DS2: Why was Hitler able to dominate Germany by 1934? Flashcards
How did Hitler gain control of the Nazi Party?
-Hitler joined in 1919
-Leader Drexler realised that Hitler had a great talent for public speaking, and invited him to join the executive committee. Put in charge of propaganda
-1920 Hitler played major part in writing 25 point programme, and introduced the Swastika
-April 1920 DAP renamed NSDAP. Later it published its newspaper putting forward anti-Semitic views, gaining Hitler support
-1921 H replace D as leader, and insisted the HQ should be in Munich
-Introduced SA
-Hitler was leading speech maker of the party, often in beerhalls
What changes in German society did the Nazi Party want in 1920?
-Wanted only ‘true’ Germans to be allowed to live in G (e.g: Jews excluded)
-Old age pensioners provided for generously
-Gifted children educated at states expense
-Communism destroyed
What was the SA?
-Paramilitary organisation formed by Hitler in 1921
-Armed group of mainly ex-soldiers from Freikorps
-Disrupted meetings of opponents (mainly Com.), beat up opposition supporters, protected Hitler at his meetings
-Headed by Ernst Röhm
-In early 1920s, Hitler found he was often heckled at meetings. SA removed such people from meetings
-Attracted young unemployed men into the party by offering them a wage and uniform when joining SA. Many admired discipline and fighting qualities necessary for the position
Why did the Munich Putsch take place?
-H wanted to destroy Weimar and believed it was an opportune time to topple Weimar govt. - preoccupied w/ economic crisis and had just called off passive resistance in Ruhr
-H wanted to secure power and believed Ludendorff would be able to persuade G army to desert govt. and side with Nazis
-Bavarian govt. were RW. Leaders Von Kahr and von Lossow has been plotting against govt., so H felt sure they’d support a Putsch
-Discontent in G due to hyperinflation. Nationalists hated ToV and were furious when Stresemann called off gen. strike and resumed paying reparations. So H felt this was right time to seize power
-Seemed Weimar govt. was tolerating LW state govts. in Saxony and Thuringia
-Mussolini successfully overthrown Italian govt.
How did the events of the Munich Putsch unfold?
-8th Nov: von Kahr (head of Bavarian govt.) addressed meeting of B state officials. SA men surrounded hall, H interrupted meeting and announced he was taking over B govt. Von Kahr held at gunpoint to say he supported revolution and locked in room overnight. But he escaped and went back on his promise to support
-9th Nov: H staged march of 3000 Nazis with Ludendorff through streets of Munich to gain public support. Armed police arrived to confront H and supporters. 16 marchers killed but H escaped
-H arrested and charged w/ treason. Sentenced to 5 years in prison. At trial he gained much publicity for himself and ideas; became known nationally because of newspaper coverage
-Hitler only served 9 months, in which he wrote ‘Mein Kampf’
Why did the Munich Putsch fail?
-H overestimated level of support he’d have. Thought Ludendorff could persuade army and leading members of B govt. to support Putsch
-H wrong - army stayed loyal to Weimar govt. and B head of govt. called on armed police to break up march
-H miscalculated mood of G people; they did not rise up to support Putsch
-Kahr went back on his word to support H
Why was the Munich Putsch important for Hitler and the Nazi Party?
-Showed SA was no match for police and armed forces in Bavaria
-Unlikely Nazis would be able to seize power in future as they didn’t have sufficient military force or support from people
-Turned H into nationally known politician. Gained enormous publicity for himself and ideas due to newspapers
-Realised he would have to work within democratic system to achieve power
-While in jail, H wrote ‘Mein Kampf’ to set out Nazis main beliefs. Became basis of the party’s manifesto at future elections
What were the Nazis doing during the Stresemann Era 1924-29?
