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Ms Bray - History > Political and governmental change - Origins of the Nazi party > Flashcards

Political and governmental change - Origins of the Nazi party Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 6 levels of organisation to the Nazi Party

A

Hitler
The SS
Leadership Corps
The SA
Party Membership
Hitler Youth

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2
Q

The Nazis got ____% of the vote in 1928

A

2.8

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3
Q

What were the policies of the Nazi party when the party originated
To improve the country

A
  • Educate gifted children at the state’s expense
  • Increase old age pensions
  • Strong central government
  • Nationalise important industries
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4
Q

What were the policies of the Nazi party when the party originated
To go against the Weimar government

A
  • Challenge terror or violence with your own terror
  • Abolish the TOV
  • Destroy marxism
  • Destroy the Weimar
  • Remove Jews from all positions of leadership in Germany
  • No non-Germans to be newspapers editors
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5
Q

What were the policies of the Nazi party when the party originated
Military

A

Conquer Lebensraum
Re-arm Germany

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6
Q

Reasons why the Nazis didn’t get the a large proportion of the vote:
lacked support of the working class

A
  • most workers, who wanted to see change, voted for the social democrats
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7
Q

Reasons why the Nazis didn’t get the a large proportion of the vote:
1924-29 was a prosperous time in Germany

A
  • the Germans, felt better off at this time
  • Stresemann had built better relations with other countries & diminished political violence inside Germany
  • Stresemann had managed to solve many of the economic problems of the early 1920s, loans from other countries also helped Germany
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8
Q

Reasons why the Nazis didn’t get the a large proportion of the vote:
The Nazis were too extreme

A
  • the SA were very violent they were seen by people as too authoritative
  • people were put off by the Nazi’s anti-semetic ideas & their aim of invading other countries
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9
Q

What are the 4 main reasons why Hitler became Chancellor by 1933

A
  • Weaknesses of the Weimar government
  • Hitler’s appeal & promises
  • Massive fear of communism
  • 1929 - The Wall Street Crash - economic issues always make people question their government
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10
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Impact of the Wall Street Crash & the depression 1929

A
  • In the months after the Wall Street Crash, American banks recalled their loans
  • and as a result many German businesses had to close & the country went into a depression
  • Unemployment stood at 2 million in Autumn 1929
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11
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Weimar Government October 1929

A
  • The Grand Coalition disagreed over how to respond to the rising unemployment
  • and as a result no effective policies are implemented by the government after the Wall Street Crash
  • leading to National income shrinking by 39% between 1929-32
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12
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Weimar Government March 1930

A
  • Effective coalitions were nearly impossible to form
  • Policies of cuts & austerity deepened the depression and increased poverty leading Bruning to be known as the “Hunger Chancellor”.
  • By the end of the 1930, unemployment was over 3 million
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13
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party September 1930

A
  • The Fuhrer cult
  • Hitler was always portrayed as Germany’s saviour
  • the man who would rescue the country from the grip of depression
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14
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party September 1930 - people’s community

A
  • Volksgemeinschaft (people’s community)
  • This was the idea that the Nazis would create one German community that would make religion or social class, less relevant to people
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15
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party September 1930 - Anti-semitism

A
  • Scapegoating the Jews (and other religions/ races) for Germany’s misfortunes
  • Jews were often portrayed as sub-human, or as threat to both the racial purity & economic future of the country
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16
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Weimar Government June 20th 1930

A
  • The Hoover Moratorium
  • This frees up money for the government to spend on solving the Depression
  • but they only introduce modest work schemes and this is not enough to have a significant impact on the economy.
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17
Q

What was the Hoover Moratorium

A

US President Hoover suspends the payment of all war debts, including reparations for one year.

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18
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Impact of the Wall Street Crash & the depression June 13th 1930

A
  • Banking crisis erupts when the Danat Bank, one of the three largest banks, fails to open
  • This prompts a run on the banks
  • In the end 5 major banks went bankrupt
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19
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party July 27th 1930

A

A Frankfurt political and economic society collects a petition for Adolf Hitler’s appointment as chancellor of the republic.

