Anchluss allowed Germany to unite with Austria. This further supported his theory of Lebensraum. Austria joining Germany was seen as a step towards unification which was popular amongst Germans as it solidified the strength of Germany as a large country. He had managed to gain Sudetenland and eventually Czechoslovakia, which was the first non-German land, through appeasement with Britain which made Germany strong amongst the eyes of the Germans which fueled their pride for the country.
Hitler overturned the treaty as he regained the Rhineland to militarize. This appeased the public with the need for a strong army and that it purposely went against the treaty. He further went to withdraw Germany from the League of Nations. This could be seen as an act against the politicians who joined the league with the nations who imposed the Treaty of Versailles on Germany. He further uses the Treaty as a way to stir the German’s feeling about the matter. As Germans hated the treaty, this gained him more support.
However, Hitler’s domestic policies were important as well. Propaganda played a key role to sustain his popularity. He promoted his image as a leader as Germans wanted a dependable figure to follow like the Kaiser when Germany was strong. He did so through posters, education, rallies and radio. During rallies, his skills of orating thoroughly impressed crowds and the rallies also reflect his passion in order which people wanted after years of instability which further gave the image of a dependable leader.
As part of his domestic policies, Hitler sought to return to more traditional values. He promoted the idealistic family; the strong father who earns and the mother who bears children and takes care of the wellbeing of the family. Women were give incentive of money and awards to have as much of children as possible. This was well received from the conservatives and church, as they wanted moral after the tumultuous periods during and after the First World War.
He promoted the Nazis beliefs through education. The curriculum set by the Nazi’s Teachers league promoted Nazi supremacy through Biology in which they are racially superior; the Aryan Race and the manipulation of history made children nationalistic while loyal to the Fuhrer. Children were told to identify and avoid Jews through education. It instilled Nazism from young and children were made to be loyal to Hitler. Children were told to tell on their parents.
Hitler’s policies regarding the Jews were popular to the Germans. Economically, Jews were removed from employment which provided less competition for Aryans for jobs. Aryans were happy with this as it allowed them a stable income and living. His Anti-Jewish policies did have some backlash mainly from the Church. However, they were mainly sidelined as Hitler provided the Aryans with a scapegoat for all their problems so Germans could have something to blame which appeased them.
Both foreign and domestic policies were important to Hitler however his domestic policies really secured his popularity as it involved the Germans themselves.
by
racheljamandus (student)
