3.1 RISE OF HITLER (Hitler's Germany)

Question 1

REASONS FOR HITLER’S RISE TO POWER

Answer 1

1. WEAKNESS OF WEIMAR GOV
2. GREAT DEPRESSION
3. HITLER’S OWN ABILITIES

Question 2

WEAKNESS OF WEIMAR GOV

Answer 2

1. CONSTITUTION AND PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
2. WEAK SUPPORT
3. HYPERINFLATION
4. GREAT DEPRESSION 1929

Question 3

HITLER’S ABILITIES

Answer 3

1. HITLER’S PROMISES
2. CHARISMA ORATORICAL SKILLS
3. REORGANISATION OF NAZI PARTY
4. EXPLOTATION OF FEARS OF COMMUNISM
5. SKILLFULNESS AT MAKING DEALS WITH POLITICIANS

Question 4

Weakness of Weimar Gov
CONSTITUTION AND PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Answer 4

1. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
2. COALITION GOVERNMENT
3. STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS

Question 5

Constitution and Proportional representation
COALITION GOVERNMENT

Answer 5

• HIGH DEGREE OF FRAGMENTATION WITHIN THE GOV
• COALITION GOVERNMENT KEPT BREAKING UP
• FREQUENT CHANGES IN GOV
  20 Different coalition Governments from 1919 to 1933

Question 6

Constitution and Proportional representation
STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS

Answer 6

ARTICLE 48
PRESIDENT RULE BY DECREE FOR 6 MONTHS “ IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY” WITHOUT HAVING TO CONSULT REICHSTAG OR CHANCELLOR

Question 7

Weakness of Weimar Gov
WEAK SUPPORT FOR WEIMAR GOV

Answer 7

• LEFT WING OPPOSITION
  Jun 1919 Spartacist Rebellion in Berlin
• 1920 Freikorps, Army and Police ruthlessly crushed communist rebellion in Ruhr
  RIGHT WING OPPOSITION
  1920 Kapp Putsch
• to overthrow Weimar Gov
• ended by general strike by trade unions in Berlin

Question 8

Weakness of Weimar Gov
HYPERINFLATION

Answer 8

Dec 1922 - Germany failed to make payment, France Belgium invaded Ruhr industrial region
Jan 1923 - seized mines factories as reparation
- adopted policy of non-cooperation
> workers on strike - nothing for them to take
> Gov responded by printing more money
MORE MONEY > VALUE DECREASE > PRICES SPIRALLED OUT OF CONTROL > HYPERINFLATION

Question 9

Weakness of Weimar Gov
GREAT DEPRESSION 1929

Answer 9

1932 - 6 million people 1/3 of working population unemployed
- political crisis
1930 onwards no Gov had enough support in the Reichstag to pass laws
- public wanted more decisive action > decline in support for parties with moderate opinions
RISE IN SUPPORT FOR EXTREME PARTIES

Question 10

Hitler’s abilities
HITLER’S PROMISES

Answer 10

• NAZI IDEOLOGY
  25 Point programme published in Feb 1920
• ABOLISH TOV > RESTORE GERMAN GREATNESS
• ALLOWING ONLY TRUE GERMANS TO LIVE IN GERMANY
• ESTABLISHING STRONG CENTRAL GOV (solve economic problems)
  HITLER AGAINST SOCIALISTIC IDEAS (POPULAR AFTER WW1)
  renamed party National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP)
  > National before socialist > equality only for those who had German blood

Question 11

Hitler’s abilities
REORGANISATION OF NAZI PARTY

Answer 11

• NAZI YOUTH
• Storm Troopers SA (Sturmabteilung) PARAMILITARY ORGANISATION
• Defence Corps (Schultz - Staffel) PERSONAL BODYGUARD
  YOUTH ORGANISATIONS > HITLER YOUTH 1920 AND HAD 100,000 IN 1923

Question 12

Hitler’s abilities
EXPLOTATION OF FEARS OF COMMUNISM

Answer 12

1928 ELECTION
Communist Party won 4x vote of Nazi Party
- FARMERS BUISNESSMAN FELT THREATENED LIVELIHOODS AFFECTED
- PROMISED TO HELP THEM ONCE GOT INTO POWER > GAIN POPULARITY AND SUPPORT
FARMERS FEARED COLLECTIVISATION
BUISNESSMAN FEARED GOV WOULD TAKE OVER THEIR BUISNESS

Question 13

Hitler’s abilities
SKILLFULNESS AT MAKING DEALS WITH POLITICIANS

Answer 13

HITLER GOOD POLITICAL STRATEGIST
Jul 1932 Nazi won most votes in the Reichstag
- HITLER WANTED CHANCELLOR, HINDENBURG DISTRUST HIM
> ALLOWED CONSERVATIVE FRANZ VON PAPEN CONTINUE AS CHANCELLOR (lacked Reichstag support)
Nov 1932 Nazi support drop by 2 million votes in November elections lost 34 seats in Reichstag
- REALISED UNLIKELY TO GAIN POWER THROUGH ELECTIONS
Dec 1932 Kurt Von Schleicher chosen to be chancellor but also lacked Reichstag support
Jan 1933 Invited Hitler to be chancellor
- THOUGHT HE COULD GET REICHSTAG SUPPORT