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he lived with becoming modesty in a few rooms of the chancellery,using the public taxi instead of an imposing limousine, conductedhimself with exacting frugality as an example of high citizenship ina period that called for sacrifices from, everyone, and gave numerousexhibitions of his purity and strength of character. He of coursebelieved that he could save Germany from the danger that hungover her. Yet in the end the desperate measure he adopted merelymade the oncoming absolutism easier.Bruening attempted to call Germany away from the madness ofthe policies she had been pursuing. By 1930 the country was launchedfull upon a depression. Unemployment, which was 2,000,000 in1929, rose to 3,000,000 in 1930 and would be 6,000,000 in two years.Germany could no longer borrow abroad and the central governmentcould no longer borrow at home. Tax revenues declined everywhere.He told Germany she was pursuing an impossible course. Her greatexternal debt required that she should build her export trade. Yetevery policy pursued was in the direction of raising prices and laborcosts. Desirable as higher wages and good prices were, they had theeffect of destroying Germany's foreign trade at the same time thatthe state had stabilized the mark at prewar levels. He told Germansthey must sacrifice. Yet what chance had this grim counsel, built onreality, against the irresponsible promises of Hitler who, while denouncingthe debt policies of the republic, told Germans he wouldgive them security from the cradle to the grave and ensure to themthe good life? When in power he would establish systems of compulsorycivil service which would find jobs for millions. He promisedto build 400,000 houses a year. He held up the vision of a greatprogram of road, street, sidewalk, swimming-pool, and public-edificebuilding along with painting, plastering, and repairing on a vast scale.Hitler had no notion how he would do this save by pursuing thevery policy he denounced—borrowing and spending. Bruening'spolicy enraged the Social Democrats, the farmers, the small businessmen—allof that population poisoned by the privations of the depression,the past benefices of the republican ministries, and thehopelessness of more years of sacrifice. In the end he was dismissedby Hindenburg through the machinations of General von Schleicherand Von Papen, and Von Papen was made Chancellor. Von Papen was145