make contact with men of wealth and social position” A J Nicholls.

Therefore, his exposure and his increase in propaganda machine resources all meant that

when the economic crisis hit Germany, people were very aware of who Hitler was and that he

had opposed the Weimar Government’s plans. This made the Germans give support for Hitler

because they associated him with what was right and also they knew exactly what the Nazi party

represented because of their constant propaganda. In this way, the campaign of pre-depression

period had helped the Nazis to gain support after it. Therefore, Hitler becoming Chancellor

was as a result of growing support due to the organisations the Nazis had set up pre-1929 as

when crisis hit Germany, all their work before the crisis was capitalized upon and their

support rocketed. Therefore, the economic depression was not the most important factor in

Hitler’s rise to power because if the Nazis hadn’t spent so long developing their organisations

and plans they would never have been able to use the 1929 depression to their advantage with

such a noticeable degree of success because they would have been too busy organising their party

to actually campaign on the depression with such effectiveness.

        

        Another idea in why Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 is that of the government

inadequacy. The Republican Government was relatively new and had not built up party

identification with voters, so it was easy for them to lose support as the voters were more likely

to be volatile. The economic depression brought about this opportunity for the Weimar Republic

to lose support, and it did, and a government with no support is unable to rule effectively. Failure

to compromise within the Muller Government in 1930 brought about the collapse of the Grand

Coalition as KD Bracher states

        “To be sure, the transition from parliamentary democracy to one-party state began with the overthrow of the Grand Coalition in the spring of 1930-that is, with the failure of the wings of the coalition to master the problems of political compromise.”

The issue they fought over was unemployment benefit. The socialists on one wing were fighting

for increased or stable benefits for the working class, but the Nationalists on the opposing right

were fighting for reduced benefits so the middle and upper class could pay reduced taxes. The

two branches of coaltion could not find agreement and the result was devastating as Sir

Wheeler-Bennet suggests:

“The result was parliamentary bankruptcy, the increasinf discredit of democratic institutions, and the relapse of power to the bureaucracy.”

The result of this inability to compromise was that no Chancellor of Germany afterwards until

Hitler could gain a majority in the Reichstag, and Germany had to be ruled by decree, effectively

an elected dictatorship. The collapse of the democratic coalition explains how easy it was for

Hitler to gain support, government inadequacy and continual elections led to decreased support

for the Republican Parties and people wanted strong central government like the ‘Glorious days

of the Kaiser’. Therefore, the people of Germany were more attracted to parties such as the Nazi

party which promised just this. The Government inadequacy is therefore seen as an important

issue as to why Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 as if the Government had been strong and

compromised, there would not have been a break down in internal politics and no new party

could have risen the ranks of power so easily. However, the economic depression was a more

important issue in Hitler’s rise to power as without the depression, the government would not

have been highlighted as ineffective because the same government had run prior to the

depression and it had not collapsed, so this is evidence to suggest that the economic depression

was the enabling factor in Hitler’s rise. However, it was Hitler’s popular support caused by the

party changes pre-1929 that was the most prominent enabler, because if the Nazis had not

previously made themselves well known, no one would have voted for them as no one would

know who they are or what they represented without having to research, and in desperate times

people go for the most obvious alternative.

        The Government’s other inadequacy was the inability to find a solution to the

depression of 1929-32. Germany was not improved between the period of 1929-32, but instead

took a downward path. The Muller Government was unable to propose anything promising for

the economy by March 1930 and although Bruning did act in a way that was beneficial to the

economy, he was not able to gain support in the Reichstag and was thrown out of Government

in May 1932, before he was able to benefit from the improved economy himself in terms of

public support. The budget he proposed was very damaging to electoral support because the

socialists felt betrayed and turned to vote extremes, and then the middle classes also voted

extremes to counteract the increased communist support. Therefore, even though the budget did

in the long term help the economy, it was very damaging as it increased Hitler’s support. The

failure of the Government to remain strong and appoint a leader who did not have to rule by

decree because of lack of support was vital in Hitler’s becoming Chancellor. If a coalition of

parties had led the Reichstag and effectively dealt with the economic situation together, the

depression would have soon been over and the government would have been strong because of

it. Instead, however, they failed to remain together and failed to deal with the crisis so the public

turned to extremist support and this greatly helped Hitler. The failure of the Schleicher and Von

