Existing comment:
Why Did Many Germans Buy Into Nazi Propaganda?
With the onset of the Great Depression, millions of Germans abandoned their previous political allegiances to vote for the Nazi Party. Bad economic times, coupled with the inability of Germany's political parties to form a viable coalition government, led to widespread voter dissatisfaction. Many voters turned to Hitler out of fear of impoverishment and revolutionary communism. Farmers responded to Nazi promises to save their homesteads. Hitler's extreme nationalism resonated with many audiences, including young Germans who wanted to restore Germany's lost territories and military might.
The Nazi Party's antisemitism appealed to right-wing radicals, but not to all of Hitler's supporters. Regional Nazi groups gauged local public interest in the "Jewish Question" and tailored their propaganda accordingly. The Nazis' antisemitic platform may not have gained the party huge mass support, but neither did it frighten off large numbers of voters either. They were willing to overlook its anti-Jewish ideology and racism. |