Enthetan
Master of Disaster
Re: The old days - Aboard the Apollo - 1973
Part of it was also from the Communists. There was an active Communist presence in Germany, assisted by Russia. The Reds would march through the city, and threaten strikes and violence to get what they wanted (mainly higher wages for union members, their main constituency). The Nazis were the only group who seemed willing to get into the streets and fight it out with the Reds.
Keep in mind that western Russia and Ukraine had a sizable population of ethnic Germans, who had been invited to immigrate there in the days of Catherine the Great. I would imagine that word of what was happening (including the Ukrainian Terror Famine) would get back to their distant relatives back in Germany, and it was enough to scare them.
Also, keep in mind that Germany had experienced a short Communist revolution in 1919 ( the Spartacist Uprising), and had seen a bloody Communist revolution in neighboring Hungary, led by Bela Kun. The German middle-class was understandably frightened of what could happen, and were thus willing to turn to anybody who demonstrated he would fight the Communists. Even if he DID wear a funny mustache.
That last line seems like a very plausible theory! The people were at low ebb when Hitler assumed power. Not only was the worldwide depression at its lowest ebb but Germany was saddled with huge reparation payments and runaway inflation was running rampant within Germany. The existing palladium, perhaps the Kaiser's Palace, had been gotten rid of along with the Kaiser himself and some sort of new palladium was needed to give the German people assurance that they had a bright future. Slick talking Hitler, knew how to use these circumstances to his advantage and win over enough support to become Chancellor and then anointed himself Fuhrer - definitely at least a substitute for the old palladium. Yes most followed him like sheep all the way over the cliff>
Lakey
Part of it was also from the Communists. There was an active Communist presence in Germany, assisted by Russia. The Reds would march through the city, and threaten strikes and violence to get what they wanted (mainly higher wages for union members, their main constituency). The Nazis were the only group who seemed willing to get into the streets and fight it out with the Reds.
Keep in mind that western Russia and Ukraine had a sizable population of ethnic Germans, who had been invited to immigrate there in the days of Catherine the Great. I would imagine that word of what was happening (including the Ukrainian Terror Famine) would get back to their distant relatives back in Germany, and it was enough to scare them.
Also, keep in mind that Germany had experienced a short Communist revolution in 1919 ( the Spartacist Uprising), and had seen a bloody Communist revolution in neighboring Hungary, led by Bela Kun. The German middle-class was understandably frightened of what could happen, and were thus willing to turn to anybody who demonstrated he would fight the Communists. Even if he DID wear a funny mustache.

