1. The problems in the existing government… (Everyone was so afraid, they looked for someone to recover all of their problems… someone new.)
a. Weimar Republic was starting to fail
i. It accepted the Treaty of Versailles, which left out Germany -> anger!
ii. Communists & SPD refused to work together, members organized own parties, more violence, attempts to overthrow republic
b. Violence
i. Kapp Putsch (March 1920)
1. Right wing groups tried to seize power; started when government tried to “disband” that Freikorps…German army took no action against the Putsch… Kapp resigned, government regained control; former members stayed hostile to republic -> joining Hitler’s private armies
c. Economic Issues
i. In 1919, Germany was almost bankrupt because of the enormous expense of the war…
1. Attempts to pay reparations were made, but made matters worse. August 1921, Germans ask to suspend making payments to France, but France refused = German crisis!
2. German inflation – people had to spend their money the day they got it, or it would be worth nothing the next day…
a. Middle classes and small capitalists were affected the worst- lost savings- looked to Nazis for help.
3. The more unstable the economy, the more seats Nazis won in the Reichstag
a. 1924- 32 seats… 1932, 230 seats
2. What Nazis offered
a. National unity… a way of making the Germans feel like they weren’t being targeted.
i. Rid Germany of the “real causes.” -> scapegoat on Jews…
ii. German pride…
b. Versailles treaty
i. Promised to overthrow, bring Germany to great power -> all germans would get to be in the Reich
c. Private army
i. Attracted young people… gave them money/ uniform
d. Hitler had good political abilities
i. The real reason he became into power, he got everyone when they were at their lowest point…
1. Public speaking, ideas with emotional force… parades, radio, film…
2. Traveled all over Germany through the air -> looked like a Messiah (savior to the Germans)
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