With the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and the end of World War I (WWI) the previous year, Germany was not only held almost entirely responsible for the war, but the country was required to pay reparations for the damages in Europe. The treaty also required that Germany hand over quite a bit of land and territory to surrounding countries. German citizens were angry, became desperate for relief and were disillusioned of the promises that the current government was trying to sell them. An alternative was needed, and it came in the form of fascism.
