6 - The Wall Street Crash and growing support for the NSAP Flashcards
The Wall Street Crash
Share prices fell on the Wall Street stock exchange in New York.
The USA recalled their loans, and because Germany’s recovery depended on them, it fell into crisis.
Vicious cycle of economic decline - demand for goods fell and unemployment increased
Statistics for the impact of the Wall Street Crash on Germany
- 1931 German industrial output fell by 40%
- By 1933, 6.1 million people in Germany were unemployed
- 27% of the unemployed received no unemployment benefits at all
- 24% increase in arrests for theft in Berlin
- homelessness increased by 40%
What did Bruning do about the crisis?
- increased taxes
- decreased benefits
- right wing opposed higher taxes
- left wing opposed reduced benefite
What happened to the Reichstag as a result of the Wall Street Crash?
- by July 1930, the Reichstag had rejected Bruning’s policies
- met 94 times in 1930, met 13 times in 1932 = German people believed that democratic government was incapable of solving the crisis
What did Bruning do after the Reichstag rejected his policies in 1930?
- used Article 48 to pass emergency laws, undermining the Weimar system of democratic government
- only 5 presidential decrees in 1930
- by 1932, he had issued 66
- resigned in May 1932 = had lost control of the Reichstag and the economy and undermined the democratic system of government
Why did the Nazi Party grow in popularity following the Wall Street Crash in 1929? - the impact of the Wall Street Crash evidence
- US banks demanded loans be returned from Germany = collapse of the German economy. 6.1 million people unemployed, wages fell to 70% of previous levels
- weak response by Weimar government = Reichstag rejected Bruning’s proposals
Why did the Nazi Party grow in popularity following the Wall Street Crash in 1929? - the impact of the Wall Street Crash analysis
Times of economic crisis leads to growing support for extremist parties
Poor response of government = democracy too weak to deal with the crisis –> need ‘one strong leader’ = in line with Nazi views
Why did the Nazi Party grow in popularity following the Wall Street Crash in 1929? - the appeal of Hitler evidence
- good orator - starts quietly and becomes more passionate
- 1930-32 ‘Hitler over Germany’ campaign = personally flew to cities to speak
- propaganda focused on Hitler personally
presented him as a ‘messiah’ or saviour of Germany - promised to strengthen and rebuild - lots of people believed in the ‘Fuhrer Princizip’
Why did the Nazi Party grow in popularity following the Wall Street Crash in 1929? - the appeal of Hitler analysis
Persuade Germans that they need one strong leader as democracy was too weak
Support NSDAP as they believe that this is the only way to deal with the crisis
Engaging speaker so people want to listen
Why did the Nazi Party grow in popularity following the Wall Street Crash in 1929? - effective use of propaganda evidence
- short, targeted slogans to appeal to different groups - ‘Work and Bread’ for industrial areas, ‘Blood and Soil’ for rural areas
- blamed Germany’s problems on scapegoats e.g. Jews, Weimar politicians
Why did the Nazi Party grow in popularity following the Wall Street Crash in 1929? - effective use of propaganda analysis
Message could spread easily around Germany
Became a ‘catch-all’ party that appealed to everyone
Persuaded Germans NSDAP were the only party able to help Germany
Why did the Nazi Party grow in popularity following the Wall Street Crash in 1929? - the appeal of the SA and fear of communism evidence
- KPD growing in popularity - 15% supported them in 1932 which made them the largest communist party outside the USSR , very popular among working classes
- SA used to disrupt KPD meetings and fight KPD’s ‘Red Front Fighters’
- 400,000 members of the SA
- uniformed, marches
Why did the Nazi Party grow in popularity following the Wall Street Crash in 1929? - the appeal of the SA and the fear of communism analysis
Fear about growing popularity of KPD = middle classes, capitalists+ landowners supported NSDAP to prevent KPD growing
Believed that NSDAP with militaristic SA are the only party strong enough to take on communism
