The establishment and development of the Weimar Republic: 1919–Jan 1933

Question 1

what were the 3 stages of turning germany into the weimar republic

Answer 1

1. revolution from above
2. revolution from below and abdication of the kaiser
3. the writing of the weimar constituion

Question 2

when was the revolution from above

weimar era

Answer 2

sept- oct 1918

Question 3

what was the revolution from above

weimar

Answer 3

By September 1918 Germany was losing the war and in retreat on the Western Front.​

General Ludendorff told the Kaiser that Germany was losing the war and should appeal to the USA for an armistice.​

However much of the German public were unaware of this as the government controlled media was lying to them and saying they would still win.​

When the public found out the truth, the Kaiser’s government would get the blame – A PROBLEM!

Question 4

what was Ludendorff’s plan in response to the revolution from above

Answer 4

General Erich Ludendorff advised the Kaiser (in September) to create a more democratic system. To give power to the Reichstag to make laws (legislative power).​

This was not because Ludendorff was a nice liberal democratic person. He was not. He was on old right-wing general.​

However by passing power to the politicians just before they lost a world war, he could shift the blame for losing the war to the politicians and away from the army and the Kaiser.​

They could then say that the army were ‘stabbed in the back’ by cowardly left-wing politicians. [STAB IN THE BACK MYTH]

Question 5

impact immediantly following kaiser abdication and stab in the back myth

Answer 5

On 2nd October 1918 full legislative power was given to the Reichstag politicians.​

The Army High Command gave up its political role​

A new Chancellor Max von Baden was appointed.​

Peace negotiations started with the USA.

Question 6

when was the revolution from below and abdication of the kaiser

Answer 6

nov 1918

Question 7

what was the revolution form below

kaiser

Answer 7

kiel mutiny - 28 oct 1918

Word had got out that the war was lost yet the High Seas Fleet had been ordered to sea to attack the British navy. So they mutinied.​

There were riots in the town of Kiel which quickly spread to other cities such as Berlin and Munich.​

The rioters were angry that the war was lost and yet this had been kept from the public by the media.​

This is known as THE GERMAN REVOLUTION

Question 8

why did the kaiser abdicate

3 reasons

Answer 8

1) Because he feared that if he didn’t then the revolution would continue, get worse and there would be chaos.​

2) In Russia in 1917 COMMUNISTS had seized power in a revolution. German Communists were called Spartacists and were already trying to stir up the riots and strikes more and to push for the complete overthrow of the government. The Kaiser believed that he had to go in order to stop this.​

3) The Americans told the German government that they would only negotiate with them if the Kaiser abdicated. They blamed him for starting the war.

Question 9

what was the red republic and when was it

+impact of it

Answer 9

In November 1918, Spartacists seized control of Bavaria and declared it to be a separate country.​

They called it the Bavarian Soviet Republic or The Red Republic. ​

It was led by Kurt Eisner and its capital was Munich.​

This massively** HYPED UP the fear of Communism** felt by the Kaiser and the rich.

Question 10

who were the sparticists

Answer 10

communists, who wanted Germany to be run by the working classes.

Question 11

when did the kaiser officially abdicate

Answer 11

9th nov 1918

Question 12

impact of kaiser abdication

Answer 12

The Kaiser abdicated. He was allowed to go into exile in Holland. He died in 1941.​

Germany became A REPUBLIC (a country with no monarch)​

On the same day, Friedrich Ebert (a Socialist) became the Chancellor. He called for the revolution to end and everyone to go back to work.

Question 13

who was the new chancellor after the kaiser abdicated

Answer 13

Ebert

Question 14

when was the weimar constitution written

Answer 14

spring 1919

Question 15

what is a constituin

Answer 15

A Constitution is set of rules by which a country is governed (who are the leaders, how do the elections work etc) They can also list the rights of the citizens.

