What was the most important factor for Hitler
becoming Chancellor in January 1933?
There were a number of reasons that Hitler became Chancellor in 1933.
One of the most important reasons was the depression in 1929. The
depression was good for Hitler and the Nazis. They blamed the Weimar
Republic, the Treaty of Versailles, the Communists and the Jews and
promised to get rid of the, ‘enemy within’ who were destroying Germany.
Many of the people of Germany felt the same way and followed Germany.
Hitler and the Nazis used this time well, and organised it, using teamwork
and skills of propaganda in order to get votes. We can see that the Nazis
were very successful in this, from the elections of 193, where the Nazis
made their first great breakthrough, jumping from 12, to 107 seats in the
Reichstag. This point was very significant to Hitler becoming Chancellor. If
they had not acquired so many seats in the Reichstag now Hitler and the
Nazis would have probably remained a small party. But after the
depression the Nazis maintained a high amount of seats in parliament,
becoming the biggest party in the Reichstag in 1933, when Hitler became
Chancellor of Germany. However the impact of the depression can only
partly explain Hitler becoming Chancellor in 1933.
Another factor was the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic. Because of
the great depression in 1929, there was a big problem of rising
unemployment and growing poverty throughout Germany. But the
Weimar Republic seemed to have no idea on what to do in this situation.
The Weimar Republic thought they only had two choices in order to get
the country out of depression. On was to print more money and increase
government expenditure, but this had already been tried in 1923 and
resulted in hyperinflation. The government was more concerned with
there not being a period of hyperinflation again than the rise in
unemployment and so the Chancellor (Bruning) started to raise taxes,
reduced unemployment benefits in order to balance the budget. But his
made the government much more unpopular. This is of relevance to Hitler
becoming Chancellor because in order for people to follow the Nazis they
have to lose faith in the Weimar Republic.
Another factor that enabled Hitler to become Chancellor was the Nazis
tactics and Hitler’s leadership skills. After the failure of the Munich Putsch,
Hitler was convinced the only way of getting power would be by legal
means. This is shown when their membership increased to over 100 000
by 1929. They also targeted successful propaganda at farmers and the
middle-class from 1928 onwards. Hitler’s leadership of the party was
secure and members accepted his key ideas expressed in, ‘Mein Kampf.’
(Ideas of dictatorship, racial purity, view of communism as a Jewish
conspiracy, and Lebensraum). They also had an increasing use of public
meetings where Hitler used his skills in giving powerful speeches. This was
significant to Hitler becoming Chancellor because it won over many
people setting good foundations for the future.
The other factor that let Hitler to become Chancellor, were the political
manoeuvrings between Von Schleicher and Von Papen. By this time the
Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag, and the leader of the largest
party usually becomes chancellor, but the other parties in the Reichstag
refused to work with Hitler. The constitution gave the President
(Hindenburg) the right to choose who he wanted Chancellor, and he did
not want to choose Hitler because he despised him.
Hindenburg ended up appointing Von Papen as the Chancellor of
Germany. Von Papen however had no support in Reichstag. Hitler would
not co-operate with him and eventually another election was called. In
this election though, Von Schleicher (Hindenburg’s main advisor)
stopped supporting Von Papen and decided he should be Chancellor
himself. This triggered off a power struggle between the two. Von Papen
agrees to work with Hitler. This results in Von Schleicher to resign
since he cannot gain enough support in the Reichstag. Hindenburg is
then advised to make Hitler Chancellor or he might trigger a Nazi
revolt and civil war. Hitler is then appointed Chancellor of Germany.
Whilst the depression would appear to be the most important factor for
Hitler becoming Chancellor in l933, no one factor emerges alone, they are
all inter-linked. Hitler’s leadership skills and the tactics of the Nazis
gained support and when the depression began people voted for the
Nazis. The depression led to the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic.
Hitler’s leadership skills, Nazi tactics, the depression and the weaknesses
of the Weimar Republic resulted in political manoeuvring between Von
Schleicher and Von Papen.