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Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 1919-1963 > The collapse of Weimar Democracy and the Rise Of Nazism > Flashcards

The collapse of Weimar Democracy and the Rise Of Nazism Flashcards

1
Q

What were Hitler’s ideals of National Socialism?

A

Fervent German nationalist - create strong Germany
Authoritarianism
Opposed democracy and communism
Radically inspired vied of society with anti Semitic and veneration of German ‘Volk’ as master race

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2
Q

What was Hitler’s background with the Nazi Party?

A

Spy for Bavarian German army in 1919

  • brought into contact with DAP (German Worker’s Party)
  • quickly a success due to skills in propaganda and public speaking
  • drew up 25 point programme with leader Anton Drexler in Feb 1920
  • agreed to change name to national socialist German workers party
  • made propaganda chief, created swastika and salute to create immediately recognisable identity
  • membership rose to 3300
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3
Q

What was the relationship between Hitler and Anton Drexler?

A

Drexler wanted control and was concerned about Hitler’s increasing power.
Hitler’s offered to resign - tactical, knew he was indispensable
Power struggle - mobilised support at 2 meetings in July 1921
Drexler embarrassed, resigns
Hitler’s became chairman

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4
Q

How did the SA help Hitler strengthen his early leadership?

A 
Founded 1921
Leader was Ernst Rohm
Group of armed squads organised and set up SA such as Freikorps
Planned thuggery and violence
Disrupted communist meetings
Intimidating and appeared powerful
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5
Q

When was the Nazi newspaper founded and what was it called?

A

1921

Völkischer Beobachter (the people’s observer)

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6
Q

How did the support of Streicher strengthen his early leadership?

A

Had run rival right wing group in Bavaria
Backed Hitler 1922
Had newspaper - Der Stürmer, overtly anti Semitic
Range of articles about sex and violence

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7
Q

How did the support of Göring strengthen Germany’s early leadership?

A

Joined party 1922
Decorated was hero from landowning family, husband of Swedish aristocrat
Made helpful social contacts in Munich giving nazism respectability

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8
Q

What were the 4 factors which allowed Hitler to strengthen his early leadership? What was the effect of this?

A

SA
Support of Göring
Support of Streicher
Nazi newspaper

1923 - 20,000 members but limited to Bavarian region

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9
Q

What was the background to the Munich putsch?

A

Nazis too weak to stage political takeover on their own
Wanted to seize opportunity of internal crisis and Mussolini’s rise to power in Italy
Need for allies - negotiations with Kahr, leader of Bavarian state government and Otto Von Lossow, Commander of the German Army

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10
Q

What was the plan for the Munich putsch?

A

‘March on Berlin’ in style of Mussolini’s coup
Mobilise all Bavarian military forces - army, police, SA, paramilitaries
Close in on Berlin and seize national power

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11
Q

Why was the plan for the Munich putsch doomed to fail?

A

Overestimated public support and his own fame and popularity despite problems in Weimar
Lack of real planning
Relied too heavily on promise of Ludendorff’s support
On eleventh hour, Kahr and Lossow held back fearing failure

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12
Q

What were the events of the Munich putsch?

A

8 November hijacked Kahr’s meeting in Munich Beer hall
Declared national revolution and forced Kahr and Lossow to support him
9th November marched on Munich with 2000 SA men with Göring, Streicher, Röhm, Ludendorff
No real military backing - easily crushed by Bavarian police
14 Nazis killed
Hitler’s arrested for treason

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13
Q

What were the consequences of the Munich Putsch?

A

Putschists arrested and charged with treason
NSDAP banned
Turned trial into propaganda for himself and cause - rhetorical skills and patriotism admired
Made a national figure
Courage won respect of right wing nationalism
Lenient sentence - 5 years was minimum
Reduced to 10 months
Used prison to write Mein Kampf and reassess political strategy

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14
Q

How was the Nazi ideology nationalist?

A

Restoration of 1914 frontiers with armistice and TOV overturned
Creation of Reich including all German ‘Volk’ - Austrian Germans, Germans in Sudetenland and along Baltic coast
Use territorial expansion for lebensraum (living space) and become a superpower
Conquest of Poland, Ukraine and Russia to gain raw materials, cheap labour and food supplies
‘New order’ in Eastern Europe would destroy the communist USSR

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15
Q

How was the nazi ideology anti-semitist?

A

Nazi scapegoat for all problems past and present
Based on racism and national resentment
By 1900, numerous ‘Volkisch’ anti-semitic parties were winning seats in the Reichstag
Religious hostility of Christians - killed Jesus
Hitler was a product, not creator of feeling which had a long tradition in European history

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16
Q

How was nazi ideology racist?