Question 16

who wrote the constituion

weimar

Answer 16

Chancellor Friedrich Ebert and other politicians from the Reichstag drew up the new Constitution

Question 17

main rules of weimar constitution

6

Answer 17

1. Power would be divided between a PRESIDENT and a CHANCELLOR.​
2. The President would be elected every 7 years and would run foreign policy.​
3. The Chancellor would be chosen by the President and would run domestic (internal) policy.​
4. The Reichstag (Parliament) would be elected every 4 years and the Chancellor would need to win votes in the Reichstag in order to pass laws.​
5. All adults could vote, including women.​
6. A Bill of Rights guaranteed basic human rights for the people, including freedom of speech.

Question 18

issues with weimar constitution

Answer 18

Article 48 of the Constitution gave the President EMERGENCY POWERS to rule by decree (without Parliament) in ‘an emergency’. But what an ‘emergency’ was wasn’t made clear.​

If 2/3 of the Reichstag MPs voted for AN ENABLING ACT then full dictatorial powers could be given to the Chancellor in ‘an emergency’.​

BOTH OF THE ABOVE HAVE BEEN HUGELY CRITICISED BY HISTORIANS BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED LATER​

Also the voting system was Proportional Representation which meant that the governments were all COALITION GOVERNMENTS (several political parties in them).​

THIS HAS ALSO BEEN CRITICISED AND IS ACCUSED OF CAUSING UNSTABLE GOVERNMENTS

Question 19

who were the reichstag and what did they do

Answer 19

[the lower house]
* voted for by the german public, using proportional representation

Question 20

who were the reichsrat and what did they do

Answer 20

[the upper house]
* each german state sent representatives

Question 21

when was the treaty of versaillies

Answer 21

18th jan 1919

Question 22

how did the treaty of versaillies meeting work

Answer 22

27 Countries were represented at the conference. However:​

The five major victorious powers (France, Britain, Italy, the U.S., and Japan) controlled the Conference. Amongst the “Big Five”, in practice Japan only sent a former prime minister and played a small role; and the “Big Four” leaders dominated the conference.

Question 23

who were the big four leaders at the treaty of versaillies

Answer 23

Georges Clemenceau (French PM)​

David Lloyd George (British PM)​

Woodrow Wilson (US President)​

Vittorio Orlando (Italian PM)

Question 24

what did germnay call the treaty of versailles and WHY

Answer 24

a DIKTAT (meaning a dictated peace that was forced on them!)​

Question 25

germany’s opinion of the treaty of versailles

Answer 25

The Germans attended the conference but were not allowed to take part in the negotiations.​

They hoped for a moderate peace where they would remain a great power and avoid paying reparations.

Question 26

the big fours view of aims of the treaty of versailles

Answer 26

FRANCE- wanted to weaken Germany militarily and economically as much as possible. To break them as a major power so that they would never threaten France again. To ‘MAKE GERMANY PAY’ and take revenge.​

USA- wanted to treat Germany leniently in order to avoid resentment and a future war. His plan (Wilson’s 14 Points) emphasised creating a League of Nations – a forum through which countries could discuss their disputes and avoid war.​

BRITAIN- in the middle

ITALY - wanted territorial gains for italy

Question 27

impact of the big fours aim of treaty of versailles

Answer 27

WHEN THE TERMS WERE FINISHED IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE FRENCH HAD PUSHED THE TREATY TO BE HARSH, BUT NOT HARSH ENOUGH TO DESTROY GERMANY COMPLETELY………

Question 28

effect of terms of treaty of versailles

stats

Answer 28

Germany lost 10% of its land, 12.5% of its population, 16% of its coal industry and 48% of its iron industry.

Question 29

terms of treaty of versailles

territory

Answer 29

• lost Alsace-Lorraine to France
• lost all their colonies
• lost west prussia and the polish corridor

Question 30

terms of treaty of versailles

military

Answer 30

The army was restricted to 100,000 men.​

The navy was restricted to 6 battleships only.​

No air force was allowed at all.​

The Germans were supposed to hand over most of their ships to Britain (74 ships). But instead they scuttled them (deliberately sank them) at Scapa Flow, off the coast of Scotland.

