Payton Williams

Mr. Hawkins
Modern World History-P, Period 6
18 March 2016
What were the characteristics of 1930s Germany that led to the rise of the Nazi Party?
During the 1930s right when Hitler was about to take power, the people of Germany
started to develop and create certain characteristics that would lead up to the rise of the Nazi
Party. For example, Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power due to the social and political
circumstances that characterized the interwar period in Germany (Website #1). After the
first World War, Germany wasnt in the best position politically or socially. Every citizen was
poor and German economics were the dreadfully poor. Germany was looking for any help they
could receive. One of the main events that put Germanys economy in the gutter was, Treaty of
Versailles, the 1919 peace settlement that ended World War I (1914-1918) and required
Germany to make numerous concessions and reparations (Website #2). Germanys part in
World War I, did not turn out in more land but instead a huge economic debt. This was the
perfect timing for Hitler and the Nazi Party to step in and win over the Germans with some wise
words. To every German, the idea of tearing the treaty up would bring a sense of
empowerment and elation (Website #3). Hitler came well in to play with this notion or idea.
The people practically praised him for being able to relate to them and also help them with their
depraved economy. With that being said, the peace settlement that ended the war, was
extremely unjust to Germany by burdening it with reparations it could never pay. Hitler
soon emerged as a charismatic public speaker and began attracting new members with
speeches blaming Jews and Marxists for Germanys problems and espousing extreme

nationalism and the concept of an Aryan master race (Website #2). People living in
Germany going through hardships would believe whatever what was told to them just to hope
that there would be a chance of getting money. His concept of an Aryan race was referred to as
being fair-skinned, blue-eyed, and having blonde hair. Hitler did not fully accept anyone outside
of this Aryan race, even though the descriptions describes the exact opposite of what he was.
Another example is that, The Jews, they claimed, had done much to spread defeatism and
thus destroy the German army (Website #1). People were getting desperate and looking for
any type of help, which is where Hitler came into play. Hitler put out his book that spread racism
and racist beliefs throughout Germany. This is where people got all of their beliefs that Jews
were spreading defeatism and were the ones responsible for the destruction of the German army.
Furthermore, Democracy in the Weimar Republic, they argued, was a form of governance
that had been imposed on Germany and was unsuited to the German nature and way of
life (Website #1). Another thing that the German people believed was that the form of
democracy wasnt meant for Germany or German people. They thought that it was forced upon
them and it wasnt going to benefit their country in any way. Another characteristic that lead to
the rise of the Nazi Party was the change in votes, The turnaround came in 1930, the first
elections after the economic crisis began (Website #1). Before the economy disaster, the
Nazis werent receiving no more than three percent of votes. Since the economy failed, the votes
for the Nazis quickly increased. The Nazi party was Germanys last resort to make their money
back and come back out of debt. People believed that the Nazis could eventually do good for
their country, no one had any idea what these Nazis were actually capable of. Also, The Nazis
exploited the popular myth that Germanys army was stabbed in the back by the
Weimar Republics first politicians (Website #3). All of the people of Germany believed this

because Hitler mentioned it in his book. Everyone would believe whatever was said by
whomever because everyone was desperate for answers. For example, Another popular goal
of the Nazis was to abolish the Treaty of Versailles. This treaty, written by the Allies after
Germanys defeat in WWI, was designed to humble Germany (Website #3). Everyone
living in Germany was poor and desperate to get out of their situations at home. So Hitler made
people believe that if they were to go against this treaty then the country of Germany could end
up getting out of this depression. In addition, Another reason the Nazis were so attractive to
the German people was the extreme economic hardships after WWI (Website #3). During
this period of time all countries in the world were struggling with money problems and
hardships, but Germany was probably hit the hardest. Germany was in so much debt because of
WW1 everyone living in the country was poor, there were no rich families. So people believed
whatever was said to them about regaining their money back and coming back from these
hardships. Another means of grasping the German psyche was, the notion of a pure race
genetically homogenous populations (Website #3). Hitler told the German people that if there
was one pure race then one day, Germany could achieve their goal. Then once again the people
of Germany had no one else to turn to so they believed everything he was saying. He promised
people that if they followed his orders then soon Germany would be out of these money
problems. People were desperate so they would try anything, therefore, they listened to him. The
people easily fell into this because they desperately wanted to get out the economic depression
that Germany was having. These characteristics or beliefs of the German people were all factors
to the rise of the Nazi Party.