-H spent 9 months in prison and wrote Mein Kampf
-Realised they’d have to use democratic methods to achieve power rather than seizing by force
-Nazis organised recruitment drives go gain more members (rose to 100,000 by 1928)
-Created network of local Nazi parties
-Set up youth organisations (e.g: Hitler Youth, Nazi Students’ League)
-1925 H persuaded authorities to lift ban on Nazi Party
-1925 enlarged SA - especially with unemployed ex-servicemen
-Set up SS (similar to SA but fanatically loyal)
-Used propaganda to spread message (e.g: posters, leaflets, films, radio, rallies). Goebbels took charge of this
-Put candidates up for Reichstag elections
-1926, Nazi organisations established to appeal to certain interest groups. (e.g: Teachers League, Women’s League, Nazi Students League)
-1926, Nazi Party rally held at Weimar (began pattern of military style rallies)
-1926, Hitler called party conference and persuaded members to readopt 25 point programme
-1927, branches of party set up all over G. Each regional org. (Gau) under control of Party official (Gauleiter)
What were the aims and beliefs of the Nazi Party in the 1920s?
-Anti-semitism- only true Germans should live in Germany. Aryans are master race
-Abolish ToV
-Anschluss w/ Austria
-Large industries and businesses to be nationalised
-Strong central govt.
-Lebensraum and an empire in the East
-All Germans should have work
What were Hitlers ideas in Mein Kampf and other writings?
-Nationalism: intense loyalty to and pride in G
-Foreign policy: expansionism, remilitarisation, lebensraum
-Racism: racial purity, Arian master race vs. slave races (Untermenschen) especially Jews
-War: armed struggle an essential part of development of healthy Aryan race
-Führer: total loyalty to the leader better than democracy
Who voted for the Nazis 1924-29?
-Some peasant farmers - Nazis promised to help agriculture and praised peasants as racially pure
-Some lower middle class shopkeepers and small businessmen - struggling to make ends meet under Weimar and were badly hit by Depression
-Some conservative middle class people in towns - who liked Nazi condemnation of Weimar culture as immoral
-Not much support from workers - voted Com. Or Socialist
-1928 won 12 seats; fringe party with only 3% of vote
Why did the Nazi Party struggle to gain support before 1930?
-Munich Putsch 1923 - H imprisoned, newspaper and party banned. When ban lifted 1925, H gave speech so critical of govt. he was banned for 2 more years
-Stresemanns economic and foreign policies so successful that people gave very little support for extremist parties. Nazi policies irrelevant and too radical
-1928, Nazi Party had 12 seats in Reichstag. Only 8th largest party
-Most industrial workers supported LW parties
-As MP revealed, Nazi Party didn’t have support of army or police
-Nazis had little appeal for workers. Argued that they were being exploited, but under Weimar they felt they were doing well, so supported SDP
How did the Great Depression help the Nazis?
-Imability of Weimar govt. to take strong and decisive action. Collapse of coalition govt. (weakness of PR). H said G needed a strong leader like him to solve economic problems
-Continuing reparations - H argued that these were now more intolerable than ever and ToV must be reversed
-Unemployment- Nazis would create more employment in the army, armaments industry and public works
-People for H to blame for Depression (Allies, Weimar govt. and Jews)
-1930 Election, Nazis won 107 seats. Nov 1932 nearly 200 seats (largest party in Reichstag)
What was promised to the German people by the Nazis in the election campaigns of 1930-33?
-Strong G
-Defend traditional order, give pride back to G, restore old fashioned values
-Remove reparations
-Strong leadership
-Employment for all
-Defeat Communism
-Uphold Capitalist system
-Abolish ToV
-Regain lost G territory
-Punish those who ‘stabbed G in the back’
-Support German farmers
-Rearm Germany
How did electoral tactics help the Nazis do well in elections?
-Catchy generalised slogans rather than specific policies (making it hard for opponents to specifically criticise them)
-Talk about uniting behind one leader
-Emphasis on traditional values
-Identifying scapegoats (Allies, Jews, Communists, Weimar politicians)
-Contempt for Weimar democracy as unable to solve G problems
-Posters and pamphlets
-Impressively large and enthusiastic rallies
-Impressive discipline and order shown by SA and SS
-Soup kitchens and hostels for unemployed people
How did Hitler help the Nazis do well in elections?
-Nazis greatest asset
-Gave powerful speeches
-Had modern ideas, but also understood the ordinary Germans
How did ‘Negative Cohesion’ help the Nazis do well in elections?
-People who didn’t like the Nazis still supported them cause they shared their fears and dislikes
-Voting for negative rather than positive reasons
How did disillusionment with democracy help the Nazis do well in elections?
