5. Collapse of the Weimar Republic Flashcards
When did the Wall Street Crash occur?
October 1929
What were the main consequences of the Wall Street Crash?
- Unemployment rose
- Prices fell
- Foreign Trade fell
How many Germans were unemployed in 1932?
6 million people were unemployed
What did falling prices lead to?
led to a lack of investment and lower wages
What did the government do as a reaction to the crash?
Cut public spending
Which welfare spending got cut to one-third?
War victims pensions
Why did the March 1930 SDP collapse?
They could not agree on welfare cuts
Why could the Reichsbank not print more money?
They were restricted by the Dawes and Young Plans
How many people were unemployed in 1932
6 million
How many in three Germans were unemployed by 1933?
1 in 3
What did the Government do to try and solve the 1929 crisis?
reduce public spending
What did a reduction of public spending mean?
less spending on
- Infrastructure
- public services
- One-third reduction in war victims pensions
How did the coalitions make solving the crisis more difficult?
They could not agree on which approach the government should take
Why did the Government not intervene more in 1929?
They feared that intervention would lead to hyperinflation
How were the governments actions limited in 1929?
They were restricted by outside groups
Why would foreign investors not invest in German businesses?
They did not trust the currency
What year were reparation payments suspended for a year?
1931
What are protectionist policies?
When a government prioritises products from its own country over imports
How is Protectionism carried out?
Using import taxes
How did Protectionism work?
- Helped German companies hire or retain staff
How did Protectionism not work?
retaliatory policies where foreign countries did the same to Germany thus reducing the exports.
Germans had to pay higher for certain products
Why did many people loose faith in democracy by 1930 ?
Unemployment and huge falling wages
How many elections took place during the depression.
5
From 1928 to 1932 how much did unemployment rise?
from 1.25 million to 5.75 million
From 1928 to 1932 how much did the Nazi vote grow?
1 million to 11 million
From 1928 to 1932 how much did the KPD vote grow?
3.2 million to 6 million
What did the Communists pledge to do in 1930?
Take control of businesses and factories to create work for Germans
How did the Nazis portray Hitler in the 1930s?
As the only man who could save Germany
Why could Parliamentary democracy no longer function?
Due to the huge increase in anti-democracy parties sat in the Reichstag
Which four men held the chancellorship between 1929 and 1933
Muller
Bruning
Von Papen
Von Schleicher
What party did Muller belong to ?
Social Democrats
How long did Muller lead the government?
Almost 2 years
What hindered Muller the most ?
- Economic crisis
- Hindenburg trying to replace him
Why did Muller resign ?
Hindenburg refused to use Article 48 to help him
What type of coalition did Muller have ?
5 party with a working majority
When did Bruning become Chancellor?
March 1930
Where was Brunings government on the political scale?
Centre-right
Which party was not apart of Brunings government?
SPD
What was Brunings biggest flaw?
He relied heavily on Article 48
Why did Brüning call the 1930 elections?
Because he thought it would win him and his policies more support
What were Brüning s economic policies ?
- Public works
- reducing spending
- tax rises
What were Brünings foreign policies?
- reperation suspended
- demanded change to rearmament
What did Bruning do in 1932 to the Nazis?
He banned the SA
Why did Bruning resign in may 1932?
Hindenburg refuse to back him in his plan to distribute spare land to unemployed
When did Von Papen become Chancellor?
June 1932
What party did Papen belong to ?
Centre and then independent
Who persuaded Hindenburg to appoint the Chancellor?
Von Schleicher
What role did Schleicher have in Papens cabinet?
Defence Minister
Who sat in papers cabinet?
Germany’s elite and not members of the Reichstag
When did Papen lift the ban on the SA?
July 1932
What did Papen lead against the Prussian government?
A coup using Article 48
When did Hitler become Chancellor
1933
What was the Nazi vote in each year leading up to 1933?
1924 December - Lost 3% 1928 May - 2.6% 1930 September - 18.3% 1932 July - 37.3% 1932 November - 33.1% 1933 March - 43.9%
How can we track Nazis votes with the economic status of Germany?
In times of economic strife Hitlers simple message and solutions gained the nazis favour which then declined as the economy imporved
What did the Communists do that helped Hindenburg win?
