Reasons behind the Rise of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler is one of the most infamous and fascinating historical figures of all time. Born in Austria in 1889, Hitler rose to become one of the most powerful politicians in the twentieth century. His rise to power came as a result of a combination of a variety of factors.
Hitler was a good public speaker and orator. He drew in crowds of people with his fits of rage and his fiery rhetoric. His speeches were full of emotional intensity and emotional triggers that left the audience feeling passionate and excited. This natural charisma and eloquence allowed him to gain the attention and trust of a significant number of people.
Hitler was a master at manipulation. He took advantage of Germany’s weakened economy as a result of the Treaty of Versailles following WWI to win over many already-disenfranchised citizens of Germany. He called on them to rise up against their weak leadership and make Germany great again. He invoked several nationalistic ideas in which citizens could feel a sense of belonging and pride in their nation.
Hitler was also not averse to using force. He always kept an armed contingent of the Nazi Party close by at key points during his rise to power. They were responsible for defying opponents through threats and violence. It’s been said that people saw the Nazis as a force of changed that represented order and strength during a time of great chaos and upheaval.
At the same time, Hitler was able to tap into people’s fear of the unknown. He fed into this fear with a blatant anti-Semitic and anti-foreigner rhetoric. He created an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality which further strengthened his support base.
Hitler’s Policies
Hitler’s policies largely focused on the notion of a “Greater Germany”. He wanted the unification of all German-speaking peoples, regardless of their current status as citizens of other countries, into one unified German empire. Along with this came a strong sense of national pride and a sense of superiority over other nations and other peoples.
Hitler also implemented policies that stripped Jews of their rights and further marginalized them from German society. One of his foremost policies was the Nuremberg Laws, which excluded Jews from certain professions, stripped them of many of their civil rights and created multiple other restrictions on the Jewish population.
In addition, the Nazis also implemented a propaganda campaign to further strengthen the German people’s view of themselves and their beliefs. This propaganda portrayed Germans as racially superior to other groups and justified the mistreatment of Jews and other minority groups.
Hitler also sought to expand the German empire under Lebensraum, or “Living Space”. This policy centered on the mass-expansion of German territory eastwards, to trade places with the Poles and Ukrainians who still resided in the area. The forced displacement of those populations and the seizure of their land was carried out over the course of the 1930s to early 1940s.
Hitler’s Rise to Power
Hitler’s rise to power began in January 1933, when he was appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg. From this point forward, Hitler was able to intimidate, cajole and manipulate the other political players in Germany in order to further his own power and interests.
Within less than a month of his appointment, Hitler had already abolished all other political parties, with the exception of the Nazi Party, and began to purge any Nazi officials who opposed his rule. This caused a great deal of fear amongst the population and their loyalty transferred to Hitler.
By 1934, all political resistance was gone, and Hitler was able to strike and consolidate a deal with the German army which effectively made him a dictator of Germany. He took all of the legislative, executive and judicial powers and declared himself as Führer, or “Leader”, of Germany. By 1939, Hitler had already annexed Austria and invaded Poland, spurring the start of WWII.
Hitler’s Despotism
With the consolidation of power, Hitler’s despotism grew. He unleashed a wave of authoritarianism, repressing and intimidating any opposition to his rule. Freedom of speech, assembly and the press were abolished and Germany was effectively transformed into a police state.
Hitler also actively pursued expansion and domination of all of Europe. He invaded and annexed Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Denmark and France. In order to fuel his ambitions to gain more land and resources, Hitler implemented intense militarization and rearmament of all of Germany, with a focus on the development of advance weapons and technology.
In addition to this, Germany also saw a marked increase in conscription and forced labor. Hundreds of thousands of Jews, Communists, Slavs, Poles and Gypsies were brutally persecuted and forced into labor camps in order to carry out work for the Nazi regime.
Hitler’s War
Hitler’s aggression soon led him and Germany into the Second World War. His ambitions of expanding and dominating Europe and the world eventually pitted him against the Allied forces of Great Britain, France, Soviet Union and the United States.
Hitler believed that with the power of his Blitzkrieg tactics and surprise attacks, he could easily conquer Europe. However, this proved to be his downfall, and the Allies eventually emerged victorious in 1945. With the War coming to a close, Hitler committed suicide in a bunker in Berlin, and Germany was left devastated in its wake.
Legacy of Adolf Hitler
The legacy of Adolf Hitler is still felt heavily in society today. He is a symbol of absolute power and cruelty, and the atrocities of the Holocaust still haunt many people around the world.
To this day, many countries in Europe, and even in other parts of the world, use his life and actions as a warning and reminder to stay away from authoritarian regimes, dictatorships and absolutism. Hitler’s legacy is a stark reminder about the destructive power of unchecked ambition and oppressive regimes.
The Impact on Germany
The impact of Adolf Hitler’s rule on Germany was immense. It brought shame to a country already devastated by the effects of World War I. The brutal level of repression and persecution hit its own citizens particularly hard, as Germany saw its population lose much of its rights, freedoms and liberties.
The country’s economy was also crippled by the consequences of Hitler’s policies. The war, as well as the ongoing armament and militarization process, left Germany in financial ruin. In addition, much of the country’s infrastructure and industrial base was destroyed, resulting in lasting damage.
Conclusion
Adolf Hitler is one of the most infamous figures of the twentieth century. His rise to power was born out of a combination of emotion, manipulation, and a fear of the unknown. His policies, such as Lebensraum, forced labor, and the Nuremberg Laws, were highly oppressive and resulted in a legacy of hate that still exists today. The impact of Adolf Hitler on Germany was immense and resulted in social, political, and economic ruin. All of this serves as a reminder of what can happen when ambition becomes unchecked, and as a warning to stay vigilant and keep authoritarian regimes from rising again.