Rise to Power Flashcards by Elliana Ketley

Mein Kampf

Published in 1925-1926

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Munich Putsch

1923
Failed miserably

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Mein Kampf Promises

Get into power legally
End all opposition
Purify Germany
Strengthen Germany’s economy and armed forces
Gain land for Germany
Lead Germany to be a ‘Great Empire’

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Obstacles to overcome once reaching chancellor status

Hidenburg was more powerful than him
Needed consent to pass laws
Only had 37% of votes
Lots of groups detested their ideals
Power struggles within the Nazi party

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1932

Nazi won largest number of seats

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Adolf Hitler

Party leader since 1921
Charismatic speaker
Jailed for Munich Putsch 1923
Wrote Mein Kampf
Central figure in Nazi party

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Joseph Goebbels

Head of propaganda team
Used simple bold messages
Had deeply anti-semetic views
Portrayed Hitler as God-like

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Wilhelm Frick

Long standing member of the party
Given roles in cabinet in 1933
Minister of overall aspects of life in Germany
Helped to shape racial policy

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Ernst Rohm

Leader of SA
Originally set up as bodyguards but became private army
Used to intimidate voters
Physically attacked communists

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Herman Goring

Ex-WWI fighter pilot
Joined German cabinet with Frick and Hitler
Controlled police in Prussia
Formed the Gestapo

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Rudolph Hess

Another ex-WWI hero
Third in power to Hitler
Ensured legislations followed Nazi ideology
Made sure everyone had the same goals

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Heinrich Himmler

Leader of SS
Names as the elite guard
Ran concentration camps
Spied on German citizens

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Treaty of Versailles

Servery restricted German forces
Reduced German territories
Imposed a bill of £6.6 billion

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Weimar Republic

Grim years for German people
Citizens blame them for their hardship
Economy struggled
Resulted in great depression
Unemployment was high and wages were low

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Nazi Ideas

Scrap the Treaty of Versailles
Brat ad Arbeit (Bread and work)
Destroy Marxism (Communism)
Subdue the Jews
Ensure Arayan Supremacy
Fight for Lebensraum (living space)
Build Nationalism
Strengthens Central Government
Nationalise important industries
Improve education

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Reichstag Fire

27th February 1933
Committed by Van Der Lubbe (Dutch Communist)

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Consequences of Reichstag FIre

Van Der Lubbe was executed
Passed the Reichstag Fire Decree
4000+ communists arrested in that week
Banned all communist meetings (Elections weeks later)

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Reichstag Fire Decree

Restricted civil liberties- no privacy in post etc…
Increased power of central government
Harsh punishments for certain crimes
Stated decree was passed that day

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The Enabling Act

24th March 1933
Allowed Nazis to pass laws without consent from the Reich
Debating chamber surrounded with SA so 444 members voted to pass it
Disabled democracy

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Steps of Gaining Power

1- Removing Communists
2- removing German Democracy
3- Gleichschaltung
4- Removing Opposition

Civil Service Act

Many high-ranking civil servants were removed
7th April- Act for the restoration of the professional civil service
(Civil service Act)
Fired anyone who opposed Nazis or wasn’t Arayan

Encouragement of antisemitism

First legislations removed Jews from public life
1 April 1933- A day long boycott from all Jewish businesses
First of many
Stopped ‘Jewish activity’ in medical professions

Book Burning

Wanted to change people’s ideas
Encourages by propaganda ministry
10 May 1933- burned 25,000 non-German books

The Use of Terror

Put wrath of SS and SA on political opponents
Killed 600 and arrested over 100,000 in 1933
Kopenick (week of blood) - arrested 500, killed 91

Trades Unions

Lots against Nazi ideals Organised a strike and main leaders were arrested Goebbels promised national holiday on 1st May 2nd May 1933 - Trade unions offices were raided Assets placed under Nazi control

Political Parties

Began complaining about Nazis 10th May- Nazis claimed corrupt use of SD funds June 21st- Frick used emergency decree to ban them 14th July 1933- Act to Ban New Parties

Central Government Power

Act of Reconstruction of the state Removed power of local governments

People's Court

April 1934- Act to set up the People's Court Dealt with political offences Ensured fast response Death penalties rose rapidly

Cause of night of long knives

Ernst Rohm wanted SA to replace German Army SS became increasingly violent Rohm planned Hitler's downfall

The Night of the Long Knives

30th June 1934 SA instructed to go to a hotel for a meeting and then arrested Rohm given option of suicide but said no Murdered 2 days later Total of 85 murdered

Consequences of night of long knives

Power of SA was reduced The loyalty of the army was secured The Nazis gained a strange legal ability to murder A culture of fear was created Himmler established himself and his loyalty

Hindenburg death

1st August - Act Concerning Head of State# Chancellor and President power combined called Fuhrer 2nd August - Hindenburg dies

Lead by Himmler Kept small (52,000 in 1933) Easier to control 1936 Himmler became head chief of all German Police

Became secret service in 1938 Identified actual or possible threats Showed no signs of being fanatical Nazis

Reinhard Heydrich

Leader of SD Describes as having an iron heart By 1934 also head of Gestapo 1936- Assistant director of German Police

The Gestapo

Most infamous in Nazi terror Originally the Prussian police 15,000 people watching 66 million

Police

Provided with better funding 1936- Under control of SS Became important in terror

Judges and Courts

Had to swear an oath to Hitler Punishments became more severe Offences punishable by death 1933----------------> 1943 3 ---------------------> 46

Concentration Camps (early)

70 camps in 1933 Imprisoned 45,000 political opponents Run by SA Extreme conditions so closed in end of 1933 Numbers dropped to 7,500

Concentration Camps (later)

Theodor Eicke was appointed to bring order 1937 - 69 deaths at Dachau (7 times more than previous year) New groups sent (work shy, religious opponents, Jews) Start of war, 21,000 prisoners

Nazi Propaganda Methods

Newspapers Radio Rallies Posters Berlin Olympics Film

Newspapers

Closed opposing views down Printed new newspapers with antisemetic views Journalists forced to join Reich association

Radio

Best way to spread a message Mostly played Nazi speeches and German music By 1939, 70% of people had radios Had limited range

Rallies

Emphasised strength of Nazis 1934 rally was the largest- 30,000 swastika flags hung

Posters

Placed across Germany Clear message through visual means

Berlin Olympics

1936 Antisemetic signs were taken down All Arayan German team won Jesse Owens was the top performer and was African American

Film

Limited imports of foreign films Only 10% films were political

Film

Limited imports of foreign films Only 10% films were political