The Rise of Hitler and the Nazis to January 1933

Question 1

How did Hitler join the German Worker’s Party

Answer 1

Hitler worked for the army to monitor the activities of extreme political groups. In 1919 he was spying on the party and attended meetings to gather information. Over time, he came to realise that he agreed with the views of the party. He joined the party in September 1919. At the time, the party seemed very unimportant but it rapidly became more popular over the next few years.

Question 2

What did the German Worker’s Party believe

Answer 2

• democracy was weak and a powerful leader was needed to rebuild Germany’s strength
• Jews were to blame for making Germany weak
• Communists and Socialists had brought about the fall of the Kaiser
• the socialist Weimar politicians had betrayed Germany by signing the Treaty of Versailles

Question 3

Changes to the party in 1920-22

Answer 3

In February 1920, Hitler was put in charge of propaganda for the German Workers’ Party. In this role, he played an important part in increasing party membership.
-Hitler and Drexler rewrote the aims of the party; the revised aims were
published in its 25 Point Programme
-the party was renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) or the Nazi Party

Question 4

What were the Nazi party’s aims

Answer 4

By 1921, Hitler had become the party leader. The party’s aims were kept deliberately vague, so they would appeal to many different groups in Germany.

• nationalists were keen on the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles
• people who wanted someone to blame for Germany’s problems and defeat in the First World War were attracted by the party’s anti-Semitism
• the middle classes and big businesses liked Hitler’s anti-communist ideas

Question 5

What was Hitler’s role in the growth of the Nazi party

Answer 5

-Talented speaker
-Appealed to critics of the Weimar Republic
-Controlled the NSDAP like a military leader
-Suggested the name change that was made in August of 1920
-Introduced the emblem of the swastika, and the arm salute
-Ousted Drexler and became leader in mid-1921
-Used the party newspaper to spread the party’s views
-Surrounded himself
with loyal individuals
such as Röhm,
Goering and Hess
-Developed friendships with
powerful Germans such
as General Ludendorff (the
German army commander
in the First World War)

Question 6

How was the SA set up

Answer 6

Many ex-soldiers, such as the Freikorps, were attracted to Hitler’s ideas. They
shared his sense of nationalism and resented the settlement after the First
World War. In 1921 Hitler set up the Sa and appointed Ernst Röhm, one of Hitler’s loyal supporters at the time,
as the leader.

Question 7

What was the role of the SA

Answer 7

The SA was created as
a paramilitary force; their role was to disrupt the meetings of opposing
political parties and control crowds at Nazi meetings. There was often violence
between Communists and SA members. The power and organisation of the SA impressed many people. The SA paraded in the streets as a show of force and to demonstrate Hitler’s strength.

Question 8

What was the Munich Putsch

Answer 8

In November 1923, Hitler led an armed uprising known as the Munich Putsch or the Beer Hall Putsch. The intention was to overthrow the Weimar Republic.

Question 9

Causes of the Munich Putsch

Answer 9

-Many Germans had developed a deep anger towards the Weimar Republic due to the ‘stab in the back’, reparations and the loss of Germany’s colonies. As a result, support
for nationalist parties like NSDAP had grown significantly in Bavaria
-The leaders of the Bavarian state government, including Gustav von Kahr, were hostile to the Weimar government. They agreed with the NSDAP’s views and sometimes chose to ignore SA violence. Hitler knew he would have support in Munich.
-In 1923, French
troops marched into the Ruhr and took
over German businesses there. The Weimar Republic seemed unable to resolve the situation and many German people saw the government as weak and
powerless. As hyperinflation reached its peak in November 1923, Hitler saw
an opportunity to take power.
-The Nazis were influence by the fascists, they copied the Fascists’ salute and use of flags and this helped to give the Nazi Party a
clear identity. Mussolini used violence to force the Italian democratic government to
accept him as leader of Italy. Hitler decided to use a similar approach in Germany to take power for himself.
-Hitler believed the Nazi Party was ready to seize power as it had 20,000
supporters and the SA. Hitler had built a close relationship with the former army leader, General Ludendorff. He believed Ludendorff could persuade the army to support the Nazi Party against the Weimar government and make a takeover possible.

Question 10

What happened in the Munich Putsch

Answer 10

On the 8th of November 1923 Hitler and his SA supporters stormed the beer hall. Hitler forced Kahr and
Lossow (who were speaking at the meeting) to support
his plan to march to Berlin and install Ludendor as
Germany’s new leader. Members of the SA used violence and intimidation against the Bavarian state government. Lossow and Kahr swore loyalty to the
Putsch and left the beer hall. On the 9th of November President Ebert declared a
state of emergency and
Lossow was told to crush the uprising. Lossow and Kahr announced their opposition to the putsch. Ludendor believed the
soldiers would give him their
support and persuaded Hitler not to give up. Nazis and their supporters marched into Munich, aiming to take over vital buildings in the city. Armed police and soldiers confronted the Nazis, fire was exchanged and 14 Nazis were killed. On the 11th of November Hitler was arrested and awaited his trial for treason.

Question 11

What was the Result of the Munich Putsch

Answer 11

In February 1924, Hitler, Ludendorff, Röhm and other Nazi leaders were put
on trial. Hitler used his trial as a stage: he made speeches attacking the
government and claimed the leaders of the Weimar government were traitors,
not him. Newspapers across Germany and in other countries reported the events of the trial. Hitler was seen as a nationalist standing up for German rights and his popularity grew.

Question 12

What was Hitler’s sentence

Answer 12

Hitler would be found guilty, but his speeches seemed to have impressed the judges. He was found guilty of treason and he was sentenced to 5 years in jail at Landsberg Castle. He also won an early release so, in the end, he spent only 9 months in jail. Ludendorff was found not guilty – mainly because of the judge’s sympathy for the great war hero. However, the Nazi Party was banned.

