How the Nazi Party Become the Largest Party in the Reichstag

Hitler's Nazi party came to power almost entirely because of accidents. In 1929 the American Stock Market crashed, a powerful symbol of the growing depression. Germany was particularly badly affected, since Germany's economy was partly dependent on Americas prosperity and a large number of loans made by America to Germany were called back and the German economy crashed.

Since the German government suffered badly in the depression the existing Weimar government, put in place by the victorious allies, was blamed. Without the depression the government was not particularly liked since it was indecisive and it had not central power. Hitler used his twenty-five points from the beginning of the Nazi party. These were a set of promises appealing to everybody, they included elements of socialism and told people what they wanted to hear. They promised to stop reparations to the victors of the First World War, end unemployment, give a strong leadership and they attacked immigrants and particularly Jews. The twenty-five points were attractive to those most vulnerable to the depression, especially ex-soldiers, the unemployed and the middle classes.

In the time of crisis the German people had swung to an extreme group, and the Nazis were an easy way out, more appealing than the Communists to the industrialists, and they were also attractive since they apparently promoted the old and respected German militaristic values. In the hard times they were effective since the democratic parties could not solve any of the problems facing Germany. In the 1930 elections the Nazis greatly increased the number of seats that they held in parliament, by 1932 they had nearly 200 seats, although they did not have a majority they were the largest single party.