The Rise of Hitler and the Nazis Flashcards
When was the DAP (German Workers’ Party) founded and by whom?
January 1919- Anton Drexler
Why did Hitler begin involving himself with the DAP?
He was sent to monitor the activities of extremist groups in Munich and found that he aligned with their viewpoints.
What was the 25 Point Programme?
An official set of party aims written up by Hitler and Drexler- a political manifesto
List 3 points of the 25 Point programme:
- The union of all Germans to form a Greater Germany
- Deportation of foreign nationals in event of food shortages
- Scrapping of the Versailles treaty
Which groups did the Nazis appeal to and why?
- Nationalists- opposed Versailles treaty
- People looking to blame someone for WW1 defeat- attracted by anti-semitic ideologies
- Businesses and the middle class- disliked communism
When was the party name changed to the NSDAP?
1920
When did Hitler become the party leader?
1921
What was the Völkischer Beobachter?
A newspaper bought by the German Workers party in 1929 which was used to promote anti-semitic propaganda.
Who were the SA?
A paramilitary group founded by Hitler in 1921 set up to moderate crowds at Nazi meetings and disrupt meetings held by the opposition
How did the SA impact people’s perception of the Nazi party?
Gave the impression that they were powerful and organised
How much did NSDAP membership grow from June 1920 to November 1923?
From 1100 to 55000
When was the Munich Putsch?
November 1923
Which important figure supported the Munich Putsch?
General Ludendorff
What happened in the Bürgerbräukeller on the 8th of November 1923?
Hitler and 600 Nazis ambushed a political meeting and held Kahr, Seisser and Lossow at gunpoint (the head of Bavarian government, army and police chief), forcing them to pledge support for the uprising.
What happened during the march through Munich?
The Nazis were met with armed police officers. 16 Nazis and 4 police officers were killed.
Why did the Munich Putsch fail?
Seisser and Lossow changed their minds and organised armed resistance.
When was Hitler tried and what for?
Treason- February 1924
How long was Hitler sentenced to and how long did he serve?
5 years- he served 9 months
How did Hitler’s trial positively impact the Nazi party?
Gave Hitler national publicity and allowed him to put forward his views and political agenda
List the main ideas of Mein Kampf:
- Creation of a ‘greater Germany’
- Abolishing the Versailles Treaty
- Removal of Jewish people
- Establishing a superior race
How did the Munich Putsch change Hitler’s approach to seizing power?
He decided to enter the Reichstag and acquire power through elections
Who was the temporary leader of the Nazi party whilst Hitler was imprisoned?
Alfred Rosenberg- he was an ineffective leader
How did Hitler get the ban on the Nazi party lifted?
Persuaded the President of Bavaria to unban it
How did Hitler reorganise the structure of the Nazi party?
Split it up into branches called Gaue, each lead by a Gauleiter
Who was made Gauleiter of Berlin?
Joseph Goebbels
When was the Bamberg conference?
1926
Why did Hitler hold the Bamberg conference?
To amend tension between the northern and southern sections of the party
What were the results of the Bamberg conference?
Hitler consolidated his leadership and emphasised the party’s nationalist values over socialist ones.
What was the main idea of Führerprinzip?
Hitler was the supreme leader of the party
By 1928, which voters had the Nazis begun to target?
Rural voters
When was the Wall Street Crash?
October 1929
Which important figure in Germany’s economic recovery died in the same year as the Wall Street Crash?
Stresemann
How high were unemployment levels in January 1932?
> 6 million
Why was the chancellor Heinrich Bruning unpopular?
He reduced civil servant wages by 23 percent and cut unemployment benefits by 60.
Which other party was gaining popularity in the rising economic crisis?
The KPD (communist party)
Who was the leader of the KPD?
Ernst Thalmann
How had the Reichstag become less significant in political decisions by 1932?
Bruning relied mostly on presidential decree due to a lack of support. The number of presidential decrees had increased from 5 to 66 from 1930, and the number of Reichstag laws from 98 to 5.
How many seats did the Nazis win in the general election of September 1930?
107
When was Goebbels appointed Minister of Propaganda?
1929
Describe the overall change in voting from May 1928 to September 1930:
The votes for extremist parties saw a rise, whereas most other parties lost seats
How were the Nazis able to get financials support for their campaigns?
They were backed by wealthy industrialists who feared communism and the growth of trade unions.
By how much did SA membership increase in the year following January 1931?
From 100,000 to 170,000
Summarise Hitler’s role in increasing support for the Nazis:
-Was charismatic and a good orator
-Drew up party policies
-Presented party as law-abiding
-Offered the German people change
How many seats and what percentage of the votes did the Nazis receive in November 1932?
196- 33.1%
How many seats and what percentage of the votes did the Nazis receive in July 1932?
230- 37.4%
Summarise the role of Goebbels in increasing support for the Nazis:
-Used the media to sway public support in favour of the Nazis
-Spread the Nazi’s message through newspapers and the radio
When did Hitler become chancellor?
January 30th 1933
When was the Reichstag fire?
February 27th 1933
Under what compromise did Hitler acquire the chancellorship?
Franz von Papen was to be vice chancellor
Who was allegedly responsible for the Reichstag fire?
Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe
What did Hitler persuade Hindenburg to sign following the Reichstag fire and what did it do?
The Decree for the Protection of People and State- gave the Nazis the legal right to imprison political opposition
Who did the Nazis form a coalition government with?
The National party- DNVP
What was the Enabling Act and when was it passed?
Gave Hitler and the Nazis full powers for the next 4 years- passed March 24th 1933
How did the Nazis ensure that the enabling act was passed?
-SA intimidates members entering the chamber
-Communists not allowed to vote
-Hitler made promises to the Centre Party ensuring their vote
What was Gleischatlung?
A policy intended to bring society in line with Nazi ideals
When were trade unions banned?
May 2nd 1933
What was the German Labour Front?
An organisation that replaced trade unions and employers groups and ensured that workers could not bargain for wages or leave jobs without permission
By how much did the Nazis increase the maximum working week?
From 60 hours to 72
When were political parties banned?
14th July 1933
What were the German districts called?
Länder
What did Hitler do to the federal structure of the nation?
Ensured that each district was to be run by Reich governors and abolished their parliaments in January 1934
When did the Night of the Long Knives start?
June 30th 1934
Roughly how many were murdered in the Night of the Long Knives?
400
Summarise the reasons for the purge in June 34
-Improving Nazi image
-Consolidated power of SS
-Removed Hitler’s rivals
What did Hitler declare himself following the death of Hindenburg?
‘der Führer’- held same power as Chancellor and President
How did Hitler justify his self-proclaimed leadership?
He held a referendum, and over 90% of voters agreed with hid decision