Question 31

terms of treaty of versailles

reparations

Answer 31

Germany was made to pay Reparations

The total amount wasn’t finalised until 1921. It was £6.6 billion .​

Germany had to start paying immediately, before the final figure was worked out.​

Mostly it was to be paid in goods and in instalments (certain amounts per year in different goods).​

German factories were* handing over* between 10-20% of what they produced in reparations.

Question 32

impact of the reparations

Answer 32

Reparations led to less goods being in German shops. This contributed to causing hyperinflation later (big price rises).​

Most of the reparations were paid to France.​

They caused deep resentment from businesses who lost profits.

Question 33

terms of treaty of versailles

war guilt clause

Answer 33

Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles, known as the War Guilt Clause, was a statement that Germany and her allies were responsible for beginning World War I

The War Guilt Clause was actually added to the treaty in order to persuade the French and Belgians to agree to reduce the sum of money that Germany would have to pay in reparations from the even higher figure that they wanted.​

But this is not how the Germans saw it. They deeply resented this part of the treaty as it implied that the war was a result of German aggression rather than the other long and short term causes of the First World War

Question 34

when were the terms of the treaty of versailles finalised

Answer 34

may 1919

Question 35

overview of main effects of treaty of versailles

Answer 35

1) The** reparations undermined the economic recovery** of Germany and therefore fuelled political extremism.​

2) According to historian A.J Nicholls, the main political effect was on the moderate centre-right politicians and voters (conservatives). It meant that the political gains of 1918 (greater democracy etc) were superseded in their minds by the effects of the humiliating treaty and this created a false nostalgia for pre-1918 Germany (made it seem better than it was). ​

The far right and far left would have opposed the treaty anyway regardless of what it said.

Question 36

DID THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES DOOM THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC FROM THE START?

Answer 36

No it didn’t, most historians no longer believe this. There was an economic recovery in the mid-1920s (the ‘Golden Years’) and support for right-wing extremism fell.​

It was the Great Depression (started 1929) which wrecked the Weimar Republic.

Question 37

was the treaty too harsh

Answer 37

It was both too harsh and too lenient. ​

It was harsh enough to give Germany a desire for revenge and cause deep resentment. ​

However it was not harsh enough to wreck Germany completely and remove it as a future threat.​

Question 38

when was the great inflation

Answer 38

1923

Question 39

economic background of germany

Answer 39

Between 1890 and 1914 the Germany economy was growing rapidly and overtaking the British economy​

The Germany economy was strong due to extensive natural resources, industrialisation, a well-educated population and an advanced financial system​

WWI put a great strain on the German economy​

The economic policies of the early Weimar government’s worsened the state of the economy​

The Ruhr crisis led to a full-blown crisis

Question 40

economic impact of ww1

Answer 40

The Kaiserreich government made** no financial provision for a long war**.​

Instead it sold ‘war bonds’ and borrowed money to pay for the war.​

Debt increased from 5 billion marks in 1914 to 144 billion in 1919. ​

The economy was so focused on producing weapons that there was a **shortage of consumer goods. This drove up prices.​
**
Defeat meant that Germany had to pay reparations (6.6 billion)​

It lost territory which included some of its most industrialised areas – the Saar, Alsace Lorraine and Silesia. This reduced the size of the German economy

Question 41

early weimar gov economic policies

Answer 41

These governments were faced with the problems of reducing the huge level of debt and paying reparations​

There was some increase in taxation – on profits of companies, unearned wealth and income​

But there was no reduction in public spending because it was felt that it was more important to stimulate the economy to help it recover from the war and build support for the new regime​

So it was decided to print more money ​

This caused the mark to become less valuable against other currencies and increased prices​

Weimar governments also tried to postpone reparation payments

Question 42

what was the ruhr crisis

Answer 42

The postponement of several reparation payments in 1922 angered the French Prime Minister, Raymond Poincare​