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20
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Weimar Government 1931 - Article 48

A
  • There were 44 emergency decrees in 1931 using Article 48
  • compared to 5 in 1930
  • demonstrating the weakness of the Coalition government and its inability to get laws passed in the Reichstag
  • and a movement towards authoritarianism
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21
Q

How many times was article 48 used in 1930

A

5

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22
Q

How many times was article 48 used in 1931

A

44

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23
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party February 26th 1931

A
  • Hitler officially becomes a ‘German citizen’ having previously been considered a ‘stateless person.
  • This allows him to take the position of President or Chancellor.
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24
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party April 10th 1931

A
  • Hindenburg is re-elected as German president, defeating Adolf Hitler by a small margin.
  • Despite the defeat Goebbels used modern technology such as radios and using aeroplanes to fly Hitler from region to region to campaign.
  • Hitler came out of this as a credible political leader.
  • The Nazi were also the only party to have increased support from Germans of all classes.
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25
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Weimar Government 1931 - KDP

A

The KDP refuse to work in any coalition government leaving the right to have a greater share in any coalition combined with the rights total control of the Presidency.

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26
Q

Why would many argue that the government took more serious steps to deal with the depression in May 1931

A
  • Müller and Brüning’s cabinets (1928 to 1932) came very close to bringing economic salvation.
  • Reparations were finally cancelled, the budget was nearly balanced, the public debt was low.
  • Collapse of the great financial institutions was prevented.
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27
Q

Describe how many perceived the government as weak by May 1931, as it was too little too late to solve the Depression

A
  • Millions of Germans as demonstrated by the increasing votes for anti-democratic parties
  • had lost faith in the government and its ability to get Germany out of the Depression,
  • and many had lost faith in democracy itself.
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28
Q

What was a constant issue for the Weimar government during the Depression

A

unemployment

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29
Q

What was the seeming stance of the Weimar government on unemployment in May 1931

A
  • Unemployment was a consistent issue
  • there seemed to be no solution, or not one the Conservative right, who were running the country at this point were willing to take
30
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party July 1932

A
  • The Nazis secured 37.3% of the vote making them the largest party in the Reichstag
  • During the election campaign, there were 461 riots in Prussia,
  • with the SA responsible for much of the violence, as democratic norms began to break down
31
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Weimar Government July 1932

A

Hindenburg and the Reichstag were not working together in any meaningful way and hadn’t been for some time.

32
Q

How did Von Papen give direct precedent for Hitler’s takeover of branches of government in 1933.

A
  • Von Papen disliked democracy & was more willing to work with the Nazis, rather than Bruning to tackle the violence in Germany & Prussia
  • e.g removing the SPD from the govt of Prussia, becoming Prussian Reich commissioner himself,
  • so with him preoccupied, he provided Hitler with a direct precedent for his takeover of branches of government in 1933.
33
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party Summer/Autumn 1932

A
  • Leading industrialists urged Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor because Hitler’s pledge to destroy communism was popular amongst the Conservative elites
  • The Nazi party were now very well-funded with industrialists contributing to Nazi party funds.
34
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Weimar Government November 1932

A
  • Hindenburg called another election because of the inability of the government to function in any meaningful way
35
Q

In November 1932, the Nazis share of the vote fell to…

A

33.1%

36
Q

By December 1932, unemployment had risen to

A

5 million

37
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Nazi Party December 1932

A
  • There were now over 170,000 members of the SA - an increase of 100,000 in one year.
  • The SA had been used to create chaos during elections,
  • even after, demonstrating the “failure of democracy”
38
Q

Why did the Weimar government collapse
Actions of the Weimar Government January 1933

A
  • Constant problem that the Reichstag could not be continually dissolved and hold elections every few months.
  • However, the Constitution meant that Hindenburg, Papen and others anti-democratic Conservatives couldn’t simply act as they wished
39
Q

In January 1933, Hindenburg, working with Von Papen, made….

