rise of the nazis Flashcards
Key Ideologies (from Mein Kampf Extracts)
Extremely hostile view on Jewish people and “foreigners” (mainly from Eastern Europe)
Believes that Jewish people “hate the white race” and want to “lower its cultural level”
Policy of Lebenstraum
Believes that German people can only live well with a large living space/large territory
Believed that German people were “entitled to” more land
Appealing to the masses through emotion rather than logic and reason
what is the NSDAP
The NSDAP was originally the German Workers’ Party set up by Anton Drexler.
It was anti-Semitic, nationalist, but also socialist. It was firmly against the new Weimar politicians.
Drexler soon realised that Hitler had great talent and put him in charge of propaganda for the party.
They rebranded as the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazis for short) and issued their 25 Point Programme.
NSDAP timeline
- 1919: German Workers party established by Anton Drexler
- 1920: Hitler is made chief of propaganda and people flock to hear his speeches
- 1920: Hitler (with the support of Drexler) renames the party the National Socialist German Workers Party NSDAP to attract more people
- 1920: Hitler selts out the 25 Point Programme of Nazi aims
- 1921: Hitler created the swastika as the Nazi symbol and set up his private army, the SA
- 1921: The Hitler Youth was set up for children of party members
- 1921: Hitler becomes the leader of the Nazi Party
- 1922: Mussolini and the fascists rise to power in Italy
- 1923: Munich Putsch and Hitler imprisoned, Mein Kampf written
- 1923: Munich Putsch and Hitler imprisoned, Mein Kampf written
- 1923: Nazi Party banned but continued under the title “Germany Party”
- January 1933: Hitler becomes Chancellor.
what did hitler hope to achieve in the munich putsch
To march on Berlin before Berlin marches on Munich
To take control of Germany from the Weimar Government
why did hitler think the timing of the munich putsch was right
The government was preoccupied with the economic crisis
Stresemann had just called off Germany’s passive resistance in the Ruhr
who assisted Hitler in the munish putsch
VON KAHR, SEISSER and LOSSOW – nationalist politicians
3,000 SA troops (he used 600 to surround the Beer Hall)
LUDENDORFF – famous WWI general (loyal during the putsch).
events of the munich putsch
On 8th November Kahr (head of Bavarian govt) was speaking at a beer hall in Munich. Hitler burst in with 600 stormtroopers and forced Kahr at gunpoint to support the Putsch
that night the SA took key positions in Munich.
Kahr misled the Nazis and agreed to support the putsch, but secretly alerted the army and police.
The following day the Nazis marched into the city centre victorious, but they were blocked by police.
Shots were fired and 16 Nazis were killed. Hitler and Ludendorff were arrested.
The rebellion broke up in chaos and Hitler escaped in a car while Ludendorff and the others stayed to face the armed police
Hitler had gambled and miscalculated and his revolution failed
advantages of the munich putsch for the nazis
Hitler took the opportunity during his court trial to give a passionate political speech. He impressed the right wing judges so much that he and his accomplices got off lightly
Ludendorff was freed altogether and Hitler was only given 5 years in prison but only served 9 months
Hitler gained enormous publicity and every word of his court speech was spread through newspapers all over Germany
Because of his links formed with the famous WW1 General Ludendorff, Hitler gained attention from important military figures
When he was in prison, Hitler had the chance to reflect on his actions and write Mein Kampf. He also realized that he should try a more democratic approach to gaining power (ballot rather than bullet)
disadvantages of the munich putsch for the nazis
The Nazis looked weak and were humiliated while Weimar looked strong
The people of Germany didn’t support the Nazis for the Munich Putsch
The Nazi party was (temporarily) banned
Hitler and the Nazis were charged for treason (but most of them either got off lightly or scott free)
reason for nazi success disillusionment with weimar
Proportional representation produced a series of weak coalition governments and frequent elections. The President, Hindenburg, often resorted to using his emergency power, Article 48, just to run the country – this made the Weimar government even weaker.
This made the Reichstag, along with the whole democratic appeal of Weimar, appear useless
It made it seem to the German people that the only way things could get done was by one man making all the decisions
The Weimar Republic was born out of the Treaty of Versailles and so was linked to humiliation, failure and loss.
The Weimar Republic sometimes did not deal with issues well enough
such as 1923 when hyperinflation caused economic crisis
reason for nazi success wall street crash great depression
Germany suffered even more than other countries as the USA demanded the return of the loans given to Germany under the Dawes Plan of 1924.
