Appeal Of NC + Appointment Of Hitler Flashcards
Outline of electoral support for Nazism and communism up to July 32
Both the NSDAP (Nazi Party) and the KPD (Communist Party) gained electoral support during the depression. However, the Nazis broadened the base of their support, both geographically and socially, while KPD gains were mainly at the expense of the SPD. The KPD did not succeed in broadening its support base beyond the working class.
NSDAP 28-32 election results
1928 Reichstag elections:
Received only 2.6% of the votes.
1930 Reichstag elections:
Became the second largest party in the Reichstag, with 18.25% of the vote.
1932 Presidential elections:
Hitler made a major impact, receiving nearly 37% of votes and coming second to Hindenburg.
July 1932 Reichstag elections:
Became the largest party in the Reichstag, with 37.3% of the vote.
KPD 28-32 election results
28:Much more popular than the Nazis, with 10.6% of the votes.
30:Increased their share of the vote to 13.1%.
32:Thälmann gained just 10% of votes.
July 32:Won 14.3% of the votes and gained two million votes from 1928.
General Nazi Support
In 1928 the Nazis had a narrow base of support, attracting mainly the lower middle class (Mittelstand). These people - white-collar workers, small shopkeepers, independent craftsmen - continued to vote for the Nazis in the Depression years, but the NSDAP also broadened the base of its support, as shown in this diagram.
Nazi Support With Protestants
Nazi support was strongest in the rural areas and small towns of the Protestant north, east and central areas of Germany
Nazi Support With Catholics
The Nazis attracted limited support in the Catholic areas of the south and west. Most Catholics voted for the Catholic Centre Party and were less nationalistic than Protestants because of their allegiance to the Pope
Nazi Support With Women
Women were also successfully targeted as Nazis played on common fears and emphasised traditional family values
Nazi Support With Young People
The Nazis successfully targeted young people who had been disproportionately affected by unemployment.
Many young men joined the SA
Nazi Support With Farmers and Rural Communities
Farmers who were suffering from years of low prices and heavy indebtedness to the banks were targeted by the Nazis.
Rural communities as a whole were particularly targeted by Nazi propaganda. Nazi support in rural areas grew strongly after 1928
Nazi Support With Extended Muddle Class
The extended middle class were increasingly worried by the growth in KPD support and the Nazis played on their fears of a communist revolution. Money from big business was crucial to Nazi success in election campaigns
Nazi Support With Workers
Although working-class voters in the industrial areas had traditionally supported the SPD or KPD, the Nazis did attract some working-class support, especially among the unemployed
Importance of Hitler to Nazi success
Hitler had undisputed control over the Nazi Party by 1929. He was a powerful orator and displayed charisma. He also knew how to play on people’s hopes and fears. As the most well-known and popular Nazi, Hitler was the focus of a huge amount of Nazi propaganda. He travelled extensively, giving speeches and attending rallies all over Germany. Total belief in Hitler was known as the Führerprinzip.
Racial theory
What distinguished Nazism from other types of right-wing
Fascism was its racial theory. Nazis were strong believers in racialism - that the human species is divided into different
Catholic areas races and each race has particular positive and negative ed for the Catholic
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characteristics. Derived from the Darwinist theory of evolution, the Nazis also believed in Social Darwinism, which advocated the improvement of ‘racial hygiene’ through selective breeding, birth control and sterilisation. The Nazis believed the Aryans
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were the master race and were, therefore, destined to lead. The Jews were at the bottom of the evolutionary hierarchy and, along with other groups, including the Slavs and black people, were deemed ‘Untermenschen’ (sub-human).
Role of anti-semitism in Nazi success
Most Nazi propaganda in 1932 had little to do with anti-Semitism; as the Party was trying to broaden the base of its support, it concentrated on economic issues.
However, anti-Semitism still played a small role, as:
• The Nazis constantly described a link between Jews and communism.
• Jews were a convenient scapegoat to blame for all of Germany’s problems.
• The Nazis were able to tap into a pre-existing tradition of anti-Semitism in Germany.
• The SA brought violent anti-Semitism to the streets of
Germany.
Role of propaganda in Nazi success
• Hitler understood the importance of propaganda and concentrated Party resources on making it effective.
