The aftermath of the era led to the , which established international legal precedents for "crimes against humanity." Today, Germany maintains strict laws against the use of Nazi symbols and the denial of the Holocaust as part of its commitment to Vergangenheitsbewältigung (the process of coming to terms with the past).

The regime was built on the foundations of extreme nationalism, antisemitism, and racial hierarchy. It promoted the concept of the "Aryan master race" and sought Lebensraum (living space) through territorial expansion.

Following the economic instability of the Weimar Republic and the Great Depression, the Nazi Party gained support through nationalistic propaganda. Hitler was appointed Chancellor in January 1933 and quickly moved to dismantle democratic institutions.