"Spanish Flu of 1918 Helped 독 Hitler's Rise to Power"

Regions Severely Affected by the Spanish Flu Coincide with Areas of High Nazi Support
Pandemics Increase Xenophobia
COVID-19 Could Be an Opportunity for Far-Right Expansion

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] An analysis has emerged suggesting that the Spanish flu, which struck the world in 1918, helped the rise to power of the Nazis, the culprits of World War II. The stronger the Nazi support in German regions, the greater the damage caused by the Spanish flu.

According to a paper released on the 6th (local time) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the regions with high mortality during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic correspond to the areas where the far-right Nazi party later gained strong support in Germany.

The study states that between 1918 and 1920, 287,000 people died from the Spanish flu in Germany. The regions with high death tolls at that time matched the areas where the Nazis received high voter support in the 1932 and 1933 elections.

Regarding why the Spanish flu influenced Nazi vote shares, the researchers pointed to a connection with xenophobic sentiments. Germans who experienced the Spanish flu came to believe that foreigners were responsible for spreading the flu, and this tendency led to support for far-right parties advocating exclusion of foreigners.

The researchers explained, "The Spanish flu from 1918 to 1920 infected the young generation at the time, affecting the population structure," adding, "In addition to the impact of the war, the Spanish flu changed attitudes toward society." They particularly noted, "Because the flu virus was thought to have originated from abroad, anger toward foreigners, who were blamed for the pandemic, likely grew."

Changes in population structure due to the Spanish flu and xenophobia toward foreigners served as fertile ground for the Nazis to gain power later.

The salute posture of raising the right arm straight up above the shoulder line is a symbol of the Nazis.

CNBC reported that this study draws attention to the potential future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Already, xenophobia against Asians has occurred in the West. Such phenomena have been observed in Europe, Australia, and North America. Experts express concerns that xenophobia caused by COVID-19 could potentially lead to the rise of far-right forces.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.