What was going on in Germany before and when Hitler was in power?

That would require a very lenghthy answer, so I would suggest that you read, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

Before the rise of Hitler

Despite the Treaty of Versailles, reparations and all that, and despite hyperinflation (stabilized late in 1923) the republic established in Germany in 1918-19 was quite successful for a while - against all the odds. In 1928 the Nazis won only 12 out of about 600 seats in the Reichstag and Hitler was widely regarded as a funny little man who ranted and raved like crazy in public!

However, the German economy was more exposed to short term borrowing than any other in Europe in the 1920s, and the effects of the Great Depression caused an almost permanent political crisis from 1930 onwards. In the course of this crisis the country was largely ruled by emergency powers (decrees) and gradually drifted towards political extremism. By late 1932 most politicians felt that the political structures were deadlocked and that something drastic had to happen to continue the process of government. On the advice of the German Nationalists (the DNVP) and some others, President Hindenburg invited Hitler to form a coalition government of Nationalists and Nazis. Within a few weeks Hitler established a dictatorship (March 1933) and two months later Germany became a one-party state.

History is of course written with benefit of hindsight. Although this has advantages it can often distort. It would be wrong to regard the whole period of the Weimar Republic as one long build-up to Nazi rule.

First answer by Shane Hawes. Last edit by Joncey. Contributor trust: 1489 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 246 [recommend question]