A

Hitler believed in hierarchy of races and that life was a survival of the fittest
Thought the blood of the weak should not undermine blood of the strong, vital to maintain purity
Herrenvolk (master race) was Aryan Race, exemplified by Germans, and must dominate

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17
Q

How was nazi ideology anti democratic?

A

Hitler saw Weimar as a betrayal
Blamed democratic and socialist politicians
Germany military went against traditions and power of the state - were weak and ineffective so encouraged Communism
Wanted 1 party state based on ‘Fuhrerprinzip’; rejected representative government and liberal values

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18
Q

How did nazi ideology have socialist elements?

A
  • Volksgemeinschaft (people’s community) overcame class, religion and politics, creating a new collective national identity to work together for the benefit of the nation
  • 1920 programme demanded socialist reforms for popular appeal, but Hitler’s lack of commitment caused difference. This was meant to include insurance for elderly being developed and profit sharing in large industrial enterprises
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19
Q

What were the Nazi’s strategy and leadership like during the 1920s?

A

February 1926: Bamberg conference - Hitler mobilised personal support whilst party refused to remove socialist elements from 25PP
Hitler intended to establish absolute control over party and change tactics
Policy differences between left and right - nationalists and anti-capitalists
Not all agreed on the policy of legality
Gregor Strasser led movement in Northern Germany, favouring more socialist, anti-capitalist policies

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20
Q

What was Nazi Party Structure in the 1920s?

A

Vertical structure
Strasser’s responsibility to organise structure
Divided into ‘Gaue’ ruled by ‘Gauleiters’ with ‘Krei’ (districts) followed by branches (Ort)
Goebbels was Gauleiter of Berlin
Organisations for certain Groups - Order of German Women, Union of Nazi Lawyers, Nazi Teacher’s Association, Hitler Youth

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21
Q

When were the SS created and what were their functions during the 1920s?

A

1925
black shirts
began as Hitler’s personal bodyguards
absolute obedience to Fuhrer

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22
Q

What was the impact of the new Nazi party structure in the 1920s?

A

Increased membership

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23
Q

In what ways were the 1928 elections a success for the Nazis?

A

Made progress due to effective structure; membership had increased fourfold since 1925, secure leadership despite challenges and absorbed other racist right wing groups
Gains in Northern Germany, reflected in regional state elections in 1929 - fall in agricultural prices had caused discontent and made progress with rural middle and lower middle classes, suggesting Hitler could exploit financial difficulty
e.g. Trebled vote in regional Thuringia elections

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24
Q

In what ways were the 1928 elections a failure for the Nazis?

A

Policy of legality failed due to good socioeconomic conditions and stablisation of Weimar

25
Q

What percentage did the Nazis gain in 1928 and how many seats?

A

2.6% - 12 seats

26
Q

What were the political effects of the Wall Street Crash?

A

Coalition governments could not decide on how to solve the crisis so were unable to push through laws to deal with the situation
Between 1928 and 1932 there were 5 elections each resulting in the makeup of coalition governments

27
Q

What were the social effects of the Wall Street Crash?

A
  • By January 1933, 6.1 million people were unemployed including 40% of all factory workers, 50% of all Germans 16-30 and 60% graduates. Millions of young people unemployed with no prospects
  • Workers suffered because taxes went up.
  • Real wages in 1932 were 70% of 1928 levels
  • Homelessness grew as people could not afford rent, causing shanty towns to spring up
  • Around 27% received no unemployment benefits
  • fights broke out between police and young men in streets causing an increase of 24% in arrests in Berlin
28
Q

What were the economic effects of the Wall Street Crash?

A
  • Banking crisis - German banks were major investors in shares on US stock market - suffered huge losses
  • Banks demanded loans in industry and agriculture to be returned - industries and forms had to cut back or close leading to economic collapse
  • Some German banks ran out of money as people rushed up to get money out
  • Worldwide economic crisis meant that companies selling goods abroad lost sales creating more unemployment
  • German Civil Servant Bank went bust in 1929 - people lost savings
  • General economic collapse in German industry - to pay out money demanded by their account holders, German and American banks needed cash urgently
29
Q

How did benefits and unemployment become a negative cycle after the Wall Street Crash?

A
  • Workers unemployed - became poorer - bought less - sales fell - companies had to make more workers unemployed
30
Q

Why did the Wall Street Crash affect Germany?

A
  • Dawes Plan lent money to Germany
  • WALL STREET CRASH - loans recalled, tariffs put on trade
  • industry suffers - unemployment - workers have less money so buy less creating a negative cycle
31
Q

Why did unemployment cause problems in 1929?

