Before the putsch the Nazis had already gained some support the people of Germany were unhappy with the new “Weimar Government”, hyperinflation meant that the German mark had lost all value, there were riots and rebellions and so people looked to radical groups such as the Nazis, and their strong leader Adolf Hitler to provide answers. On Hitler’s release from prison in 1924, Germany as a country had begun to recover, under the Dawes plan the country had borrowed money from the U.S.A to start rebuilding her economy, the Nazi’s had slightly been forgotten as Germanys problems seemed over. Hitler was released from prison and was faced by small, unorganised and weak Nazi party. The Nazi’s were a small party and needed desperately to consolidate their support
The reasons why/how Hitler came to power can be divided into 2 sections:
Background reasons and events that actually led to nazi take over.
-
The Weimar government was ineffective and unstable. The new “democracy” that ruled Germany’s people clearly wasn’t working, the country required one strong leader like they’d experienced under the Kaiser’s rule. Adolf Hitler offered this “strong leader”. Democratic countries were associated with Hitler’s ‘stab in the back’ myth. There were several attempts from extreme right and left to overthrow Weimar Republic, e.g. Spartacist Revolt, 1919; Kapp Putsch, 1920; Munich Putsch, 1923 it was clear people were unhappy with the way things were and wanted change.
- Nazi Party had a strong leader in Hitler - determined and a powerful speaker.
- Nazi Party willing to change its strategy.
- Nazi Party had skilled propagandist in Goebbels. It used the most modern propaganda methods.
In 1929, the U.S.A suffered at the hands of the Wall Street Crash, the country had to call in all her loans, and subsequently any countries that depended on these loans (e.g. Germany) suffered too. The Wall Street crash left five million Germans unemployed; the country faced widespread disease and poverty. Five major banks collapsed soon after and twenty thousand businesses folded, now the “depression” affected the middle class as well as the poor. The people of Germany were now more prepared to listen to the extremist parties, like the Nazis and Communists. They looked for someone to solve their problems.
Hitler and the Nazis were initially popular for a number of reasons, Hitler promised the people of Germany that he would rebuild the country, to create a strong and unified Germany and that he would solve the economic problems faced by the nation. Hitler basically promised that he would reverse the Treaty of Versailles, which was so bitterly resented by the people of Germany, as in a way it had triggered off the depression, and thus the majority of the German problems.
Hitler gained support as he took advantage of the situations that faced him, as well as this he used interesting and influential campaign techniques, flying in planes was a new modern technology that Hitler used much to his advantage to gain peoples attention and support.
The structure of the Nazi party itself was another concept that played a part in their success. Hitler himself was a strong leader, and a great “talker” Hitler had great “oratory” skills and charisma. Very charismatic, speeches put into words anger felt by many Germans at the time, this ability to vent his anger and offer some sort of alternative solution drew people towards the Nazis.
Once Hitler was in government he was determined to achieve absolute power. To do this he took advantage of a number of circumstances that arose. The Reichstag fire was an excuse for Hitler to lay blame on the communists (the opposing extremist party at this time.) In the March election that followed soon after the Nazis did well, but didn’t achieve a majority. The passing of the enabling act/bill enabled Hitler and his government to rule without consent of the Reichstag. This in turn enabled Hitler to begin to eliminate opposition parties. “The Night of the Long Knives” was the conclusion to an agreement Hitler had made with the army. The army saw the S.A (Hitler’s storm troopers) as a threat, and so to gain the support of the army Hitler promised to remove the S.A (as they were no longer required- intimidation no longer a technique needed to gain support.) In return the army would swear an oath of total loyalty to Hitler. Now Hitler had the support of the country’s army all opposition stood little chance of any success.
The final circumstance that enabled Hitler to gain the absolute power he wanted was the death of Hindenburg. This meant Hitler was now the “Fuhrer.”
