This essay explores whether the working class prospered during the Nazis from 1933 to 1938. To determine if the working class was better off under the Nazis I will look specifically at ‘unemployment’ , ‘Beauty of Labour’ and ‘ Strength through Joy’ which were initiatives which aimed at improving the working class. On the whole, although the working class was given paid work and took part in organised activities, their situation did not really improve as I will demonstrate in the course of this essay. If we take into account the statistics relating to unemployment at first glance it appears that the trend was positive - unemployment reduced significantly from 2,151,000 in 1935 to 119,000 in 1939 (source 5). Also as Source 10 highlights the fact that wages increased among three categories of workers - farmers, industrial workers and big business. One comment by a motorway construction worker confirmed that under Hitler ‘miracles had been accomplished and things were getting better.’ (source 9). Source 6 is a photograph from 1933 of workers constructing a motorway. The photo is staged as everyone is looking at the camera and looking like they are not exhausted. Likewise, if we look at the description of the programme from the RAD camp in 1938 although it indicates a long day (getting up at 4:45 and ending with lights out at 22:00) it shows a balance of activities such as parade at 19:15 and sing-songs and leisure activities after supper. However, in reality the workers were
With this in mind, Nazi Germany boasted one of the largest public welfare programs in history with the slogan “None shall starve nor freeze”. Every year, high-ranking Nazi’s and citizens would take to the streets to collect charity for the unfortunate, which generated a feeling of comradeship toward those in need.
Superficially, Hitler's economic policies were extremely successful. He appeared to have virtually eradicated unemployment, something no democratic Western power was able to achieve in the 1930s and within three years of gaining office. Yet beneath the "economic miracle", as Ian Kershaw points out, Hitler was pursuing economic policies in those early years which could only lead to war or a loss of power. The reality was that Hitler understood little about economics and seemed to care even less. His aims were to create full employment without inflation, to make Germany self-sufficient and to create Wehrwirtschaft, a defence economy, but in pursuing these policies he created
From 1933, the Nazis Party have aimed to create the policy of Volksgemeinschaft, this is a component focused on the heart of the people’s community based on traditional values of the German people. The German society underwent radical changes under the Nazi regime as Hitler introduced various policies that have had a substantial effect on 6 prominent groups: German women, youth, schools and universities and churches, working class and the Jews. The implementation of Hitler’s new policies in the period 1933-1939 can be assessed to have significantly effected and transformed Germany society socially and culturally.
Reich first puts his attention on workers. He states that despite economic recoveries, unemployment is the highest in thirty years. Even in this situation companies are lowering wages, changing full-time workers to part-time workers or
Although Hitler’s motives were more clear towards the end of World War II, Adolf did tackle the unemployment and stimulate Germany’s failing economy. Once Hitler became Chancellor of Germany on January 30th, 1933 The economic policy for Hitler’s regime involved large scale borrowing for public expenditures which created railroads, canals, and the Autobahnen or the German highway network. The result of Hitler’s economic policy was more effective against unemployment than any other country. By late 1935 , unemployment was almost eliminated and by 1936 high income was pulling up prices or making it possible to raise them. By the late 1930s Germany had full employment at stable prices. This was, in the industrial world, a unique achievement. Hitler was able to anticipate modern economic policy as well, he recognized that a rapid approach to full employment is only possible if it was combined with wage and price controls. A nation oppressed by economic fears would not fare well for Hitler’s endeavors. Two days after Hitler took office as Chancellor, Adolf addressed the nation by radio and had proclaimed that the new government would “achieve the great task of reorganizing our nation’s economy by means of two great four-year plans. The German farmer must be rescued to maintain the nation’s food supply and, in consequence, the nation’s vital foundation. The German worker will be saved from ruin with a concerted and all-embracing attack against unemployment.” Hitler continued to
This essay will explore the various social, economic and political events and circumstances that arose in the early 20th century and together contributed to the emergence of fascism with reference to Germany specifically. The analysis will explore the impact of WW1, a change in social structures with ideologies and beliefs, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. The continual crisis year after year in all aspects pushed German society to turn to fascism as a way off counteracting everything that had carried the state down.
Each difficult time led to him believing that he was standing up for the right thing. While Germany was left in a terrible depression from World War 1, their trade had been severely limited. Germany could not import or export goods. All their resources had been given to the War effort. This left Germany in a terrible way, dropping themselves from the rank of the second greatest economy. Germany began printing money at a large rate, leading to hyperinflation. Money, in turn, was worth little to nothing. Unemployment also reached record high levels. Approximately 6 million people were left unemployed. Hitler began to think like many of the racist organizations at the time, believing that the Jews were the sole reason for World War 1 and Germany’s economic
‘To what extent did support for the Nazi party change between the years of 1923-33?’
After the 1929 Stock Market Crash, America demanded that Germany pay their loans, causing unemployment rates in Germany to soar. By 1932 the unemployment rate in Germany had reached over six million people. In the 1920’s many people were seeking the answer to the economic problems of Germany, the Nazi Party provided those answers. The Nazis began as “a small anti-Semitic group which developed into the German Workers’ Party (DAP).”
The distinct division between wealthy and poor was stretched farther apart when taxes change, wages got lower, and the working class was forgotten about in the end. This gap in between wealth happened in the 1920’s-1930’s and the citizens were not quiet about it. Thousands of these working class Americans wrote letters to President Roosevelt hoping he would try to reform laws to improve their conditions. Although President Roosevelt completed many reforms to help the people, there were many more that he could have done. Some of these possible changes could have been raising the minimum wage to an individual degree and creating even more jobs for the unemployed. These changes would have helped the people in the American economy.
When looking into the history of Germany and determining what led to the startling rise in Nazism in Germany and its detrimental effects on the social outcasts in Europe, it can be easy to deduce that the Nazi regime was one where Hitler walked in with his officials and took office by force. The truth is that, while the Nazi party is responsible for the atrocities that occurred before and during WWII, they would have not gotten far if it hadn’t been for the cooperation of the German people themselves. Life in the Third Reich provides proof through voting, youth programs and village life that the Nazi party rose into power with German support.
Hitler can reduce the number of unemployment from 6 million in 1933 to 2.6 million in December 1934. Additionally, women are encouraged to venture into businesses.
In the following investigation, the following question will be addressed: In what ways did economic and political issues in Germany between 1922 and 1932 contribute to Hitler's rise to power? The scope of my research will fall between the years of 1922-1932, the start of Hitler’s attempt to run for office. A variety of primary and secondary sources will be used to answer the question. The bitterness caused upon the change of government systems in Germany will be analyzed, along with his childhood that all primarily drove Hitler to run for power. Then, the harsh effects World War I had on Germany along with the Great Depression that followed as a result will also be looked at. Finally, a conclusion will be reached.
Many civilians felt that they had good reason to support the Nazi regime, one of which was the remarkable economic recovery. The Nazis reduced unemployment from 4.8 million through the use of public work schemes such as Autobahns and the Four Year Plan to a mere 0.1 million in
Unemployment was widespread and a whole generation of young Germans was left hopeless and without direction. For many Germans during these terrible times, mere survival was a challenge. This wretched condition is apparent in Heinrich Hauser’s description of Germany’s unemployed who lined the highways, homeless and destitute, with no place to go. As he describes it, “unskilled young people, for the most part… had been unable to find a place for themselves in any city or town in Germany, and… had never had a job and never expected to have one.” Germany had been forced to her knees.