ABSTRACT
Whatever its social and economic implications, the problem of unemployment in Germany in the recession and recovery years from 1929 to 1936 was closely bound up with German politics. It was against a background of rapidly rising unemployment that the Nazi Party became a major electoral force. Although it was by no means clear quite how a National Socialist government would tackle unemployment when it came to power in January 1933, there was no doubt in the minds of Germany's new leaders that their own political survival was bound up with the success or otherwise of the 'Battle for Work'. Economic recovery would only occur, Hitler argued, 'if measures are taken again and again with energetic attacks and fanatical tenacity against unemployment'. 1 From 1930 Nazi leaders saw unemployment as a key political issue, to be solved by 'general labour service' and 'general conscription' or by public works; and they feared the effects on Nazi electoral prospects if unemployment were solved by the other parties. 2 The crisis of unemployment was a key plank in the Nazis' growing attacks on the Weimar governments in 1931 and 1932. But having made much of the failure of the 'party state' to solve the question, the Nazis put themselves in the position in January 1933 of having to make good their promise to provide bread and work.