A
  • Hitler Chancellor, replacing Schleicher
  • with Papen as Vice Chancellor
  • and the Nazis were limited to 3 members in the cabinet
40
Q

In January 1933, Hindenburg, working with Papen, made Hitler Chancellor because….

A
  • The conservative elites though they could control Hitler & use the Nazi party to continue governing in an authoritarian manner
41
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
Underlying problems - Responses to the ToV from the German public

A
  • The severity of the terms created intense political debate & division
  • Vast majority of Germans were divided as how to how respond to the ToV
42
Q

What groups refused to acknowledge the treaty or comply with the ToV terms

A

Right wing nationalist groups, like the Nazi Party

43
Q

What did the Moderates and Pragmatists think about the approach of refusing to acknowledge the terms of the ToV

A

Believed this approach could lead to economic collapse

44
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
Underlying problems - Responses to the ToV from Stresemann

A
  • Stresemann’s approach was to restore foreign relations, working for a re-negotiation & relaxation of the ToVs harsher terms
  • this resulted in the Dawes & Youngs plan
  • which created a greater dependency on America,
  • which exasperated the consequences of the Wall Street Crash
45
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
Underlying problems - Economic impact of WW1 (reparations)

A
  • Heavy reparations bill - hampered Germany’s postwar economic recovery - and therefore its political stability.
  • By 1922 Germany was unable to pay the reparations instalments, triggering the Ruhr occupation, the hyperinflation crisis and the collapse of two government coalitions.
46
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
Underlying problems - lingering militarism, nationalism and authoritarian political values

A
  • Germany’s defeat in World War I should weakened German militarism, nationalism and faith in authoritarianism.
  • These ideas survived in the post-war period and working to undermine Weimar democracy.
  • The main sources for these ideas were military organisations & political parties on the far right and national institutions
47
Q

Describe which military organisations upheld lingering militarism, nationalism and authoritarian political values

A
  • The Reichswer (the German army) via the Ebert-Groener agreement of 1918
  • The Freikorps, who helped to oppose the government during the Kapp Putsch [1920]
48
Q

Describe which political parties upheld lingering militarism, nationalism and authoritarian political values

A

Political parties on the far right and national institutions, such as the judiciary
(e.g. Hitler’s sentence following the Munich Putsch was small)

49
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The problems of the coalition government - Weimar’s divisive electoral system

A
  • Ruled out any prospect of a majority government.
  • Filled the Reichstag with smaller (and extremist) parties, with regional or narrow focuses
  • The scattered composition made coalitions fractious, hindering both debate, passing legislation, and responses to national crises,
  • resulting in stalemates
50
Q

What was proportional representation

A

Very democratic system which allocated Reichstag seats based on the share of votes each party received.

51
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The problems of the coalition government - Difficulties of minority government

A
  • For the duration of the W.R, no single political party ever held an absolute majority of Reichstag seats
  • To push through legislation, coalition voting blocs had to be coddled together to form a majority.
  • But the political divisions of the 1920s meant that these coalitions were fragile,
  • as a contentious bill or measure could put it at risk of fracturing and collapsing
52
Q

Describe how some more extreme parties in the Reichstag would make coalitions difficult

A
  • Some parties, especially those on the radical fringes,
  • refused to participate in Reichstag coalitions, or they entered them reluctantly or insincerely.
  • Right-wing parties, for instance, were reluctant to participate in coalitions with the large SPD
53
Q

The fragility of these coalitions made the task of the…

A

Chancellor and his cabinet enormously difficult.

54
Q

Give an example of how the fragility of coalitions made it difficult to be the Chancellor

A

Between 1930 and 1932, there were three Chancellors and several elections in an attempt to find a government which worked

55
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The constitution & a lack of support for democracy - conspiracy theories

A
  • ‘stab in the back’ myth undermined the trust and popularity of the post-war Weimar government,
  • perceived by nationalists as treacherous and unpatriotic.
  • Second, the Dolchstosslegende protected the reputation of the military and allowing militarism to survive the war.
56
Q

Provide evidence that despite their huge failures in 1918, military commanders kept their status and influence in the new republic.

