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Appointment Of Hitler As Chancellor Flashcards

1
Q

What did Hindenburg propose to Hitler on 30th Jan1933?

A

To be chancellor:
. Lead a ‘government of National concentration’
- coalition government of Nazis and DNVP, including Franz Von Papen
- became chancellor after leaving meeting

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2
Q

What did Hitler and Von Papen think about Hitler as Chancellor?

A

His inexperience would allow him to be manipulated by experienced politicians in the cabinet

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3
Q

Where did Nazis stand after 1932 elections?

A

Biggest party in Reichstag but didn’t have a majority

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4
Q

How did Hitler become chancellor propaganda vs reality?

A

. Nazi propaganda: made it seem as though it was because of an uprising
. Reality: through negotiations and secret deals with Hindenburg and his inner circle of political advisers.
- the 1932-early 1933 political and economical crisis allowed Hitler to make these negotiations and be heard

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5
Q

What were the dates for Brüning’s coalition government?

A

March 1930 - May 1932

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6
Q

How did Brüning become chancellor?

A

Anointed by Hindenburg, not through a majority

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7
Q

As Brüning wasn’t voted by majority, what did he need for his proposed laws to be passed?

A

Hindenburg and Schleicher’s support

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8
Q

What was Kurt Von Schleicher determined to do and how?

A

To establish an authoritarian style of German government through Brüning’s government that was mostly run via presidential decree

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9
Q

What was Brüning’s nickname?

A

The ‘Hunger Chancellor’

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10
Q

What was Brüning’s priority on the economic policy of Germany?

A

To reduce state expenditure by cutting welfare benefits = less civil servants and wage cuts

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11
Q

How did Brüning’s economic policy cause problems?

A

. Deepened the Depression
- by Feb 1932: unemployment exceeded 6 million for first time ever
. Increased unemployment meant more support for Nazis and communists (‘revolution’ parties)
- street violence rose
. By Spring 1932, upper and middle class saw a communist uprising as a real threat

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12
Q

Why did Schleicher withdraw his support from Brüning?

A

April 1932: Brüning and Groener imposes ban on SA to try and stop street violence
Schleicher believes this ban will cause a Nazi uprising

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13
Q

What did Schleicher admit about the Nazis after the presidential election in 1932 and what did this mean?

A

No government could rule without Nazi support
Therefore, Schleicher proposed a coalition government to Hitler, but he didn’t agree unless Hitler would be Chancellor

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14
Q

Under what conditions was Hitler willing to form Schleicher’s proposed coalition?

A

. If he was chancellor
. If the SA ban was lifted
. If there was a new Reichstag election held

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15
Q

How did Brüning end up resigning?

A

Schleicher advised Hindenburg not to sign Brüning’s proposed presidential decrees so he had no choice as he had no majority in Reichstag

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16
Q

Who succeeded Brüning as Chancellor?

A

Von Papen, with Schleicher as Defence Minister

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17
Q

What was Papen’s credibility like?

A

. Not taken seriously except by Hindenburg
- French ambassador said his appointment was met with ‘incredulity’

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18
Q

What were Von Papen’s weaknesses?

A

. Weak political base
. Perceived as a puppet of more powerful conservatives elites such as Hindenburg
. Unstable political environment: violent clashes and unemployment didn’t match up with his conservative and aristocratic background
. Controversial policy: the coup against the Social Democratic government of Prussia
. Controversial actions: attempted to govern through emergency decrees and bypassed Reichstag

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19
Q

What kind of government did Hindenburg and Schleicher order Papen to make?

A

A government of ‘National concentration’

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20
Q

How was Papen’s ‘cabinet of barons’ formed?

A

On a non-party political basis:
. Only DNVP supported his coalition = 2 posts in cabinet
. Rest of cabinet made up of landowning and industrial elite (barons)

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21
Q

Why did Papen tend to rule by decree?

A

He had limited Reichstag support

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22
Q

What was Papen’s key belief as Chancellor?

A

A communist Revolution was the greatest threat to Germany and Weimar Democracy grew that threat

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23
Q

Why did Papen look down on the Nazis and why did he somewhat like them?

A

He was an aristocrat, but he sympathised with Hitler’s ideas and saw the mass Nazi support as useful to create a government of ‘national concentration’

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24
Q

What did Papen do in June 1932 and what did this cause?

A

Lifted the SA ban and imposed curbs on left-wing press, causing more violence especially during the June 1932 campaign
This gave Papen the chance to establish authoritarian rule in Prussia

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25
Q

What was the state of Prussia on 17th July 1932?

