Sebastion Haffner's Defying Hitler: How Did Hitler Rise To Power?

The Rise of the Nazi Party Hitler’s rise to power was the result of many factors, but Hitler’s ability to take advantage of Germany’s poor leadership and economical and political conditions was the most significant factor. His ability to manipulate the media and the German public whilst taking advantage of Germany’s poor leadership resulted in both the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Hitler and the nazi party. During the early 1920s, Germany was struggling with economic instability and political uncertainty. Germany, after being defeated in the Great War, was forced to sign the unforgiving treaty of Versailles, which the Weimar Republic was held responsible for. This brought forward feelings of fear, anger and insecurity towards the Weimar Republic.

Hitler Coming Into Power Hitler and his Nazi party gained power in 1933 by exploiting many of the weaknesses in Germany, utilising their methods and organisation effectively. Conditions in Germany in 1919-24 played a large part in the emergence of the Nazi's. After WW1, the Versailles Treaty was made, which was a huge blow for Germany as they were crippled with reparations and the 'stab in the back theory'. German soldiers felt the 'November Criminals' who signed the Treaty had betrayed them. Hitler exploited such problems by acting as a saviour.

This through Germany into humiliation, as well as having many parts of Germany, taken away and given to other countries. The German army, who were very important to Germany as they represented t... ... middle of paper ... ...le and helped him gain many votes. The weakness of the democratic system, and the Weimar Republic. From the very beginning, Hitler had a reason to pick on the Weimar, it was clear that it would not last. The strength and mass growth of the Nazis helped Hitler.

Due to his charismatic speeches, manipulative strategies, and committed attitude, Adolf Hitler became an example of a great leader. In spite of the fact that he was labeled as one of the most controversial leaders, he was definitely a successful one. It is mandatory for a leader to be able to work an audience through charisma and enthusiasm. Hitler said, “Let us pray in this hour that nothing can divide us, and that God will help us against the Devil! Almighty Lord, bless our fight!” during his speech delivered at Berlin.

We can all agree that Hitler’s master plan was corrupt. And that it is to the world’s benefit that Hitler was not able to accomplish his master plan. But we must also notice that Hitler is a man who had a great amount of power, and came as close as anyone to dominating the world. Although his beliefs and actions are defiantly corrupt, Hitler’s effect on the world is enormous. Hitler fought for the German culture that he loved, and influenced the Germans into fighting with him.

One can only imagine how the world would be today had Hitler won in World War II. Now that can only be imagined as opposed to being a reality. Hitler?s cruelty and hatred for humankind in general, besides Germans, is mind blowing. His attitude and hatred might be traced back to his childhood or early adulthood but whatever the reasoning for Hitler?s cruelty and hatred maybe, there is no excuse for his actions. In the end Germany?s biggest enemy turned out to be Adolf Hitler himself.

Is it right to make such a bold statement regarding an era that produced the worst genocide the world has ever seen? Can we take history and create an explanation as to why Hitler and the Nazi party came to power? The only way to devise a thesis is by looking into the background of the time, the people, the government, and the standing of Germany's economy of the time. It was after WWI in 1918 when Germany took a dive into an extreme ultra-nationalistic lifestyle and began a new political structure unlike any other. The series of catastrophic events that took place in Germany from 1918 onward helped pave the way for Hitler's rise to power.

Instead, it placed a “war guilt” blame on Germany, which prevented a long-lasting peace and enraged the German people. "No postwar German government believed it could accept such a burden on future generations and survive …" (Paxton 153) Germany was forced to pay heavy reparations and encounter hyper-inflation. Adolf Hitler attempted a coup d’état against the republic, to establish a Putsch similar to Mussolini's. ("Beer Hall Putsch (Munich Putsch). ")Although he failed, Hitler was then recognised as a national hero, whom gained public support from Germany.

Macbeth murdered king Duncan to rise to power in a unnatural way while Hitler was legally elected to power by the german people because his plan of seeking to right the wrongs of WW1 and bringing glory back to the german people was very popular. Hitler and Macbeth were both overly ambitious for power which led them down bloody paths to their eventual downfalls. Although Macbeth and Hitler are similar in their quest for power and glory, Macbeth is heavily influenced to gain power while Hitler acted on his own. Macbeth and Hitler are similar in the way they are viewed by the common people. In the beginning of Macbeth, Macbeth can be seen as a leader.

Albert Speer, who worked closely under Hitler reveals in his memoir Inside the Third Reich that the Führer “was tempestuously hailed by his numerous followers,” highlighting the appreciation from the German population in response to his project of rejuvenating their state (Speer, 15). The effectiveness of Hitler’s propaganda clearly served its purpose in distracting the public from suspecting the genuine intentions behind his plan, supported by Albert Camus’ insight in The Plague that the “townsfolk were like everybody else, wrapped up in themselves; in other words, they were humanists: they disbelieved in pestilences”(Camus, 37). In this sense “humanists” represent those who perceive all people with virtue and pureness, but the anti-humanist expression in the metaphor shows the blind-sidedness of such German citizens in identifying cruel things in the world, or Hitler. When the corruption within Nazism does receive notice, Hitler at that point given h... ... middle of paper ... .... By this he portrays characters that take it amongst themselves to fight the horrors of the illness out of love for their own innocent humanity, and although it does not personally affect many of the ones who do this, they understand that they could suffer to the same degree if it did hit them, where they would seek help the same way the victims did. With this Camus counters the failure from way too many during the time of Nazi Germany to challenge and overcome Hitler’s Reich, which stemmed from fear and the evil of ignorance that remains inexcusable.