In December 1922, the Inter-Allied Reparations Commission (IARC) declared Germany in default of the reparations payments ​

Poincare ordered French and Belgian troops to occupy the Ruhr in January 1923​

The German government under Cuno decided to follow **a policy of passive resistance **(refusal to work with the occupying powers) and urged workers in the Saar to go on strike

Question 43

how did the ruhr crisis lead to hyperinflation

Answer 43

Unfortunately, the policy of passive resistance backfired on the German government​

It could not collect tax revenue from the Ruhr, further weakening the state finances​

The French blockaded coal supplies to the rest of Germany, reducing industrial production and forcing the import of coal from abroad​

The government finances collapsed and the mark became worthless​

By autumn 1923 it cost more to print a banknote than its face value and newspaper presses had to be used to ensure there was enough money printed

Question 44

price of 1kg bread in 1913 and in nov 1923

Answer 44

1913- 0.29
1923- 428 billion

Question 45

who benefit from hyperinflation

Answer 45

mortgage holders- loans were easy to pay back
exporters- sales to foreign countries was attractive because of the rate of exchnage
the german state - large parts of gov debt were paid off

Question 46

who didnt benefit from hyperinflation

Answer 46

savers- money invested was eroded
those on fixed income- money declined in real terms dramaticallu
recipents of welffare- relied on charity or state, payments fell behind the inflation rate
land-lords - income was fixed

Question 47

when were the golden years

Answer 47

1924-29

Question 48

evidence of political stability in the weimar era

Answer 48

End to violent protest on the streets and assassinations​

No attempted revolutions and no rival governments set up ​

Extremist left and right parties did not have much appeal due to the economy stabilising​

Centrist parties holding their share of the vote (SPD, Z)​

NSDAP very small (1928 2.8%)​

In Prussia there was a stable coalition involving the SPD, Z and DDP.

Question 49

evidence of political instability

Answer 49

High turnover of governments (6 in 6 years)​

Continued minority govts with unstable multi-party coalitions​

The two major political parties, the SPD and DVP, disagreed over social and economic policies, and so found it difficult to cooperate.​

DNVP disliked Stresemann’s policy of rapprochement with the Allies.​

Z Party adopted more right-wing policies which made it harder to cooperate with SPD and DDP​

Hindenburg was elected President in 1925. He had lukewarm support for the Republic and refused to include the SDP in any government! He brought in the DNVP instead. His election suggests that there was considerable support for an old-style authoritarian government, and the army and the elites still had much influence.

Question 50

when did stresemann become foreign minister

Answer 50

late 1923

Question 51

stresemann’s aims

Answer 51

To modify the terms of the Versailles Treaty​

Restore Germany to being a great power​

These aims could not be achieved by military power so Streseman had to resort to diplomacy instead

Question 52

how did stresemann try to achieve his aims

Answer 52

Recognition that France was right to have security concerns about Germany and that it held the balance of power in Europe. Germany had to make friends with France if it was to get relaxation of the Versailles terms​

Use Germany’s export trade to get help and support from the UK and the USA ​

Make friends with Russia to help with redefinition of Germany’s eastern borders​

To encourage peace and co-operation so that Germany could become a leading power in Europe again

Question 53

when was the dawes plan

Answer 53

april 1924

Question 54

what was the dawes plan

Answer 54

An 800 million gold marks loan to help German economic recovery, mainly financed by the USA​

Reparations confirmed at 132 (£6.6) billion marks​

Over 5 years annual payments of reparations would raise from 1 billion marks to 2.5 billion marks and then at varying levels according to Germany’s economic performance. These arrangements were meant to be temporary​

Sanctions for non-payment must be agreed by all allies, not just France alone​

French promised to evacuate the Ruhr during 1925​

Question 55

what did stresemann do to the currency

Answer 55

creation of the Rentenmark
* a Rentenmark would be worth one billion old marks​

Question 56

when was the locarno pact

Answer 56

1925

Question 57

what was the locarno pact

Answer 57

A series of treaties signed to secure Germany’s western borders​

1. A mutual guarantee agreement accepting the Franco-German and Belgian-German borders. These terms were guaranteed by the UK and Italy. All five countries agreed to renounce the use of force except in self-defence​
2. The demilitarisation of the Rhineland was recognised as permanent​
3. Arbitration treaties between Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia agreed to settle future disputes peacefully but Germany’s eastern borders were not accepted as final