A

. Hamburg had KPD support as it was mainly a working-class district
. Large SA March confronted by 100 communists
. Police panicked and killed 18 communists and injured more than 100

26
Q

How did Papen blame the SPD-led state government of Prussia for the 17th July outrage?

A

. Used it as an excuse to dismiss the government
. Declared a state of emergency in Prussia, using the army to impose order in Berlin
. Appointed himself Reich commissioner in charge of Prussia
. Purged civil service in Prussia of SPD supporters

27
Q

How did Papen get away with the action he took on Prussia?

A

The actions were far beyond his constitutional powers but the SPD didn’t resist this assault and Goebbels said in his diary ‘the reds have missed their chance.’

28
Q

When did Hitler and Schleicher agree to have the new Reichstag election?

A

July 1932

29
Q

Which parties generally suffered losses in the July 1932 elections and why?

A

Most moderate parties except centre parties as politics was more extremism now
- DVP and DDP reduced to fringe parties (1.2% and 1% votes respectively)

30
Q

How did the Nazis come out of the July 1932 elections?

A

As the main right-wing polticial party
-37.3% Nazis

5.9% DNVP

31
Q

Who were supporters and opponents to the Nazis after July 1932 elections?

A

Supporters:
. Many middle-class voters, many hadn’t voted before so were inexperienced
. Unemployed

Opponents:
. SPD and KPD
. Couldn’t attract Catholic votes away from Centre Party

32
Q

What difficult position did the Nazis realise they were in after the July 1932 elections?

A

They were reaching their limits from an open election
- Goebbels diary p: ‘We won’t get to an absolute majority this way’

33
Q

How did Nazis decide to act after realising they couldn’t win an open election?

A

Hitler knew he was in a strong position in talks with Papen and Schleicher. He rejects Papen’s offer to join coalition and felt free to break his agreement with Schleicher and attack Papen’s government

34
Q

How did Hitler attack Von Papen’s government?

A

Joined in a vote of no confidence against the government that even the communists joined in:
512 votes to 42

35
Q

What was Papen forced to do after his vote of no confidence against him?

A

Ask Hindenburg to dissolve the Reichstag and call a new election in November

36
Q

Where did Nazis stand after November 1932 elections?

A

Lost 2 million votes since July elections

37
Q

Why did Nazis seem to be on a decline after the November 1932 elections?

A

. Many middle-class voters were alienated by Hitler’s attack on Papen and refused to be in a coalition unless he led it. These voters returned to DNVP and DVP
. Nazis supported communist led transport strike in Berlin during election campaign, causing middle-class voters to be put off as they feared communist Revolution
. Three election campaigns over 8 months took much Nazi funds away
. Hitler seemed to have lost power to rule Legally

38
Q

How did the communists fare in the Nov 1932 elections?

A

16.9% KPD and 20.4% SPD

39
Q

What position was Papen’s government in after Nov 1932 elections?

A

Facing a Reichstag majority and was losing more credibility in the eyes of the army who he needed support from

40
Q

What was Papen’s last-ditch plan to keep his government alive but what was his problem?

A

Ban Nazis and communists and use army to enforce an authoritarian government. Essentially bypassing the Reichstag
Schleicher told Papen the army wouldn’t support him so he had to resign

41
Q

What did Hindenburg’s inner circle do?

A

Advised Hindenburg on appointment of chancellors and the signing of presidential decrees

42
Q

Who was Kurt Von Schleicher and tell me about him?

A

Chief of Hindenburg’s inner circle
. Political head of army since 1926
. Head of the Ministerial Office since 1929, representing the army in government dealings
. Persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Papen
. Saw Papen as too independent-minded, crucial in his downfall
. Conservative, worked to restore authoritarian rule
. Pragmatist, recognised returning to past wouldn’t get his authoritarian rule
. Ambitious, quick-witted, worked behind scenes
. Aimed for alliance between forces of old conservative elites and Nazis

43
Q

Who was Oskar Von Hindenburg and tell me about his views?

A

Hindenburgs son (1883-1960)
. Army officer, reached rank of major
. Close links to Schleicher
. Became his father’s aide-de-corps = allowed him to control access to the president
. His opinions were highly valued for by his father
. Opposed to Hitler as chancellor for a long time until discussions with Papen and Hitler in Jan 1933 changed his mind

44
Q

Who was in Hindenburg’s inner circle?

A

. Oskar von Hindenburg
. Schleicher
. Dr Otto Meisner

45
Q

Who was Dr Otto Meissner and what were his views?

