Hitlers rise to power and the Nazi Party (1929-1934) Flashcards
What global event occurred on October 24th 1929?
The Wall Street Crash
What was the Wall Street Crash?
When the price of stocks and shares in the New York Stock Exchange crashed causing companies to lose millions in value.
What was the impact of the Wall Street Crash on Germany?
The USA called in its loans which Germany needed to fund its economy.
This meant there was no money to be invested into the German economy causing an economic depression
How did the economic depression impact on Germany?
By 1932 6,000,000 Germans were unemployed
Unemployment benefit only lasted for 6 months after which millions of Germans were reduced to living in poverty.
The Weimar Government was unable to solve the crisis and their coalition governments kept collapsing, this led to an increase in support for extremist parties like the Communists and the Nazis
What was the only way that the Weimar Government could pass laws easily during the Great Depression?
President Hindenburg allowed Chancellor Bruning to use the emergency powers in Article 48 to bypass the Reichstag.
What happened to support for the Nazis during the Great Depression?
It rapidly increased. In 1928 they had 12 members of the Reichstag however in 1930 they 107 members elected and in 1932 they had 230 members.
How did the Nazis convince more ordinary Germans to support them?
They used propaganda to spread their message across Germany.
They blamed the Jews and the communists for Germany’s problems
They used the SA to attack the Communists which gained the support of the middle classes and business owners. It also made the Nazis look powerful.
Hitler promised to provide German workers with jobs and promised business owners he would control the Trade Unions
What happened when Hitler stood in the 1932 Presidential Election?
He lost to Hindenburg who got 17 million votes to Hitlers 11 million
What happened to the Nazi Party in July 1932?
They became the largest party in the Reichstag
Who became Chancellor in July 1932?
Franz von Papen as Hindenburg did not want to make Hitler Chancellor of Germany.
Who replaced Franz von Papen in November 1932?
General Kurt von Schleicher who promised he could control Germany more effectively than Von Papen.
Why was Hitler appointed Chancellor on January 31st 1933?
Von Papen suggested making him Chancellor because he believed that he could control him as his vice-chancellor.
What were the limits to Hitlers power when he became Chancellor in January 1933?
He still needed the support of the Reichstag to pass laws.
The Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag but did not have a MAJORITY meaning they needed the support of other parties to rule.
When was the Reichstag Fire?
27th February 1933
When were elections scheduled for in 1933?
March 1933
Hitler called them hoping to win an overall majority
Who was blamed for the Reichstag Fire?
A Dutch Communist called Marius van der Lube who confessed to starting the fire. He was later beheaded.
Who did the Communists blame for the Reichstag Fire?
They blamed the Nazis and claimed that the SA had started the fire.
How did Hitler take advantage of the Reichstag Fire?
He persuaded Hindenburg to grant him emergency powers to deal with the plot.
Hindenburg passed an Emergency Decree using Article 48.
What powers was Hitler granted after the Reichstag Fire?
Anyone could be arrested and detained without a trial
All freedom of expression was ended
Hitler could arrest political opponents he suspected of being involved in the plot
Which group did Hitler use his powers to arrest and place in concentration camps?
The Communists.
How did Hitler try and influence the 1933 election?
He used the SA to intimidate people into voting for the Nazis.
What percentage of the vote did the Nazis receive in the March 1933 election?
44% which did not give them a majority.
How did Hitler gain a majority in the Reichstag in March 1933?
He arrested the 81 Communist deputies.
What was the Enabling Act?
A law passed by the Reichstag that gave Hitler the power to make his own laws without Reichstag approval.
What were the consequences of the Enabling Act?
Hitler had now become a legally elected dictator and ended democracy in Germany
He banned other political parties
He banned Trade Unions and created a Nazi controlled one (the German Labour Front) in May 1933
Strikes were made illegal
Senior German politicians were replaced with loyal Nazis
Concentration camps were set up to imprison opponents
What was the Concordat?
An agreement with the Pope signed in July 1933
It gained Catholic support for Hitler after he promised not to interfere with Catholicism in Germany.
Why had the SA become a threat by 1934?
It was 2 million strong and controlled by Ernst Rohm who had a number of ideas that Hitler opposed.
He wanted to nationalize industry and replace the army with the SA which cost Hitler the support of the generals and business owners.
The SA were also unpopular in Germany due to their violent reputation.
Hitler feared that Rohm might use the SA to overthrow him.
What was the Night of the Long Knives?
When Hitler used the SS to murder 200 of the leaders of the SA including Rohm.
He ordered the SA to go on leave for a month so they would not interfere and protect their leaders.
Then on June 30th he organised a meeting of the SA leadership in a tavern where they were murdered by the SS.
Who else was murdered during the Night of the Long Knives?
General Kurt von Schleicher and his wife
Gustav von Kahr the Bavarian politician who had betrayed Hitler during the 1923 Munich Putsch
What were the consequences of the Night of the Long Knives?
All opposition to Hitler from within the Nazi Party ended.
People in Germany became more intimidated by the Nazis.
The German Army became more supportive of Hitler
The SS increased in power giving Himmler and his deputy Heydrich more power and influence.
How did Hitler become Fuhrer?
On August 2nd 1934 President Hindenburg died.
Hitler used his powers under the Enabling Act to declare himself Fuhrer (leader) and got the German Army to swear an oath of loyalty to him.
This gave Hitler complete control over Germany.
