"The Nazi Seizure of Power: The Experience of a German Town" shows how the Nazi dictatorship deftly used propaganda to circumvent democracy and seize power.
Drawing on local newspapers, periodicals, reports, budget information, crime statistics, interviews with those involved, and legal records, William Sheridan Allen dissects the German town of Northeim. With a microscope-like eye, he precisely portrays the transformation of a sleepy town into a Nazi stronghold.
In this powerful analysis, Allen argues that the widely held view that Hitler came to power at the national level is a misconception. On the contrary, the Third Reich would never have emerged without fervent supporters at the local level.
Allen's research shows how the Nazis exploited the public's vulnerabilities with sharp, sophisticated propaganda. This book is therefore not only a study of history, but also of human nature.
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