How successful was Hitler in winning over the support of the German people between 1933 and 1939?
...r. This was a heavy blow for Germany because they were borrowing money from America to try and pay back the reparations which were made from ‘The Treaty of Versailles’. These were World War One payments, which Germany had to pay for the Great War. This caused the great German depression, unemployment soared. In the September 1928, there were 650,000 people out of work in Germany, but by January 1933 there were 6.1 million Germans out of work. This made the German public fed up with how things were going. German people had lost all hope in the Weimar republic, and started looking for a radical change, brought forth party radical parties…the communists and the nazis. As a result of 1929, Hitler became remarkably popular. He made promises to the military and to industrialists saying that he would return Germany back to greatness once again. He had a very powerful speaking voice which added to this and wooed the public. Hitler saw a nation in despair and used this as an opportunity to gain political power. He saw a nation of unemployed and hungry citizens and promised them everything in return for absolute power. Someone once said “The Nazis rose to power on the empty stomachs of the German people”. 1933 saw Hitler become chancellor of Germany, soon after elections were called and The Nazi’s gained power, this ended the Weimar Republic. On 2nd of August 1943 Hindenburg died, Hitler is then president and gets Army to swear oath to him. Soon after all parties dissapear, but not Reichstag. During this time all people who opposed Hitler were crushed by him and his SA, these were Freikorps or ex-soldiers from World War One. Hitler was able to gain the populations support by appealing to different social classes. Hitler attempted to mold all Germans into a classless people’s community called “Volksgemeinschoft”. Hitler had to first of all win over the backbone of Germany, the ‘Working Class’. This would be Hitlers greatest asset as they supported left wingers. Hitler got Robert Lay to set up various employment schemes between the years 1933 and 36, the idea was jobs for all. In 1933 Robert Lay also set up the “Beauty of Labour” to try and more people tow work. He improved working conditions, heating, lighting etc. Bosses were also encouraged to socialise with their workers. Another scheme was also set up –“Strength through Joy”. Here leisure time was provided to go on holiday to places like Switzerland (N...