The Nazi Party 1919-33

Question 1

How did the Nazi Party form? (1919)

Answer 1

After the war Hitlers job for the army was to check on political groups and report back extremism, when he checked the German Workers Party (DAP) - founded by Anton Drexler) he agreed with them and joined as a committee member, eventually becoming the leader and shaping it into the Nazi Party

Question 2

What was the 25-Point plan? (1920)

Answer 2

Drexler and Hitler revealed a play for the DAP which involved:
-scrapping the Treaty of Versailles
-expanding Germany’s borders for more land to live in
-depriving the Jews of citizenship in Germany
They were willing to use force

Question 3

Why did more and more people join the DAP?

Answer 3

They were dissatisfied with the Weimar Republic and were inspired by. Hitlers passionate speeches

Question 4

How did Hitler advertise the DAP? (1920)

Answer 4

Changed it’s name (NAZI party for short)
Introduced the swastika for an emblem
Bought a newspaper to spread their views

He became full leader in 1921

Question 5

Who were Hitlers loyal party leaders? (1921)

Answer 5

Ernst Rohm - brutish soldier
Hermann Goering - wealthy airforce hero
Rudolf Hess - wealthy academic (Hitlers deputy)
Julius Streicher - founder of a Nazi newspaper

Question 6

What were the SA?

Answer 6

Hitlers stormtroopers, Nazi parties private army. Genrally either ex soldiers or unemployed students, many came from the Freikorps

• provided security
• broke up oppositions meetings

Question 7

What were the long term effects of the Munich Putsch for the Nazi party?

Answer 7

National publicity (won first Reichstag seat)
Hitler was released early (nine months) 
Hitler wrote his autobiography which clarified his views to himself 
Hitler realised he needed a change of tactics from the Munich Putsch

Question 8

What did the Nazi Parties belief in Nationalism involve?

Answer 8

Breaking of the Treaty of Versailles (gaining back power)
A self sufficient Germany
Expand the borders
Purify the German race

Question 9

What did the Nazi parties belief on socialism involve?

Answer 9

Agriculture and industry flourished together
Business would not make unfair profits
Jews could not control business
Workers would be treated fairly

Question 10

What did the Nazi parties belief of Totalitarianism involve?

Answer 10

Democracy was weak

Total loyalty to one leader

Question 11

What did the Nazi parties belief in traditional German values involve?

Answer 11

Strong families - each member keeps their role
Christian morality
Old-style German culture

Question 12

What was Hitlers view on life?

Answer 12

It was a struggle and a fight for survival

Hitler believed Germany should struggle against other countries and against non-Germans inside their borders

Question 13

What was Hitlers view on race?

Answer 13

The only good race is Aryans (Northern Europe), every other race was inferior and the Jews were the lowest form of life

Question 14

Describe Hitlers relaunch? (1925)

Answer 14

Ironically after the scene of the Munich Putsch in the beer hall, he lost none of his support and 4000 heard him speak with 1000 having to be turned away because of too many people

Question 15

How did Hitler restart the Nazi party? (1925)

Answer 15

Set up a system of hierarchy all around Germany to spread their beliefs
Improved finance by becoming more organised and befriending wealthy business men - this expanded the SA

Question 16

Why did Hitler form the SS? (1925)

Answer 16

He did not trust the violent thugs in the SA who had formed a dangerous loyalty to Rohm (commander of the SA)
He set up the SS, protection squad, which were feared and increased Hitlers overall control

Question 17

How did Goebbels use propaganda for the Nazi Party?

Answer 17

Blamed the Jews, communists and the government for Germany’s problems
Promoted Hitler as the face of the party and he spoke all around the country
Used up to date technology to keep Hitler in the public eye
Created an image of strength and passion for the party

Question 18

Background of Adolf Hitler?

Answer 18

Born in Austria, he was beaten by his father and did badly at school. As an adult he blamed the Jews for his lack of success (road sweeper).
He joined the German army and made a success of himself as a solider, but more anger grew as Germany lost the war

Question 19

What were ‘the lean years’? (1928)

Answer 19

Despite the Nazi party gaining support and functioning efficiently, more people were supporting the Weimar Republic due to Stresemann and also Hindenburg becoming president. Extremist parties were loosing ground in the general elections

Question 20

What happened in the 1928 general election?

