The Collapse Of Weimar Democracy And The Rise Of Nazism Flashcards
How did Hitler become involved in politics?
Explain the creation and emergence of the Nazi party?
Why did the Beer Hall putsch fall?
Hitler born in Austria - joined Bavarian Regiment in 1914 and found purpose in life. When war ended Hitler framed mind for the core of what would be national socialism - German nationalism and support of authoritarianism and oppose democracy and socialism, racially inspired vies on society and veneration of German Volk
Hitler joined the DAP - German Workers Party and him and Anton Drexler drew up 25 point programme in 1920 - agreed to change name to NSDAP - party membership up to 3300 - Hitler key speaker and driving force. Drexler resigned and Hitler became leader of the party in 1921, set up SA led by Rohm, party established newspaper, 1922 Hitler won backing of Steicher, Hitler won Goring and gave him social contacts in Munich.
Beer Hall putsch - showed lack of planning, relied too heavily on Ludendorff, Kahr and Lossow held back in fear of failing for March on Berlin. Hitler had no military backing one putsch was easily crushed, Hitler arrested but consequently turned trial in propaganda speech success, won respect on right wing nationalists, leniency of the sentence, months in prison to reassess political strategy
What were the main elements of Nazi ideology?
Look at Racism, Anti-Semitism, Anti-democracy, Nationalism, socialist aspects, ideology of National socialism
Racism - Hitlers ideas built on race, believed humanity consisted on hierarchy of races and argued it was survival of the fittest. Vital to maintain racial purity. At lower end were Slavs, gypsies and Jews
Anti-Semitism - Jew became the universal scapegoat for the Nazis responsible for all its problems, long standing anti semitism in Europe rooted in religious hostility, anti Semitic views became more respectable
Anti-democracy - Hitlers no realistic alternative to strong dictatorial government. Enoucraged development of greater evil communists Hitler saw Weimar as a betrayal as November Criminals by accepting the armistice - Hitler wanted a one party state run on the Fuhrerprinzip rejection of representative government and liberal values
Nationalism - Versailles had to overturned and lost territories restored to Germany - mere restoration of 1914 frontiers. Creation of an empire to include all members of Volk who lived beyond frontiers of Imperial Germany, AUstrian Germans, Sudeteneland, communities on Baltic coasts. - Dreamed of Greater German capable of competing with British Empire and USA - territorial expansion
Socialism aspect - profit sharing in large industrial enterprises, extensive development of insurance for old age, nationalisation of all businesses, cause of important differences within the party and were not really dropped until Hitler had fully established dominant position by 1934 - promote concept of Volksgemeinschaft - people’s community overcoming old differences in class, religion and politics and aimed bring new collective national identity to work for benefit of nation and promote German values
Ideology of National Socialism - Nazism lacked coherence and intellectually superficial and simplistic - not genuinely rational system of thought just random collection of ideas. Nationalism was outgrowth of fervour generated in years leading up to Germany’s unification and idea of all German reich simple repetition of demands for Greater Germany made by those nationalists
In what ways was the Nazi Party revitalised and how strong was it by 1929?
Look at… strategy and leadership, creation of party structure, Reichstag election of May 1928
Strategy and leadership - party divided in that not everyone agreed with party of legitimacy, traditional regional hostilities continued to exist, policy differences more pronounced between nationalist and anti capitalist. Strasser stood loyally to Hitler but epitomised the opposing standpoint within party - favoured more socialist anti capitalist policies
Creation of party structure - Germany divided into regions and controlled by Gauleiters Goebbels held Berlin post and showed interest in propaganda and a newspaper but not appointed chief of party propaganda until 1930 - Nazis founded new organisations such as Hitler Youth, Nazi Teachers association, Order of German Women - Strasser built these up - creation of SS in 1925 sworn obedience at first it was a bodyguard but developed its own identity with 200 members in 1929
Reichstag election May 1928 - structure was organised, membership increased four-fold, Hitlers leadership secure/authoritative - Party only won 2.6% of vote and 12 seats - Hitlers legality policy failed to bring political success
What were the political, economic and social effects of the Worlds economic crisis on Germany?
