Did German citizens originally support Hitler due to his charisma, and later out of fear?

Question

I posted a question a few hours back about an essay in which I have to compare and contrast Gandhi and Hitler, and explain how they make great/charismatic leaders.

Were Hitler's supporters loyal right throughout his rule - and by loyal I mean did they believe in him, and felt passionate about his cause the entire time? Or did it eventually become driven by fear of punishment?

I might also throw in this question too - was Hitler supported fervently by the uneducated, educated, lower-class, and upper-class alike?

Thankyou so much :)

Answer 1

Actually the reason people supported him at first was because after the Depression, people where willingly ready to listen to anyone who gave them a scapegoat aswell as a solution, let's just say that the "Wiemar Republic" wasn't really respected as a government, since inflation became so bad that money was downright worthless......

As they say "When times are bad, people are willing to listen"

Answer 2

Hitler was not a "Charismatic" leader, as you state. He made the German people, drawn out by one war after the other, starvation and poverty, a offer that would bring them into the modern world.

         He made them promises that he knew he couldn't keep with peace.

          He promised them to get Austria back, the "Home" country taken by France and her allies. Then he promised to squash the Jews for taking the monies duly belonging to the German people and take the Banks back.

           He made promises in his Book, "Mien Kemp" while in jail. Things like the Volkswagen car, one for every family. He gave the German people what they wanted to hear. Then he just moved in with his henchmen from the prisons and jails. He took over silently and stealthily, then the Axe fell, on France, Poland, Austria and Italy. Whom ever didn't agree with him, were wiped out. But, "charisma" I don't think so. he was one to be highly feared.

Answer 3

Hitler started out as this really great guy who was committed to Germany and was committed to rebuilding Germany.  Later on though, he got crazy, and started "purifying the country"  and trying to become the sole ruler of the world.  He was supported by everyone until he showed his true colors.  That was after he was in office though, so by then it didn't matter who supported him, he was a dictator.  He brainwashed the whole country into believing that the holocaust was needed and that they were doing the right things.  The n***s as we know them grew up in this world, they didn't know anything else.  The older ones who did, thought that if they didn't kill them or brainwash them then they would be killed by someone else in a more brutal way.  They thought they were helping.  Eventually it probably came down to fear.

Answer 4

The people listened to Hitler because they had nothing, life wasn't worth living in Germany after ww1, no food, clothing,heating, basic commodities to live. Hitler came along giving the German people a scapegoat for their troubles, the Jews, he also gave them promises of food, jobs,housing, things the German people didn't have at that time. The n**i party started to get bigger, people started to pay attention to Hitler and the n***s, their supporters came from all walks of life, the butcher, baker, waiter, banker, engineer, company directors etc. Eventually the n***s took over and at the start they kept their promises, they built large Autobahns across Germany, creating jobs and building the economy, they also started building up their armament production, the people didn't know it but they where on their way to war. People only started to go against the n***s and Hitler towards the end of the war when things where going wrong for Germany, but Hitler had his loyal supporters right to the end, Josef and Magda Goebbals murdered their Children and then commited suicide in Hitler's bunker when the Russians where closing in because in their opinion "a world without National Socialism is not Worth living in".

Answer 5

Hitler was supported enthusiastically by most Germans.  They approved of his policies and joined eagerly in the persecution of the Jews and other groups.  Germans of all classes adored him.  Being educated was no barrier to admiring Hitler.  Plenty of foreigners (including British and, I daresay, Americans) approved of Hitler and his policies.

This is why I believe firmly in the doctrine of Original Sin.  We are all born with the capacity to embrace evil, and given the chance, we will indulge in all kinds of wickedness.

Answer 6

Hitler lied to the people of Germany, he made propaganda films about how well the Jewish prisoners were being treated.  They had no clue what was really going on.  My Dad's unit, at the end of WWII literally had to march an entire village of people past a huge hole in the ground filled with dead, emaciated, naked Jewish bodies, men, women, and children, before they would believe.  The support for him did dwindle as time wore on throughout the war.

Answer 7

The Economy was in shambles. Basically the whole country was down right poor from the first world war. Then Came this world war one vet with a new extremist solution. It was the Jews fault that the Economy was so bad, that your kid is starving, and that you cant feed him. And during desperate times, they listened. They had much love for the man at the start.

Then, as time went on, They began to fear him, but he had grown so powerful they could not oust him. His Soldier belived in him, mainly becuase of the brainwashing. His Higher up leaders tried to kill him a few times, all of which failed. They thought he had become to powerful. Thats why Hitler was so paranoid. Hitler, however, was a good economist, and built up the countries economy by bringing in jobs. Not that I agree with what he did, but He was a good economist.

Hope I helped.