Hitler's Rise to Power

Hitler's Rise to Power

In 1919 The Weimar Republic encountered harsh economic, social and

political problems. After the new Democratic Republic signed the

armistice it put Germany not only into an economic crisis, it also

caused Ebert’s Republic to get off to an unpopular start. The new

government were branded ‘The November Criminals’ even though they

weren’t to be blamed, and were left little choice. Some people felt

the government should be based on communism, and the Spartacist

uprising in 1919 caused major political problems. In 1923 problems

became more difficult, and it was seen as a major success to maintain

political stability under these circumstances.

Also in 1919, Hitler joined the newly formed German Workers’ Party.

Using his speaking skills and effective use of propaganda, Hitler

became a crucial figurehead to the party. In 1920 Hitler helped

establish the party’s beliefs through its 25-point programme. In 1921

the party brought out its own newspaper, the Völkischer Beobachter,

and established the SA, the party’s own paramilitary organisation.

This was significant, because every established political party had

its own newspaper and paramilitary group. Hitler’s speeches attracted

crowds from the Bavarian right wing, which gained more members for the

party. Without the support and influence the Nazis would have been

amongst the fringes of the radical right wing parties. The support

from the police and army leadership also helped the Nazis move to a

respectable position within right wing politics.

By 1923 the support in Bavaria helped the Nazi party to 35,000

members. Hitler, seeing the Weimar’s problems, saw this as...

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... First World War. It had many

effects on Hitler’s rise to power. The reparations figure of £6600

million put Germany into an economic crisis causing the Depression and

hyperinflation. The people were furious with the ‘diktat’, and claimed

the new Weimar government were to blame for the ‘stab in the back’

which put Germany into a political crisis. People soon came to realise

the Treaty as a mistake, and sympathised with Germany because of the

harsh Treaty.

This aided Hitler in many ways. Firstly, due to political and economic

crises, extremists such as Hitler were given more of an opportunity to

succeed. After an unpopular start from Ebert’s Republic, people’s

views of how the country should be governed changed. In his speeches

Hitler attacked the government and, due to the circumstances he got

the people’s vote.