Adolf Hitler rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party and chancellor of Germany in 1933. Nazis were a right-wing nationalist movement which was hostile to democracy and wanted only to serve Germany, not the wider world. This was in direct contrast to the Weimar Republic which they replaced, which was a fragile attempt at democracy in the nation, created in the wake of World War I.
Hitler’s rise to power was marked by a period of increasing gain in the polls, rising from 2.6% of votes in the 1928 to 37.4% in the Reichstag election of 1932. This was due to new strategies for winning hearts and minds in Germany, such as enlisting more members, giving more speeches and creating more propaganda. He also had key support from important people and powerful sponsors, including the powerful German military.
Hitler’s power was cemented in 1933 when a special election was held to name him Chancellor and he was then granted emergency powers. From that point, his power continually increased as he proceeded to gain control over the judiciary system and eventually dissolve state parliaments in Germany. Through the Nuremberg Laws, the Nazi’s established a legal basis to discriminate against and oppress Jews, homosexuals, disabled and other “undesirable” groups.
One of the most significant impacts of Hitler’s time in power was the huge increase in state-controlled industries and the building of military dominance. He pushed for the revolution of industry and technology, leading to the development of the Volkswagen Beetle and other seminal products. Nationalism and militarism were also key components of Hitler’s reign, as he declared Germany’s sovereignty and prepared the nation for World War II to ensure its survival.
Hitler also made huge changes to the German education system, enforcing a number of policies to standardize educational materials across the country. He also heavily censored texts and literature, with the goal of controlling the flow of information. His policies had a major influence on the German media as well, with newspapers and radio broadcasts heavily censored and controlled.
However, one of Hitler’s most infamous impacts on Germany was his role in starting and controlling the Holocaust. Through Nazi genocide policies, millions of Jews were systematically killed in concentration and extermination camps, with at least six million Jews estimated to have been murdered. Other minority groups were also targeted for persecution, including gypsies and LGBT+ people.
Economic Impact
During Hitler’s reign, the German economy experienced a period of immense growth and development. Through the ‘Four Year Plan’ he initiated a massive programme of construction, including bridges and motorways, housing blocks, military bases, and other civil engineering projects. This was mainly funded by imports and expropriation, as well as state borrowing. This led to a surge in industrial production, with an increase of 50% in output between 1933 and 1938.
Hitler also initiated a massive investment in the military which proved divisive amongst the larger German public. In 1936, this expenditure reached 18 billion Reichmarks, which was equal to two-thirds of the overall public spending. The influx of money meant both a boom and a bust for small businesses, many of which found a spike in short-term profits but faced struggles due to increased competition from state-run companies.
Hitler also implemented policies which were designed to reduce unemployment. While he was able to reduce the number of unemployed from six million in 1933 to one million by 1939, this was mainly due to the reliance of ‘mass employment’ of people in military or other state-run sectors. This meant that while the economy was stable, the average standard of living stayed relatively low.
Influence on Europe
In addition to having a major impact on Germany, Hitler’s reign had a huge influence on Europe as a whole. He negotiated the Munich Agreement in 1938, which gave Hitler the right to annex large portions of Czechoslovakia. This led to further unrest in the region, and his expansionist policies largely contributed to the start of the World War II.
Hitler’s policies directly impacted both German citizens living abroad and foreigners living in Germany. As part of the Nuremberg Laws, Jews were stripped of their citizenship, prohibited from certain professions and even forced to wear a yellow star on their clothing as an indication of their faith. These laws were also used to oppress foreigners living in Germany, and there were mass deportations of foreigners before and during the war.
Hitler’s reign also had a large impact on diplomacy. He broke numerous treaties, including the Versailles Treaty and the Treaty of Locarno, and diplomatically isolated Germany by ceasing diplomatic ties with other nations. His attempts to win the ‘hearts and minds’ of foreign governments was largely unsuccessful, due to his refusal to recognize the rights of other nations.
Influence on the Arts
Hitler had a huge influence on the arts in Germany during his reign. He was a strong believer in the notion of a ‘national’ culture, and worked to promote and support a specifically German form of art which celebrated ‘traditional’ values. He abolished modern art in favour of ‘Realism’ or ‘National Socialist Realism’, which adhered to a strict set of conventions and principles. This type of art was seen as a form of propaganda to the Nazi cause, with many paintings depicting Hitler as the ‘saviour’ of Germany.