Many businesses in Germany went bankrupt and there were 6 million people unemployed by 1932.
Others suffered from part time work or wage cuts so much so that they could not afford to pay their rent and became homeless.
The government was powerless to act. No political party had over 50% of the seats and so there were weak coalitions of many parties who could not decide how best to handle the situation
Heinrich Bruning was the Chancellor of Germany between March 1930 and May 1932 and his economic policies were highly unpopular. He raised taxes, cut unemployment benefits and reduced the salaries of government workers – this did nothing to help the people that were already struggling
In times of economic depression, support for extreme parties increased, so the Nazi Party and the Communist Party gained more power
The Communists appealed to the poor working classes
The Nazis aimed their message at the business classes who had lost everything and unemployed workers.
reason for nazi success fear of communism
The Nazi Party was funded by rich industrialists who saw it as a strong buffer to communism.
Steel magnates such as Alfred Krupp and Fritz von Thyssen donated vast sums in Germany, but the Nazi Party also had funding from industrialists around the world. The American, Henry Ford (of the Ford motor company), also financed it.
reason for nazi success propaganda and campaigning
For the unemployed workers, Hitler campaigned for public works schemes to create jobs, and for the middle classes, his right wing message provided a strong buffer to communism
Goebbels used new and old methods of political campaigning, tailoring the Nazi message to the specific audience
there was one issue that all Germans were united on – the injustice of the Treaty of Versailles – and Hitler used this to his advantage
Hitler’s speeches were carefully crafted, memorable and delivered with passion
The ‘Hitler over Germany’ campaign meant that they used the latest developments in aviation to fly Hitler to different German towns and cities, gathering support at election time. They also used the medium of radio to effectively bring their message into peoples’ homes.
Use of scapegoats - They were quick to blame the financial crisis on the Jews and used lots of visual propaganda to portray Jews as greedy bankers celebrating as ordinary German people suffered. This was effective in uniting German people behind Hitler and against a common enemy.
reason for nazi success the SA
They threatened political opponents of the Nazi Party, sometimes attacking them.
They deliberately disrupted meetings of other political parties, spreading violence and starting fires, which they then blamed on their biggest challenge – the Communist Party.
Hitler deliberately created chaos so that he could claim the Nazi Party were the only ones who could restore order.
The SA and SS helped the financial crisis by creating soup kitchens and unemployed shelter hostels. They also were a source of jobs for unemployed german men
reasons for nazi success political problems
The former Chancellor, Bruning, had been a disaster, and the appointment of Von Papen served to further alienate the German public against the Weimar government.
Von Papen was a member of the Centre Party and he did not have enough support to form the government (only 87 seats in the Reichstag), so he called a general election in July 1932 to try and win more seats.
Although the Centre Party seats increased slightly 87 seats to 97 seats, it was the Nazi Party that gained the most from this election, securing 230 seats, at the expense of minority parties.
Von Papen struggled in vain for months, but called another election in November 1932 to try to gain more support. Here, the Centre Party got even fewer seats – falling from 97 seats to 90 and so Von Papen resigned
Instead, Von Schleicher became Chancellor, but he too failed to gain a majority in the Reichstag and run the country.
Hindenburg felt he had to do what he had been avoiding and ask Hitler to become Chancellor.
