How did Hitler become German Chancellor?
There are a number of factors that influenced Hitler’s rise to power and how he became
German Chancellor on the 30th of January of 1933. To understand how he became
Chancellor, there are three main causes that need to be addressed: the background causes, the
Nazi appeal and the political crisis.
The Economic crisis, started with the Wall Street Crash of 1929 is probably one of the most
important factors that contributed to the rise of the Nazis and Hitler. Germany especially had
been affected by the Depression, since it was so dependent on American loans. Suddenly the
Nazis Twenty-Five Points were very attractive to those who had been affected the most by
the economic crash, such as the unemployed, the elderly and the middle classes. Hiter had
given them someone to blame for what was happening: the Allies, the “November Criminals”
and the Jews, and by 1932 the Nazis were the biggest single party. Another reason for which
the Nazi succeeded in the elections was propaganda and his chief Joseph Goebbels. Nazi
campaigns relied on general slogans, talked about reuniting Germany under one leader and
going back to the traditional values and this was really effective. Their posters and pamphlets
were everywhere and Hitler’s speeches were extremely powerful, he was a modern man with
modern ideas. In this time there were very frequent street battles, especially between
Communists and the police. In this chaos, the SA and the SS gave an impression of discipline
and order. They fought the Communists and sometimes even had the support of the police
and the army.
The Nazi appeal was also important in making Hitler German Chancellor. As said before the
Nazis and Hitler gave the people someone to blame for what was happening: the Jews, the
Communists, Weimar politicians and the Allies. Not only that, but the Nazi party gave a
sense of discipline and order in what was a chaotic time for Germany. In addition to that, elite
groups, such as army officers or industrialists, were appealed by the Nazi party, since they
had never had much sympathy for the Weimar democracy, and even economically supported
their campaign.
Finally, one of the major causes for Hitler’s rise to power by becoming Chancellor is the
political crisis that happened between 1930 and 1933, when he was eventually appointed.
One of the biggest factors that brought people to vote for the Nazis was the dislike of
democracy in Weimar Germany. Politicians seemed unable to deal with the problems caused
by the Depression. For example, in 1930, the Chancellor, Heinrich Bruning decided to pursue
a tough economic policy which urged Germans to make sacrifices. To pass this law he relied
on Hindenburg's Article 48, which stated that the President would have complete control in
state of emergency. They called for elections in 1930 and this worsened the division in the
Reichstag, which caused problems that continued in 1931 and 1932. Democracy had started
giving the impression that politicians wouldn’t do anything about the real world and its
problems. After the elections of 1932, the Nazis were the single biggest party and Hitler
demanded the post of Chancellor, but Hindenburg refused. Instead, he let Franz von Papen,
the current Chancellor, to carry on. However, von Papen had no support and so he called
another election in November 1932, where the Nazis came out as the biggest party again,
even though their share of votes fell. Hindenburg still refused to let Hitler become Chancellor
and, in December, he chose Kurt von Schleier, who was forced to resign within a month. At
this point the Weimar government was out of control and they needed someone who was
There are a number of factors that influenced Hitler’s rise to power and how he became
German Chancellor on the 30th of January of 1933. To understand how he became
Chancellor, there are three main causes that need to be addressed: the background causes, the
Nazi appeal and the political crisis.
The Economic crisis, started with the Wall Street Crash of 1929 is probably one of the most
important factors that contributed to the rise of the Nazis and Hitler. Germany especially had
been affected by the Depression, since it was so dependent on American loans. Suddenly the
Nazis Twenty-Five Points were very attractive to those who had been affected the most by
the economic crash, such as the unemployed, the elderly and the middle classes. Hiter had
given them someone to blame for what was happening: the Allies, the “November Criminals”
and the Jews, and by 1932 the Nazis were the biggest single party. Another reason for which
the Nazi succeeded in the elections was propaganda and his chief Joseph Goebbels. Nazi
campaigns relied on general slogans, talked about reuniting Germany under one leader and
going back to the traditional values and this was really effective. Their posters and pamphlets
were everywhere and Hitler’s speeches were extremely powerful, he was a modern man with
modern ideas. In this time there were very frequent street battles, especially between
Communists and the police. In this chaos, the SA and the SS gave an impression of discipline
and order. They fought the Communists and sometimes even had the support of the police
and the army.
The Nazi appeal was also important in making Hitler German Chancellor. As said before the
Nazis and Hitler gave the people someone to blame for what was happening: the Jews, the
Communists, Weimar politicians and the Allies. Not only that, but the Nazi party gave a
sense of discipline and order in what was a chaotic time for Germany. In addition to that, elite
groups, such as army officers or industrialists, were appealed by the Nazi party, since they
had never had much sympathy for the Weimar democracy, and even economically supported
their campaign.
Finally, one of the major causes for Hitler’s rise to power by becoming Chancellor is the
political crisis that happened between 1930 and 1933, when he was eventually appointed.
One of the biggest factors that brought people to vote for the Nazis was the dislike of
democracy in Weimar Germany. Politicians seemed unable to deal with the problems caused
by the Depression. For example, in 1930, the Chancellor, Heinrich Bruning decided to pursue
a tough economic policy which urged Germans to make sacrifices. To pass this law he relied
on Hindenburg's Article 48, which stated that the President would have complete control in
state of emergency. They called for elections in 1930 and this worsened the division in the
Reichstag, which caused problems that continued in 1931 and 1932. Democracy had started
giving the impression that politicians wouldn’t do anything about the real world and its
problems. After the elections of 1932, the Nazis were the single biggest party and Hitler
demanded the post of Chancellor, but Hindenburg refused. Instead, he let Franz von Papen,
the current Chancellor, to carry on. However, von Papen had no support and so he called
another election in November 1932, where the Nazis came out as the biggest party again,
even though their share of votes fell. Hindenburg still refused to let Hitler become Chancellor
and, in December, he chose Kurt von Schleier, who was forced to resign within a month. At
this point the Weimar government was out of control and they needed someone who was
