The Impact of the Nazi Party on the German society up to and including 1933

The years leading up to Hitler's party election (1933) saw Germany effectively in ruins. In 1923 mining production in the Ruhr valley, which produced four fifths of Germany's coal and iron was halted due to passive resistance to French occupation. When the government called an end to the resistance, many Germans were outraged to give in to what they believed were outrageously unfair reparations. Many Germans were disgruntled with the government and their country's political position. Violent citizens banded together to form militia groups to tackle the Weimar Republic. Hitler and the Nazi Party used and built on this national discontent and added racist views to gain support and then absolute power.

After suffering defeat in the First World, Germany lost a lot of land. Their economy was devastated and their government was strongly criticised for the loss. The social unrest led to several revolutionary attempts (twice by communist parties) they were successful in various degrees but there was no governmental change that was widely accepted by the German public.

Munich.-Adolf Hitler and NSDAP treasurer Franz Xav...

Hitler (left), standing behind Hermann Göring at ...

NSDAP election results of 1933 in Germany's consti...

This lack of acceptance was what enabled the Nazi Party to thrive.

By the time Hitler had power in the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei [National Socialist German Worker's Party], or NSDAP, he had very high aspirations. He was well known for his strong racist views and skill in orating. In 1923 he led the Munich Beer Hall Putsch in an attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic. This failed and he was arrested for treason. For him, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise because, during his trial, all of Germany read the transcripts of his defence in the newspaper and agreed with most of what he was saying. Hitler spent his brief time in gaol formulating his plan for the takeover of the Weimar Republic. When he...