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[cupofidiot]

When the treaty of Versailles was finally signed on the 28th June 1919 it impacted Germany in many different ways such as Germany's armed forces being greatly downsized and having to take on war guilt. But some could argue the most influential penalty the Weimar Republic faced was the colossal war reparations.

These Reperations strained the German economy massively until around 1924 where some recovery was seen. Of course to many off the German people the Weimar Republic seemed like a shadow of its former glory and were bitter towards the French, British and their own leaders in the Reichstag.

At the turn of the decade in 1929 the world faced the Walstreet crash which threw the world into economic dismay. As the Prussian Dimplomat Wenzel Furst von Metternich said "When America sneezes the world catches the cold" I think we all know the story from here, The National Socialist party rises to power with Hitler taking over.

Now comes the dilemma. Hitler made the promise of work and bread to the German people among many other things and he did manage to deliver by implementing a national labour service. Of course throughout this entire process He has been unbelievably antisemitic with the Numembourg laws. Jews can no longer marry and must be sexually sterilised. Jewish children cannot go to most schools. And later during Krystallnacht Jewish businesses and synagogues are horrifically destroyed.

Now let's put ourselves into the shoes of an 'Aryan' German during 1937-1939 (by using that term I am in no way trying to state that it exists. It was a race completely made up by Adolf Hitler) You have just watched the succesful Jewish butchers down the road get closed. You know it's because of the new government but you can just go somewhere else. This government has brought us work and food. They fixed the roads and the economy. Is there really a point in speaking up?

Your neighbours are completely enthralled with Hitler and his speeches. Their children are in the Hitler youth. "If you speak against the government you will be made an outcast or maybe worse. The pros just outweigh the cons"

This doesn't make these people bad or inherently evil. It just shows how desperate things were for Germany in the early 20s and that the treaty of Versailles was much too harsh.

This unfortunately is one massive step that brought Hitler to power. He picked out a group small enough to not effect too many when criminalised but large enough to make an impact.

In the end he was defeated by the might of the East and dedication and spirit of the West. He tragically took the lives of 36 million, soldier and civilian. His mark will forever be mourned and remembered forever. Lest we never let anybody repeat what he did again