How did the Great Depression help Hitler rise to power?

Before the Great Depression struck, Hitler was a minor figure in German politics. In 1924, for example, the Nazi party won only 3% of the German parliamentary elections. By 1932, support for the Nazis had grown substantially, increasing their vote share to 33%. (See the reference link provided).

Although the stock market crashed in America, the Great Depression had major consequences for the German economy. Unemployment rose so high that six million Germans found themselves...

Before the Great Depression struck, Hitler was a minor figure in German politics. In 1924, for example, the Nazi party won only 3% of the German parliamentary elections. By 1932, support for the Nazis had grown substantially, increasing their vote share to 33%. (See the reference link provided).

Although the stock market crashed in America, the Great Depression had major consequences for the German economy. Unemployment rose so high that six million Germans found themselves out of work, mainly as a result of the decline in productivity.  Moreover, inflation rose significantly and drove up prices, making it difficult for German families to make ends meet.

As an attempt to alleviate the situation, Chancellor Bruning proposed measures to alleviate the situation. These included a cut to government spending and a drop in unemployment pay. Nobody would agree to such measures, so President Hindenburg invoked Article 48 to force them through without parliamentary approval. This caused a national outcry, prompting many Germans to flock to other, less mainstream political parties. For some, the answer lay in Communism, prompting many of Germany's businessmen to donate money to Hitler's political campaign. This boost in finances enabled Hitler to raise his profile.

In addition, the economic chaos of the Great Depression caused many Germans to blame the Treaty of Versailles, particularly the reparations, for Germany's economic woes. Hitler publicly shared this view and gave many persuasive speeches in which he blamed the treaty for Germany's problems and outlined his vision of a new future for Germany, one in which the Treaty of Versailles, and its reparations, did not feature.