Revised draft

‘The critical factor of Hitler and the Nazi Party’s rise to power in Germany by 1933 was the turbulent and anarchical nature of German politics at the time’. To what extent is this accurate?

“As a national social-revolutionary movement, and not simply another political party… [the Nazi Party would] create new bonds of unity through its elimination and transcending of the party system, was highly attractive and conveyed much of Nazism’s dynamic appeal”[1].

When historians assess the nature of Germany after World War One, many factors are attributed to the success of Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), or Nazi Party’s, rise to power in 1933, they invariably begin with the turbulent and anarchical nature of German politics. To the crumbling German society, Hitler was, “widely regarded as the saviour who promised to give a new and happy turn to German history”[2], and through a significant following of people who both trusted and believed in his promises he and the Nazi Party were able to successfully rise to power. The anarchy of German politics after World War One, in particular the polarization of the Reichstag decisions made in the Weimar Republic, caused turmoil within Germany, causing the public to place their trust in a party promising German prosperity. Despite this, there were many other significant economic, social and military factors contributing to the success of Hitler and the Nazi Party throughout the 1920s and early 1930s. Hyperinflation in Germany, contributed to the Great Depression in 1929, along with the evolution of German arts and culture under Western influence, fostered the growth of a party such as the Nazis. However, it is worth noting the critical significance of the Allied influence in the Rhineland, in which German leaders reacted to societal needs, lessening the political dissatisfaction of the public, and consequently the popularity of Hitler and the Nazi Party. Ultimately, conditions after World War One were ideal for the development of the Nazi Party, in particular the turbulent and anarchical nature of German politics, leading to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party by 1933.

The political anarchy of Germany after World War One was the most critical factor in Hitler and the Nazi Party’s rise to power in 1933, as the inadequacy of the Weimar Republic lead to support for extremist groups, most notably, Hitler and the Nazi Party, which offered promises of economic prosperity and restoration of German pride. The nature of politics only worsened after the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles (1919) were announced, along with the inauguration of the Weimar Constitution, in which Article 48 outlined that the President had the control to destroy the newly established democracy. Equally, economic hardship resulted in political upheaval as the Chancellors, “most important task was to get a number of parties to work together to form government”[3], yet due to this, coalition governments were never in power long enough to make crucial decisions. Additionally, the polarization in the Reichstag made it, “impossible to form coalition governments with the backing of a majority”[4], making political decisions in favour of the German public rare, consequently resulting in the eventual collapse of the Weimar Republic in 1933. The political unrest favoured the development of the Nazi Party, as they were able to appeal to the public, being, “ideally placed to take advantage of the increased dissatisfaction”[5], encouraging Hitler to be of the view that he would be supported in his rise to power, resulting in the Munich Putsch (1923). Despite all of this, the appointment of Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann in 1924 appeared to, “restore Germany to great power status”[6], through repairing international relations that were tarnished after the war. His policies and influence on the Locarno Treaty[7] (1925), which ultimately decreased the threat of another French attack, as well as the economic prospects of the Dawes Plan (1924) and Young Plan (1929), made the German public more optimistic and less resentful, which significantly seemed to decreased the apparent attractiveness of Hitler and his ideals. Yet, despite this, the Nazi Party continued to maintain reasonable support, due to Hitler’s unique leadership style; he was a charismatic speaker who was confident, organized and driven, fostering trust from members of the public. Ultimately, despite Stresemann’s influence, after Hindenburg and Brüning, “dissolved the Reichstag”[8], in 1931, Hitler was able to prosper, with the Nazi Party rapidly gaining support, shown in Graph 1.

Thus, the turbulent and anarchical nature of German politics was the most critical factor of Hitler’s rise to power in 1933.

