The majority of the nazi party's initial supporters were simply fanatical right-wing people, but in time, as the support for the democratic government crumbled and the economic situation worsened, insolvent civil servants, business owners, farmers, angry socialist and communists, and others began to clamor to the party. By late February, the nazi party began to openly brutalize the opposing Communist and Socialist parties, though they had been doing so beneath the public's notice for years before. All other parties were immediately dissolved by the government, and laws were passed to prevent the creation of any new parties. The Enabling Act, passed March 23rd, 1933, "enabled" Hitler with doctoral powers, and by the end of the year, the nazi party controlled all of Germany indisputably.

The Rise to Power

A number of factors were the cause of the nazi party's rise to power. Foremost was likely the...