Answer 20

Nazis won only 12 seats, meaning they were the ninth biggest in the Reichstag. Just 2.6% of the national vote

Question 21

What was the Wall Street Crash? (October 1929)

Answer 21

Share prices began to fall on the New York stock exchange meaning peoples investments lost value, meaning more people sold their shares. Eventually leading to Black Thursday, where 13million shares were sold. Overall investors lost over $4000million

Question 22

What were the economic effects of the Wall Street crash?

Answer 22

German banks lost so much money people rushed to get the remaking in money out of the banks, causing many banks to run out of cash (people lost money).
The lack of money meant industries had to either close or reduce operations, leading to mass unemployment

Question 23

What was the Weimar Republics response to the Wall Street crash?

Answer 23

Raise taxes to pay for unemployment benefits
Reduce unemployment benefits

Citizens were very dissatisfied, causing more to join private armies

Question 24

How did the Nazi Party rally support after the Wall Street crash?

Answer 24

Hitler flew round the country leading rallies promising a stronger better government 
The SA (now the biggest private army by far) was used to show that the Nazi's were strong and disciplined and provided hope to the people. They also disrupted opposition parties and intimidate their leaders, and also voters

Question 25

Why were the working class attracted to the Nazi party?

Answer 25

Traditional German values, promises of a better future, they advertised themselves as the party for German workers (as they originally were)

Most working class supported the communists

Question 26

Why were the middle class attracted to the Nazi Party?

Answer 26

The Great Depression meant they lost faith in Weimar, they sore a strong leader in Hitler
They were afraid of the communist party, they would lose money (farmers would lose land also)
As more drinking and sexual openness came, people wanted traditional values once more

Question 27

What were big business’s part in the Nazi parties growth?

Answer 27

They saw the Nazi party as their best hope against the rise of communism, which aided the Nazi’s financially and with industrial support and of coarse the media

Question 28

Why were 1) young people 2) women attracted to the Nazi party?

Answer 28

1) Hitlers inspiration and ambition, the atmosphere of the rallies
2) although the policies restricted them, they were promised better for their families

Question 29

How popular were the Nazi’s by 1932?

Answer 29

The biggest party in the Reichstag

Hitler stood for a candidate in the presidential elections

Question 30

Why did extremists do well in the 1932 presidential elections?

Answer 30

Times were economically and socially tough so people protested against the Weimar by voting extreme

Question 31

Who won the presidential elections?

Answer 31

Hindenburg held onto his title with 18million votes

Hitler got 11million voted

Question 32

Why did the 1932 election repeat? What happened?

Answer 32

No one achieved over 50% of the vote
Hitler got 13million votes but Hindenburg’s votes also rose to 19million (the communists lost a lot)

Hitler was now a powerful political figure

Question 33

How did chancellor Bruning get sacked? (1932)

Answer 33

After he banned the SS and the SA, Von Schleicher organised a right wing collision so they had the majority in the Reichstag, Hindenburg sacked him after he saw this

Question 34

How did Von Papen become the new chancellor? (1932)

Answer 34

Von Schleicher controlled the government from behind the scenes and backed him (a wealthy ex general) as the new chancellor, Hindenburg had no choice but to appoint him

Question 35

Why did Von Schleicher allow the Nazi party in the collision? (1932)

Answer 35

He thought he could control Hitler and he would gain more power by doing this. So the Nazi’s became an influential part of the government for the first time

Question 36

Why did Hindenburg refuse Hitler as chancellor? (1932)

Answer 36

Even though the Nazi party was the largest of the Reichstag, he despised Hitler and kept Von Papen as chancellor

Question 37

How did Von Papen resign from chancellor? (1932)

Answer 37

He lost Hitlers support and no longer had a Reichstag majority

Question 38

Who did Hindenburg assign chancellor next? (1932)

Answer 38

Although the Nazi’s had most of the support plus big business donations, he appointed Von Schleicher.

Question 39

How did Von Schleicher lose his position as chancellor? (1933)

Answer 39

He told Hindenburg to suspend the constitution and form a dictatorship (with him as military head) because Hitler was conspiring against him. When word of this got out he lost all his support

Question 40

How did Hitler finally become chancellor? (1933)

Answer 40

Hindenburg thought he had Hitler ‘in his pocket’ and could control him. So he appointed him, and planned to use him as a figurehead