As a result of the Treaty it gave Hitler a chance to win people over to help him overthrow the Weimar government. In 1923 the Weimar government had be greeted with a total horror, the finical punishment of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1922 the Weimar government couldn’t pay off an instalment, so French and Belgium troops invaded the Ruhr this was were Germany’s most valuable industrial industries were. The French and Belgium troops took over the steel factories, coal mines and railways, they also took food from the Ruhr, France and Belgium broke the rules of the League of Nations as they took over the Ruhr without permission. France was one of the leagues most important members and it would be violating their own code of conduct. Germany’s economy in 1922 started to suffer. The striking workers had to be paid and people were sent away from their homes. The government did the worst thing and printed out more and more money to pay off reparations. Very quickly things got out of control, prices went up quicker than people could spend their money. In September 1923 a loaf of bread cost 1,500,000 marks and by November 1923 the loaf of bread cost 200,000,000,000 marks.
The impact of Hyperinflation was huge:
- People were paid by the hour and rushed to pass the money to loved ones so that it could be spent before its value meant it was worthless.
- People had to shop with wheel barrows full of money.
- Pensioners of fixed incomes suffered as pensions became worthless.
- The poor became poorer and the winter of 1923 meant that many lived in freezing conditions.
- The group that suffered the most was the middle classed. Their earned savings disappeared overnight. Many of the middle classed suffered in 1923 so they turned to Hitler and the Nazi party.
As a result to Hyperinflation Hitler though that it was time for him to take power from the Weimar government in 1923. He gained supporters to attempt to seize power overthrow the Weimar government. This was arranged by Hitler and it took place in Munich in November 1923, when the Nazis marched through Munich they were confronted by armed officers. Hitler thought that the Army and police would support them but instead the police officers opened fire and 16 Nazis were killed. Hitler also realised that the only way to seize power was to use politics. He knew that he needed to create a proper party and win elections through the Reichstag. Hiler decided to do the Munich putsch in 1923 because he knew that people were depressed from the Hyperinflation.
Germany had a new chancellor, Gustav Stressman. He immediately called the worker in the Ruhr to go back to work. The mark was replaced with the Renmark which was backed with gold. In 1924 the Dawes plan was introduced after Hyperinflation and in the next few years 25 million gold Mark was invested in Germany. The economy quickly got back to strength. New factories were built, employment returned and thing were returning back to normal.
When the elections in the Reichstag took place in 1928, the Nazis mad progress and they owned 12 seats out of 440 seats in the Reichstag. In 1929 the stock market crashed and there was world depression. Germany was badly hit because the economy was relying on loans made by American banks. These banks now demanded their money back because the funds were needed in the US. As the economic situation worsened, more and more people became unemployed. The people lost faith in the Weimar Republic and began to vote for the more extreme parties like the communists and the Nazis. Many people were convinced that the only chance of a future for Germany was by voting for the Nazi party because of its strong leader, Adolf Hitler. Businessmen struggled against bankruptcy, and their employees faced unemployment. The people in Germany increasingly lost faith in the current, conventional politicians and so turned to unconventional, extremist parties, like the Nazis and the Communists, as they offered answers. The Nazi party had Hitler, a strong leader and great orator, which convinced the people to look for answers in the Nazis. The Nazis offered answers to as many of the people as possible. They aimed to appeal to the whole spectrum of citizens: the upper, middle and working classes. The Depression was an essential reason for Hitler coming to power, as it gave him an opportunity to gain support very quickly, and legally.
In September 1930 the Nazis increased their seats to 107. The communists owned 54 seta s in the Reichstag. The success in the elections made the Nazis ambitious. The Nazis made a huge effort to increase their support further, doubling their vote in 1932. They spent huge amounts of money on propaganda, the Nazis released millions of Nazi posters, 8 Nazis owned newspapers, mass rallies, and public meeting put across their message of Nazi ideas.
By 1932 the Nazis were the biggest party in the elections. Hitler demanded to be made chancellor but President Hindenburg didn’t allow him as he described Hitler as ‘very violent’. There was another election in November 1932 and Von Papen failed to get the vote, the elections gave Von Papen fewer seats, Papen then went to Hindenburg with a new plan. He suggested closing down the Reichstag governing by decree and to use the army to crush opposition. But Hindenburg realised that Hitler was the strongest leader as he was one of the only parties to have an army. Many people also supported Hitler as he was a strong, smart leader who knew what to do and say. On the 30th January 1933 President Hindenburg decided to appoint Hitler as chancellor.
Oratory is the power to control people by speaking to them. Hitler was one of the first modern leaders to understand how to use propaganda to control people. He even had a government minister - Dr Goebells.
