Factors of the Rise of Nazism
Kate Miller
CHIST 3315: Nazi Germany and the Holocaust
Professor Marjorie Wechsler
October 15 2012 Many factors contributed to the origins and rise of Nazism and the ability of the party to consolidate its power once it was in office. These span from the political happenings which were present in Germany at the time to the more psychological factors which affected the people of Germany. It is impossible to pinpoint exactly one factor which caused the rise of the Nazi party, instead a variety of different factors, which include Germany's state after the peace settlement of World War I, Weimar politics, as well as Hitler's political skill and personality, contributed to the successful rise and subsequent takeover that the Nazi party enacted. After World War I, Germany was in a state of crisis and despair. With the Treaty of Versailles, Germany's economic situation quickly dived. Certain aspects of the Treaty effectively undermined the ability for the Weimar Republic to successfully govern the country after the war. These included the War Guilt Clause, the requirement to pay reparations as well as others. As the blame of the war was put on Germany's shoulder's, the citizens of the state felt a cumulative sense of humiliation and anger. These feelings allowed for a vulnerability in the German people, they did not support nor trust the current government and with right wing parties preaching drastically different views one can understand why many were drawn to the Nazi Party and other parties. Along with the citizens in general feeling a sense of betrayal by their government for signing the Treaty, the German Army had an even more intense reaction to the signing of the Treaty. They had felt as though they were being undermined by their own government. With the new constitution in place, many soldiers we're anti-Weimar and they showed this in their service. Notably, they would support the Weimar in relation to threats from left-wing Communist groups but did not
CHIST 3315: Nazi Germany and the Holocaust
Professor Marjorie Wechsler
October 15 2012 Many factors contributed to the origins and rise of Nazism and the ability of the party to consolidate its power once it was in office. These span from the political happenings which were present in Germany at the time to the more psychological factors which affected the people of Germany. It is impossible to pinpoint exactly one factor which caused the rise of the Nazi party, instead a variety of different factors, which include Germany's state after the peace settlement of World War I, Weimar politics, as well as Hitler's political skill and personality, contributed to the successful rise and subsequent takeover that the Nazi party enacted. After World War I, Germany was in a state of crisis and despair. With the Treaty of Versailles, Germany's economic situation quickly dived. Certain aspects of the Treaty effectively undermined the ability for the Weimar Republic to successfully govern the country after the war. These included the War Guilt Clause, the requirement to pay reparations as well as others. As the blame of the war was put on Germany's shoulder's, the citizens of the state felt a cumulative sense of humiliation and anger. These feelings allowed for a vulnerability in the German people, they did not support nor trust the current government and with right wing parties preaching drastically different views one can understand why many were drawn to the Nazi Party and other parties. Along with the citizens in general feeling a sense of betrayal by their government for signing the Treaty, the German Army had an even more intense reaction to the signing of the Treaty. They had felt as though they were being undermined by their own government. With the new constitution in place, many soldiers we're anti-Weimar and they showed this in their service. Notably, they would support the Weimar in relation to threats from left-wing Communist groups but did not