The appeal of Nazism and Communism Flashcards
1
Q
Explain the electoral support the Nazis had up to July 1932
A
- Before 1929, Nazis’ core support came from the lower-middle class, the Mittelstand.
-> support among this group: white-collar workers, small shopkeepers, increased after the Wall Street Crash -> however gained even more support from the broader middle class and the farmers. - very adept at exploiting the widespread discontent amongst farmers by promising higher prices and protection against imports.
- in the July 1932 election, the Nazis received 37.4% of the votes compared to the KPD with 14.3%.
- Over the course of the 3 elections between Sep 1930 and July 1932, the nazis had more than doubled their electoral support.
-> Nazi party became the main party of protest by winning support amongst all classes and generations, and across different regions of the country.
2
Q
Explain the electoral support the communists had up to July 1932
A
- Since 1919, most working-class voters in large industrial centres had supported either the SPD or the Communists.
- communists made gains at the expense of the SPD, but their support was largely confined to large cities.
-> communists were strongest in the poorest areas of cities like Berlin, esp among unemployed. - However, Nazis were still able to attract working class voters, in the 1930 election, about 27% of Nazi voters were manual labourers.
- Over the course of the 3 elections between Sep 1930 and July 1932, the communists had made gains but were unable to appeal to voters beyond their traditional core supporters,
3
Q
Summarise Nazi ideology and its background
A
- Nazi policy was 1st put forward in their 25 point programme of 1920, which was officially the statement of their aims in 1933 even though Hitler did not agree with many of its points.
- While in prison after the failed Munich Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, Hitler was writing Mein Kampf, his most complete statement of his ideas and aims.
- his ideas were not original, nor were they coherent or consistent, as he modified his policy statements according to the audiences he was addressing.
- Ideas included:
- the power of the will
- struggle and war
- a racial community
- a national socialism
- the fuhrerprinzip
- agressive nationalism
4
Q
What was the Nazi ideology of the power of the willl
A
- Hitler presented himself and the Nazis as being a force for change in Germany.
- Propaganda claimed power, strength and determination to succeed were personified by Nazi movement, with its parades of stormtroopers (SA) showing an image of discipline and unity.
5
Q
What was the Nazi ideology of struggle and war
A
- Hitler defined his outlook in terms of struggle and claimed scientific justification for his view that struggle and conflict between races was part of the natural order of things.
- war would reconstruct society/create new German Reich through conquest and subjugation of other races.
- Propaganda glorified military values of courage, loyalty and sacrifice.
- SA projected as given a chance to display manliness.
6
Q
What was the Nazi ideology of a racial community
A
- concept of ‘people’s community’ or Volksgemeinschaft was a key element.
- Only Aryans could be citizens of the state, others denied rights of citizenship and its benefits.
- In the ‘real community of the people’ there were no social classes and all Germans would have equal chances to find their own level win society.
- All would be work together for the good of the nation, and demonstrate commitment to ‘German values’.
- Aimed to create a ‘new man’ and a ‘new woman’, individuals who would have awareness of the importance of their race.
- wanted to return to a romanticised, mythical German past before the race had become ‘polluted’ with alien blood and before industrialisation had divided society along class lines.
7
Q
Explain Nazi ideology behind a national socialism
A
- Points in 25 point programme were economically radical and were similar of anti-capitalist of communists and socialists, e.g.:
-> Confiscation of war profits.
-> nationalisation of large monopoly companies.
-> confiscation of land from large estates without compensation to the landowners. - Hitler never fully committed to radical aims and modified message according to the audience he was addressing.
- Hitler used the word ‘socialism’ loosely, in a way that might appeal to working-class voters.
8
Q
What was the Nazi ideology of a fuhrerprinzip
A
- Hitler set out to destroy the Weimar Republic because it was a parliamentary democracy, a system he viewed as weak and alien to Germany’s traditions of strong, authoritarian governments.
- Believed democracy encouraged the growth of communism.
- ‘Jewish democracy has always been a means towards the destruction of an existing Aryan leadership’.
- Hitler has supreme control over policy and strategy, and party members became subordinated to Hitler’s will.
9
Q
What was the Nazi ideology of aggressive nationalism
A
- As a nationalist, Hitler had 3 main aims:
-> Reverse the humiliation of the T of V -> an instrument f ‘unlimited blackmail and shameful humiliation’ and restore to Germany those lands taken from it. - Establish ‘Greater German Reich’ in which all Germans would live within the borders of the state.
- secure for Germany its ‘Lebensraum’ to settle its people and provide it with the food and raw materials needed to sustain it as a great power, since ‘only an adequately large space on this earth assures a nation it freedom of existence.’
- Hitler didn’t only want to restore Germany to its borders of 1914 but also to expand the territory of the Reich.
-> involved a war of conquest to secure Germany’s Lebensraum in the East, which was justified by Hitler’s racial theories and his belief in the necessity of struggle.
10
Q
What was Nazi ideology of anti-semitism
A
- Saw Jews responsible for all of Germany’s ills.
- Propaganda represented them as greedy, cunning and motivated only by selfish motives.
- Described as ‘a parasite in the body of other nations’ having no state of their own and working through a worldwide Jewish conspiracy to establish dominance over other races.
- Jews were held responsible for the evils of capitalism and for the growth of communism.
-> portrayed as responsible for defeat in the WW1.
11
Q
Explain the appeal of Communism
A
- was a significant/growing force in German political life, especially at street and neighbourhood level in large industrial cities.
- After 1929 the party was faced by economic circumstances to focus more on the unemployed.
- set up ‘committees of the unemployed’, staged hunger marches and agitated against benefits cuts.
- Also attempted, with some success to co-operate with the so-called ‘wild cliques’ of working-class youths into communist-led campaigns against the police, reform schools and labour exchanges.
12
Q
Explain the policies and ideologies of Communist
A
- Demanded an end to cuts in unemployment benefits and wages and legalisation of abortion.
- advocated close cooperation with the USSR, end of military spending and the establishment of a workers’ state.
- ultimate aim was to overthrow the Republic.
- viewed the Depression as the final nail in the coffin for capitalism which leads to a worker’s revolution.
- Priority was to replace the SPD as the leading party on the left, since it accused the SPD of being as damaging to working-class interests as the Nazi party.
- KPD labelled the SPD as ‘social fascists’ and expended as much time and energy in fighting them as it did in fighting the Nazis.
13
Q
what were the strengths of communist ideology/appeal
A
- propaganda helped attract membership, through posters but also in speeches of Ernst Thalmann -> emphasised class struggle and smashing capitalism.
- explicit appeals to the unemployed, e.g. the slogan ‘bread and freedom’.
- projected an image which would appeal to its committed followers and to many of those situation had become desperate as a result of the depression.
- electoral support for KPD grew through 1930-1932, reaching a peak of 16.9% of votes in Nov 1932 Reich election.
HOWEVER:
-> the perceived threat of a communist revolution frightened middle-class voters into supporting Nazis and led business leaders such as Thyssen to give financial support to the Nazis.
-> Hitler was very adept at playing on these fears.
14
Q
What were the weaknesses of communist appeal/ideology
A
- the reality was that the KPD never came close to launching a successful revolution.
-> membership turnover was high -> more than 50% of new members in 1932 left within a few months. - failed to attract support outside the main industrial areas and had limited appeal amongst women.
- because a high proportion of its members were unemployed, the KPD was forever short of money.
- concentration on fighting ‘social-fascists’ in the SPD blinded the KPD to the serious threat posed by the Nazi Party and divided anti-Nazi forces at a crucial time.
