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HINDENBURG

HITLER  

VON PAPEN 

How did Hitler rise to power?

Hitler didnt rise to power out of one event. There were many factors that influenced this, like the Nazi party strengths and the weaknesses of other parties, including the Weimar republic which opened the door to Hitler and he took advantage of the situation which then resulted in 1933, by the time he became chancellor.
Since the Great Depression occured, Germany’s unemployement rises up and Hitler blamed the policies of the republic and the Jews, putting the Nazi Party as Germany's last hope. Anger and bitterness helped the Nazis to gain more support. President heidenburg opted to use Article 48 so that measures can be passed by decree, but then Hitler used it to obtain power legally. Appart from being defeated in the war, the acceptance from the republic to the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 made de citizens felt betrayed as they considered all its requirements completely unfair, with this, Hitler obtained a high amount of people as he promised to stop reparation payments (after World War 1), to give all German job and food and to make them proud to be German again, getting by july 1932, 230 seats and becoming with this, the largest party in the reichstag. Presidents Hindenburg and Papen, thought they can control Hitler so they offered the place of vice chancellor, just to have the nazis on their side. But he demanded to be chancellor and they agreed. And immediately he took the title of Führer and Reichskanzler (Leader and Reich Chancellor).  People were insecure, worried and concerned about the republic, they didnt trusted their ways to lead so they started hearing and voting for other parties, this is how Hitler took advantage of people’s fears and feelings to be able to have a majority of seats and support for its radical nacionalist ideology. The humilliation, disappointment and distrust people felt led the Nazi party obtain the votes they needed to success.

Hitler’s rise to power. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2013, from BBC GCSE Bitesize : http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/hitlerpowerrev1.shtml

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