How was Hitler Able to Take Power in Germany

How was Hitler Able to Take Power in Germany
Role of Psychology and the German People
Humiliation felt from losing the war
Humiliation felt from the TOV
Stephen J. Lee suggests that there was an
"antidemocratic feeling which severely
damaged the fabric of the republic."
Function of political thinkers; Wilhelm
Hegel, Friedrich Neitzsche and Heinrich von
Treitscke
German political figures who all glorified
the function of war as well as emphasis
on the power of individuality, whom
should contribute in building a supreme
state.
Hegel: war is "is the great purifier" &
emphasized the importance of "the
supreme r3ight of the state over the
individual"
Neitzsche: urged mankind to be "lords of
the earth", and not to fall "slavish to
Christianity"
Treitscke "war is the basis of all political
virtues"
Economic Factors
The severe hit to Germany's economy gave
Hitler a foothold to assert that Weimar was a
weak and flawed system, and that a Jewish
conspiracy was weakening the German
people
Germany was especially hit hard by the
economic crash as they depended heavily
on the U.S. economy
"The economic crisis that struck Germany in
1929 also damaged Weimar's foreign
relations" Micheal Lynch
Hitler shifted political fcous after 1930,
towards workers and industrial population,
who are described as "disillusioned with
democracy under the impact of high
unemployment"
Unemployment rose to record levels. By
1933, 6,000,000 Germans were out of work.
The Role of Hitler himself
Quote about the nature of nazism: ‘[Nazism
was] a movement that was deliberately
designed to highlight by every
manipulative device – symbols, language,
ritual, hierarchy, parades, rallies … the
supremacy of the dynamic, irrational factors
in politics: struggle, will, force, the sinking
of individual identity in the collective
emotions of the group, sacrifice, discipline.’
“The cruelties of the civil war and ‘red
terror’ in Lenin’s Russia were making an
impact, and Hitler could use them to (justify
his) farright views"
“In bringing Hitler to power, chances and
conservative miscalculation played a larger
role that any actions of the Nazi leader
himself” – Ian Kershaw 1991
“By replacing class with race, and the
dictatorship of the proletariat with the
dictatorship of the leader, Nazism reversed
the usual terms of socialist ideology”
Andrew Roberts
Good credentials, e.g. Iron Cross
Strong oratory skills
antisemitism
Charismatic personality and social influence
"... the living incarnation of the
nation's yearning... " Georg Schott
“He seemed, as many who listened to his
early speeches testified, to speak straight
from the heart, and to express their own
deepest fears and desires” Andrew
Roberts
“He exuded self confidence, aggression,
belief in the ultimate triumph of his party,
even a sense of destiny” Andrew Roberts
“Without necessarily using overtly
religious language, Hitler appealed to
religious archetypes of suffering,
humiliation, redemption and resurrection
lodged deep within his listeners’
psyche….he found a ready response”
Andrew Roberts
“Hitler’s speeches reduced Germany’s
complex social, political and economic
problems to a simple common
denominator: the evil machinations of the
Jews” Andrew Roberts
The role of propaganda
Hitler in Mein Kampf: "The understanding of the
masses is very limited, their intelligence is small...
as a result, all effective propaganda must be
limited to a few points and must harp on these in
slogans until the last member of the public
understands"
Posters had been curated with different
varieties, particularly the 'our last hope'
which a black background, contrasting with
other colourful posters to produce a
tremendous effect on the masses.
Modern technology exploited: speakers,
radio, film, records, expensive cars,
aeroplanes hired to transport Hitler and
advertise Hitler to express his political
message.
"Nazi Literature and speeches were full of
references to hoe well the party understood
the plight of farmers and land workers"
Micheal Lynch
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