Interview: Historian sees parallels to 1933: "There is a feeling that democratic parties can't manage it anymore"
Andrea Schneider-Braunberger researched how close the economy was to the NSDAP. How did opportunism lead to participation? And what can entrepreneurs learn from this today?
Historian Frau Schneider-Braunberger notes that there are parallels between today's uncertain economic times and those of 100 years ago. While the current situation is not as dire as the 1929 global economic crisis, wealth losses are still being felt, leading to societal divisions. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, like the Nazi Party (NSDAP) before it, references non-democratic ideologies, sparking concerns about its impact on democracy.
Schneider-Braunberger warns that entrepreneurs must take responsibility for supporting democracy and not assume they can remain neutral in times of crisis. She cites examples of entrepreneurs who supported the NSDAP, including Fritz Thyssen and Friedrich Flick, and notes that while some did so for ideological reasons, others were motivated by economic interests.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