Papen governments led to more support for the Nazi party, their support peaking in the 1932

election with 230 seats in the Reichstag. Every Chancellor had to rule by decree. Without lack of

Government stength, there would have been no need for a strong alternative leader. However,

opposing this theory on why Hitler became Chancellor is the fact that no other western power

responded to the economic crisis any differently than the Weimar Republic, and no other

Western power collapsed and saw the rise of a fascist dictator, so this suggests that it was not

inadequacy within the government that led to the empowerment of Hitler in 1933, otherwise,

dictators would have sprang up all around Europe.         Instead however, the only dictator to arise in

Europe was Hitler. This suggests that the Government inadequacy was not the important issue

and neither was the economic depression because all other European countries dealt with the

same issues, but instead the Nazi party changes prior to 1929, and the way the Nazis used the

depression to their advantage was the main issue on how Hitler became Chancellor. If Hitler had

not spread his word and alternatives around Germany, then the Nazis support would have been

limited in growth, as people would have not had much knowledge of the party.

        A huge mistake by the Weimar Republic was their failure to realise the true extent of the

threat of Nazism. The socialists and communists in Germany refused to form a government after

the 1932 election because they believed that the Nazi support was decreasing, as the Nazis had

lost 4% of their vote in just four months. They did not think that the Nazis could ever come to

power as they were losing their majority. Had the KPD and the SPD indeed made a coalition

government and had Hindenburg laid aside his desire for Nationalistic Government in the name

a coalition Government of the Labour party and the Conservative Party, two opposite parties,

was formed in order to have a united front against extreme parties during the depression. If

Germany had arranged a similar coalition in a united attempt, than perhaps Hitler would not

have become Chancellor, but instead the parties thought that Hitler would not get into power

and if he did then he could be controlled. When Hitler did become Chancellor it was on the

belief of Hindenberg and Von Papen that he could be controlled. A cabinet of nine nationalists,

 

three Nazis and Von Papen was formed and hence Hitler could not pass any laws without first

gaining the support of Papen. However, once in power, Hitler proved everyone wrong, and the

failure of the Weimar Republic to predict that appointing such a radical extremist willing to use

violence to gain support was a bad idea. In this case, the Government inadequacy was a very

important issue in Hitler becoming Chancellor in 1933. The economic depression, propaganda

and other Government inadequacies had laid the Nazis in a very good position for coming into

power, and at the crucial point in recognising that Hitler was dangerous, the Weimar Republic

failed and let down Germany. Had the Government formed a compromising coalition like

Britain, Hitler would never have been able to take advantage of the weak opposition, despite his

popular support, because evidence shows his popular support was decreasing and soon the Nazis

may not have been the largest party in the Reichstag. In this way one can conclude that the

failure to recognise Hitler as an uncontrollable force was the largest factor in Hitler’s rise to

power in 1933.

Nazi Alternatives were a reason why Hitler gained popular support. Hitler believed in

the survival of the fittest and had the SA parading around the streets in marches acting as a

symbol of safety and protection in times when Germany was in severe decline. This militant

approach was going against the current ideas that all armies should be demobilised in order to

restore peace and in a civilized society. It also reminded people of the glorious days of the Kaiser,

and they associated military strength with national strength. This increased the desire to return a

strong central government to Germany, especially during the depression, and so Hitler’s support

grew. Hitler also offered a scapegoat to blame for the loss of the First World War, for example

he labelled the government who had signed the Versailles Treaty ‘the November Criminals’. He

also blamed the Jews as an entire race. The upper and middle class both already held grudges

against the Jews because leaders of the communist uprisings in 1918-1919 (Rosa Luxemburg and

