1925- Hitler released from prison
A few days before Christmas, 1924, Adolf Hitler emerged a free man after nine months in prison.
He now realized it had been premature to attempt to overthrow the democratic government by force without the support of the German Army and other established institutions.
Hitler had a new idea on how to topple the government and take over Germany for himself and the Nazis - play by the democratic rules and get elected.
As things got better economically, there was a sense of relaxation among the German people. But Hitler also had a sense that the good times would not last. The German republic was living on borrowed money and borrowed time.
“...Instead of working to achieve power by an armed coup we shall have to hold our noses and enter the Reichstag against the Catholic and Marxist deputies. If outvoting them takes longer than outshooting them, at least the results will be guaranteed by their own Constitution! Any lawful process is slow. But sooner or later we shall have a majority - and after that Germany.”
— Adolf Hitler while still in prison
1929 to 1930- Adolf Hitler, Nazis come to power through the Great Depression
The German economy was especially vulnerable since it was built out of foreign capital, mostly loans from America and was very dependent on foreign trade. When those loans suddenly came due and when the world market for German exports dried up, the well-oiled German industrial machine quickly ground to a halt. This started the Great Depression.
As production levels fell, German workers were laid off. Along with this, banks failed throughout Germany. Savings were instantly wiped out. Price increases soon followed making it hard for families to purchase expensive necessities with devalued money.
The Great Depression began and they were cast into poverty and deep misery and began looking for a solution, any solution. Adolf Hitler knew his opportunity had arrived.
To solve Germany’s