A
  • more out of work - government less able to pay unemployment benefit - taxes raised - unemployment benefits cut - more problems for unemployed
32
Q

Why did the right support the Young Plan?

A
  • Right wing thought reparations were based on lie of war guilt - any scheme seen as betrayal of national interest
  • National Committee led by Alfred Hugenberg, leader of the DNVP, fought plan with media resources
  • support of other Right wing factions e.g. Nazis
33
Q

Why did National Opposition to the Young Plan cause the Nazi breakthrough?

A
  • ‘National Opposition’ drafted a ‘Law against the Enslavement of the German people’ denouncing reparations and demanding punishment of ministers
  • gained enough support for a referendum in December 1929 but motion only received 5.8 million votes
  • Campaign stirred nationalist feeling and brought the right together
  • Party had 130,000 members by 1929 and gained a national standing
  • Hitler made many contacts and gained access to Hugenberg’s media empire
  • Annual Nuremberg rally was a propaganda success on a whole new scale
34
Q

Why did the Appointment of Bruning cause the Nazi Breakthrough?

A
  • Brought in by 3 conservative nationalists; Otto Meisner, Oskar von Hindenburg and Kurt von Schleicher - all had little faith in democracy and wanted more authoritarian leadership, and saw their means via Article 48
  • Bruning proposed cuts - ‘hunger chancellor’, balancing books and limiting inflation - rejected by Reichstag in July 1930 so President passed it under Article 48
  • Reichstag questioned legality and voted for withdrawal of decree leading to deadlock where no one could pass laws
  • Bruning asked Hindenburg to dissolve Reichstag and call for elections in September 1930
35
Q

Why did the Collapse of Muller’s Grand Coalition cause the Nazi breakthrough?

A
  • Sharp increase in unemployment created large deficit in new national insurance scheme and 4 major parties couldn’t agree on how to tackle it
  • SPD wanted to increase contribution and maintain welfare, the DVP wanted to cut benefits
  • Muller could not maintain a majority so had to resign - SPD no longer in charge
  • appointment of bruning
36
Q

How did the Reichstag elections in 1930 represent the Nazi breakthrough?

A
  • Nazis gained 107 seats and 18.7% of the vote, becoming the second largest party
  • SPD voted declined by over 4% but Communist vote increased indicating polarisation
  • In 1928 Nazi leaders directed propaganda at rural and middle class/lower middle class audiences, meaning that they gained at the expense of the DNVP, DDP and DVP
  • DNVP voted halved
  • Electorate grew by 1.8m - new generation of voters and turnout increased to 82% - attracting first time voters, young and otherwise
  • left and right both gained at expense of democratic parties making it difficult to run a democratic parliament
37
Q

Why did Schleicher push for the appointment of Von Papen?

A
  • Not suited to role - no background in politics meaning Schleicher could be more influential
  • aristocrat
  • ZP member but views mirrored nationalism - close friends with Hindenburg
38
Q

What was the Cabinet of Barons?

A
  • every member of Papen’s Cabinet was not in Reichstag
  • presidential government dominated by aristocratic landowners and industrialists
  • wanted to secure Nazi political support
39
Q

What promises were made to the Nazis by Papen’s Cabinet of Barons and why?

A
  • dissolve Reichstag and call fresh elections
  • end government ban on SA and SS introduced after violence during the presidential campaign
  • hoped for creation of right wing authoritarian government with some popular support from Nazis - thought they could control Hitler
40
Q

What happened during the July 1932 Reichstag Elections in Prussia?

A

Streetfighting - 86 deaths in July
Excuse to abolish most powerful regional state government in Prussia as the ZP/SPD coalition was a focus of right wing resentment
20th July - Papen declared state of emergency and appointed himself Reich commissioner of Prussia in an arbitrary and unconstitutional act
-replaced parliamentary system with presidential authoritarian government
- democrats gave in without much opposition - lost iniatitive
- didn’t win Papen electoral support

41
Q

How did parties perform in the Reichstag Elections of July 1932?

A
  • Nazis won 230 seats, 37%
  • largest party but with no majority, Hitler had grounds to be Chancellor
  • middle class democratic parties e.g DDP and DVP collapsed with 2.2.%
  • SPD vote dropped to 21.6% but KPD vote increased to 14.3%
  • DNVP vote fell to 5.9%
42
Q

Why did the Nazis make gains in the 1932 elections?

A

Right wing more likely to vote extreme
Small per cent of disgruntled workers voted Nazis instead of SPD
84% turnout - party attracted new voters

43
Q

What was the evidence that the German people voted against democracy in the July 1932 Reichstag Elections?