Although German politics was the critical factor of Hitler’s rise to power in 1933, a number of economic factors were also prevalent in assisting the growth of Hitler and the Nazi Party. In 1921, as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, reparations were set at 6.6 billion pounds, which was catastrophic for the already crumbling German economy. Industries were forced to discontinue production due to the decline in resources and availability of land and labour, consequently resulting in Germany only contributing 11.6% of the world’s production, as opposed to 14.3% in 1914. The value of the German mark, as shown in Graph 2, rapidly decreased after the war, and within four years hyperinflation began and the currency was virtually worthless, as struggling individuals, “began to barter goods like primitive tribespeople (sic)”[9].

           

The Ruhr Crisis (1923)[10] further depleted the economy, thus, the chaotic state of the nation significantly assisted Hitler and the Nazi Party, in that the German public was placing the economic downfall on the Weimar Republic. Yet, with the inauguration of Stresemann as Chancellor, economic prospects began to look brighter, thus, the support of the Nazis and their policies decreased as they lost twenty seats in the Reichstag in four years, especially at the introduction of the Dawes Plan (1924), and its forty million pound loan from the United States. The loan was used to providing housing and public works, which decreased unemployment figures dramatically. Despite this period of recovery, Hitler’s substantial increase in support came the Wall Street Crash in 1929. Germany, “relied heavily on the United States”[11], thus its rise in unemployment mirrored that of the United States. Hitler took this opportunity to expand his campaign, aiming to override the increasing power of communists through appealing to distinctive groups within German society, particularly, the unemployed middle class, whom were 30% of the population by 1932, promising jobs building public vicinities. The Great Depression impacted international relations, ultimately causing the denouement of the Young Plan (1929)[12], which Hitler campaigned against. Therefore, although Germany’s economic quandaries were a significant contribution to the rise of Hitler, the turbulent nature of politics was the most crucial influence in the years leading to 1933.

Whilst not the crucial factor, changes in German society had a vital role in Hitler and the Nazi Party coming to power in 1933. Germany was facing a social turmoil as a result of World War One; countless families were broken and distraught, unemployment began to rise, and the Weimar Republic, “did nothing in the early months of 1919 to prepare the German people for the shock of the Versailles Treaty”[13]. Thus, offers of stability, employment and the abolition of the Treaty of Versailles from the Nazi Party appealed to the population, as the party was digressing from societal and political norms, with a grand aim of German greatness. As German culture evolved throughout the 1920s, art becoming a popular way for individuals to express their interpretation of current events, which was exemplified through the novel, and later film, All Quiet on the Western Front, written by German veteran Erich Maria Remarque, which conveyed a strong anti-war message to the public after the destruction of World War One. The Dada art movement was an equally popular form of expression in post-war Germany, with expressionists liberating the art form to target political and social factors, primarily through propaganda, manifestos and public demonstrations. Despite his initial hesitation of the changing culture and rapid modernization, it was evident Hitler quickly became aware of the number of supporters he could gain by utilizing the persuasive cultural scene. As a result, Hitler worked in conjunction with the Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, to create effective Nazi propaganda (see Image 1) in the 1920s, in the hope to coordinate German society with Nazi ideology.

Unaccustomed to such changes, Germans were easily influenced by this new power of art, thus, Hitler’s ability to manipulate social media, in particular film and radio, allowed him to create an unprecedented political platform that no other party had. Through effectively evoking feelings of hatred and nationalism through propaganda, Hitler was able to persuade large groups of individuals to be of a particular viewpoint, which granted him great power. Equally, Hitler flew by aircraft around Germany in order to address the continual issues in Germany as a part of his election campaign, which allowed the wider population to observe his charismatic leadership with promises of an optimistic future. Thus, it can be concluded that German social factors were assisted in the party’s popularity, however were not the main factor of Hitler and the Nazi Party’s rise to power in 1933. 

