Hitler escaped from prison in 1924 and he was determined to obtain power legitimately from rulers. It was around the same time when the Nazi party grew in strength, although its presence in society was not yet felt. Nazi was considered a small group of activists that would not threaten any politician or political party. Nazi party gained a lot from the death of Gustav Stresemann, who was a strong politician believed to have held Weimar Republic together.
Hitler took advantage of leadership vacancy created by Weimar’s death. He mobilized supporters to develop loyalty to the Nazi party by coming up with various wings. The party had the political wing, military wing and communal wing, which belonged to everybody. Hitler’s influence in leadership was supported by various factors and events that prevailed at the time. This paper looks at some of the factors that encouraged Nazism and the rise of Hitler.
One of the factors that helped Hitler to ascend to power was the Great Depression of 1920s. The New York Stock Market, which boosted major investments in Germany, crashed in 1929. This meant that American loans could no longer be availed to German citizens.
Many people suffered mainly because of unemployment and lack of investment opportunities. This caused panic, uncertainty and fear to the people of Germany because they were unsure about the future. Parliamentary government that ruled Germany at the time could not contain the rising prices of food and major commodities. This gave Hitler a chance to sell his ideas to the desperate citizens, who were mainly women and the youth.
In 1930, Hitler’s ambitions and the rise of Nazism was boosted by president’s declaration that the state was to be ruled autocratically. This meant that demonstrators were to be separated brutally in case they attempt to strike. The president was completely intolerant to democracy, having served as Germany’s military commander during the First World War. In the same year, the Nazi party gained approximately 18.3% of the total votes cast in Germany.
The president failed to convince various traditionalists to compromise in order to serve in the same government. This was because socialists and capitalists could not unite to form a strong government. In 1932 elections, the Nazi party gained many seats than any other political party.
Nazism gained political influence because it presented hope and a sense of emotional belonging to the frightened individuals (Sherman and Joyce 739). The doctrines of Nazism attracted many youths and displaced veterans who wanted to regain their lost glories.
Nazism was viewed as the organizational will of the young people. Hitler promised to develop some policies that would mitigate people from recession. This included revisiting the treaties made during the First World War, which stated that Germany had to pay fully for damages. Hitler promised to get rid of unskilled leaders who spent money from taxpayers illegally. The Nazi party promised the youths to strengthen national pride and military power. This meant that many youths would benefit from Hitler’s government.
Rich aristocrats supported Nazism and Hitler because socialist and communist parties threatened their positions in society. Parties of mass integration, as well as communist parties suggested that the economy was to be run centrally. This meant that the rich had to surrender their wealth to the state. This disillusioned the rich. Supporters of Nazism were never concerned about the party’s ambitions. The party had frightening ideas on racism, nationalism and anti-Semantic enthusiasm (Sherman and Joyce 739). The party grew in strength and took over leadership, with Hitler as president. The army officials trusted Hitler because he had good plans for them (Sherman and Joyce 740).
Works Cited
Sherman, Dennis and Joyce, Salisbury. The West in the World: From 1600. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001.