A

1925 election of Paul von Hindenburg, a failed general who publicly expressed his belief in the Dolchstosslegende

57
Q

Explain what is meant by the ‘stab in the back’ theory

A
  • This myth claimed that the 1918 surrender
  • was created by socialists, liberals and Jews in Germany’s civilian government (the ‘November Criminals’),
  • rather than being the result of military defeat.
58
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The constitution

A

The men who drafted the constitution in 1919 attempted to create a political system which incorporated democracy, federalism, and protection of individual rights.
Stalemates - the President’s emergency powers were frequently called into action, which only enhanced and worsened political divisions

59
Q

The President being allowed to have considerable emergency powers (Article 48) & a 7 year term. - made him very similar to…

A

The Former president Kaiser

60
Q

Between July 1930 and July 1932, how many laws were passed by the Reichstag versus the President

A

109 - Presidential decree
29 - The Reichstag

61
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The constitution & a lack of support for democracy - hostility to democracy & parliamentarian government

A
  • Parties like the KPD, the NSDAP and the DNVP (in its early years) had anti-democratic platforms that called for the destruction of parliamentary democracy & were very intransigent.
  • These groups stood candidates in elections, not to participate in the Reichstag but to sabotage and destroy it from within
  • Public trust in the Weimar political system to fall.
62
Q

Describe how the NSDAP used its growing representation in the Reichstag

A

In the early 1930s they used it as a platform for anti-democratic rhetoric and propaganda.

63
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The rise of extremist parties - political plotting

A
  • Former chancellor Franz von Papen, for example, helped to persuade the president that a Hitler cabinet could succeed.
  • If Hitler was appointed Chancellor, Von Papen could control Hitler in government.
  • On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor, and secured his path to dictatorship by August 1934.
64
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The rise of extremist parties - political plotting
In April 1932, Hindenburg (now 84 years old) wanted to retire, but was persuaded to run again as president to keep ….. out.
Hitler stood as a presidential candidate, but was ……… by Hindenburg with 19.4 million votes to Hitler’s 13.4 million.

A

Hitler
Defeated

65
Q

Hitler stood as a presidential candidate, but was defeated by Hindenburg with……..million votes to Hitler’s …. million.

A

19.4
13.4

66
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The rise of extremist parties - rising support for Hitler & the Nazis
changing the party’s principles

A
  • Between 1924 and 1932, Hitler and his agents busied themselves with reforming and expanding the NSDAP. They critically re-badged the NSDAP as a legitimate contender for Reichstag seats by:
  • toning down their anti-Semitic and anti-republican rhetoric;
  • recruiting members to increase party membership;
  • transforming the NSDAP into a national party rather than a Bavarian group.
67
Q

Support for the Nazis in elections was also boosted by the …………..and its attacks on political opponents.

A

Sturmabteilung (SA)

68
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The rise of extremist parties - rising support for Hitler & the Nazis
gaining support

A

Hitler also chased support from powerful interest groups: German industrialists, wealthy capitalists, press barons like Alfred Hugenberg and the upper echelons of the Reichswer.

69
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The rise of extremist parties - The Depression

A

The NSDAP recorded significant increases in Reichstag seats in 1930 and July 1932.

70
Q

Explain the different arguments why the Weimar Republic failed
The Depression: effects & failure to deal with them

A
  • 6 million unemployed
  • This resulted in many German voters (in particular, the middle class) abandoning their support for mainstream and moderate parties and voting instead for radical groups
  • Whether this was genuine support for these parties or a protest vote, an increase in NSDAP seats in the Reichstag, propelled Adolf Hitler into the public eye, first as a presidential nominee and then as a potential chancellor

Ms Bray - History (35 decks)

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