Hitler and the rise of the Nazi Party, 1919-33

Question 1

Describe key features of the early German Workers Party (DAP).

Answer 1

• Led by Anton Drexler, founded 1919
• Disliked communism/socialism
• Disliked Weimar Politicians who had betrayed Germany
• Disliked democracy, considering it weak
• Disliked Jewish people

Hitler agreed with the DAP’s viewpoints.

Question 2

Name three points on the DAP’s 25-point plan launched in February 1920.

Answer 2

• Scrapping the Treaty of Versailles.
• Expanding Germany’s borders; lebensraum
• Removing citizenship of Jews

Question 3

When did Hitler become leader of the NSDAP?

Answer 3

1921

Question 4

Name key leaders, loyal to Hitler, within the NSDAP.

Answer 4

Ernst Rohm
Hermann Goerring
Rudolf Hess
Julius Streicher

Question 5

Describe the SA (Hitler’s Stormtroopers)

Answer 5

• Founded in 1921
• Private army of the Nazi Party
• Recruited from unemployed, homeless, ex-soldiers
• Nicknamed the ‘brownshirts’
• Provided security to Nazi events
• Harassed opposing political groups.

They were thuggish and hard to control. As a result, Hitler formed a more professional bodyguard unit (the SS).

Question 6

Describe the impact of the Munich Putsch

Answer 6

Hitler was put on trial for treason, but used the court proceedings to get national publicity. While the NSDAP was initially banned, it was weakly forced and lifted not long afterb eing introduced.

As a result of this publicity, the NSDAP gained its first seats in the Reichstag.

• Hitler was released after 9 months.
• Wrote the book, Mein Kampf
• Hitler decided to adopt an electoral approach to gaining power in Germany

Question 7

In the 1924 Reichstag election, how many seats did the Nazi Party win?

Answer 7

32 seats

Question 8

Describe changes in the Nazi Party during its lean years, 1924-28.

Answer 8

• In 1925, the party was relaunched. 4000 people came to hear Hitler speak.
• The party was reorganised; divided into regional sections.
• Hitler attracted donations from industrialists such as Krupp and Bosch.
• Hitler began expanding the SA.

Question 9

What is the SS? When was it created? Why was it created?

Answer 9

The SS was created by Hitler in 1925 as a personal bodyguard unit that offered the professionalism that the SA lacked. The SA had a reputation for being thuggish, and owed its loyalty to Ernst Rohm.

Concerned that the SA would undermine Hitler’s control, the SS helped increase his personal control over the party.

Question 10

Between 1924 and 1928, describe Nazi propaganda efforts.

Answer 10

Dr Joseph Goebbels was put in charge of party propaganda. The idea was to get a simple powerful message across to the German people:
- Jews, immigrants, communists and Weimar Politicians are the cause of Germany’s problems. They betrayed Germany by signing the Treaty of Versailles.

The Nazi Party created an image of strength through mass rallies held by the SA. It used the latest technology, included radio and film, to keep Hitler in the public eye.

Most importantly, Hitler was presented as a strong leader.

Question 11

During the 1928 elections, how many Reichstag seats did the Nazi Party win?

Answer 11

12

Question 12

Why was the Nazi Party lean during the years 1924-28?

Answer 12

• The economy was recovering due to Stressemann’s reforms.
• Hindenburg was elected in 1925 as president, and was trusted as a strong leader for the Weimar Republic.
• They had only 12 seats in the Reichstag.
• They polled less than 3% of the vote.

Question 13

Describe key features of the Wall Street Crash (1929)

Answer 13

• Began in New York, October 1929
• Stock prices began falling.
• Panic selling, prices fell even further.
• Black Thursday, 24 October, 13 million shares were sold.
• Tenfold decrease in many share prices.
• Huge loss of investments for many Americans

Question 14

In Germany, how many were unemployed by January 1933?

Answer 14

6 million people.

Question 15

By 1932, how far had industrial production fell in Germany?

Answer 15

By 40%

Question 16

Who was elected chancellor in 1930 and what did he propose?

Answer 16

Heinrich Bruning was elected chancellor, he wanted to raise taxes to pay the cost of unemployment benefit. he wanted to reduce the unemployment benefit to make payments more affordable.

Question 17

What problems did Bruning’s coalition face?

Answer 17

Both left-wing and right-wing parties opposed Bruning’s reforms, making it very difficult to the coalition to agree on key issues. As a result, the coalition failed and Bruning was forced to rule by decree.

Question 18

In 1931, how many presidential decrees were issued on the behalf of Chancellor Bruning?

Answer 18

44 decrees

Question 19

When did Bruning resign?

Answer 19

1932

Question 20

In 1928, how many votes did the Nazi Party receive?

Answer 20

1 million votes

Question 21

In 1932, how many votes did the Nazi Party receive?

Answer 21

13 million votes

Question 22

By 1930, how large was the SA?

Answer 22

400,000 troopers

Question 23

Describe the result of the 1932 presidential election.

Answer 23

In 1932, Hitler put himself up for presidency, however did not secure enough votes. A second election was held, and Hindenberg was able to hold onto his presidency.

Question 24

Why did Bruning fall from power?

Answer 24

His ban on the SA and SS angered right-wing parties, so von Schleicher decided to organise a coalition of right-wing groups to oust him. He convinced Hindenberg that he had a majority and sacked him.

Von Papen was made chancellor in May 1932.

Question 25

Why was Von Papen removed from power?

Answer 25

In the 1932 general election, the Nazis became the largest party in the Reichstag. As a result, Hitler demanded Hindenburg to appoint him chancellor. However, Hindenburg disliked Hitler and refused.

Despite a fall in Nazi seats, von Papen could still not command a majority. As a result, he resigned.

Question 26

Why was von Schleicher appointed chancellor, rather than Hitler?

Answer 26

Business leaders asked Hindenburg to appoint Hitler chancellor, but Hindenburg was resistant. Instead, he appointed von Schleicher.

Question 27

Why did von Schelicher fall from power?

Answer 27

Hitler revealed Schelicher’s plan to suspend the constitution and install a military dictatorship. This meant his support collapsed and he was no longer able to govern.

Question 28

Describe how Hitler became chancellor in 1933.

Answer 28

• In January 1933, Hitler is appointed chancellor by 1933.
• von Papen was to be vice-chancellor, and convinced other right-wing groups to support Hitler. This was because they Hitler was a puppet figurehead they could control.
• Reluctantly, due to the lack of alternative, Hitler was appointed chancellor in January 1933.

Question 29

How did Hitler attract working class support?

Answer 29

• Promised ‘work and bread’ using posters.
• Promised traditional German values.
• Nazis presented themselves as the party of the working class.

Question 30

How did Nazis attract middle class support?

Answer 30

• Promised to protect middle class from communists.
• Promised to restore economic order; the middle classes had lost all of their savings.
• Promised an end to the moral decline of the 1920s and a return to traditional values.

Question 31

How did Nazis attract farmer support?

Answer 31

• Only Jewish farms would be confiscated.

- Nazis would protect farmers from communists who wanted to take away their land.

Question 32

How did Nazis attract support from big business?

Answer 32

• Hitler would protect big business from growing communist threat.

Question 33

How did Nazis attract young people?

Answer 33

Hitler’s passionate speeches attracted young people. They liked the atmosphere of the Nazi rallies and Hitler’s ambitious language.