They did not back his largest opposition Willhelm Marx
How old was Hindenburg in March 1932?
84
Why did Hindenburg re-run for president?
He was opposed to seeing Hitler win
How did the presidential election help Hitler?
It increased his public awareness and helped gain the Nazis greater success
Who originally led the Nazi Party?
Anton Drexler
What does the NSDAPs decline in support in 1924 show us
That Hitler was important to the party
What is Fuhrerprinzip?
The idea that democracy cannot properly function so therefore a one party state with one strong leader was needed
How was Hitler a key part of propoganda?
- He designed the flag
- he created the salute
- he designed the SA brown uniform
- Hitler Myth
Who was the propaganda chief?
Joseph Goebbles
Who were the Nazis organised by ?
Gregor Strasser
How were local areas organised?
Into Games and organised under a Gauleiter
What were the Nazis main social policies?
- Lebensraum
- Volksgemeinschaft
- end of the treaty of Versailles
- Anti-Semitism and communism
Why did the unemployed start to support the nazis ?
They ran soup kitchens and organised food parcels
How did the Nazis win support through the media?
- radio adverts
- cinema adverts
- Plane
- Leaflets
- Posters
What did the Nazis call themselves?
Bewegung (movement)
How many members did the SA have in 1933?
500,000
What was the SA’s main role?
Engage in marches
Distribute leaflets
Violent confrontations
Who led the SA?
Ernst Rohm
When did Hitler become Chancellor ?
January 1933
How many Germans were members of the Nazi Party by 1933?
719,446
Who were the Nazi parties bourgeoisie?
The middle class
How did the Nazi support from the middle class reflect on Communism?
It showed there was still a massive fear of it
What religion were Nazi members more likely to be a part of ?
Protestants
Who were slightly more likely to vote for the Nazis, men or women?
Women
Who were slightly more likely to vote for the Nazis, older or younger people?
Younger people
How were mothers targeted with Nazi propaganda?
They were encouraged to believe that only Hitler could provide them protection, as well as fears of sexual exploitation of girls
How were workers targeted by Nazi propaganda?
Work and bread
How were the middle-class targeted by Nazi propaganda?
anti-Communism slogans as well as committing to low taxes and economic prosperity
How did Brüning help the Nazi Party?
- he relied on Article 48
- Calling early elections
- Economic policies
How did Papen help the Nazi Party?
- He didn’t have members of the Reichstag in his cabinet
- Lifted the ban on SA
- calling early elections
- taking control of the Prussian state government
- the lefts lack of opposition
How did Schleicher help the Nazis rise to power?
- removal of Brüning and Papen
- angered the elite
- wanting to hold early elections
Which of Schleichers policy did Hitler get the credit for?
Public works programme
What would have happened if Schleicher had agreed to a longer recess?
Lifted some pressure off of him and left him in a stringer position especially with the president
How did Hindenburg help the Nazis rise to power?
- Presidential decrees
- Underestimating Hitler
- Believing he could control Hitler
- Old age
How did Hindenburg view Hitler
As a ‘bohemian Corporal’
Why did Hindenburg appoint Hitler as chancellor?
Because he believed Hitler would have to work with the German elite and reign in his extreme instincts
What is the politics of intrigue?
This means plots and secret deals aided the Nazis, by individuals or groups
When did Papen and Schleicher first meet?
The Prussian Military academy
Why was Papen removed from Chancellorship?
He called for Hindenburg to dissolve the Reichstag and not call new elections, but Schleicher believed this would lead the country to civil war, so encouraged Hindenburg to remove him from power
How did Schleicher help Hitler into power?
He argued against Papen instead of Hitler because he believed that Papen had stabbed him in the back and not Hitler
Who were Hindenburg’s Camarilla?
The group of heavily important men that influenced him and all his decisions, contain his son Oskar
How did Germany’s elite help bring Hitler into power?
They influenced Hindenburg
When did Hitler become Chancellor?
30 January 1933
What did Papen claim about Hitler when he was appointed vice-chancellor in 1933?
“we’ve hired him”
Why did Hitler want Hindenburg to hold early elections?
He believed the Nazis would become more powerful and he would not have to have a coalition
