Nazi Germany

Question 1

What were the aims of the Nazis; 24 Point Programme?

Answer 1

Abolish the TOV
Destroy Communism
Make Germany great
Attack Jews who they used as scapegoats for WWI
Nationalize large industries and businesses
Lebensraum
Unite all German ‘volk’

Question 2

How many seats did they have in 1928?

Answer 2

12

Question 3

What were the successful characteristics of the Nazi party?

Answer 3

Brilliant propaganda
Used modern technology
Used Communist ideas of state control of industry and giving land to the farmers to gain support of the working classes
Set up the Hitler Youth which indoctrinated young people to believe the Nazi message for power
Hitler was a stirring, passionate speaker

Question 4

What was the Nazi failed Putsch in Nov 1923?

Answer 4

Hitler and the NAZIS tried to seize control of the Bavarian Government; W.R. unpopular b/c of Ruhr disaster, hyperinflation and Muss had just seized power on Rome; they thought they had support in Munich

Question 5

What was the result of the failed Putsch?

Answer 5

Army and police were alerted
16 Nazis were killed
Hitler and Ludendorff were arrested and charged with murder

Question 6

What were the benefits of the army getting involved with the Putsch?

Answer 6

Hitler gained an audience for is radical yet appealing values and aims for Ger; even received a minimum sentence at Lands berg castle - wrote Mein Kampf

Question 7

What did the Munich Putsch mean for Ger?

Answer 7

It was a short term failure yet it had long term benefits in gaining recognition for the Nazi Party’s plans

Question 8

Why did the Nazis decide not to support the German workers?

Answer 8

They were more likely to support he SDP or if they had radical views, the Communists

Question 9

Who did the Nazis target in their campaigns? Why?

Answer 9

Peasants farmers and small businesses as well as the middle class shopkeepers in country towns.

35% of the population was rural
They were not sharing in the prosperity of the WR
Nazis praised them as the racially pure Germans; the ‘blood and soil’ of Germany as it were
Highlighted the importance of the countryside in their plans for Germany

Question 10

How did the Depression help the Nazi campaign?

Answer 10

Government lost complete control of Germany;

SA gave impression of discipline while the police and Communists were irresponsibly fighting street battles

Unemployment became an issue, by 1932 six million were unemployed - Hitler provided jobs

The 25 Points became attractive; abolishing TOV seemed like a good idea

Hitler also provided scapegoats for Ger’s problems

Question 11

How did the votes change?

Answer 11

1930 - 107 seats

1932 - 230 seats

Question 12

What were the basis of Nazi campaigns?

Answer 12

modern and effective; relied on generalised slogans
repeated contempt for the Weimar democratic system
Goebbel’s effective propaganda
Soup kitchens and hostels for the unemployed
Hitler was a powerful speaker

Question 13

How many votes did Hitler get for President?

Answer 13

13 million and Hindenburg, 19 million

Question 14

How did the Nazis gain support?

Answer 14

NEGATIVE COHESION

Seemed like the best solution to a time of chaos in Ger
Shred dislike of democracy
Depression - many keen to look to political extremism
Fear of Communism
Fear of Trade Union growth
Hate for the decadent Weimar culture - restore old fashioned values
Nazis were fear mongerers

Question 15

How did Hitler become Chancellor? DENIAL

Answer 15

July 1932 - General election

Nazis largest party in Ger - Hindenburg refuses to offer him position as Chancellor - appoints von Papen instead

Question 16

What did von Papen do in 1932 NOV?

Answer 16

Called another election to get extra support
Didn’t get any
Hindenburg needed to replace unpopular Chancellor
Appoints von Schliecher as Chancellor

Question 17

What did Hindenburg and von Papen (who resigned plan) ?

Answer 17

Needed support of a big party - Nazis biggest party in Reichstag

Offered Hitler post of Chancellor - they took a risk thinking they would be able to restrict his power

Question 18

Why did H and Papen think they could restrict Hitler?

Answer 18

Few Nazis in the Cabinet
Hitler would rally in support for the unpopular Reichstag
Conservative were in the Cabinet who they thought would control extremism if Hitler tried

Question 19

How did opponent’s weaknesses change the situation for the Nazis?

Answer 19

Failure to deal with the Depression meant that people were keen to listen to extremists

Failure to cooperate meant that people though WR unorganized (4 diff Chancellors and 30% vote to other parties)

Negative Cohesion - nostalgia for the militaristic times of the Kaiser

Question 20

How did other factors play a role in allowing Nazis to take over?

Answer 20

Scheming of Hindenburg and Papen; convenient way for Hitler to get power without votes

Weimar had its own weaknesses - no Reichstag support, slow decisions, chaotic

TOV - people blamed WR for agreeing - Hitler promised to abolish it

1932 Problems - Munich Putsch gave Hitler a voice

Question 21

What did Hitler do after being appointed Chancellor?

Answer 21

Called for another election to increase Nazi majority in the Reichstag

Question 22

What was the Reichstag Fire in 1933?

Answer 22

During election campaign Reichstag burnt to ground
Hitler blamed the Communists and persuaded the Minister to pass an Emergency Law

Hitler used this to throw many Communists and other opponents into jail. Intimidation of other opposition

Question 23

How did the Enabling Act help Hitler?

Answer 23

Passed in 1933 - allowed Hitler to pass laws without consulting the Reichstag - to pass it he only needed 2/3 of votes and had 1/2

Question 24

What did Hitler do to characterize him as a dictator?

Answer 24

Banned Communists

SA intimidated all opposition

He OUTLAWED ALL OTHER PARTIES - Ger became a one party state - dictatorship

Trade Unions were banned and trade officials arrested; Workers now became part of the UNPOPULAR German Labour Front

Question 25

What was the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 25

Leading officers in Ger were suspicious of the SA and Ernst Rohm, its leader.

They wouldn’t support Hitler till SA was disbanded; Hitler also felt threatened by Rohm as he was in charge of 4 million men who were loyal to him - Hitler chose that he wanted SS support over SA

June 1934 SS murdered Hitler’s potential SA rivals –> 400 people were killed
Von Schiecher was murdered

Question 26

Why was Hindenburg indifferent to the NOLK?

Answer 26

He thought that the SA was trouble anyways

Question 27

What happened to the SA after this?

Answer 27

They became a Nazi paramilitary organization - subordinate to the SS

Question 28

How did Hitler finally become Fuhrer?

Answer 28

Hindenburg died leaving Hitler as last powerful leader in Germany.

1934 entire army swore oath of allegiance to him and agreed to stay out of politics

Question 29

What did Hitler start to do now that he was in power?

Answer 29

Secretly began to rearm, reintroduce conscription and made plans to make Ger a military power again