Question 13

What did the Putsch achieve

Answer 13

The Munich Putsch had achieved little – except to have the Nazi Party banned and its leaders imprisoned. However, there were successes as the judge could have ordered the execution of Hitler but instead, he gave a very light sentence. This showed that there were still powerful forces in Germany who wanted the Weimar government destroyed.

Question 14

What opportunity did Hitler’s imprisonment give Hitler

Answer 14

Hitler’s imprisonment gave him the opportunity to write his book, Mein Kampf (My Struggle), in which he outlined his beliefs.

Question 15

When was the Nazi party relaunched

Answer 15

The ban on the Nazi Party was lifted in February 1925 and Hitler decided to relaunch the party. He chose to make his return in the same Munich Beer Hall that had been the location of the Munich Putsch. The rally was attended by 4,000 supporters.

Question 16

Key ideas in Mein Kampf

Answer 16

Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf, was published in the same year and soon became a bestseller. It contained many of the key beliefs which Hitler would put into practice from 1933:
-The German race will rule
the world because they are
superior.
-The Jews are leading a
conspiracy to undermine
Aryans.
-Jews want to weaken the
Aryan race by intermarriage.
-Jews are taking over
German businesses and
moderate political groups.
-The Treaty of Versailles
must be undone.
-Lebensraum (living space)
is needed so that the Aryan
population can expand.
-Germany must invade
Russian land to the east of
Germany, to drive out the
communist threat.
-Germany’s wealth must
benefit German working
people, not the rich.
-Democracy is weak: Germany needs one leader who can organise everything for the benefit of the people.

Question 17

Reorganisation of the Nazi Party 1924-28

Answer 17

They should try to win support by legal means. With this in mind, Hitler began to reorganise the party to make it more attractive to German voters:
-He created a national headquarters for the Nazi Party in Munich.
-He divided Germany into 34 districts, and appointed a leading Nazi to increase support in each district.
-In 1926, he called a party conference in Bamberg. Where he was confirmed
as leader and persuaded party members to re-adopt the 25 Point Plan.
-In 1926, the first Nazi rally was held in Weimar.
-Hitler encouraged more young people to join the SA and also set up the Hitler Youth.
-Hitler established a new private bodyguard called the Schutzstaffel (SS).
-Goebbels was in charge of
propaganda and emphasised the Nazi’s opposition to Jews. This anti-Jewish message was very popular.
-The Nazis held public meetings across Germany and trained their members
to be effective public speakers.
-The Nazi Party established various organisations, such as the Nazi Women’s League, to take its message to particular groups of people.
-The party concentrated on winning the support of farmers, as Germany’s
agriculture was suffering badly in the late 1920s.

Question 18

Limited support for the Nazis in 1923-29

Answer 18

the Nazis had little success
in gaining seats in the Reichstag. This was largely because of Gustav Stresemann’s efforts. Between 1924 and
1929, Stresemann had ended inflation and agreed the Dawes and Young
Plans. This had helped to stabilise the German economy. Stresemann had restored Germany’s place in the international community:
the Locarno and Kellogg–Briand Pacts had improved Germany’s relations
with other countries, in 1926 Germany had become part of the League of Nations. In 1925 Hindenburg became president, he had been an army commander in the First World War and was popular among Germans with more conservative and nationalist views. As a result, the German people were happier with the government and had less reason to vote for extreme parties, such as the Nazis.

Question 19

In 1929 why did Hitler have an opportunity to gain more support

Answer 19

In October 1929, Stresemann died suddenly after a stroke. This was a serious setback for the Weimar Republic. At the same time, events in the USA plunged the world economy into a crisis. In Germany, these events gave Hitler the ideal opportunity to gain more support.

Question 20

The Wall Street Crash 1929

Answer 20

The USA recalled the loans it had made to Germany. This led to a financial crisis in Germany, because the government did not have the money to repay the loans. Many German businesses were forced to close due to the economic
problems, so many people lost their jobs. Unemployment increased rapidly and the government needed more money to pay unemployment benefits; it
raised taxes to provide this money.

Question 21

The effects of the Great Depression on the German people

Answer 21

-Young people: In 1933, more than 50 per cent of people aged 16–30 were unemployed. Even people with a good level of education (such as a
university degree) could not find work.
-Factory workers: Four out of ten could not get a job. They also suffered because unemployment benefits were reduced by the government. Food prices were high and many unemployed people could not afford to eat.
-Farmers: Since the mid-1920s, farmers had been struggling because the price
of their goods was falling. Many farmers were in debt. The economic problems
in rural areas led to an increase in support for the Nazis. The Nazis used
existing farmers’ organisations to spread their influence and take advantage of the economic troubles that farmers faced, like falling prices for their goods.
-Businessmen: Those who managed to keep their businesses struggled,
because people had less money to spend on goods. This was partly because
many people were unemployed and partly because of the government tax rises.

Question 22

Effects of the Great Depression on the Weimar Republic

Answer 22

As a result of the Great Depression, the SDP and the Centre Party (the two main parties in the coalition government) fell out. Müller resigned and Brüning became chancellor. Brüning asked President Hindenburg to use Article 48 of the constitution. Brüning introduced several unpopular measures, including tax rises and further cuts to unemployment benefit. These measures greatly increased the suffering
of the German people. Many Germans turned to extreme political parties, in the hopes of a solution to their problems. The Nazis gave people scapegoats; they claimed that Germany’s problems had been caused by Jews, Communists and Weimar politicians. In the 1930 election, the Nazis won
107 seats and the Communists won 77 seats.