GDS2 - Hitler’s Rise To Power Flashcards

Question

How did Hitler’s personality help the Nazis rise to power?

Answer 1

Very good at public speaking -> was able to get people to believe he was the only one that could fix Germany’s problems Very intense + came across as powerful -> people thought he was a strong leader (this appealed to people who liked the Kaiser + people who thought Germany needed a strong person to fix it)

Answer 2

Nazis looked like the most organised party in the 1930s -> this was partly due to the Depression making other parties fall apart + partly that they were extremely well organised/disciplined SA -> disrupted meetings of Nazi political rivals + protected Nazi political meetings = appeared like Nazis had less opponents + communists had more

Answer 3

July 1932 = Nazi Party was the largest single party BUT not a majority party - Hitler demanded to be made Chancellor, Hindenburg refused - Von Papen continued as Chancellor but had virtually no support so called another election November 1932 = Nazi Party still largest single party BUT their share of the vote fell December 1932 = Hindenburg refused again to make Hitler Chancellor - gave it to Von Schleichler instead - within a month Schleichler was forced to resign January 1933 = Hindenburg made Hitler Chancellor, thinking he could control him

Answer 4

When Von Schleichler was forced to resign, it was clear the Weimar gov. wasn’t working -> proportional representation meant no one group was able to provide strong rule -> Hindenburg was regularly using article 48, essentially overthrowing democracy -> if he wanted a more democratic system he needed a Chancellor with a lot of support in the Reichstag Thought he could control Hitler -> Cabinet had very few Nazis + Von Papen as Vice Chancellor -> idea was to have the Cabinet make policies, then Hitler there to get support for said policies + control the Communists

Answer 5

If Hindenburg felt Hitler wasn’t doing his job well, he could simply fire Hitler and replace him Hitler could only make laws if the Reichstag agreed to them -> this was difficult as the Nazis didn’t have a majority

Answer 6

February 1933 = Reichstag Fire March 1933 = Law for the Protection of the People and State ALSO The Enabling Act April 1933 = Nazi governors given power to make state laws (18 state gov.s) ALSO Gestapo established May 1933 = Hitler banned all trade unions July 1933 = The Law Against the Formation of New Parties June 1934 = Night Of The Long Knives August 1924 = Hindenburg’s death (Hitler = Fürher)

Answer 7

Reichstag building burnt down + a Dutch communist (Van Der Lubbe) was arrested for starting it Hitler claimed it was a communist plot against the state - persuaded Hindenburg to issue a TEMPORARY DECREE that suspended freedom of speech/press + increased police powers = police could end meetings + close newspapers + round up political opponents NOTE - this temporary decree stayed in place for 12 years He also used this opportunity to increase public fear about the ‘communist threat’

Answer 8

Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to use his emergency power to pass a new law: - banned leading communists from taking part in elections - led to the arrests of 4,000 commmunists - resulted in communist newspapers being shut down This essentially eliminated the main political opposition to the Nazis In the general election a few days later, Hitler got more votes than ever before (highest level of support any part had ever gotten in the Weimar Republic) BUT he still didn’t have a majority

Answer 9

An act that allowed Hitler to govern without the Reichstag - he got the required 2/3 majority through threats + promises - SA + SS troops were all around the voting booths (brandishing weapons + chanting threatening slogans) This made him a legal dictator as he could make new laws without any kind of parliamentary approval Removed the Reichstag as a source of opposition

Answer 10

18 state governments -> Nazi state governors were appointed with powers to make state laws This increased the Nazis’ power + Hitler controlled the Nazis Gestapo -> Nazis established their own secret police force This gave Hitler the power/ability to get rid of opposition

Answer 11

Hitler banned trade unions -> he took away their money + premises - also threw their leaders in jail - striking became illegal This gave Hitler more control over businesses (+ extra funds) and meant he could arrest people that rebelled against him by striking

Answer 12

This banned all political parties in Germany EXCEPT the Nazis + said that anyone trying to set up or run another party would go to prison for 3 years This removed all formal political opposition to Hitler’s views -> allowing him to rule without being questioned

Answer 13

SA Leader Röhm wanted to merge the army + SA under his command - Hitler saw Röhm as a threat as he was unsatisfied with Nazi achievements + arguing for a ‘second revolution’ (would upset business owners) Hitler told Röhm to assemble some members of the SA at a Bavarian spa - they were surprised by the SS and taken to a Munich prison Overall, Röhm and 400 SA members were killed This gave Hitler much more support from the army as they now believed he preferred them to the SA It also removed any internal Nazi opposition to Hitler

Answer 14

August 1934 Hitler immediately took over the President’s job while remaining in his role as Chancellor He made the army swear an oath of loyalty to him (including a promise to stay out of politics) He combined the role of Chancellor and President into one title -> Fürher

Answer 15

Van Der Lubbe started the fire acting alone -> this is what he claimed at trial + was accepted at his trial where he was found guilty and executed Van Der Lubbe acted as part of a Communist plot -> Nazis claimed they found incendiary devices at many Communist homes + plans for which public buildings would be targeted Nazis started the fire themselves -> then used Van Der Lubbe to blame Communists and take more power

Answer 16

This was what was accepted at his trial There was evidence he was a pyromaniac: - he had already set many fires - he had been bragging in a bar that he’d set many public buildings on fire and was planning to do the Reichstag next Hitler himself was reportedly not certain it was a Communist plot

Answer 17

Nazis claimed to find incendiary devices at Communist homes + plans to target other public buildings Van Der Lubbe was carrying Communist pamphlets when he was caught at the fire It would have been extremely difficult for him to access the building alone (very well protected government building)

Answer 18

They gained a lot from it -> had motive to set it up to blame the Communists and gain more power There was an underground passage to the Reichstag from Goering’s office SA chief reportedly claimed to have started the fire

Answer 19

Hitler saw Röhm as a threat -> he was expressing disappointment with Nazi achievements + arguing for a second revolution -> this would have involved introducing more racial policies, etc. which would have upset people -> also Röhm may have been seen as a rival for Nazi Party leadership Hitler needed the support of senior army officers -> this night showed the army they were more important to Hitler than the SA (Röhm wanted to merge SA + army and take control of the army)