Question 58

what did stresemann achieve in september 1926

and conditions of this

Answer 58

Germany joined the League of Nations in September 1926 and was given great power status on the Council of the League (executive body) which meant it had a veto over decision-making​

Germany did not have to participate in any League of Nations military force as a demilitarised country​

Germany could use its membership to raise matters of interest to it

Question 59

when did germany join the league of nations

Answer 59

sept. 1926

Question 60

when was the treaty of berlin

Answer 60

1926

Question 61

what was the 1926 treaty of berlin

Answer 61

This** built on the 1922 Rapallo Pact** which promoted friendship between Germany and Russia​

There were both public and secret clauses​

The aim was to further improve relations and allow economic and military co-operation​

One of the secret clauses was to give Germany rearmament capacity in Russia​

The purpose of the treaty was to** put pressure on the western allies to improve their relations with Germany** to prevent it from becoming too close to Russia

Question 62

when was the kellogg-briand pact

Answer 62

1928

Question 63

what was the kellogg-briand pact

+problem with it

Answer 63

The Kellogg-Briand Pact in 1928, signed by 70 countries, outlawed ‘war as an instrument of national policy’

However, the pact was not complied with and Germany was secretly rearming beyond the terms of the Versailles Treaty with Russia’s connivance

Question 64

when was the young plan

Answer 64

1929

Question 65

what was the young plan

Answer 65

Total sum of reparations reduced to 37 billion marks​

Annual payments to be made over 58 years (and at a lower level than under the Dawes Plan)​

End of Allied supervision​

This was intended to be final settlement of reparations​

Germany participated in the negotiations for the first time​

Allied troops withdrawn in June 1930​

It has been estimated that Germany ended up paying only 1/8 of the original sum set in 1919​

Germany stopped paying reparations in 1932

Question 66

successfullness of stresemann’s foreign policy?

Answer 66

success- modify terms of treaty of versailles {reduction of reparations, treaty of berlin which allowed economic and military co-op}, join league of nations
failures- kellogg-briand pact, treaty of berlin [secret clause],

Question 67

the situation of weimar in summer/autumn of 1923

Answer 67

The Germany currency had collapsed in value​

French and Belgian troops were occupying the Ruhr and the government was encouraging ‘passive resistance’​

Political instability – attempted communist uprising in Saxony and the Munich Putsch

Question 68

stresemanns actions regarding economy

Answer 68

September 1923 he called off the ‘passive resistance’ and promised to pay reparations​

Government spending was cut – over 700,000 government employees were sacked ​

Appointed an economic expert to oversee the introduction of a new currency – the Rentenmark​

Streseman’s decisive economic policies won him respect from the allies who then agreed to an international conference to discuss the payment of reparations​

The successful suppression of left and right wing uprisings

Question 69

strengths of german economy 1924-29

12

Answer 69

1. Significant reduction in strikes​
2. Large increase in industrial production​
3. Growth in cartels lowered prices of goods which helped exports​
4. A drop in unemployment 1924-25 and 1927-28​
5. A huge drop in the budget deficit 1924-29 (due to Dawes Plan loans)​
6. Increase of trade 1924-29 (higher imports & exports) – exports increased by 40%
7. Big rises in wages – 5-10% in 1927 & 1928​
8. Improvements in social welfare – introduction of compulsory unemployment insurance covering 17 million workers in 1927 which was the largest scheme in the world.​
9. Foreign loans more than covered the reparations payments​
10. Economic growth​
11. Stabilisation of the currency Nov 1923​
12. Dawes Plan 1924

