the great depression was the main reason for hitler's rise to power

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‘The Great depression was the main reason for Hitler’s rise to power’-Discuss

Rhian Gohil

Mr McHugh             History AS

There are many possibilities why Hitler rose to power. Many historians felt that the great depression plus the Wall Street crash were the main short term factors as to why Hitler gained power. Others argue that it was down to long term factors such as the impact and anger of the First World War (Treaty of Versailles) and the Weimar republic which helped in Hitler’s rise to power.

Firstly, After the Wall Street Crash of 1929, it sent financial markets into despair worldwide.  The US called in its loans to Germany, and the German economy collapsed.   The Number of unemployed grew; people starved on the streets.   In the crisis, people wanted someone to blame, and looked to extreme solutions – Hitler offered them both, and Nazi success in the elections grew. Germans turned to Nazism because they were desperate.  The number of Nazi seats in the Reichstag rose from 12 in 1928 to 230 in July 1932.The German economy was one of the worst hit as most of their loans were from the US, which were now called in as well as their exports causing their industries to ground to a halt. This caused German workers to be laid off and soon afterwards the rise of inflation. Poverty began to set, and the middle class was especially hit as their standard of living began to fall. People this allowed an opportunity for Hitler to arise as well as the Nazi party which beforehand had slow growth. Hitler delivered his speeches according to exactly what they needed at the desperate time. The people became tired of the political haggling in Berlin as well as their weakness, misery and suffering. As the people felt that they were in desperate times, they turned to anyone with the answer and that seemed to be Hitler. The economy went bust and political and economical instability occurred. Unemployment figures rose dramatically; in 1928 there were 2 million unemployed and by 1932, it had risen to 6 million. Industrial production had declined from 100 in 1928 and 9, to 58 in 1932 and 50,000 businesses had collapsed as a result. Same applied to agriculture, trade, employment and finance with 50,000 businesses bankrupt and 5 major banks collapsing in 1931.

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Hitler’s Nazi party helped him greatly achieve power in Germany. After Hitler had joined in 1919, he seemed to be alot more familiar. The Nazi party were completely against the Weimar Republic and the treaty of Versailles. These policies of the party attracted all aspects of the German society as they wanted to blame someone for the depression which Hitler showed them was the president for the agreement of the treaty of Versailles and the Weimar republic. This made people support the aspects of the Nazi party and made them feel that the Nazi party would be the help they ...

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