-Inability of Weimar politicians to tackle Depression
-Breakdown of coalition govt. 1930
-Chancellor Brüning forced to rely on Hindenburg’s emergency powers of presidential decree
-Politicians appear to be squabbling instead of sorting out economic problems
How did the threat of Communism help the Nazis do well in elections?
-Communist support growing
-Middle-class businessmen and big industry afraid that if Coms. got into power they’d introduce state control of business
-Farmers feared Com. govt. would collectivise land
-Growing feeling that Nazis would combat these threats
How did decadence help the Nazis do well in elections?
-Promised to restore old fashioned values and end decadent Weimar culture
How did Hitler become Chancellor in 1933?
-March 1932 H challenged Hindenburg for Presidency. Won 13.4 million votes, and publicised Nazi ideas
-Nazis had most seats in Reichstag
-Hindenburg would not appoint H Chancellor and preferred von Papen
-Papen had virtually no support in Reichstag, so von Schleicher was appointed (also had little support). Both could only govern by means of emergency presidential powers
-Hindenburg forced to appoint Hitler as C and von Papen as VC in Jan 1933 as he needed a C with the support of Reichstag
-Papen and Hindenburg believed they could resist Hitlers influence and extremist demands, and use Hitler to get support of Reichstag for their ideas (they were wrong)
Why did Hitler become Chancellor 1933?
-Skilled public speaker and propaganda
-Industrialists concern about Communism
-Popular among military leaders
-Policies admired by ordinary Germans, especially during the Depression
-Provided scapegoat for Gs problems
-Loss of confidence in democracy, especially due to Depression
-Nazis provided radical solution to G problems
-Holding huge rallies, promising to restore G economy
-Hindenburg and von Papen thought they could control Hitler as Chancellor
How did Hitler transform himself from Chancellor to Dictator?
-Reichstag Fire Feb 1933
-Enabling Act Mar 1933
-Nazi ‘Revolution’ 1933-34
-Night of the Long Knives Jun 1934
-Death of Hindenburg Aug 1934
What were the events of the Reichstag Fire Feb 1933?
-Reichstag building burned down
-Young Communist van der Lubbe arrested and charged for it
-H used this to intensify anti-Com. hysteria
-4000 leading Com. arrested and imprisoned on night of fire
-To increase Nazi control, H persuaded Hindenburg to pass ‘Protection Law’ suspending all articles in constitution which guaranteed personal liberty and freedom of speech
-This gave H power to search houses, confiscate property and detain people without trial
-Mar 1933 elections Nazis won 288 seats but not enough for a majority. So, banning 81 Com. deputies gave H enough votes to later pass Enabling Act
What were the events of the Enabling Act March 1933?
-Using SA and SS, H intimidated Reichstag into passing this act
-Gave power to pass laws without consulting Reichstag - virtual dictatorial powers for 4 years
What were the events of the Nazi ‘Revolution’ 1933-34?
-Hitler now used his dictatorial powers to strengthen his position
-Apr 1933 civil service, courts and education purged of Jews and opponents of Nazis
-May 1933 TUs banned, workers forced to join German Labour Front, Nazis confiscated all property and funds of Com. party
-Jul 1933 law outlawing political parties other than Nazis. G one-party state
-Jan 1934 all state govts. taken over by central govt.
-Opponents of Nazis leave G or taken to conc. camps
What were the events of the Night of the Long Knives June 1934?
-H embarassed by violence of SA and felt Röhm could threaten H’s leadership.
-Röhms LW views could offend big businesses who help fund Nazis
-Röhm wanted to merge SA and army and for him to be in control, but H feared this would lose the army’s support
-On night of 30 June 1934, Hitler informed Röhm and other leaders that they were under arrest
-Over next 4 days, other leaders were arrested and shot
-Röhm, Strasser and von Schleicher were killed
-Tightened H control and absorbed many SA members into army
-Subordinated SA under SS
-Army pledged full allegiance to H
What were the events of the Death of Hindenburg Aug 1934?
-H combined offices of Chancellor and President and became Supreme Leader (Führer) of G
-Army agreed to serve H, and in return H began rearmament and brought back conscription, and made plans for expansionist foreign policy