Question 70

weaknesses of the german economy 1924-1929

8

Answer 70

1. Large number of strikes in 1928 (when profit rose there was a clash over whether they **should be reinvested into the industry or used to increase wages ** -> resentment from employers over state arbitration which they argued favoured workers)​
2. Only by 1927 was production higher than pre-war levels​
3. Unemployment never fell below 1.3 million ​
4. Exports still lower than imports
5. Dangerously dependent upon foreign loans​
6. Economic growth was lower than that of UK, France and USA and uneven​
7. Agricultural slump - worldwide (by 1929 over half German farms were failing to make a profit. Resentment that the govt seemed to be favouring the towns not the countryside
8. stabilisation of the currency did not help export industry - > industrialists looking to cut costs made workers redundant

Question 71

how stable was economy by 1929

Answer 71

Highly dependent on exports which made the economy vulnerable to changes in world economic conditions such as increases in tariffs​

Loss of valuable resources due to the Versailles Treaty​

High pre-war birth rate meant more people joining the workforce in the late 1920s​

Dependency on foreign investment due to the reluctance of Germans to save and invest as a result of the Hyperinflation Crisis​

Long-term failure of the government to control the debt

Question 72

conclusion of economic stability

Answer 72

The economic stability of the Golden Years was a mirage hiding deep problems with the German economy​

The Great Depression exposed the fundamental weaknesses of the German economy and its mismanagement by successive governments​

Streseman wrote in 1928, ‘Germany is dancing on a volcano. If the short-term credits are called in, a large section of economy would collapse’​

The Weimar economy was ‘an abnormal, in fact a sick economy’ (Borchardt)

Question 74

what caused the end of the golden years

Answer 74

the great deppression

Question 75

when was the wall street crash

Answer 75

29th Oct 1929

Question 76

why was the american great depression a problem for germnay

Answer 76

no more loans from the us AND they recalled loans already made

Question 77

Impact of great depression on germnay

Answer 77

Unemployment rose​

Less money to spend -> demand for goods collapsed​

Production was cut -> More loss of jobs​

By 1932, 33% of the workforce was unemployed PLUS many working shorter hours or had taken pay cuts.​

Rise in poverty / inability to pay rent or feed family​

REMEMBER – many people’s savings had been wiped out in the 1923 crisis​

Malnutrition & poor housing -> disease​

Shame, hopelessness & inadequacy​

​

Drastic fall in government revenue from taxes​

Massive increase in government expenditure – unemployment benefits (a system set up to cope with 800,000 unemployed…..)

Question 78

what happened in july 1931 and what did it lead to

Answer 78

Collapse of the Austrian bank

People feared that this was the first of many, and rushed to withdraw their money from all banks. The banks ran out of money and had to close.​

AND France blocked a loan to Germany that would have helped BUT in 1932 there was an agreement that reparations repayments could be stopped.

Question 79

two main sources of nazi ideas

Answer 79

mein kampf and the 25 points programme

Question 80

nazi view of race

Answer 80

Hitler believed in a hierarchy of races in the world with Germans, as an Aryan race (non-Jewish people of northern Europe), being the master race (Herrenvolk) to dominate over all other races​

He believed in social Darwinism – races compete in a survival of the fittest​

Germans should retain their racial purity by not mixing with other races

Question 82

nazi view of authoritarianism

Answer 82

Hitler argued that parliamentary democracy is weak and ineffective as it goes against the German traditions of militarism and a strong state and encourages the development of Communism​

He believed that the early Weimar politicians, in particular the Socialists, were the ‘November criminals’ and had stabbed Germany in the back over the Versailles Treaty​

He also claimed that the Weimar governments were weak and indecisive​

Hitler proposed an all-embracing one party state run on the Fuhrerprinzip (Fuhrer principle) that would do away with representative government and liberal values and replace them with a dictatorial charismatic leader who would make all decisions on behalf of the people

Question 83

nazu view regarding nationalism

Answer 83

Hitler demanded that Germany reject the armistice of 1918 and the Versailles Treaty and recover the territories lost to Germany​