when did hitler become chancellor
january 1933
what was the reichstag fire
The Reichstag (the German Parliament) burned down. A Dutch Communist named Marinus Van der Lubbe was caught red-handed with matches and fire-lighting materials Hitler claimed the fire was a Communist plot and persuaded Hindenburg to use Article 48 to pass an emergency decree as this had been a direct attack on the German government “This is a sign from God. If this fire turns out to be the work of Communists, then there is nothing that shall stop us from crushing this group with an iron fist!” - Hitler speaking to Goebbels on the night of the fire
when was the reichstag fire
27th February 1933
what was the decree for the protection of people and the state
Allowed for imprisonment without trial
Ended all freedoms guaranteed by the stare
Gave the police total control
Gave Hitler (and Goring) powers to arrest anyone suspected of opposing the government
This meant that Hitler could get rid of his political opponents
when was the decree for the protection of people and the state
28th feb 1933
when were the 1933 elections
5th march 1933
what were the 1933 elections
Hitler held a general election. He used effective propaganda in posters, rallies and radio to increase his popularity while using the Reichstag fire to undermine the Communists
44% of the people voted Nazi, which was the highest share of the vote they had ever received. They won 288 seats in the Reichstag
However, this did not give him a majority in the Reichstag, so Hitler arrested the 81 Communist deputies so they could not take their seats
The Nationalist Party had won 52 seats and they joined with the Nazis
The Centre Party (74 seats) were also persuaded to support the Nazis
They now had a majority in the Reichstag and only the Social Democrat Party opposed them
when was the enabling law
24 march 1933
what was the enabling law
With his coalition he intimidated the Reichstag into voting on an Enabling Act
This allowed him to make laws without consulting the Reichstag and without the approval of the President
But a constitutional change like this needed the approval of ⅔ of the Reichstag, not just half
Nazi storm troopers stopped opposition deputies going in, and beat up anyone who dared to speak against it - this was mainly the SDP
The 81 Communists had been banned using the Decree for the Protection of People ans the State
The Catholic Centre Party decided to co-operate as thy retained control of Catholic schools
The Act was passed 444 votes to 94
Only the Social Democrats voted against him so the Enabling Act was passed
Germany ceased to be a democracy and the Weimar Constitution was destroyed
when was the nazification of local government
26 april 1933
what was the nazification of local government
Nazis took over important positions as judges and civil servants
Hitler was taking over all the political, administrative and judicial systems in Germany
Hitler increased the salaries of civil servant to buy their loyalty
The “Special Courts” were set up to ensure that everyone acted in line with the regime
The Nazis started to replace anti-Nazi teachers and University prfessors
32% of teachers joined the Nazi Party and all had to swear allegiance to Hitler or be dismissed
Hitler set up the Gestapo (the secret police) and encouraged Germans to report opponents and ‘grumblers’
The first concentration camp had been set up in Dachau in March
Tens of thousands of Jews, Communists, Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, gypsies, homosexuals, alcoholics and prostitutes were arrested and sent to concentration camps for “crimes” as small as writing anti-nazi graffiti, possessing a banned book or saying that business was bad
when did hitler take over the trade unions
2nd may 1933
how did hitler take over the trade unions
On 1st May, Hitler declared a workers holiday, taking the Trade Unionists by surprise
The Trade Unions offices were closed, their money confiscated and their leaders put in prison
In their place, Hitler put the German Labour Front (DAF). He also set up a public works programme (road building - autobahn) to create jobs create jobs create jobs create
when did hitler ban all political parties
14 july 1933
when did hitler take over the local governments and civil service
jan to april 1934
how did hitler take over the local governments and civil service
In January 1934, Hitler had taken over local government by banning regional parliaments. Germany was reorganised into 42 Gaus each run by a Gauleiter. These Gaus were broken into Blocks, each run by a Blockleiter. This was control at every level.
The Peoples’ Courts were set up on the 24th April 1934. All judges gave to swear an oath of loyalty to the Nazis
One of the main reasons was that many of the Communists who had been arrested after the Reichstag fire had been acquitted
The Special COurts had already been set up in 1933
Both were designed to suppress any opposition to the Nazis with the Peoples’ Courts taking on the higher profile cases
Roland Freisler was one of the Chief Judges
when was the night of the long knives
29-30 june 1934
what happened in TNOTLK
The SA were the street army who Hitler had used to help him come to power
They had defended his meetings and attacked opponents
By 1934 there were more than a million of them
When Hitler was in power in 1934 and there was no opposition left, the SA were an embarrassment , not an advantage
Also, Rohm, the leader of the SA, was talking about a Socialist revolution and about taking over the army. He was also a homosexual
Hitler had been trying to win the support of the army leaders whom Rohm threatened.
He had to choose between the Sa and the army
On the night of 30 June 1934, codeword “Hummingbird”, Hitler ordered the SS to kill more than 400 SA men
He also took the chance to remove more opponents, e.g. Von Schleisher
He claimed he had “saved the nation”
when did hindenburg die
2nd august 1934
aftermath of hindenburg death
Hindenburg died aged 84
Hitler took the opportunity to amalgamate the offices of president and chancellor declaring himself “Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor”
On the same day he got the German army to swear an oath of loyalty to him
Hitler had won the support of the only body powerful enough to overthrow him
when was the army oath
2nd august 1934
what was the army oath
On 2nd August 1934 the entire army swore an oath of personal loyalty to Adolf Hitler as Fuhrer of Germany.
The army agreed to stay out of politics and to serve Hitler
In return, Hitler spent vast sums on rearmament, brought back conscription and made plans to make Germany a great military power again.
