Download (AS 91439) The Rise of National Socialism in

Gisborne Girls’ High School
Year 13 – Level Three History- 3.6 (AS 91439)
The Rise of National Socialism in Germany in the 1930s
Practice Essay 3.6. “Analyse the way in which economic, social and political forces influenced a
significant historical trend over an extended period and the way this
affected the lives of ordinary people”.
The emergence of the trend of National Socialism in Germany in the early
1930s was influenced by various political, economic and social factors. The
combination of these factors and some tumultuous historical events at that
time were to set in motion major upheavals that changed the face of Europe
and world politics until the early 21st century.
The most significant economic force that allowed for the rise of the National
Socialists was the poor state of the German economy in the early 1930s. An
example of this was the combination of the forces of high inflation,
unemployment and the payment of harsh reparations from World War One
that crippled the Germany economy. The victorious nations from World War One had decided at the
Treaty of Versailles in 1919 to insist Germany repay six million dollars, reduce its army and lose
significant parts of the Ruhr - the productive Industrial Heartland. The German population wanted
stable government, full employment and a resurgence of German national pride. The trend of
National Socialism was the spark that reunited Germany under the powerful leadership and strong
oratory skills of Adolf Hitler.
Another of the forces that influenced the trend
of National Socialism in Germany at the time
was the political aspect of the rise of the
National Socialists (The Nazi Party) and their
formation of the Third Reich. Example s of this
is are when the Nazis took advantage of a
period instability in Germany in the early
1930s. They had a number of key policies.
Basically they followed the “blueprint” of Mein
Kamp written by Adolf Hitler when he was in
prison during the 1920s. The essence of these policies were built around anti-Semitism ( a hatred of
Jews), loyalty to the state, a rejection of the monarchy, a belief in “natural selection” (promotion of
the Aryan race)and the necessity of lebensraum (the necessity for more living space). It was almost a
“utopian idea” of an ideal community of people by highly regulating all aspects of German life. From
the arts and literature to sexual activity and race relations, the National Socialists implemented
legislation that restricted what the German public could see, hear, read and even think. The
newspaper s were under censorship of the Nazi Party and community book burnings of material that
was seen to be against the teaching s of the National Socialists were common place. Another
example of the trend of National Socialism was their ruthlessness in eliminating “undesirables” like
gypsies, communists, criminals, the handicapped, gays and intellectuals. They believed that these
groups of people were “a burden on the
community” and they weakened “the German
master race”.
From the time of Hitler’s succession to power in
the early 1930s a number of significant historical
events took place. Firstly, Hitler consolidated his
leadership by combining the roles of Chancellor
and President to create the role of Fuhrer
(supreme commander). He then passed The
Enabling Act which allowed him to pass laws
through the Reichstag (German Parliament) that
went unchallenged. The Nazis became the only
political party and any further opposition was
eliminated in “The Night of the Long Knives”
where Hitler’s henchmen killed any prospective opposition in a night of murder and mayhem. The
stage was now set for Hitler to embark on a restoring the German state to its original glory.
Unemployment was wiped, the crime rate dropped, trade unions were abolished and the Hitler
Youth were created. Germany became a “police state” and the idea of “lebensraum” was created
whereby “further living space” would be needed in order to advance an ordered and unified German
society – This was the beginning of what is commonly known as the trend of “The Third Reich”.
As a result of the trend in the rise of National Socialism there were a number of significant changes
that took place in Germany from the early 1930s onwards. An example of this was Germany’s entry
into World War Two. Initially Hitler used the excuse of “Anschluss” whereby he wanted to unify the
“Folke” with reoccupation in 1938, of Austria an area that he always claimed was part of the greater
Germany. He then invaded Czechoslovakia and Poland before 1940. At this stage, the German
people were of a deep belief that they had an innate right to rule parts of Europe that were once
part of their realm. Hitler had also managed to submit his people to authoritarian rule, created a
new sense of German identity and promoted a belief that the German people were the “master
race”i.e Aryans. By promoting a deep sense of perceived injustice amongst the German people, he
convinced them that they were entitled to a sense of revenge. Further significant changes occurred
in German society whereby traditional family values were introduced back to German society.
Women were seen as diligent housewives producing children for the Third Reich and men as the
breadwinners who went and fought for the glory of the “Fatherland”. Hitler also contended that by
increasing Germany’s population it would balance out the loss of men from World War One. These
numerous changes saw Germany make the fatal mistake of having war on two fronts. Hitler’s biggest
military mistake was to attack his fellow dictator Joseph Stalin’s Russia. The significant change was
that Germany was comprehensively defeated by the Allied forces in 1945 and the world saw the
beginnings of the Cold War that divided Europe in half for the next 45 years.
Arguably the second most significant change resulting from the trend of National Socialism in
German society was the growth of widespread anti- semitism. An example of this was the targeting
of political opponents including Jews, gypsies, intellectuals and other “undesirables”. Hitler and the
Nazis gradually increased the violence and sophistication with which they dealt with the “Jewish
Question”. Their increasingly harsh methods included ghettoization, deportation and mass
shootings. This resulted in the “Final Solution” in 1942 whereby they set up death camps to
eliminate Jews for once and for all. The Jewish people were used as scapegoats to whom many
European people had long held prejudices.
The trend and subsequent rise and fall of
National Socialism was finally eliminated
by the victorious Allies in 1945 with the
taking of Berlin by Russian forces.
Subsequently the Cold War erupted. The
following years would prove disastrous for
the German people and see Germany
divided into two opposing political
factions until the destruction of the Berlin
Wall in 1991. Ironically Germany is now
the “powerhouse of Europe” and has
recently been embroiled in a dispute with Greece over debt repayments connected with the Euro
dollar. The Euro was partly created to show that European economies could unite with a common
currency and avoid regional differences of the past.