Rise and Appeal of Nazism

Question 1

Origins of the Nazi Party

Answer 1

• founded in 1920 by Anton Drexler in Munich
• Drexler devised the 25 point programme at the same time
• nationalist and socialist were included in the party name after a change
• Hitler became chairman and leader of the party in July 1921
• Following this he set up the SA, Nazi stormtroopers in August 1921
• Hitler was a very charismatic leader, a great orator and excelled at propaganda

Question 2

Nazi ideology and policy

Answer 2

• Hitler’s key ideas were mostly based upon nationalism and social Darwinism
• he believed in Pan Germanism, the unity of all Germans as a master race
• Key features: anti-Semitism, anti-democracy, anti-Marxism and anti-capitalism

Question 3

25 point programme - nationalist aspect

Answer 3

• Point 1: Germany must expand to take over more territory for its growing population
• Point 2: abolition of the Treaty of Versailles was top priority
• Point 4: no Jew may be a member of the German nation

Question 4

25 point programme -socialist aspect

Answer 4

• Point 9: all citizens have equal rights and duties, but citizenship was dependent on pure German blood
• Point 24: state provision would be made for mothers, health, education, children and pension -> ‘common good before personal gain’

Question 5

Nazi election success

Answer 5

May 1924 - NSDAP gained 6.5% of the vote, and 12 Reichstag members
May 1928 - they only had 2.6% of the vote
vote picked up from this time, especially in rural areas
respectable voters shunned the Nazis in the 1920s, disliking their violent reputation, but their collaboration with the DNVP in the 1930s helped with this

Question 6

Appeal of Nazism - targeting groups of society

Answer 6

25 point programme had something for everyone, excluding foreigners and Jews
The Nazis were able to target their message to the audience effectively, especially locally
Since most people were won over by locals, the Nazis would target key individuals such as shop owners and teachers who knew their communities well
Direct mailing and pamphlets were used by the Nazis
workers, women, mothers, farmers and small business owners were targeted individually with posters

Question 7

Support for the Nazis from different areas and classes

Answer 7

traditionally, the NSDAP was seen as a middle class party
However, the fact that workers made 32.5% of Nazi members, making them the largest group, challenges this
- regional variation: Berlin and Cologne-Aachen were easy likely to vote Nazi, whereas Pomerania and East Prussia were most likely
- Big businesses and Junker were generally not enticed to vote Nazi, but some gave direct and indirect support in other ways

Question 8

Appeal of Nazism - organisations

Answer 8

different associated organisations had different groups under the Nazis, e.g. students, young people. women, factory workers
NSDAP - organised into strong, local areas under Gauleiters
SA - violence was problematic, but it portrayed strength and an ability to fight, contrasting with the failing Weimar Republic, which attracted people
Fuhrerprinzip - Hitler was a charismatic leader in a time when chancellors were failing

Question 9

Appeal of Nazism - propaganda

Answer 9

Goebbels - oversaw nazi propaganda, in different forms such as posters, films, printed word, rallies, flags, leaflets, symbols, etc.
Nazi newspaper - ‘Völkischer Beobachter’
- alliance with the DNVP gave them access to the media empire of Hugenberg
- this propaganda appealed to peoples emotions rather than their intellects
- Hitler used aeroplanes to travel around, appearing all over Germany in one day, which made his party look modern and new

Question 10

Support for the Nazis - women

Answer 10

From 1930 more and more support for the Nazi party built up
By January 1933 there was more female members than male ones
This may be due to the charisma of Hitler, with multiple instances of women being in love with him, sending love letters, being stuck to the radio when he made a speech