Rise of the Nazi Party, 1918-1933

Question 1

Hitler’s early life (not on syllabus but useful to know)

Answer 1

• Austrian Catholic, family moved often, model student, not very strong, mummy’s boy
• Wanted to be an artist, didn’t get into art school, spent 5 years on streets of Vienna where anti-Semitism was high, developed hatred of Jews
• Fled Austria to avoid military, fought in war for Germany, role was to inform people if any colleagues were communist
• Temporarily blinded by gas shell in WW1, awarded iron cross
• Thought end of war was unpatriotic, stabbed in the back; he wasn’t fighting when war ended so he could say he wouldn’t have backed down
• Saw so much death in war he disregarded human life

Question 2

When did Hitler join the Nazi party, and what did he change its name to?

Answer 2

Hitler joined German Worker’s Party in 1919, and became leader in 1921 and changed name to National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazis for short)

Question 3

Key features of the Nazi Party, 1919-1923

Answer 3

• Organised private army called SA or storm troopers- protected Nazi meetings and attack opponents
• Drew up 25 point programme- Union of all Germans (pure race), scrap T of V, German citizenship only to Germans (not Jews), only Germans could vote, non-Germans entered after 1914 have to leave, nationalise business and land etc.
• 1922- 3,000 members

Question 4

Munich Putsch date

Answer 4

November 1923

Question 5

Causes of Munich Putsch

Answer 5

• Weimar Republic was unpopular due to Ruhr and hyperinflation
• Mussolini had seized power in Rome in 1922 after march on Rome
• Thought he would get support from people and army
• Convinced Weimar had stabbed them in the back- T of V
• Had support from General Ludendorff, former army leader (popular) and SA
• Bavarian State govt didn’t support Weimar much- near Austria so nationalist, thought they would help him- influential
  
  • Had goals- 25 point programme

Question 6

Key features of Munich Putsch

Answer 6

Hitler held members of Bavarian govt at gunpoint and forced to join him, and then let them go

• Von Kahr (leader of Bavarian govt) alerted police
• Next day, Bavarian police shot Nazi SA (16 killed)
• Hitler and Ludendorff arrested- high treason

Question 7

Effects of Munich Putsch

Answer 7

• Trial lasted one month, allowed to make speeches- publicity, exposing him to media
• Sympathetic judge- only 5 year sentence- minimum sentance- (only served 9 months)
• ‘Soft’ prison- allowed visitors, books and letters
• Developed views and wrote ‘Mein Kampf’
• Hitler learnt he needed to secure power legally

Question 8

Changes to the Nazi party from 1924-1929

Answer 8

• Gaues- Party branches led by a ‘gauleiter’
• SA- Forced Rohm to resign as leader to make them less violent, appointed Von Salomon to create better image
• SS- Hitler’s loyal personal guard- couldn’t trust SA
• Hitler Youth- Indoctrinate the young- future voters
• Propaganda- Goebbels put in charge
• Swastika- instantly recognisable, represented peace
• Fuhrerprinzip- one leader of Nazi Party obeyed by all, complete control

Question 9

How many seats did the Nazi Party win in the 1928 election?

Answer 9

12

Question 10

Political effects of the depression

Answer 10

• Caused chaos in Germany
• Govt couldn’t solve problems- weak
• Unemployment (6 million), Hitler promised more work
• Street battles between communists (Nazi rivals) and police meant SA looked disciplined and orderly

Question 11

Key events in 1932-1933

Answer 11

• General election triggered violence between Nazis and communists
• Nazis were largest party in Reichstag so Hitler wanted to be chancellor, but Hindenburg said no, appointed Von Papen
• Von Papen had no support so was replaced by Von Schleicher, but was forced to resign within a month
• Hitler made chancellor, thought he was weak and could be controlled

Question 12

Nazi election results

Answer 12

• 1924- 32 seats- publicity from Munich Putsch
• 1928- 12 seats- joined L of N, hyperinflation dropped-Stresemann
• 1930- 107 seats- depression, people became desperate
• July 1932- 230 seats- depression, people became desperate
• Nov 1932- 196 seats- depression beginning to ease up

Question 13

Key ideas in Mein Kampf

Answer 13

• Volksegmeinschaft- strongest races dominate weak
• Lebensraum- all German speaking people incorporated into the nation
• All ills in Germany caused by Jews
• Abolition of T of V