Why did German people support Hitler?
There were many different reasons, although it should always be remembered that a majority of Germans never actually voted for Hitler. Many of those who did looked upon him as the country's savior, someone who would make Germany great again. Germany had been mired in economic chaos with living standards drastically reduced and mass unemployment causing misery to millions. Large numbers of the middle-class citizens had their savings wiped out and no longer felt secure. It seemed that the entire system had failed, that democracy had failed, and that it was time for radical change.
Hitler offered such change. He made elaborate promises about restoring Germany's greatness and getting the nation back to work, restoring a sense of national pride after the humiliations of the Versailles Treaty. Like the demagogue that he was, Hitler offered simple solutions to seemingly intractable problems. In a country with a fully-functioning political system and a healthy economy, it's likely that the Nazis' simplistic message would've fallen on deaf ears. But by 1932, many Germans had had enough of chronic instability and were desperate for change. So many of them threw in their lot with Hitler, hoping that things could only get better.
Comments
Post a Comment