• The Nazi propaganda chief, Joseph Goebbels, was a skilled communicator and understood the importance of the ‘propaganda of the deed’; rallies, marches and street battles against Communists conveyed a message of Nazi strength and discipline.
• Nazi propaganda was targeted at different audiences; the message was adapted to suit the specific target audience.
• Money provided by big business (Hugenberg and Thyssen) helped Nazis mount nationwide propaganda campaigns involving speeches, newspapers, rallies, posters and leaflets.
• The Nazis had their own newspapers.
Appeal of Communism info
The KPD had been a major force in Weimar politics since it was founded in 1920, As an avowedly working-class movement, it had built up a strong following among trade-union members in the industrial areas. Its appeal was based on an uncompromising commitment to supporting workers in class struggle, and it was involved in many strikes. During the Depression, however, many workers were unemployed and the KPD switched to setting up ‘committees of the unemployed, organising hunger marches and campaigning against benefit cuts. It presented itself as the defender of working-class districts against the Nazis, and its Red Front Fighters’ League fought many street battles against the SA. The KPD also focused on recruiting working-class youths - the so-called
“wild cliques - and steering them into political campaigns. KPD membership grew from 117,000 in 1929 to 360,000 in 1932.
Communist policies and ideology
• The KPD emphasised revolutionary class struggle to overthrow capitalism as the only solution to the economic, social and political crisis of the time; KPD argued that the Depression was the ‘final crisis of capitalism’ which would inevitably lead to a Communist revolution.
• The party campaigned on immediate issues such as unemployment benefits and wage cuts. ‘Bread and Freedom’ was its rallying cry, aimed at the unemployed.
• The KPD attacked the SPD as ‘social-fascists’ who stood in the way of the overthrow of capitalism.
• It had links with the communist regime in the USSR and emphasised internationalism as opposed to nationalism.
Strengths of KPD 1929-32
Strong support in working-class districts of large cities.
• Effective propaganda, using speeches, posters, marches
and newspapers.
• Strong organisation at street and neighbourhood level.
• Red Front Fighters’ League engaged in street battles with SA.
Weaknesses of KPD 1929-32
• Membership turnover was high.
• Failed to broaden base of support.
• Short of money.
• Limited appeal for women.
• Fight against SPD ‘social fascists’ a tactical error when
Nazis were the main threat.
• Growth of KPD drove middle class to support Nazis.
Outline list of reasons for Nazi appeal
Hitler’s role
Anti-sem
Exploitation of GD
Propaganda
Nazi Ideology Features
The Power of the will
Struggle and war
The Führerñrinzip
Anti-sem
Racial theory
Aggressive nationalism
A racial community
When and who appointed Hitler as chancellor
Hindenburg jan 33
Timeline of events contributing to rise of Nazi party
October 1929: Wall Street Crash led to a severe depression in Germany and mass unemployment, placing Weimar democracy under strain
December 1929: Campaign against Young Plan gave Hitler a chance to make a breakthrough as a national politician
March 1930: Collapse of Müller’s Grand Coalition and replacement by Brüning; rule by presidential decree signalled end of parliamentary democracy in Germany
September 1930: Reichstag election, major gains for Nazi Party and
KPD, losses for moderate parties
1931: Depression deepened, and street violence between Nazi
SA and KPD Red Front intensified
April 1932: Presidential election, Hitler received nearly 37% of the second-round vote
May 1932: Collapse of Brüning’s government and start of political crisis with Papen as Chancellor
July 1932: Reichstag election, Nazis became largest party in Reichstag with over 37% of the vote
November 1932: Fall of Papen’s government but setback for Nazis in Reichstag election
Situation in nov 32
The election did not resolve the political crisis, as Papen’s government still did not have an overall majority in the Reichstag. Papen himself was weakened and he had lost the support of the army and of Schleicher, forcing him to resign. This left Schleicher, a man who preferred to manipulate politicians from behind the scenes, with no alternative but to become Chancellor himself. Schleicher wanted to restore an authoritarian form of government in Germany, dominated by the old elites, but he understood that realistically this could be achieved only through an alliance with the Nazi Party.
