How the Nazi Party came to Power

The Nazi Party came to power in Germany due to many factors.  One was the Wall Street Crash of 1929 at the New York Stock exchange.  This badly affected Germany because after World War I and the Treaty the Germans had borrowed heavily from the United States. When the crash happened Millions of Germans became unemployed and the German Mark became almost worthless.  There are stories of Children making Kites out of Bank Notes because they were, in effect, worthless.  Also of people taking wheelbarrows of money just to buy bread. Adolf Hitler convinced the German Public that only his party, the Nazi Party, could restore a "Greater Germany".  He blamed ethnic groups for causing the depression particually the German Jews who Hitler said: "Had corrupted Germany" After a failed attempt to gain power by force Hitler was sent to prison, where he wrote "Mein Kampf" or "My Fight" He blamed the Jews for having the jobs when for "Racially Pure" Germans there were none. The German people (Happy to pin the blame on someone) accepted this and in 1932 the Nazi Party was the biggest single party in Germany with over 14 million votes. Adolf Hitler also preyed on the German Middle Classes fear of the rise of Communism to win votes.  Even with those 14,000,000 votes Hitler still could not gain power. In 1933 Adolf Hitler was made chancellor by President Hindenburg who felt he needed the support of the Nazi's. On the 27th February the Reichstag, the German Parliment, was set on fire and allowed Hitler to declare a state of emergency.  Out of the Chaos, on the 23rd March Hitler obtained the Enabling act which gave him dictatorial powers ands banned opposing parties such as the Communists. Back to Homepage...