The Most Important Factors that Led to Hitler’s Rise to Power in 1933 Essay Example
Within this essay, I will pick and describe the main vital factors in Hitler's rise to power.
The factors I will pick are the Treaty of Versailles, His History, the Munich Putsch, The economic depression of 1929, his speech-making and management, and the verdict made by Von Papen and Hindenburg to employ Hitler as chancellor. I will describe and assess the factor's importance and choose which are the main vital factors in Hitler's rise to the higher order of the German administration.The Treaty of Versailles was a terrible blow for Germany and its people because they had to accept the War Guilt Clause (this is to accept all blame for starting WW1) and they also had to pay $6. 6 billion reparations. The people and government thought that the Allies were being really harsh to the people because
...they didn't have enough money. But the Treaty created resentment towards not only the Allies but to the government themselves because they of might thought that the upper class wasn't going to pay and the middle class thought they have to pay.
People like the Nazis and Communists hated one group the "November criminals" (People who signed the Treaty of Versailles in November) Middle class felt betrayed by the upper class, it was like if they were "stabbed behind their back without noticing it. " Hitler promised to keep his word to the people by reversing the Treaty. He manipulated this because he knew everyone will love it. He said this following phrase "I would end national humiliation caused by defeat in the WW1" All Germans wanted to hear this to for reversing the Treaty.This was an important
factor in his rise to power and this helped get off to a good start.
His history in the Nazis was another important factor to the rise to his power because after he left the army, In July 1919 Hitler was appointed to become V-Mann(police spy) of the Reichswehr and he was to infiltrate the German worker's party Hitler was impressed with Drexler's anti- semantic, nationalist and anti-Marxist ideas. Hitler met a man called Dietrich Eckart one of the founders of the Party and a member of Thule Society.Hitler liked this so he knew he will get more power, so he joined and in 1921 Hitler removed Drexler from being a leader and he became a leader instead. This made him become a more powerful man this helped everything to go on the way. Hitler's oratory and personality was highly effective to the crowd, if you saw all his pictures around all of Germany, you will see how successful he was.
He told them about all things he will do and all the citizens were crying with belief and joy. Gregor Stressor, a leading Nazis said that Hitler was 'the greatest speaker in the century" Hitler was unpredictable, influential and mesmerizing speaker.He used his talent to manipulate people; they understood everything he said; as he was the man who would "save Germany from decline". Using his speeches he could manipulate anyone; from members of Reichstag, to million of Germany across the nation. Albert Speer (the minister of weapons) once said that Hitler spoke "urgently with hypnotic persuasiveness. " Even non Germans representative and reporters like William Shirer, an American in Germany was there during 1930's
described apparently usual people being transformed into something "positively inhuman.
And he also pictures them treating Hitler "as if he were a messiah of god or god himself. " This would be extraordinary if it was a German speaking, but it is an American who was clearly interested in Hitler's speeches.Even though Hitler wasn't very pleasing to look at. He was enormous pull to the German people. He gave them a sense of reason and the sense of control that they lost after WW1 and many years of melancholy.
He could recognize the "emotional ideas of the masses and find a ways to the hearts and mind of his audience. All this is unified to the advance Hitler had to propaganda. He would target groups of people: farmers, upper class, the youthful and the elderly etc. He made a word to all groups "he would weld the society together for the greater good. " He captured the thoughts of the masses and was made into "the saviour of Germany.
" Through speaking (joint with propaganda) he could encourage people about what was moral and immoral. He always had his audience's ear; this gave him a big leap to becoming Fuhrer of Germany and gave him more power because of his speeches.The Munich Putsch was rebellion against the Weimar Republic. " In 1923 he saw the republic about to collapse Hitler took this opportunity to his advantage to try and create a riot. The reason to seize power Hitler had vowed five years prior to the Putsch that he would not "rest nor sleep until the November Criminals have been hurled to the ground, until on
the ruins of the pitiful Germany of today has risen a Germany of power and greatness. On 8th November Hitler broke into a meeting in a large beer hall, held by three leaders of the Bavarian government.
Outside 600 storm troopers backed him up. He forced the three leaders to tell their audience that they would give the Nazis their full support by putting a gun to on of their heads. On 9th November the three Bavarian leaders went back on their words and ordered the army to attack R. M and his troops. R.
M. needed help from Hitler and the Nazis. So Hitler, Ludendorff and 2000 Nazis went to help him. The armed police shot at the Nazis as they were there way into Munich. 16 Nazis died.
Hitler and Ludendorff were arrested and the revolt collapsed.Hitler got things he wanted recognition. Hitler gained recognition not only for the Putsch but also for the trial that took place later. His 24 day trial reached the front page on a daily basis. He twisted the trial so even though he still went to prison, he drummed up much support. He made the November Criminals the traitors and made himself look like the "saviour" of the German people.
