Consider the origins of the NSDAP and its 25 point programme when responding to this question.
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6 Responses to “How much did Nazism tap into existing prejudice and previous racial thought?”
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Very few of the views and ideas held by the Nazis were original to them. Anti-Semitism was part of the generally accepted teachings of many right winged political parties. For example the Pan-German nationalists held strong Anti-Semitic views, which the Nazis then took on and brought the views into public acceptance. Because Hitler was so driven to make a mark on a group he was forceful in making it a big success, and a very popular group. As a result of this drive, the party became extremely popular; nobody saw it as a radical change as it drew on so many already existing political beliefs, therefore converting to the Nazi party did not seem like a huge switch.
I agree with Katie, Chloe and Olivia- nothing the Nazi’s stood for was original because they’d taken ideas from other extreme right-wing political parties which were based on previous prejudices and racial thought including the Pan-German Nationalists (nationalism and antisemitism), the Christian Socialists (political tactics and targeting vulnerable groups) and the Social Democrats (using propaganda effectively).
Apparently Jews weren’t liked very much because they were publicised as money-grabbers through propaganda, purposely over-charging on goods that weren’t necessarily suitable for sale (i.e- faulty). According to my Grandma who was alive in Germany during this time, there was no specific hatred for Jews until Hitler rose to power. She did say, however, that before Hitler came to power Jews were seen as very different in every way including religion which did slightly outcast them and they had trouble accepting them because of this.
Anti-Semitism had existed in Germany for years because of the stereotypes that were given to them. It was just something that lingered in German minds but they never considered taking their annoyance or hatred any further than just labelling them. Nazism just blew anti-Semitism out of proportion using propaganda to make Germans believe that the Jews were an actual problem and a threat to society.
Before the NSDAP came to power, there were still anti-semitic feelings amongst the German people. This excluded those who lived in the vicinity of Jewish people. There was no specific and active prejudism against the Jews, until the Nazis came into power.
The NSDAP used propaganda to create widespread and active anti-semitic views on Jews. The German people were forcefed such views until they accepted that Jews were inferior. This meant that the proceeding racial cleansing had very few resistances from the German people.
the nazis did not only encourage anti semitism but also other discriminatory beliefs as victims to the holocaust included, gypsys homosexuals and political enemies were also victim to the nazis c..c..c..crazy religious views and death camps
Lots of excellent points have been made here. It is clear that the Nazis offered nothing radically new as far as each individual aspect of their programme was concerned but that as a package it appeared as something radically new and different, particularly when promoted and led by Hitler and other leading Nazis such as Goebbels.