Hitler's Rise To Power

Question 1

It what state was Germany in after WW1 and why?

Answer 1

Germany was in ruins. Kaiser Wilhelm fled to the Netherlands leaving a new, democratic government to try to pick up the peices. There was bitterness and anger in Germany at the treaty of Versailles. 1923 huge price rises and inflation led to unemployment and hunger for millions of Germans. Soon the German currency became a,most worthless.

Question 2

When hitler started to first gain power, what was the name of his own private army and what was their job?

Answer 2

Storm troopers - their job was to beat up and terrorise opponents.

Question 3

Why was Hitler sent to prison in 1924?

Answer 3

In 1923 Hitler planned to march into Berlin with his Storm troopers to remove the Weimar government from power. However this ended up as a faliure: 16nNazis were killed. Hitler fled but was later sentenced to prison for treason.

Question 4

Where did Hitler start writing “Mein Kampf”?

Answer 4

He started to write “Mein Kampf” - meaning “My struggle” when he was in prison.

Question 5

List some of the main point Hitler made in “Mein Kampf”.

Answer 5

• Germany needs a strong government led by a single leader.
• Germany demands land and colonies to feed our people
• The Germans are the master-race. They must keep themselves pure.
• No Jews may be members of the nation. They helped to bring about Germany’s defeat in the First World War. They must be destroyed.

Question 6

When was Hitler released from prison?

Answer 6

1924 (the same year he was sent to prison!).

Question 7

What happened in 1929 in Germany

Answer 7

A world eceonomic depression hit Germany.

Question 8

What promise did Hitler make to all the people suffering from Germany’s economic depression.?

Answer 8

Easy solutions to difficult problems.

Question 9

What did the elderly President of Germany: Hindenburg ask Hitler to become and why?

Answer 9

Chancellor of Germany: Heindenburg thought that Hitler might solve Germany’s economic problems. He also thought that Hitler wpuld be easy to controll (he was terribly wrong).

Question 10

When did the Reichstag fire occur?

Answer 10

1933

Question 11

How did Hitler use the Reichstag fire for his benefit?

Answer 11

A Dutch communist was found near the fire and was arrested. Hitler used this as an excuse to arrest his communist opponents.

Question 12

When was the Enabling Act passed?

Answer 12

1933

Question 13

What did the Enabling act allow Hitler to do?

Answer 13

This gave Hitler the power to pass any new laws that he wanted.

Question 14

When was the night of the long knifes?

Answer 14

30th June 1934

Question 15

What was the night of the long knifes?

Answer 15

Hitlers own personal bodyguards - the SS - were sent out to murder leading members of the Nazi party who opposed Hitler.

Question 16

When did president Hindenburg die?

Answer 16

2nd of August 1934

Question 17

What was Hitler immediately anounced as after Hindeburgs death?

Answer 17

Hitler was not only Chancellore but also Head of State and Commander of the army. He was in complete controll of Germany. He was a dictator.

Question 18

What was one way azis increased and kept their popularity?

Answer 18

They adopted policies that could be supported by many different groups of Germans:
• Socialists – they promised that farmers would be given their land, pensions would improve and public industries such as electricity and water would be owned by the state.
• Nationalists – they promised that all German-speaking people would be united in one country, the Treaty of Versailles would be abandoned and there would be special laws for foreigners.
• Racists – they promised that Jews would not be German citizens and immigration would be stopped.
• Fascists – they promised a strong central government and control of the newspapers.
• Businessmen, landowners, the rich and the army – they promised that remilitarisation would begin and contracts would be awarded to Germans. They also promised protection from the communists.
• The unemployed and workers – they promised an increase in employment and wages.

Question 19

In what ways did Hitler use propaganda to gain power?

Answer 19

• Hitler put Josef Goebbels in charge of Nazi propaganda. Methods of campaigning that the Nazis used in the 1920s included radio, mass rallies, newspapers (eg. Der Sturmer), Hitler’s speeches and posters.
• The Nazis used simple slogans to introduce their ideas and to make them appeal to the ordinary people of Germany.

Question 20

How did Hitler organise his party to gain power?

Answer 20

• The Nazis were present in many German cities and towns with many local offices. Nazi party members worked efficiently to spread policies through propaganda.
• The SA (stormtroopers) appeared to be a strong organisation which could protect Germany from its enemies - both within Germany and abroad making people like them more knowing they would be safe in their country.
• The Nazis were able to fund their campaigns through funding from ‘big business’. Many of Germany’s rich industrialists supported the Nazis and wanted to see them in power. Hugenberg, a newspaper tycoon and Thyssen, a steel manufacturer made the expensive election campaigns of the early 1930s possible.

Question 21

How did the Wall Street Crash effect Germany?

Answer 21

The crash in the USA in 1929 mean that the loans given to Germany under the 1924 Daws plannwere called in. Because of this many businesses closed and many Germans became unemployed. This meant that people would want Hitler in power because he promissed them jobs and a better life.