There were a number of reasons why this surge of popularity took place. One key reason was the state of the economy. After the Wall Street crash of October 1929, the country experienced economic collapse. Unemployment doubled as a result of this. Also, all the foreign loans were suddenly called in and the Weimar government was forced to pay vast sums of money. This meant the government was forced to cut unemployment benefits and raise taxes. This of course lost them huge amounts of popularity. One main point in the Nazi manifesto was that they would not cut benefits. (Although the …show more content…
He promised that if he came to power, he would tear up the treaty and restore Germany’s dignity. Right wing people in particular still thought the government were weak in accepting the terms of the treaty and Hitler played on the popular “stab in the back” myth. This rallied up hate and distrust for the government and left wing politicians.
Another reason the Nazis did so well at this time was their well funded propaganda. Goebbels was a master of propaganda. He built up fear and hatred for the communists and Jews, while depicting Hitler as a strong, bold leader saving Germany from them. Another key way the Nazis operated was their impeccable organisation. They had the unique structure of having a single person in charge of each region of Germany, as well as a strict hierarchy within the party itself.
Another key reason why the Nazis gained popularity at this time was the poor system of government. Proportional representation meant that coalition governments were extremely common and parties with different views were forced to work together, making slow decision and compromises. This is exactly what most people didn’t want in this time of economic turmoil and poverty. They wanted quick, sharp decision making, not wishy-washy leaders that argued like children. Hitler really represented that to many people. After the 1932 presidential campaign, Hitler and his SA seemed