Factors contributing to the rise and nature of Nazism

Factors contributing to the rise and nature of Nazism

The Rise of Nazism

A multitude of different factors contributed to the rise of Fascism within the period of post-World War 1 Germany. As Adolf Hitler was the perpetrator and mastermind behind much of the rise of Fascism in Germany, factors which contributed to his opinions and ideals must obligatorily be looked at in this topic. His failed attempted career in art, the death of his mother, his homelessness in Vienna; all of these circumstances and more contributed to his Fascist ideals, and therefore to the rise of Fascism and the popularity of the Nazi Party. Other incidents unrelated directly to Hitler bestowed extremists much power as people were dissatisfied with the current state of affairs and the republic provided extremists (namely the Nazis, other right-wingers and the Communist Party) with a scapegoat. Incidents such as the Great Depression radically aided Hitler and made his ends much more achievable.  

Without Hitler, the National Socialist Party would never have reached the popularity that they achieved with his political genius. At a young age Hitler was exposed to the swastika, German nationalism and militarism, which obviously left lasting impressions. The failure of his art exam coupled with the death of his mother at age 18 crushed him, and set the scene for his years of misery in Vienna, a time when he conceived many of his ideas on politics and race which would have huge consequences in the future.  

After his involvement and Germany’s loss in World War One, Hitler felt “Stabbed in the back” by his scapegoats, the politicians in Germany and primarily the Jews. Lacey, G. Op. Cit, p33.   Extra betrayal lay in the signing of the Versailles treaty.   One year afterwards, Hitler joined the German Worker’s Party finding that it reflected political thinking much like his own. This group would become the Nazi Party by 1920 and Hitler’s membership was a turning point for German Fascism.


In April 1921 the allies of World War One demanded...