Why did germans support Hitler?

Question

I have read countless stories about the Holocaust and World War II. I have come to the conclusion that the German people are mainly to blame for Hitler’s ascension to power. I am shocked by their lack of concern about the atrocities that happened around them. They basically did nothing while Hitler sought to wreak havoc on Germany and the rest of the world. How could so many people agree with the views of one man? Why did the Germans support Hitler?

Answer 1

Hope, desperation, brainwashing and peer pressure were major reasons why Germans supported the policies of Hitler. For the most part, Germans hoped for a new leader to make their country great.

In addition to hope, subtle brainwashing had much to do with Hitler’s success. Most historians agree that Hitler was a remarkable mastermind in disguise. He was a great orator who made speeches that people attended in droves. He appealed to the German people when they were struggling through harsh economic times. He created a new enthusiasm for a new Germany that would be prosperous and successful for years to come. Many people thought that Hitler was a kind of Messiah who wanted the greater good for Germany, despite the fact that he was extremely anti-Semitic and prejudiced.

Hitler inserted his brainwashing campaigns into every aspect of German life. He made propaganda posters, films and news reels that featured his political ideals. People hung portraits of Hitler on the walls of homes and schools. For the average person living in this time and place, it seemed impossible to escape Hitler.

Peer pressure is another major reason why Germans supported Hitler. Everyone seemed to be enthralled by this man with the big voice. This phenomenon is similar to the mentality of popular kids in high school. If anyone disagrees with the group, they would be left out and abandoned like outcasts. During the 1930’s and 40’s, social conformity was a very important way of life. People were expected to conform and not stand out too much.

Answer 2

It’s interesting to ask why did germans support Hitler, because I don’t think germans were willingly supporting Hitler in the first place. Basically, many Germans supported Hitler because of fear and intimidation. They felt like they had no choice but to support him.

Many Germans were too afraid to speak out against Hitler. Hitler operated under a total, absolute dictatorship. His rule was the only one that mattered and his decision was the final one. He created a government that punished anyone in disagreement with his policies. If any Germans were found to be noncompliant, they would be killed or tortured.

The Gestapo was a much-feared secret police agency that was responsible for these punishments. They interrogated people for days, beat them, shot them and tortured them without reasonable cause. If someone so much as made bad jokes against Hitler, that person would disappear and never be seen again.

Understandably, many people living in that environment had to think of themselves and their own families. They worried about how they would stay alive under a government that brought death to people’s doorsteps.

Therefore, the Germans were not solely responsible for Hitler’s actions and many of them did all they could do to resist the Nazis. However, the Nazis simply gained too much power and too quickly. They were similar to the slave drivers in the Americas during the 1800s. People found it very hard to counter the activities of such an oppressive government.

Answer 3

Germany was only a united country for forty three years before world war one. That war only began due to conflict between Austria-Hungary and Russia. Germany's ties to Austria-Hungary caused them to join their side. Of course, Russia also had allies that joined their side, ending up with the first world war. The war ended four years later with Germany defeated. In their defeat, they lost territory, a prospering economy, and no short amount of self-respect. Hitler used the vulnerable state of the German people to gain power. He promised them a future of respect and prosperity, at future where Germany ruled the world. He gave them a feeling of pride again, and little did the people know, Hitler had other plans in mind. The Nazi party had full control over the media, and thus, ninty-nine percent of the information given to the people was propoganda. Back then, radio and newspapers were the only form of news. The true purpose of concentration camps was a mystery to the civilian population and even parts of the military. That is one reason the camps were out in the countrysides, away from cities and towns. The generation being raised under the Nazi regime was taught that Jews and other ethinicites were bad for the world, and as far as they knew, that was true. A lot of people today do not understand the details of World War II. We are taught the Germans were all evil Nazis, but that is not true. They were decieved. Back then, the German government wasn't set up to keep things like Hitler from happening as we do, and communication between people wasn't easy as it is today. Some people had telephones, but mail was still a major form of communication. Both of these things were monitored by the Nazi government as well. Anyway, as a final reminder, All Germans weren't Nazis, and the Jews of Germany were German citizens.