Economic Problems in Germany and Nazi Success

The Nazis weren't very successful in the late 1920's because this

period of time, being prior to the economic crisis, the Weimar

Government was doing fairly well under the leadership of Stresemann

and Germany's future looked hopeful for a while. But when the economy

took a turn for the worse, Germany was desperate, therefore many

Germans felt that it was the right time to vote for a different party.

The Nazis were quick to take advantage of the economic problems that

the Weimar Government faced and started to market themselves as "the

party that may have the solutions to Germany's many problems."

After the Wall Street Crash in late 1929, the Nazis gained 107 seats

in the Reichstag, 95 more seats than they had gained two years

previously and then in July 1932, the Nazis gained 230 seats in the

Reichstag. Germany was very badly affected by the depression and since

1929, unemployment had been on the rise. By January 1933 the

unemployment figure in Germany had risen to 6,100,000, existing

businesses were doing very badly and homelessness and poverty had

become very common amongst young people. Taxes were raised and

unemployment benefits were cut. The government's failure to deal with

the depression left the Nazis with a very disappointed nation,

especially the businessmen, workers, young people and farmers (who had

been doing badly since 1925.) The economic crisis allowed Hitler and

the Nazis to enter Germany's political scene, which is what they had

previously been trying to do. If it hadn't have been for this terrible

economic crisis then Germany would probably still have been doing

reasonably well under Gustav Stresemann's leadership and the Germans

would have had no need to re-consider re-electing Stresemann. The

Depression helped the Nazis gain much needed support because it meant

that Weimar was doing badly. Weimar was no longer meeting the

expectations of Germany, which meant that the Germans had to

re-consider who they were going to vote for at the next election. This

means that the two reasons (The Depression and Weimar) are linked