A

39.5% voted pro-democratic parties

KPD and NSDAP combined vote was 51.6% so majority voted against democracy.

44
Q

What were Bruning’s aims as Chancellor?

A
  • balance budget
  • prevent chance of restarting inflation
  • get rid of reparations burden
45
Q

How did Bruning plan to achieve his aims?

A
  • Cut spending

- raise taxes

46
Q

What was the impact of Bruning’s economic policy?

A
  • lowered demand as people spent less creating a negative cycle
  • rise in unemployment and decline in welfare
  • known as ‘Hunger Chancellor’
47
Q

Was Bruning economically incompetent?

A
  • YES: 1931 refused to increase public works and other economic measures which would have lessened the impact of the depression
  • NO: arguably no alternative - economy entered depression with severe weaknesses from the 1930s and no Chancellor could have expanded the economy
48
Q

How did Bruning becoming chancellor give way to presidential government?

A
  • lost seats from left and right but remained Chancellor due to Hindenburg’s support and the SPD’s toleration
  • SPD didn’t challenge use of Article 48 due to threat from extremes but did not join government
  • this meant the system gave way to a ‘presidential government’ with some backing from the Reichstag - in 1932 they only say for 13 days!
    In 1932 66 laws were passed by presidential decrees compared to 5 in 1930
49
Q

How did Bruning fall from power?

A

Presidential election in 1932 - Papen campaigned heavily for Hindenburg
Hindenburg got 53% but this was due to being only alternative to Nazis (36.8%) or the KPD under Ernst Thalmann.
- Hitler had doubled the Nazi vote
- Hindenburg showed no gratitude to Bruning and eventually forced him to resign due to the banking crisis, land reform, and intrigue.

50
Q

Why did the banking crisis cause Bruning’s fall from power?

A
  • Danat (major bank) collapsed June 1931 - revived fear of financial crisis
  • unemployment reached 5m in 1931
  • October 1931 - the National Opposition was reborn as the Hazburg Front
  • right wing political, military and economic forces organised a massive rally, demanding Bruning’s resignation and new Reichstag elections
  • But, Papen still had Hindenburg’s support
51
Q

Why did land reform cause Bruning’s fall from power?

A
  • Bruning aimed to issue an emergency decree turning Junker estates in east Prussia to 600,000 allotments for the unemployed
  • threat to property interests - seen as ‘agrarian Bolshevism’
52
Q

Why did Intrigue cause Bruning’s fall from power?

A
  • land reform issues and banking crisis spurred on the right wing led by Kurt von Schleicher who pushed for Bruning’s resignation with the aim of creating a right wing government
  • only survived due to president’s personal backing - agreed to creation of presidential government based on Article 48 but did not realise precariousness of his own position
53
Q

What were the merits of Bruning?

A

Was making good progress towards aims:

  • succeeded in ending reparations - cancelled at Lausanne in 1932 at the height of the depression
  • sympathised with reduction of democratic powers of Reichstag
  • not committed to democracy but not sympathetic to Nazism either
  • continued to uphold rule of law
54
Q

What were the weaknesses of Bruning?

A
  • didn’t appreciate how unstable economic crisis was by 1932
  • didn’t realise insecurity of his own position
  • presidential law made people accustomed to rule by decree
  • democracy undermined so path was cleared for more extreme parties
55
Q

Why did economic issues lead to the death of Weimar democracy?

A

Inherited costs of WW1 and post war resconstruction
reparations
expense of new welfare
1923 - inflation overcome but problems disguised and unresolved

56
Q

Why did limited popular support lead to the death of the Weimar Republic?

A

Narrow base - caught between extremes
Associated with defeat and humiliation of TOV and reparations
Loyalty of SPD undermined by failure to join coalitions in the mid 1920s and conflicts with the KPD
1922-1923 damaged reputation
ZP and DNVP moved to the right
DDP and DVP (liberal parties) lost support from 1924 onwards

57
Q

Why did the hostility of the elites lead to the death of the Weimar Republic?

A

Impact was initially limited due to military defeat and the threat of revolution
They rejected the democratic republic and worked against interests to return to the pre-war situation
Handicapped development during the 1920s
Decisive factor in 1930s collapse

58
Q

Why did constitutional issues lead to the death of the Weimar Republic?

A
  • Article 48 was a constitutional anomaly that effectively created a presidential government
  • relationship between chancellor and president caused problems
  • no provision to change old institutions
  • proportional representation led to indecisive coalitions

Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 1919-1963 (5 decks)

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