He was such an orator that the way he spoke influenced the judges on their decisions. That is why Hitler was only given 5 years with the chance of parole after just six months.Ludendorff got off free and the rest of the Nazis that had participated were let off with equally gentle sentences but Hitler was sent to prison where he made a book called "Mein Kampf(My struggle)".
This set out his main beliefs, featuring 25 Point manifesto. This taught him a lesson that he can manipulate with words more than armed forces.
These new strategies were also unified to Hitler melodramatic style, he realised the way through speeches and good policies, not an equipped mutiny. Hitler's rise to power can partly be credited to two men: Von Papen and President Hindenburg.They are the one who set the bomb ticking. In November 1932 elections the Nazis again failed to get a majority of seats in the Reichstag.
Their share of the vote fell- from 230 seats to only 196. Hitler contemplated suicide. But Hindenburg rescued him. In 1932 Von Papen recruited Hitler to replace Heinrich Bruning and discussed article 48. He was overthrown by Schleicher, he thought the Nazi party was in reject and that Hitler could be controlled to do what Von Papen required.
Hitler refused to be controlled and he demanded he became chancellor.So Von Papen and Hindenburg took a risk. In January 1933, Von Papen would be ready to be a Vice-chancellor to keep an judgment on Hitler. In later years Hitler would publicly credit Papen from saving "the Reich from Crisis" and for gratitude by giving Papen positions all over the Reich.
In the 30th of January 1933 Hindenburg made Hitler Chancellor and he thought he could control Hitler but how wrong was Hindenburg. In the end Hitler did not take power at all- he was given it.The wonderful summing up for this condition is a quote by Chief Justice Jackson at the Nuremberg trials. of which Papen was one of the four acquitted) it reads: "He (Papen) held
the stirrup while Hitler vaulted into the saddle" This gave Hitler the supremacy he so badly needed to get higher above all the others. This can be argued that this is the most important of all factors in Hitler's rise to power, it is called The great Depression of German 1929.
Two main events occurred to set this off, the first "Germany lost her ablest politician Gustav Stresemann", the man who rebuilt the nation and who secured native loans. Second, on the 29th of October the Wall Street Crash began.The USA called in its loans from Germany, and the German economy collapsed. The number of unemployed grew and support for the Nazis grew; people starved on the streets.
The statistics of unemployment (1928: 1. 7 million- 1932: 6 million) and the support for the Nazis grew (1928:12 seats- 1932:230) the support for Nazis only increased from my assumption of they were dire for someone to help them and blame so they would listen to anyone, so they listened to the Nazis and that's why there is an increase in the support for Nazis.Germany, once again, sunk into economic depression again; the infuriated unemployed began to start blaming the Weak Weimar Republic again. The people became more aggressive and irritated with the government and began to look for more drastic measures. People began to misplace belief in the new idea of parliamentary democracy and began to turn to fundamental parties such as Nazi's and Communists. My assumption says Popularity only increased because of the economic depression.
Hitler also got more popularity because they were tired of misery, suffering and weakness.A quote from Helmut Gerlach put in
1930 to represent about Germany. If the sun shone once mote on the German economy, Hitler's voters would melt away like snow. " The Nazis had made an oath to the people to get rid of unemployment, which the population wanted to hear and they were afraid of losing their job because of the economic depression.
They also promised a steady, well-built government which involved the middle class Germans. The industrialist also joined Hitler because they were afraid of Communism and the Nazi's were fiercely anti-communist so that's why they joined the Nazi party. The Nazis won them over so greatly that Fritz Thyssen gave the party a million marks.This shows that Hitler could aim at any part of the group of the German society.
He promised them bread and work, and offered hope and a sense of motivation. It can simply be seen that most of the factors were there in Hitler's rise to power. However, the most important to his rise of power was the great depression because this motivated many people and they would hear anyone especially Hitler so this gave him an edge and this made people support Nazis and without it Hitler would be like all the other politicians fighting over who should take care of Germany and would be remained as one of the leaders of a party among many others.But he got all the support he needed. Without the Treaty of Versailles Hitler would not been able to gain the upper hand. Without joining the Nazis, well everything wouldn't have started then.
Without the Munich Putsch he wouldn't of learnt the most valuable lesson, he may not have
risen up again, Germany may have been more stable and therefore less willing to change and Hitler might not gain any more power.If he had not been an astounding open speaker and a very fascinating personality (combined with shrewd propaganda) the public may have just not listened to him, gave up on him never have rallied around him and just ignore him and without Von Papen's advice he would not have had the opportunity to become a chancellor and seize power in the way he did. All the factors I will rank of equally importance because they had a part they are all interconnected, without one the other could not happen. It would greatly delayed Hitler's rise to power.