Hitler also had a large influence on German literature during his reign. Authors were required to abide by the Nazi ideology and write only in favour of the Nazi cause, with many works being banned or censored if they strayed too far from the accepted guidelines. As a result, German literature during this time was largely biased and often filled with anti-semitic and nationalist overtones.
Hitler also had a large influence on German cinema, with the construction of Ufa film studios and the establishment of Propaganda Kino (‘Cinema for Education’), which were both aimed at promoting Nazi-approved films. Films were heavily censored and edited to present a specific ‘pro-Nazi’ ideology, and viewing of foreign films was heavily restricted. The Reich Ministry of Propaganda and Public Enlightenment was also established to promote and endorse Nazi-approved films.
Influence on Society
Hitler made a huge impact on the German society, with a number of laws restricting the rights and activities of minority groups. Homosexuals, Jews, disabled and other groups were discriminated against and ostracized, and there was a notable rise in popular anti-semitism during his time in power. This had a huge impact on social attitudes and interactions, with friends and families turning against each other based on their political beliefs.
Hitler was also responsible for a number of significant changes in the legal system. He abolished the right to strike in 1934, and severe legal repercussions were put in place for those that broke this law. In addition, all forms of legal protest were banned. He also put in place a merit-based system of civil service which discriminated against Jews, and the death penalty was extended to a number of minor offences.
During Hitler’s rule, German women lost most of the rights gained in the Weimar Republic, including the right to abortion and access to birth control. In addition, women were discouraged from continuing with higher education, and were encouraged to be stay-at-home mothers. As a result, the birth rate soared during his time in power, with the total fertility rate going from 2.2 children per woman in 1930 to 3.2 children per woman in 1945.
Influence on the Medical Field
Hitler had a huge impact on the medical field in Germany. He passed a number of laws which allowed for the sterilization of ‘undesirable’ minorities and those with mental illnesses. This was done in an attempt to create an ‘ideal’ Aryan race. These policies led to the deaths of countless people and the mass sterilization of thousands more.
Hitler also supported eugenics, which was the idea of breeding out ‘undesirables’ in order to create a ‘master race’. Through a number of policies, the Nazi party sought to eliminate mental illnesses, physical handicaps, and certain races from the population. This had devastating effects on those affected, and is still considered to be one of the most horrific actions of the Nazi party.
In addition to the horrors of eugenics, Hitler’s reign had a major impact on medical research. Under the guise of ‘medical science’, many of the horrors of the Holocaust were perpetrated. Nazi doctors performed a number of medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners, including experiments on genetics, infectious diseases, freezing, sterilization and poison gas.
Hitler also had a huge impact on the field of psychiatry, with many of its founding fathers being Nazis. The most renowned of these was Dr. Ernst Rüdin, a Nazi physician who pioneered the field of psychiatric genetics and was one of the leading proponents of the eugenics movement. His theories were used to justify a number of Nazi policies, including the sterilization of ‘undesirables’ and the extermination of Jews.
Influence of Hitler Today
Hitler’s impact on Germany and Europe has been felt for decades and is still influencing the political landscape today. His reign of terror and oppressive policies still have strong reverberations in society, and his extremist rhetoric is still an inspiration to political movements around the world.
Hitler’s legacy in Germany is complicated and still debated by historians today. On one hand, he was the catalyst for immense economic growth and improved state-run services. On the other, his nationalist policies and oppression of minority groups has left an indelible mark on the nation and its international relations.
Hitler also had a huge influence on the field of psychology, with many of the theories and practices still used today stemming from his policies. His attempts to create an ‘ideal’ German race through eugenics and sterilization still leave a dark shadow on the field of medicine, and his name has become synonymous with evil and tyranny.
Hitler’s influence is still highly debated, but it is clear that his reign had a huge impact on Germany and the world as a whole. He is often spoken of as a symbol of evil, and his name is synonymous with oppression and genocide. Despite this, he was also a catalyst for immense economic growth and development, and his legacy is still strongly felt today.
