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 built on these feelings and offered the secure and promising alternative of the extremist nazi party.
Although there were many factors that contributed to the rise of Hitler and the collapse of the Weimar republic, Hitler’s ability to build upon people’s frustrated view of the hatred of the treaty of Versailles and the circumstances it placed upon the German nation, was the fundamental reason for Hitler’s rise to power and the Weimar Republic to collapse The Treaty of Versailles, signed by the Weimar Republic at the conclusion of WW1, introduced economic insatiability and caused a profusion of hardship. The idea of resorting to an extremist group promising better alternatives became an attractive option to many Germans.
The Treaty of Versailles’ vindictive terms and unreasonable reparations (6,600,000,000 pounds) resulted in undesired economic circumstances. Unemployment rose to 25%, no less than fifty percent of school children were undernourished and annual meat consumption fell from 52kg to 26kg per person. In general, the German standard of living decreased dramatically. The terms of the hated treaty angered and frustrated people. Hitler, intensely detesting the November criminals1, promised to build a back powerful nation, the German public, in a state of disillusionment, responded positively to this claim and began to support the Nazi Party.
Hitler’s ability to take advantage of the Treaty of Versalles and the hardship that it brought to the German nation contributed to Hitler’s rise to power and the collapse of the Weimar Republic. The instability of the newly formed Weimar Republic resulted in a weak government prone to problems, Hitler took advantage of this weakness and introduced a secure alternative. During the hardship of the 1920s and1930s, political incompetence was highlighted, the Weimar Government proved its incompetence time and time again. .The instability of the Weimar Republic was so great that the average life-span of Reich cabinets was from 6-7 months.
Their incapability of providing justice to outbreaks of violence, such as political assassinations is one example of the incompetence of the Weimar Republic. When Germany found its self in undesirable economical situations due to the Treaty of Versalles, they printed money to pay off reparations, which resulted in super-inflation. During the period of super-inflation people’s life savings became worthless which contributed to the downward circle of a reduction in standard of living. As unemployment rose and people began to afford less and less with their money, people commenced searching for a better alternative to the Weimar Government.
Hitler’s ability to build upon these feelings whilst offering security, prosperity and full employment, convinced Germany, in a state of disillusionment, to support the nazi party. The Weimar’s instability contributed to the collapse of the Weimar republic provided perfect conditions for the nazi party to rise to power. With incompetent leadership and an unhappy nation, the German people began to realize that their country was in a vulnerable situation and began to look for stable alternatives to democracy.
Hitler’s sophisticated way of introducing the secure option of nazism at an appropriate time and taking advantage of a weak government that was prone to problems, was one of the main reasons for Hitler’s success. When the German nation lacked pride and unity after their failure in WW1, Hitler’s promise of a strong and powerful nation began to look very appealing. A large proportion of Germans, in disillusionment, began to support the Nazi Party. Hitler’s perfect timing and his manipulation of certain circumstance was a significant reason for the downfall of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazism.
During the 1920s, Hitler’s ability to introduce large scale propaganda whilst manipulating the media, lead Germany to believing in false truths, and lead nazi supporters into an even greater detest of their opposition. During the February of 1933 the Reichstag building was set alight, supposedly by a communist supporter. This event stirred up a great hatred of communism; it also allowed Hitler to activate the enabling act, which signified a turning point in the success of Hitler’s dictatorship.
Today it is believed that the Nazis themselves were responsible for the lighting of the fire, Hitler did this in order to provoke hatred of their opposition and its supporters. During Hitler’s years in prison he was able to write the successful autobiography, Meine Kamph (my struggle) which introduced Germany to the nazi beliefs and how nazism would save Germany from their economic and political instabability. Hitler also founded many pro nazi groups where people were taught to believe in the nazi ideals.
With Hitler’s persuasive yet charming personality, he managed to put forward the strong sense of authority that the Weimar Republic lacked. This, in combination with other factors, lured many Germans in to believing in the nazi ideals and supporting the Nazi party whilst stirring up a hatred of the current Weimar Republic. With a combination of poor leadership on the Weimar Government’s behalf, the signing of the hated Treaty of Versailles and an unattractive economic situation, Hitler, using his charismatic personality, was able to convince the majority of the public to resort to the extremist nazi party.
There are many other factors that influenced the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazism; In every case, however, Hitler’s manipulative skills and sophisticated behavior towards circumstances lead to the success of the Nazi Party. By successfully manipulating the above set of circumstances, Hitler was able to cause to the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazi Party.