Hitler, the NAZI Party and rise to power, 1919 - 1933 Flashcards
Using the information to be able to explain how / why Hitler was appointed Chancellor in January 1933.
Hitler’s early political experience
Joined DAP (German workers’ Party) September 1919. Placed in charge of Party Propaganda 1920 Helped write the Party’s 25 Point Programme. 1921 Became Party leader (of renamed party NSDAP) Founded the Brownshirts (SA) adopting the swastika.
Munich Putsch
November 1923 Party 35,000 membership Wrongly convinced economic condition would be on his side! Imprisoned Used the time (9 months) to write Mein Kampf and rethink / reorganise the Party
The Party in the ‘wilderness years’
Hitler imprisoned for 5 Years (Served 9 months) Newspaper and Party banned in Munich. Won 14 seats as National Socialist Freedom Party, in December 1924 Hitler released - set about achieving power via ‘legal means’ 1925 ban lifted - party re-organised (but Hitler banned from public speaking for 2 years!) Organised party around 34 districts - appointed a gaulieter (district leader from the party to each) Founded the Hitler Youth and the SS. 1926: had 50,000 members. 1927: Held first Rally at Nuremberg. 1928: won 12 seats in the Reichstag Summary: In 1928 the Nazis ‘remained on the lunatic fringe of German politics’ and were not being taken seriously.
Propaganda
Propaganda for the masses had to be simple, and appeal to the emotions. To maintain its simplicity, it had to put over just a few main points, which then had to be repeated many times Anti-communist: Appealing to industrialists / business owners Nationalist: Reverse Treaty of Versailles: Popular with Armed forces. Anti-Semitic: Used as a scapegoat for economic problems.
‘Hitler over Germany’
The Nazis were creative and adopted modern techniques of political campaigning even before their takeover of power in 1933. During the presidental election in April 1932, the party organized mass rallies throughout Germany. Hitler addressed major rallies in twenty different cities within a period of only six days.
Hitler and the race for the Presidency, 1932
The 1932 German presidential elections were held on 13 March (first round) and 10 April (second round run-off). Although he lost, Hitler secured a respectable 36% of the vote in the second round (TO Hindenburg’s 53%) Which equated to over 13 million voters voting for him.
Collapse of Democracy in Germany after 1929 (The basics)
Wall St Crash - economic disaster in Germany. (When USA sneezes, the rest of the work catches a cold) Unemployment rises to 6 million. Political crisis: Loss of faith in Weimar democracy. Political deals: to find a solution - Backstairs Intrigue, leading to Hitler’s appointment.
5 Chancellors in three years! Muller Bruning Papen Schliecher Hitler
March 1930: Muller Coalition Government collapses. Replaced by Bruning (Centre Party) - No majority, relied on Article 48. 1930 - 32: Article 48 used over 100 times between (Represents collapse of democratic government) 1932: Bruning replaced by Von Papen (May 1932) / Von papen no broad based support - replaced by Kurt Von Schleicher. Does no better! January 1933: Von Papen plots to get Hitler appointed. (With the support of industrial leaders such as Hjalmar Schacht, Gustav Krupp, Alfried Krupp, Fritz Thyssen, how could Hindenburg refuse?)
NSDAP election success
1928 12 seats September 1930: 107 seats (2nd largest party in the Reichstag) July 1932: 230 seats (largest party in the Reichstag) January 1933: 196 seats.
The ‘terms’ under which Hitler was appointed Chancellor.
Papen to be vice-chancellor (Was a personal friend of the President’s & would curb Hitler’s extremism) Hitler to govern without the use of Article 48 Only 2 other Nazis given positions in the Cabinet (Minimum influence)