Wall Street Crash - 1929 USA loans were dried up and followed demands for repayments of loans, decline in price of food/raw materials
Economic - Slump in world trade, German exports fell in steel, machinery, exports fell by 55%. Mass unemployment to 5.6 million in 1932, industrial production declined to 58% in 1932, agricultural wages/incomes fell, 1932 fell to 77%, banking sector dislocated by loss of confidence five major banks collapsed and 50,000 business bankrupt
Balance of trades in red and in debt, German government finances were continually run in deficit
Social - unemployment rose, manual industrial workers faced long term unemployment and impossible to feed families, depression dragged down middle class, shopkeepers to law/medicine workers struggled to survive as little demand, tent at farmers evicted from homes
Political implications - lack of confidence in weakened republics position, end of Weimar
Why did the Grand Coalition eventually break up?
How did the leadership of Bruning weaken democracy?
Look at…
Young Plan
Collapse of Mullers Grand Coalition and appoint of Bruning
Nazi breakthrough
Young Plan & National Opposition - National opposition denounced any reparation and demanded punishment of collaborating ministers - referendum saw 5.8 million votes won - Hitler saw party membership rise, Nazism gained national standing, main party rally at Nuremburg gained huge scale successful Collapse of Mullers Grand Coalition - Muller a social democrat struggled to hold coalition and issue of finance brought it down in 1930 - sharp increase in unemployment created large deficit and 4 major parties couldn't agree to tackle it - SPD wanted increase contributions and maintain level of welfare payments - DVP had strong ties with big business and insisted on reducing benefits Appointment of Heinrich Bruning - Hindenburg granted post of chancellor to Bruning - leader of ZP second largest party in Reichstag but he manoeuvred into office by select circle and all three conservative nationalists and limited faith in democratic process - look to president and article 48 - Bruning respectable figure - economic policy was to prose cuts in expenditure to balanced budget but budget rejected Nazi breakthrough - Nazis won 107 seats in 1930 election - second largest party. Nazi leaders directed propaganda to rural/middle class audiences, nearly half of Nazi seats won by new voters, Nazis got people who didn't vote to vote for them - turnout to 82%
How did parliamentary democracy turn into presidential government?
Was Bruning economically incompetent, or simply a victim of circumstances?
Look at Brunings… Economic policy, fall from power with banking crisis, land reform, intrigue
Bruning had support o Hindenburg and his government tolerated by SPD - SPD didn’t join the government but resolved not to oppose parliament during article 48 due to threat of extremists. Reichstag backed presidential government and remained chancellor using article 48
Economic policy - balance the budget, prevent chance of inflation restarting and get rid of burden of reparations. Main measures imposed to cut spending drastically and raise taxes. Lowered demand and large increase in unemployed - mocked with title of the Hunger Chancellor
Failed to introduce public works to lessen the worst effects of the depression - argued limited economic alternatives as economic failure unavoidable
Fall from power - Banking crisis - collapse of bank Danat and others in 1931 revived fears of financial crisis - unemployment approaching 5 million and the National Oppresion was reborn in Oct 1931 - demanded resignation of Bruning
Fall - Land reform - aimed to issue an emergency decree to turn some Junker estates in east Prussia into 600,000 allotments for unemployed workers but saw this as a threat to property interests
Fall - Intrigue - unpopularity spurred right wingers led by Schleicher wanted right wing government.
Assessment of Bruning - succeeded in ending reparation payments, sympathised with reduction of democratic powers but not astute enough for economic crisis and never realised his insecure position
What was Papens political aims in 1932?
What was Papens cabinet known as?
Why was the Reichstag election of July 1932 so politically significant?
Schleicher recommended Papen to Hindenburg as the new Chancellor - Papen had connections with high society, Catholic, member of ZP, political views mirrored the nationalists - close friendship with Hindenburg. Cabinet was called non party government of national concentration nicknamed Cabinet of Barons - dominated by aristocratic landowners and industrialists - Papen and Schliecher wanted to secure political support from Nazis - deal with Hitler so Hitler wouldn’t oppose government in return for dissolution of Reichstag and call for fresh election and end of government ban on SA and SS
Reichstag elections July 1932 - Schleicher and Papen abolished Prussia government declaring state emergency and Papen became Reich commissioner of Prussia - arbitrary and unconstitutional act, democrats gab win without any real opposition
Election - Nazis won 230 seat so largest political party, DDP and DVP collapsed, SPD declined while KPD increased - turnout 84% - increased
