Why did so many Germans vote for the NSDAP in the elections of 1930 and 1932?

Hitler and the Fuhrer Principle Hitler was personally very popular and a charismatic and powerful public speaker. He had fought in the German army during the First World War and, although he had only been a corporal, he was seen as a ‘man of the people’. Much was made of this during the 1932 Presidential Election. Part of Nazi party philosophy was the ‘Fuhrer Principle’ – namely the idea that there should be one strong leader or Fuhrer. This appealed to those who were disillusioned with the weak Weimar coalitions and felt that democracy was feeble and ineffective.

Quick solutions to economic problems: The Nazis promised to provide employment through rearmament and conscription. Many of the Nazi promises on the economy were vague but their ideas appealed to those who had suffered during the economic crises of 1923 and 1929.

Communism: The Nazis were vehemently anti- communist. They promised to destroy communism and curb trade union power. This was especially appealing to the middle classes and those who feared that communism may take Germany along the same violent path as Russia. This was probably the biggest factor in the Nazis winning power as the KPD vote increased after 1930.

State Socialism The NSDAP started off as the DAP, or German Workers’ Party, so there were socialist elements to their policies. The Nazis promised jobs and a fairer share of national wealth. Hitler added ‘Socialist’ to the title of the party in an attempt to give it a broader appeal.

Foreign Policies The Nazis had an aggressive foreign policy, designed to restore Germany’s power. They promised to overturn Versailles, re-arm, and create a ‘Grossdeutschland’ incorporating all German-speaking peoples into the Reich. These ideas were popular with most Germans. The Nazis promised to achieve Lebensraum ie the expansion of German territory as far east as the Ural Mountains in Soviet Russia, in order to ensure the Reich had all the resources it needed for self-sufficiency (or autarky), such as oil, minerals and grain.

Racial Policies Nazi racial policies appealed to many like- minded Germans. The Nazis promised to get the ‘bank Jews’ off the back of hard-working ordinary Germans, e.g. farmers, shop-keepers, and small businessmen. Anti-Semitism was common in Germany at the time, but not widespread enough to make this a major vote winner for the Nazis.

Propaganda and Funding The backing of wealthy businessmen such as Alfred Hugenburg was crucial in Nazi electoral success. Hugenburg also owned several newspapers and a chain of cinemas, which helped publicise the Nazi message. Nazi propaganda was also very effective in getting the Nazi message across to the electorate.

Appealed to all social classes Because of all of these policies and ideas the Nazis did have broad appeal. Wealthy landowners and army officers desired a ‘Kaiser figure’ and therefore the Fuhrer Principle was appealing. These people also supported the Nazis anti- communist stance, as did the middle-classes. Many of the working classes also supported the Nazis. The KPD did well in towns, but the Nazis did better in rural areas.