the S.S. By 1929, as a result of their organization and discipline, the Nazis became an important minority party. It was then that Hitler began to assemble some of the people that would help him rise to power. This select group included Joseph Goebbels, chief Nazi propagandist; Hermann Goering, Hitler's second in command; Rudolf Hess, Hitler's faithful secretary; and Heinrich Himmler, leader of the S.S. The outbreak of the Great Depression put the Nazis in center stage of German politics. Unemployment was widespread, food was scarce and inflation soared. The Nazis offered to change all this. In 1932, five major elections were held in Germany as its leaders struggled to give the nation political stability. In the elections for the Reichstag, the Nazis became Germany's strongest political party. As leader of the strongest political party, Hitler was able to manipulate Germany's president, Paul von Hindenburg, to appoint him as chancellor. Soon Hitler was able to consolidate the presidential and chancellorial offices. From here he became unstoppable....