German politics was the greatest contributing factor in Hitler and the Nazi Party’s support in Germany after World War One, while military opposed his coming to power in 1933. Among the plethora of consequences Germany received after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the primary result was the dramatic reduction of the military, from 4.5 million in 1914, to 100,000, with, “restrictions on their weapons and equipment”[14], as well as the immediate removal of German troops from the Rhineland. As a result, private forces were formed including the Sturmabteilung (SA), a consortium of ex-militants who sought employment after the war. Although the group instilled a feeling of trepidation in the public and other political parties, through serving its primary purpose to protect party meetings and eradicate political opponents, exploiting, “violence for the impression of strength”[15], Hitler, himself, was concerned at the growing sphere of influence the SA had, with worries he would lose control of the group. This was particularly highlighted in 1931, when, under the leadership of Walther Stennes, the SA rebelled against Hitler, which, “highlighted tension within the Nazi party (sic) movement”[16], resulting in the ban of the SA in 1932. The international conflict regarding the Rhineland was a major contributing factor in Hitler’s rise to power, as much of the German population were of the same viewpoint as Hitler, being opposed to the Allied occupation of the Rhineland. In Stresemann’s attempts to improve foreign relations, the Locarno Treaty was signed by France, Germany, Great Britain and Belgium, stating that Germany recognized permanent frontiers, including Alsace and Lorraine, while also placing emphasis on Germany’s agreement not to allow troops to enter the Rhineland. While foreign occupation of the Rhineland was a consequence of failure to pay reparations, the German economy crumbled as a result of its coal, steal and iron industries being overtaken. Thus, the removal of foreign forces from the Rhine in 1929 diminished the, “bitterness”[17], of German society, as international relations began restoring, decreasing Hitler’s status as Germany’s future began to look prosperous again, thus, his extreme promises no longer had the same appeal. Ultimately, although the state of the German military was a contributing factor, it in fact hindered Hitler and the Nazi Party’s rise to power, making it evident that the turbulent and anarchical nature of German politics was the most critical factor.

The rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party in 1933 was predominantly attributed to the anarchical and turbulent nature of German politics at the time. The instability of the Weimar Republic after World War One, assisted in generating a feeling of governmental hatred within the German public, causing them to turn their support to more radical ideologies, including the Nazi Party. Yet, while this was the critical factor, the significant impact of economic depression and hyperinflation in Germany during this period, in addition with changes in German culture and the evolution of technology significantly enhanced Hitler and the Nazi Party’s popularity. However, the nature of the German military in crucial time periods, in particular the removal of foreign forces from the Rhineland, increased morale and prosperity within society opposed Hitler’s rise to power, enforcing that the growth of Hitler and the Nazi Party was fostered when Germany were in times of crisis. Therefore, although there were a number of contributing factors, the critical and anarchical nature of German politics was the most critical factor in Hitler and the Nazi Party’s rise to power in 1933.

Word Count: 1939

 

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[1] Alphahistory, Nazi Germany Quotations, http://alphahistory.com/nazigermany/nazi-germany-quotations/, (Accessed 03.08.2015).

[2] J. C. Fest, The Face of the Third Reich, De Capo Press, Boston, 1999, P.3.

[3] ibid. P. 18.

[4] D. Martin, Germany 1918-1945, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 2001, P. 14.

[5] M. Collier and P. Philip , Germany 1919-45, Heinemann Educational Publishers, Bath, 2000, P. 72.

[6] D. Martin, op. cit. P.44.

[7] This was a counterpart of the Treaty of Versailles and was suggested in aims of repairing relations between Germany and other European nations.

[8] T. D. Triggs, op. cit. P. 42.

[9] T. D. Triggs, op. cit. P. 30.

[10] This showcased German resistance, after the nation missed a reparations repayment, provoking France and Belgium, that then invaded Ruhr, resulting in a national strike from German workers who sabotaged factories, which as a result, shut down.

[11] P. Grey and R. Little, Germany 1918-1945, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997, P. 31.

[12] An increase in loans from the United States, making the payment of reparations simpler.

[13] P. Grey and R. Little, op. cit. P. 9.

[14] T.D.Triggs, op. cit. P. 14.

[15] Encyclopædia Britannica, Rise to power, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/267992/Adolf-Hitler/10115/Rise-to-power, (Accessed 12.04.2015).

[16] M. Collier and P. Phillip, op. cit. P. 74.

[17] T. D. Triggs, op. cit. P. 38.