Let’s step away from religion for a moment and talk about the repercussions of World War I. After the destruction of Europe and the deaths of millions, the blame for WWI was ultimately laid on Germany. The Versailles Treaty laid out what was expected from all countries involved, but specifically singled out Germany with what they considered to be especially harsh punishments. As part of the agreement, Germany was to denounce Kaiser Wilhelm and take on a new democratic government. German nationalists -who even before WWI believed in a strong cohesive Germany -saw this acceptance of the treaty as a cop out that would have a devastating effect on Germany as a whole. Another part of the treaty demanded that Germany pay back 33 billion dollars plus interest in reparation payments to help rebuild Europe. Germany was hit by a major financial crisis. Partly because of the devastation caused by WWI, but also because Germany purposefully ruined its economy as a means of not paying reparations.

They began overprinting their money and stopped exporting goods. There are many photos of children playing with stacks of money and women burning it to stay warm during the winter. While it is seemingly clear for us to see that the economic crisis was fueled by the German government and the outcomes of the war, many Germans in fringe political groups - including a young Adolf Hitler - began to lay the blame on socialists, communists, capitalists, and Jews. It was through the suffering of the middle and working classes during this economic decline that allowed for Hitler and the Nazi Party to gain traction.  

The beginning of the fall of the Weimar Republic can be marked by Hitler’s appointment to Chancellor of Germany. Hitler and the Nazi’s platform was built on German excellency. They sought to release Germany from any dependence on outside entities industrially or financially. This necessitated the elimination of anyone who stood in the way of the Nazi party. This started with political oppositions and soon snowballed into the tragedy of the Holocaust we all know.