I think that the growth of communism was a far greater
asset to the growth of National Socialism than unemployment. A number of communist
agitators, such as Rosa Luxembourg were a threat to the Weimar Republic. Most of
Hitler's rhetoric was directed at the presumed Communist threat. The fire which
destroyed the Reichstag was blamed (correctly) on a communist agitator, and allowed
Hitler to insist on implementation of the Constitutional provision for rule by
decree.
Although unemployment was a major problem, the
National Socialists spoke more against the Communist threat led by international Jewry
(since many Communist agitators were Jewish) than anything else. Propaganda was also a
major element, as it was used to recall the days of German glory which they promised to
restore. They considered the Communists as a threat to this German nationalism, since
Communism promoted an international rather than a nationalist
theme.
Incidentally, "Nazi" was a pejorative term. The
correct term--and the term which they called themselves--was "National
Socialist."
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