- A2 Edexcel 'Kaiser to Fuhrer' German History Exam
- This is an essay plan for revision purposes
- every point is backed up with multiple relevant examples, analysis and evaluation
- the different types of point are colour coordinated - Black being analysis, Red being example, and blue being eval...
How far do you agree with the view that the sucess of the Nazi party, 1928-1932, was caused
by Germany’s economic problems?
Paragraph 1 – economic problems - popularity
The Hyperinflationary crisis served to disillusion many groups of society with the
Weimar Republic:
Generally people’s living standards had fallen due to the fact that there was
mass inflation, by December 1923 4.2 trillion marks were needed to buy one US
dollar.
It drastically effected the middle classes, as their savings were effectively made
worthless.
The hyperinflationary crisis, although not as significant economically as the great
depression , was described as “the scar that never healed” as it paved the way
for not only disillusionment with Weimar but a search for more radical leadership,
as people become radicalised in extreme economic conditions.
The Great Depression not only confirmed the ‘deep seated dislike for democracy’ but
also served as a catalyst to Hitler’s rise to power, as before 1929 the Nazi party was ‘no
more than a fringe irritant’.
Following the wall street crash, Germany was plunged into a deep and severe
depression :
- National income shrunk by 39% between 1929 and 1932
- Industrial production shrunk by more than 40%
- Unemployment rose to around 6 million by 1932 (one third of people of
working age were out of work).
- Around 50,000 businesses were bankrupt.
The political effects provided the perfect environment for the Nazis to gain momentum,
as ATP Taylor claims “it was the Great Depression that put the wind in Hitler’s
sails”:
Firstly, the Great depression and the way in which it was dealt with was an
epitome of everything that was wrong with Weimar Democracy, such economic
catastrophe can only lead to extreme disillusionment with the government.
The extreme circumstances can be claimed to have broken down democratic
norms, and served to seriously radicalise the people there was a re-
emergence of violence in the streets, during the July 1932 election campaign
there were 461 riots in Prussia alone.
This serves to strengthen the Nazi support base, as a radical sentiment amongst
the people provides a platform for Hitler’s propaganda, moreover, the violence
was largely conducted by the SA and thus Hitler was seen as the only man able
to control it.
Weimar Democracy was weakened in its early stages by the hyperinflationary crisis,
which served to implement a distrusting undertone for the government in Germany
society. Hope for the rebuilding of Germany in the ‘Golden Years’ is lost, with the onset
of the Great Depression Weimar Democracy is essentially given its ‘final blow’. In
general, it is known that people will base their happiness and content with the
Government, on their economic situation, and thus having experienced two economic
crises under its rule, Weimar was by no means popular. However more importantly to
Nazi success, the economic crisis paved the way for the use of radical propaganda and
pro-Nazi sentiment, as Hitler was able to target the specific woes of the people and use
them to his advantage.
Paragraph 2 – role of Hitler and the Nazis - popularity
He was able to rally the people through his exceptional flair as a speaker; he had very
strong willpower which was infectious and inspiring to others who had accepted that
what he said would come true.
As described by Otto Strasser, a supporter of the Nazi party “his words go like an arrow
to their target…liberating the mass unconscious… telling it what it most wants to hear”.
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