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Hitlers Rise to Power

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Hitlers Rise to Power
MODERN HISTORY ESSAY

"ASSESS THE VIEW THAT THE GREAT DEPRESSION WAS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NAZIS TO 1934"

BY DANIEL MARTIN

The Great Depression was the catalyst for the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party up to 1934. After the Great Depression took effect and Germany that they had entered a state of poverty, people begun to turn to extremist parties, such as the Nazi Paty. Hler realised this and took full advantage of it, ensuring the people of Germany that if he was to be elected he would give them what they want. There were a multitude of other causes such as the Reichstag fire, the Armys oath to Hitler, and the Nazis clever use of propaganda all played monumental roles in Hitler's and the Nazi Party's rise to power in 1934.

Although there were a number of instrumental factors that all contributed to the rising of Hitler and his Nazi Party, the Great Depression acted as the final catalyst to Hitler being elected as Chancellor and later becoming Furher of Germany. On the 29th October 1929, 'black thursday', the American Wall Street crashed and sent economies world wide into chaos, especially that of Germany. The German economy was particularly vulnerable since it was dependent on foreign exports, trade and capital, mainly from America. The German Mark became almost worthless, and unemployment throughout Germany went into the millions, this came so unexpectedly as Germany had only been recently experiencing prosperous times during the early to mid 1920's due to huge support from America and other countries in the form of trade, but by late 1920's, there was little need for Germanys exports from other countries. Large industries throughout Germany were forced to close down, this making it near impossible for German families to buy food and sent Germany into poverty, with families starving and anger bruing throughout the nation. The newly founded Weimar Government, headed by Chancellor Bruening failed to respond effectively in this time of

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