A

Civil servant (1880-1953)
. Head of the Office of the President under Ebert and Hindenburg
. Acted as a go-between in negotiations between Hitler and Hindenburg (middle-man)
. Helped organise the talks with Papen and Hitler that allowed Hitler’s appointment as chancellor
. Kept serving Nazi regime after 1933 but with less power/influence

46
Q

What was Hindenburg and Hitler’s relationship like?

A

. Initially Hindenburg dismissed Hitler as ‘that Bohemian corporal’ = initially looked down on Hitler as lesser capable, not one of the elite
. Shared fear of communist threat
. Viewed the Nazis as noisy and undisciplined so he was reluctant to appoint Hitler as Chancellor, but he was running out of options after Papen’s government fell

47
Q

Why was Schleicher reluctant to ask Hindenburg to become Chancellor?

A

He preferred being behind the scenes (manipulating master)

48
Q

What were Schleicher’s issues with forming a stable government?

A

. Alienated Papen
. Hindenburg lost trust in him for conspiring against Papen

49
Q

When was Schleicher’s government?

A

December 1932-January 1933

50
Q

What were Schleichers’ 3 solutions to making a more stable government?

A
  1. Persuading Nazis to join HIS coalition government
  2. Using a progressive social policy to get support from trade unions and therefore the Reichstag too
  3. Asking Hindenburg to suspend the constitution, dissolving then Reichstag and gaining dictatorial powers
51
Q

Why did Schleicher believe the Nazis may have accepted joining his coalition government when he was in power?

A

. Seemed to have falling support since November elections and continued to fall in December state elections
. Virtually bankrupt from campaigning
. Criticisms within the Nazi party as Hitler repeatedly rejected invitations to join a coalition government

52
Q

What was the main division in the Nazi Party and how did Schleicher try and use this?

A

Hitler vs Gregor Strasser (organisation leader of Nazi party)
. Schleicher knew Hitler was weak so could pressure him through negotiations with Strasser to join his coalition
. Hitler reasserted control by removing Strasser from the Nazi Party

53
Q

What did Schleicher’s progressive social policy to get support consist of?

A

. Cancelled wage and benefit cuts made by Papen in September as the economy was improving
. Considered job creation schemes to end unemployment
. Talked of breaking up some large estates in the east and distributing the land to small farmers

54
Q

What was the problem with Schleicher’s progressive social policy?

A

. Industrialists and landowners didn’t like some of the changes, and they were the backbone of conservative politics in Germany
. He failed to attract trade union support

55
Q

Why did Schleicher resign?

A

Hindenburg refused Schleicher’s last attempt to stabilise his government by suspending the constitution

56
Q

While Schleicher’s government was going on, how were Hitler and Papen negotiating?

A

Over a new coalition:
. Hitler still insisted on being Chancellor
. Hugenberg (DNVP leader) indicated he would support a Nazi-led coalition

Hitler, Papen and Hindenburg’s inner circle (excluding Schleicher) agreed to Hitler’s coalition with him as chancellor

57
Q

How were Hindenburg’s doubts over Hitler silenced?

A

. Papen and Oskar Von Hindenburg reassured him Hitler wouldn’t have the free power he wanted as:
- Papen would be Vice-Chancellor and Hugenberg would run economics and food ministries
- only two other Nazis besides Hitler would be in the cabinet

58
Q

What part of the NSDAP did the Strasser brothers focus on and who agreed with them?

A

‘Socialist’ part:
. Advocated policies such as nationalisation of banks and industry
. Supported worker strikes against employers
. Saw NSDAP as a vehicle for ‘national Revolution’ to sweep away the old elites

SA agreed

59
Q

How did Hitler see the Strasser brothers as a threat to his authority and how did he act on it?

A

They had built a strong power base in Berlin but their policy made potential middle-class voters wary of the socialist side of NSDAP

1930 - Otto purged from party
1932 - Gregor purged from party and murdered in 1934 NOTLK

60
Q

What is Strasserism?

A

The form of Nazism associated with the Strasser brothers: even though they were involved in the creation of the NSDAP in 1920, they called on the Nazi part to commit to ‘breaking the shackles of finance capital’
Strasser brothers: ‘Finance’/Jewish capitalism
Hitler: ‘productive capitalism’

61
Q

How did Otto Strasser actively campaign against Hitler?

A

Founded the ‘Black Front’ - far-left, anti-capitalist and anti-Hitler movement
Continued to oppose Hitler’s regime when he was exiled in 1933:
- published anti-Nazi writings and pamphlets
- tried to organise resistance agains the Nazi government

Germany (18 decks)

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