European states (Germany): To what extent was popular support the main reason for Hitler becoming Chancellor in January 1939? Flashcards
Intro/thesis
-Key factor was mistakes of Hindenburg, although he would not have felt the pressure to appoint Hitler if it hadn’t been for the political & economic turmoil
Paragraphs
-Popular support/ideology
-Impact of war
-Mistakes of other individuals (Hindenburg)
-If need to, can also talk about political instability in the WR/Wall Street Crash
Popular support/ideology- examples
-The ideology of National Socialism: the superiority of the German race, anti-semitism, anti-communism, Social Darwinism, and the cult of the leader. Hitler’s bitter disappointment that democratic socialist politicians agreed to the armistice and humiliating peace treaty in 1919 strengthened his convictions.
-Nevertheless, the 25-point program embraced an element of ‘socialism’ to entice works away from the communist groups that flourished in the aftermath of the war.
-During Hitler’s time in prison, he wrote ‘Mein Kampf’, the main messages of which included that Germany had to fight Communism, that communism was the invention of the Jews, and that Nazism had to prepare the population for war in order to obtain ‘Lebensraum’.
Popular support/ideology -explanation & historiography
-Hitler’s ideology attracted ex-soldiers and members of the Freikorps, who supported the party’s nationalist views. It also attracted conservative workers and lower-ranking Bavarian civil servants.
-Hitler’s personal leadership was also crucial to the success of the party. He was a charismatic speaker and was backed by Joseph Goebbels, a brilliant propagandist. The Nazis were able to appeal to a wide range of groups, and their propaganda was adapted accordingly for different audiences.
-Mary Fulbrook: “Hitler was able to appeal to a wide range of groups harboring different resentments … precisely because he was never very specific about the details of the proposed order.”
Popular support/ideology- counterargument
-However, Nazi ideology was not the key to Hitler’s rise to power, as, without the help of other politicians (Hindenburg), he would not have gained much power. There were also other, ideologically extreme parties at the time, such as the Communists.
Impact of war- examples
-WW1 destroyed the imperial regime in Germany. The Kaiser abdicated in November 1918 and a republic was created.
-The armistice was a shock to Germans, and Nationalists claims that the German army had been ‘stabbed in the back’ by politicians who made peace when the army could have fought on. The Treaty of Versailles in June 1919 caused further anger. Germany lost 13% of its territory in Europe and all of its colonies. This led to great economic hardship, as Germany was forced to pay 6.6 billion pounds in reparations.
Impact of war- explanation
-The adverse economic impacts of the ToV led to events such as the Ruhr Crisis that aided Hitler’s rise to power by undermining the League of Nations and collective security.
-The costs of war and the impact of the wartime blockade, compounded by the Treaty of Versailles, undermined the German economy. The government over-printed paper money, leading to hyperinflation. Along with the Wall Street Crash of October 1929, which sent the economy into crisis as the US recalled its loans, this created desperate economic conditions in which democracy broke down and people were more willing to turn to extremism.
Mistakes of other individuals- examples
-Brüning and Hindenburg began to lose support in 1930, having to rely even more on Article 48.
-Hitler’s support grew to 37.8% in the June 1932 elections, leading to negotiations being made with the Nazis over the terms by which they should be brought into power.
-Even though the Nazis lost 2 million votes in the election of November 1932, the KPD made further gains. To counter what conservatives saw as a dangerous situation, there was increased support for Hitler to be given a permanent position in government. Hitler insisted that he be given the position of Chancellor and eventually, Hindenburg gave in.
–Hitler was summoned in January 1933 to head a government with von Papen. Von Papen believed that he had made a good deal and would be able to push Hitler ‘into a corner’ within two months.
Mistakes of other individuals- explanation & historiography
- Richard Evans believes that it was not Hitler’s own actions, but rather the political/economic circumstances, the mistakes of the people around him (esp. Hindenburg), and his ability to capitalize on these mistakes, that brought him into power. “Article 48 would prove fatal to the Republic’s survival.” This argument is supported by Lawrence Rees.
