Rise of Nazi Chancellorship + Dictatorship (1929-34)

Question 1

What factors are categorised as events and can be argued to cause Hitler’s Chancellorship?

Answer 1

• Great Depression
• Weakness/Distrust of Weimar Constitution
• Fear of Communism
• Political Intrigue (Backstairs)

Question 2

What factors are categorised as Nazi Party Actions can be argued to cause Hitler’s Chancellorship?

Answer 2

• Nazi Promises
• Hitler’s Leadership
• Nazi Party Organisation

Question 3

How does the Great Depression lead to Hitler’s chancellorship?

Answer 3

• Leads to high unemployment, 5 mill by 1932
• Grand Coalition collapses in 1930 due to disagreements on how to deal w/crisis
• Highlighted the weakness of Constitution and need for change
• Bruning rules by degree due to no Reichstag support

Question 4

How does NSDAP organisation help Hitler become chancellor?

Answer 4

• Over 100,000 members by 1928
  
- Extended to cover all of Germany

• Gaus w/Gauleites to keep coordination 

• Propaganda, kept Party in limelight + created an image that was determined and hopeful, appealing to many in a time of crisis
• Amid all the chaos, they seemed organised and therefore appealing through their rallies + marches, using Hitler and his speeches
  
- Brownshirts/SA were able to publicly march and literally fight and intimidate political rivals

Question 5

How does political intrigue allow Hitler to become chancellor?

Answer 5


- Despite electoral success in the 1930 elections, not this that caused Hitler’s chancellorship but the intrigues at the top Weimar’s political system.

- Results of Nov. 1933 election demonstrated decline in votes for the NSDAP, yet was when Hitler was offered the Chancellorship

- Was because of the intense political rivalry between von Papen and Schleider which caused von Papen to convince President Hindenburg, who was a nationalist yet hated Hitler, that the NSDAP leader should become the Chancellor of a new coalition government.

- Fatally wrong of von Papen to think that he could control Hitler when he became Chancellor, without this ‘backstairs intrigue’ of the 1932-33 winter, it is questionable whether Hitler would have ever become Chancellor as demonstrated by the fact that even in his most successful election, he was not able to obtain this position, until it was convenient to others. 

- Intrigue against each other for power which undermines democracy

Question 6

What was the Gleichschaltung Period?

When was it?

Answer 6

In Nazi terminology, Gleichschaltung was the process by which Nazi Germany successively established a system of totalitarian control and coordination over all aspects of society.

The period from 1933 to 1937.

Question 7

How was the Gleichschaltung Period characterised?

Answer 7

Characterised by the systematic elimination of non-Nazi organisations that could potentially influence people, such as trade unions and political parties.

Question 8

What obstacles did Hitler face when establishing dictatorship?

Answer 8

• Hindenburg, still superior/has power to dismiss Hitler
• Trade Unions represented workers rights, still have the power to question to the govt
• Army still swore loyalty to states
• SA had power to overthrow Hitler, led by the popular Ernst Röhm
• Central parties had their own powerful propaganda machine
• Weimar Constitution legally prevented him


Question 9

In basic terms, how did Hitler overcome the obstacles which prevented him from becoming dictatorship?

Answer 9

• Reichstag Fire and Enabling Act
• Knight of the Long Knives
• Hitler Oath
• Concordat Agreement
• Death of Hindenburg

Question 10

How does Reichstag Fire + Enabling Act enable Hitler’s dictatorship?

Answer 10

Meant that Hitler could issue laws without the permission and approval of others as long as it was deemed as an emergency. The Reichstag essentially became useless and not as much of an obstacle. It allowed Hitler to ban communists from the Reichstag.

Question 11

What and when is the Jewish Boycott?

Impact?

Answer 11

1st April - 1 day boycott of Jewish shops and businesses.

A boycott usually stems from the people’s own political opposition to an injustice… This was a boycott enforced by the state. It didn’t gain much support because were unwilling to inconvenience themselves in order to oppose the Jews. Public support for Hitler’s anti semitic sentiment is questionable.

Question 12

When does Hitler outlaw the formation of any new political parties?

What else happened?

Answer 12

14th July 1933

The Communists and the SDP have already been banned, the other parties have dissolved themselves. Germany is now a one party state.

Question 13

Concordat Agreement?

Answer 13

Concordat Agreement between state and Vatican. An agreement placing constraints on the political activity of the Church, whilst guaranteeing the church’s independence under the Nazi regime (i.e. to keep out of one another’s business).
This means that the catholic will turn a blind eye to what he does.

Question 14

When is the Concordat Agreement?

Answer 14

20th July 1933

Question 15

When is Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 15

30th June 1934

Question 16

Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 16

Hitler has authorised and admitted to the killings of 90 members of the SA (50 of them significant leaders) by the SS, including the leader Ernst Rohm, Nazi rival Gregor Srasser, and scheming Schleicher.
Papen resigns after this event. Proving that he was no threat to Hitler.

Question 17

Impact of Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 17

This means that the SA were a lot less of a threat to Hitler’s authority. And this sends an intimidating message to other Nazi members who know not to mess or try to cross Hitler. Perhaps highlights Hitler’s paranoia and willingness to undermine his colleagues.

Question 18

Death of Hindenburg?

Answer 18

2nd August 1934 -
Hitler is declared President. The two roles of Chancellor and President are merged into one new position “Fuhrer”. Now there is no need for a chancellor this means less threats from below again.

Question 19

Hitler Oath?

Answer 19

August 1934 -
The army has taken a PERSONAL oath of loyalty to Hitler, promising unconditional obedience. The army no longer will be a threat, and he can use them for whatever he wants. This gives him massive power.

Question 20

What had hitler and the nazi party achieved by august 1934?

Answer 20

• He had officially become Fuhrer, as well as achieving a totalitarian state.
• Hitler still has not managed to pass laws controlling women and young children
• He has still not solved the economic problems that he originally promised to resolve.
• They eliminated all of the political opposition that threatened their position of power
• Trade Unions replaced by DAF
• A complete dictatorship, with control of the army. In addition, he also eradicated any threat from opposing parties→ creates no alternative for the German people

Question 21

What potential obstacles still remained?

Answer 21

• Whether Hitler still had the public support is unsure, he may have control over the establishment, he hasn’t controlled the public yet.
• But the concentration camps do show what can happen.
• Hitler did not have control over the church - but they did agree that they would turn a blind eye to anything the Nazis did. So they shouldn’t be THAT much of an issue.

Question 22

How far had hitler consolidated his leadership by 1934? Was he secure?

Answer 22

All political opponents removed, SA dealt with, armed forces had taken an oath of loyalty to Hitler - very secure.