The Great Depression In Germany Essay

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After World War I, Germany was left decimated. People were homeless, without work, and their nationalistic pride for Germany was crushed. Through the humiliation, bad economic choices and the unsteady politics, Germany was forced into a state of chaos. The German people were desperate for change, which was the main reason why Hitler’s ideas were so popular. By being able to place the blame on someone else, the German people could regain confidence in themselves.

Humiliation by foreign powers was a main factor in the process of Germany becoming dominated by the Nazi party. This stemmed from the harsh terms in the Treaty of Versailles. Many of the victorious powers felt that Germany was at fault for WWI, so they created terms to prevent other …show more content…

Following the war, a Great Depression took place in Germany, filling the country with economical turmoil. The Great Depression was widespread around the world. It started in America, but since many big banking companies had given loans to other countries, they had to withdraw. This left Germany’s already unstable economic platform decimated. “The Great Depression affected all capitalist economies in the world….Businesses closed, unemployment rose and inflation was rampant.” (SAHO, 2011) Hyperinflation contributed to money becoming worthless, even though many citizens were starving to death on the streets. To buy a single loaf of bread sometimes required a wheelbarrow load of marks. “Inflation crept up slowly at first, before accelerating rapidly in late 1922. The exchange rate ballooned from 2,000 marks per dollar to 20,000 to a million and beyond in just a few months, riding on a growing wave of economic panic and mistrust.” (Mashable, Hyperinflation) This negatively affected most of the German population, apart from people who had loads of debt. They became increasingly more desperate for change, and therefore many resorted to supporting Hitler’s nationalistic and anti-semitic viewpoints. As Hitler gained more control, the citizens saw a positive difference in employment numbers and they were hungry for his powerful

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