Hitler's Rise: Austrian To German Leader

Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933, despite being Austrian. He had the support of the German officer class and millions of everyday citizens who voted for the Nazi Party. Hitler's invasion of Poland in 1939 triggered the European phase of World War II.

Hitler's appointment as Chancellor of Germany in 1933

Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in January 1933. This came after a series of electoral victories by the Nazi Party.

Hitler was Austrian by birth, born in Braunau am Inn. He had spent the two days prior to his appointment in his birth town, before making a triumphal entry into Vienna and giving a speech in front of tens of thousands of people. In the speech, he boasted of his "greatest accomplishment", saying: "As leader and chancellor of the German nation and Reich I announce to German history now the entry of my homeland into the German Reich."

Hitler had the active support of the powerful German officer class and of millions of everyday citizens who voted for the National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party. They hailed him as a national saviour in gigantic stadium rallies. As chancellor, he fully intended to bring about an Austro-German union. However, Germany was not immediately militarily and diplomatically ready to carry out Hitler's foreign policy goals. First, Hitler and other Nazi leaders focused on establishing a Nazi dictatorship. Behind the scenes, the Nazi leadership began planning territorial expansion and a European war almost as soon as they took power.

Hitler planned to achieve power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party. But, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Austrian Nazi Party was weak, divided, and ineffective.

The Nazi Party's electoral victories

Hitler's popularity was bolstered by the support of millions of everyday citizens who voted for the Nazi Party and hailed him as a national saviour in stadium rallies. He also had the backing of powerful German officers. As chancellor, Hitler fully intended to bring about an Austro-German union, but Germany was not yet ready to carry out his foreign policy goals. Instead, Hitler and other Nazi leaders focused on establishing a Nazi dictatorship, planning territorial expansion and a European war.

Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, triggered the European phase of World War II. During the course of the war, Nazi military forces rounded up and executed 11 million victims they deemed inferior or undesirable, including Jews, Slavs, homosexuals, and Jehovah's Witnesses.

On March 15, 1939, Hitler made a triumphal entry into Vienna, his birthplace, and gave a speech in front of tens of thousands of cheering people. He boasted of his "greatest accomplishment" in uniting Germany and his homeland, Austria, into the German Reich.

Hitler's plans for an Austro-German union

Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933, following a series of electoral victories by the Nazi Party. He had the active support of the powerful German officer class and of millions of everyday citizens who voted for the National Socialist German Workers’ (Nazi) Party and hailed him as a national saviour in gigantic stadium rallies.

Hitler fully intended to bring about an Austro-German union. However, Germany was not immediately militarily and diplomatically ready to carry out Hitler’s foreign policy goals. First, Hitler and other Nazi leaders focused on establishing a Nazi dictatorship. Behind the scenes, however, the Nazi leadership began planning territorial expansion and a European war almost as soon as they took power.

Hitler planned to achieve power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party. But, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Austrian Nazi Party was weak, divided, and ineffective. On 15 March, Hitler made a triumphal entry into Vienna and gave a speech in front of tens of thousands of cheering people, in which he boasted of his "greatest accomplishment": "As leader and chancellor of the German nation and Reich I announce to German history now the entry of my homeland into the German Reich." Ernst Kaltenbrunner from Upper Austria was promoted SS-Brigadeführer and the leader of the SS-upper section Austria. Beginning on 12 March and during the subsequent weeks 72,000 people were arrested, primarily in Vienna, among them politicians of the First Republic, intellectuals and above all Jews.

The Austrian Nazi Party's weakness in the 1920s and 1930s

In January 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Hitler was Austrian, but he intended to bring about an Austro-German union. However, the Austrian Nazi Party was weak, divided, and ineffective in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Hitler's rise to power was facilitated by the support of the powerful German officer class and millions of everyday citizens who voted for the National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party. They hailed him as a national saviour in gigantic stadium rallies. Once in power, Hitler smashed the nation's democratic institutions and transformed Germany into a war state intent on conquering Europe for the benefit of the so-called Aryan race.

Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, triggered the European phase of World War II. During the course of the war, Nazi military forces rounded up and executed 11 million victims they deemed inferior or undesirable, including Jews, Slavs, homosexuals, and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Hitler's rise to power and subsequent actions as Führer could not have been achieved without the support of the German people and military. However, the Austrian Nazi Party's weakness in the 1920s and 1930s hindered Hitler's initial plans for an Austro-German union.

Hitler's rise to power with the support of the German officer class and millions of citizens

Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933, following a series of electoral victories by the Nazi Party. Hitler had the active support of the powerful German officer class and millions of everyday citizens who voted for the National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party.

Hitler's rise to power was also facilitated by the weakness of the Weimar Republic, which was struggling with economic and political crises. The Nazi Party capitalised on these crises, exploiting fears of communism and promising national renewal. Hitler's charismatic leadership and populist rhetoric resonated with many Germans, who saw him as a strong leader capable of restoring Germany's greatness.

Hitler's ability to smash the nation's democratic institutions and transform Germany into a war state intent on conquering Europe was also due to the support he received from the German officer class. They provided him with the military might necessary to carry out his expansionist agenda.

Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, triggered the European phase of World War II. During the course of the war, Nazi military forces rounded up and executed 11 million victims they deemed inferior or undesirable, including Jews, Slavs, homosexuals, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Hitler's genocidal policies were enabled by the complicity and active participation of many Germans, who hailed him as a national saviour.

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