Kiel Liebknecht) were both Jews. They associated troublemakers with the race already so hated

so Hitler found it easier to persuade people they helped to lose the war. These alternative ideas

increased support and increased support is potent when it comes to gaining power in

government. Therefore, these ideas were a factor in Hitler becoming Chancellor, although they

were not so important as the organisations set up to promote them. Without an efficient

propaganda machine the Nazi alternatives would never have been able to be promoted in such a

way that Hitler could make gains in terms of support using them. For example, harnessing the SA

as a militant organisation against the communists, or campaigning against the Young Plan with

their belief on the November Criminals. The economic depression was also more important than

the Nazi alternatives, because without the depression to capitalise on as an issue, no one would

have turned to the Nazis in the first place. However, without the organisations to promote

alternatives, no one would have been aware of the Nazi party. In this way one can conclude that

the pre-1929 organisations were the most important factor in Hitler becoming Chancellor.

A final reason why Hitler came to power shall now be examined, this is that of Hitler’s

political intrigues.In June 1932, when Hitler gained 37% in the Reichstag, he demanded to form a

government in Germany that comprised mainly Nazis and Hitler for Chancellor. However,

Hindenburg, who despised Hitler’s politics and had been heard to call him the ‘Bohemian

Corperal’ was unwilling to meet Hitler’s demands and so a government was not formed. After

the 1932 November elections, and Hitler’s support started to decrease, however, he was

appointed Chancellor. This was arguably as a direct result from behind the scenes political

intrigue.

        It was ultimately Hindenburg’s decision to appoint Hitler Chancellor, and the reason for

Hindenburg;s change of opinion on Hitler becoming Chancellor was because of the influence

other people had on him. Von Schleicher was unable to form a government by January 1933 and

had to rule by decree, and an alternative needed to be found to make Germany stable. Von

Papen despised Von Schleicher because it was Schleicher who had manipulated Hindenburg

against him, and thus, Von Papen was willing to do anything, including rule under Hitler, in order

to get his revenge, as Lord Bullock states:

        “There was no love lost between them, but both showed themselves willing to sink their differences if the could get the better of von Schleicher.”

Therefore, von Papen met secretly with Hitler to propose plans for forming a Nazi and

Nationalist coaltion government.

        At the same time that Papen was conspiring with Hitler, Hindenburg’s main body of

advice, the ex-army leaders, were persuading Hindenburg that Hitler would be a good leader

because he was in favour of militant power. Hindenburg’s own son, having met and become in

favour of Herman Goerring, also tried to convince Hindenburg that Hitler would be a good

leader. The president was old and senile and therefore easily persuaded by his friends into

agreeing with von Papen into allowing Hitler to become Chancellor, on the conditions the Nazis

could be easily controlled. It was of general opinion that in a cabinet of only three Nazis, nine

Nationalists and von Papen, that Hitler could be controlled. Hitler’s manipulation of the

Reichstag later proved this wrong, and hence it was essentially the mistake of the intriguing

leaders of Germany for appointing Hitler Chancellor.

        Hitler, having previously demanded that any government he form consist mainly of

Nazis in certain positions, surprisingly accepted von Papen’s proposals on forming a government

to which the Nazi party looked severely disadvantaged. This was a clever political move from

Hitler because if he had demanded more, he may have lost his chance at being chancellor, and as

the party’s funds were very low after all the election campaigns, and as the party’s support was

low, Hitler may never have had another chance at power. His willingness to form a coaltion

government as a last resort saved the Nazi party, and the unwillingness of the socialists and

communists to from one, destroyed democracy.

        Therefore, from this information, one can conclude that it was not popular support that

led to Hitler being appointed Chancellor in 1933, but political intrigue. Although all the other

issues were important in gaining popular support so that Hitler would be considered for

Chancellor in the first place, without clever political manipulation and compromise from both

Hitler and von Papen, the Nazis would never have come into power because their popularity was

on the decline. It was not the economic depression therefore that caused Hitler to come into

power either. This is because the economic depression provided an opportunity for increased

Nazi support, and it has already been shown that support was not the reason the party came into

power. Therefore, in conclusion, political intrigue is why Hitler was appointed Chancellor in

1933, because if it had been predominantly on popular support , Hitler would have been in

power in 1932 .