Evaluating the Success of the Nazis

790 Words2 Pages

Evaluating the Success of the Nazis

“Cometh the hour, cometh the man”. For most of Germany during the

depression, the hour was ripe and all they needed was a man-Hitler. In

1933 Germany was a downtrodden country with six million unemployed, a

world depression and an economic crisis. By 1939 Germanys unemployment

was incredibly low, its people were patriotic and loyal and Germany

was one of the most strong industrial, military and economic powers

the world has ever seen. Surely it would seem the question of how

successful the Nazi’s were is answered by this incredible change. Or

perhaps we have to look closer, to see the forfeits and sacrifices in

freedom and life that were made for this change!

By 1933 Hitler had assumed power of Germany, for a small while he

consolidated that power and within months had become the total and

absolute ruler of Germany. Hitler faced a Germany with an unemployed

total of over six million. The economy due to the loss of Stressmen

and the wall street crash was crippled and collapsing and the German

people were downtrodden. Hitler began an employment program that

politicians today could only dream of, taking advantage of a public

who would make almost any sacrifice, be it freedoms, lifestyles or

even ideals to attempt to turn things around. The first step to

rebuilding Germany was to rebuild an infrastructure no buildings and

roads, killing two birds with one stone he started the national labour

service! Young men between 18-25 were drafted into this service and

performed manual labour. Digging ditches, building roads and buildings

and planting forests were part of this groups tasks. They lived in

camps and wore uniforms, receiving more a pocket money than a wage and

were treated as menial slaves, despite this many were happy, they had

food water and accommodation. The new German labour front began public

works programs, hospitals, schools, sports stadiums and government

buildings were built in these schemes creating thousands of jobs.

Germany was being rebuilt and to the watchful eye it was being built

Open Document