The Great Depression (1929) was more than just an American Depression. But in addition to the economic downturn of 1929, the Germans faced the loss of their colonies, some land, a humiliating defeat, restrictive rules, and war reparations for the costs incurred for WWI in addition to the depression. There was hyper inflation so bad that pictures of people paying for a loaf of bread with a wheelbarrow of cash, coffee, lettuce with an armful of cash, are immortalized in pictures and cartoons to this day: https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02052/Weimar-republic_2052284b.jpg Money was itself becoming worthless and people were bartering. People just do not realize how destitute things were in Germany at that point. Horses and dogs were disappearing.
In the US the communist party became very popular after 1929, that is also something that today is forgotten. When people are “truly” desperate, they will do nearly anything to better their situation.
That said, along comes a charismatic, young, WWI veteran who can give great speeches and talks about Germany’s honor. He is ambitious and without any reservations (Röhm). He was Cunning (Reichstag fire), manipulative (Enabling Act) and like it or not, smart (there are many examples of smart but evil people in history). He was one of the first to truly use the power of modern film to his advantage (Leni Riefenstahl and others), had pretty uniforms (designed by Hugo Boss). And like it or not, in the beginning he was incredibly successful, admired even by the likes of Charles Lindbergh and Henry Ford, pulling Germany out of it’s dire economic situation, creating programs and ideas that in many cases live on today but people do not associate with him: Autobahn, Kindergeld...
But here is where things get interesting, only about 30-36% of the Germans voted for him.
Hitler is a German anomaly.
The reason why so many Jews lived in Germany when he seized power, is because of all the places in Europe, Germany was one of the most liberal and tolerant places where they faced the least persecution. You had entire and large sections of major cities in Germany that were Jewish and accepted/tolerated. Likewise, why did the Protestants (Huguenots and other groups) flee Catholic France and come to Germany many years prior? Germany and more than 2,000 years of culture are today defined by a 13 year period which is not in step with most of its history.
It was either going to be Hitler or Thaelmann, either way Germany was getting a dictatorship.
Good points. You remind me that the contest between the Communists and Nazi’s spilled over to the US.
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There were several German speaking radio stations in Milwaukee that powered up at night and broadcast Goebbel’s and Hitler’s and other Nazi’s speeches all over the Midwest, often several times a week.
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My grandmother listened in and was often in tears, thinking about the troubles coming to Germany and to all our relatives over there.
I have stamps in my stamp collection from Germany. They are over stamped “one million” “ten million” etc as they tried to keep up with inflation. Millions to mail a letter