Then Germany should create a Reich (empire) bringing together all ethnic Germans in Austria, Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia) and the Baltic Coast​

Hitler dreamed of a super power Greater Germany conquering Eastern Europe and Russia to provide living room for more Germans (Lebensraum), raw materials, cheap labour, food and the destruction of Soviet communism

Question 84

nazi view of socialism

Answer 84

The 25 Points Programme contained ideas that were anti-capitalist and therefore could be construed as socialist.​

Hitler was not a socialist but recognised the popularity of ideas that promoted a collective national identity by encouraging people to work together for the benefit of the state and support German values.​

He also wanted to overcome the old differences over class, religion etc​

He called it Volksgemeinschaft (national community)​

Socialist ideas caused divisions in the Nazi Party and Hitler abandoned them after the purge of Rohm and the S.A. in 1934

Question 85

developmemt of nazis till 1929

Answer 85

In the early Weimar years the NSDAP was a marginal party only known in Bavaria​

In the mid 1920s it was a growing party but still very much at the fringes and arguably in decline electorally ​

By September 1930 the Nazis had become the second largest party in Germany

Question 86

what was the catalyst for nazi supporty

Answer 86

great depression

Question 87

nazi % of votes in 1928, 1930, 1933

Answer 87

1928 - 2.6
1930 - 18.3
1933 - 43.9

Question 88

membership of NSDAP in 1920, 1923, 1929 , 1932

Answer 88

1920 - 2000
1923- 55,000
1929 - 178,000
1932 - 800,000

Question 89

SA membership in 1921, 1924, 1930, 1933

Answer 89

1921 - 2000
1924 - 30,000
1930 - 60,000
1933 - 2 million

Question 90

organisation of nazi party

Answer 90

Hitler joined the party in 1919 but quickly became a leading member​

He became the party’s propaganda chief and was its most impressive speaker, drawing large crowds at the local beer halls in Munich​

He organised **armed squads to protect party meetings **and intimidate opponents which became the S.A. (Sturm Abteilung) or Stormtroopers​

Hitler developed the Nazi salute, swastika and party uniform​

Hitler gained control of the party in July 1921 after the party founder tried to oust him

Hitler ruled the party according to the (dictatorship)​

Over the 1920s, the Nazis won backing from various rich and important backers, such as Herman Goring, newspaper owner Julius Streicher, the piano manufacturers Bechstein, senior figures in the chemical giant IG Farben and the insurance company Allianz​

An effective national party structure was developed under Gregor Strasser consisting of Gauleiters (regional party leaders) and various associations were created, such as the Hitler Youth

Question 91

nazi use of violence

Answer 91

Hitler learned the importance of strategic use of violence (and propaganda) in politics from the Social Democrats, a populist left-wing Austrian party​

Hitler created two bodies in the Nazi Party whose purpose was to protect the party and intimidate opponents –** the SA and SS**​

The SA was created in 1921 and was led between 1921-1925 and 1930-1934 by Ernst Rohm, an infamous degenerate and rabble rouser​

The SS was created in 1925 to act as an elite bodyguard to Hitler.
In 1929, it was placed under the control of Himmler and became an elite and highly politicised means of control of the armed forces and perpetrated many atrocities

Question 92

when was the SA invented

Answer 92

1921

Question 93

when was the SS invented

Answer 93

1925

Question 94

function of the SS

Answer 94

1925- hitler’s elite bodyguards
1929- placed under the control of Himmler became an elite and highly politicised means of control of the armed forces and perpetrated many atrocities

Question 95

Nazi use of propaganda

Answer 95

The party’s message was spread through rallies and the media​

Members were trained to give speeches ​

The most famous were the rallies in Nuremburg, first held in 1923, but became annual 1933 to 1938

The party established its first newspaper in 1921 called the People’s Observer

Goebbels was appointed propaganda chief in 1928, succeeding Strasser​

He proved to be a very able propagandist and engineer of spectacle