Hitler's rise to power, 1932-33

Question 1

How old was President Hindenburg when he stood for re-election in 1932?

Answer 1

84

Question 2

What was the result of the presidential election in March 1932?

Answer 2

Hindenburg: 18 million votes (49.6%)
Hitler: 11 million votes (30%)
Thalmann (KPD): 5 million votes (14%)

Question 3

Why was the presidential election of March 1932 repeated again the following month?

Answer 3

No candidate had achieved 50% of the vote

Question 4

What was the result of the re-run of the presidential election in April 1932?

Answer 4

Hindenburg: 19 million votes (53%)
Hitler: 13 million votes (36%)
Thalmann (KPD): 4 million votes (11%)

Question 5

Even though Hitler did not win, why was the result of the April 1932 presidential election a good one for the Nazis?

Answer 5

1) The Nazis had won 2 million more votes
2) The KPD had lost 1 million votes

Question 6

What TWO things did the moderate Chancellor, Heinrich Brüning, do in April 1932 which lost him support in the Reichstag?

Answer 6

1) Banned the SS and SA
2) Announced a plan to buy up land from large landowners and use it to house the unemployed

Question 7

Why did other political parties oppose the ban on the SA and SS?

Answer 7

They feared their paramilitary groups would also be banned

Question 8

Why did Hindenburg oppose Brüning’s plan to buy up land from the large landowners?

Answer 8

He was a landowning conservative

Question 9

What was Brüning forced to do, having lost the support of the President and Reichstag, on 30 May 1932?

Answer 9

Resign as Chancellor

Question 10

Following Brüning’s resignation, who did Kurt von Schleicher suggest as a new Chancellor to Hindenburg?

Answer 10

Franz von Papen, a wealthy gentleman politician

Question 11

What did von Schleicher tell Hindenburg von Papen could do as Chancellor if the Nazis supported him?

Answer 11

Govern without the Reichstag (using Article 48)

Question 12

How was von Papen’s new government described by its opponents?

Answer 12

The Cabinet of Barons

Question 13

On what condition did Hitler agree to support von Papen as Chancellor?

Answer 13

If the ban on the SA was removed

Question 14

When von Papen became Chancellor, what did von Schleicher say about the Nazis?

Answer 14

They were ‘merely children who had to be led by the hand’

Question 15

How well did the Nazis do in the Reichstag elections of July 1932?

Answer 15

They won 230 seats and became the largest party (38% of the vote)

Question 16

What did Hitler demand after the July 1932 Reichstag elections?

Answer 16

Von Papen should be sacked as Chancellor and Hindenburg should appoint him instead

Question 17

What did von Papen do after the Nazis became the largest party in the Reichstag?

Answer 17

Called new Reichstag elections for November 1932

Question 18

How did the Nazis perform in the November 1932 Reichstag elections?

Answer 18

Lost seats (from 230 to 196) but were still the largest party in the Reichstag

Question 19

How did von Schleicher react to the November 1932 Reichstag elections?

Answer 19

He abandoned von Papen - he told Hindenburg that the German army would be unable to keep control if von Papen stayed

Question 20

How did von Papen react to the November 1932 Reichstag elections?

Answer 20

He resigned as Chancellor

Question 21

Who did Hindenburg replace von Papen as Chancellor with on 2 December 1932?

Answer 21

Von Schleicher

Question 22

Why was von Schleicher unable to govern as Chancellor?

Answer 22

He had no majority in the Reichstag (the Nazis were against him) and no support from the public

Question 23

What did von Schleicher ask Hindenburg to do as he was unable to run Germany as Chancellor?

How did Hindenburg respond?

Answer 23

Suspend the constitution and make him head of a military dictatorship

Hindenburg refused

Question 24

What was von Papen’s solution to the possibility of von Schleicher launching a military dictatorship?

Answer 24

Hitler could be made Chancellor and von Papen Vice Chancellor

Question 25

Why did von Papen suggest making Hitler Chancellor?

Answer 25

He believed Hindenburg and himself could make all the decisions themselves and use Hitler as a figurehead