The Rise of the Nazi Party and its consolidation of power between 1933 and 1934 Flashcards
1
Q
when did the wall street crash happen + how did it impact America
A
- October 1929 in America
> once the bubble burst, American investors lost $400 million in a month
2
Q
how did the wall street crash affect Germany
A
- Germany’s industries heavily relied on loans from America + so they suffered greatly as the loans which helped boost the economy, were now dried up
3
Q
how did the great depression affect Germany
A
- the depression caused Germany’s exports to decline + resulted in serious unemployment
> between 1928 - 1932 employment rose from 0.7 million to 5.6 million
> many shops began to sell at ‘any reasonable price’
> prices of farm products tumbled
> German agriculture suffered, causing distress to farmers who were in debt
4
Q
what were the economic effects of the Depression on Germany
A
- trade - exports fell by 55%
- industry - production reduced by 42%
- farming - produce prices fell by 23%
- banking - 5 major banks collapsed
- 50,000 businesses went bankrupt
5
Q
between 1928 - 1932 by how much did the rate of unemployment increase
A
- 1928 = 0.7 million
1932 = 5.6 million
6
Q
what were the Weimar Republic’s solution to economic depression + what did it result in
A
- raise taxes
- cut wages
- reduce unemployment benefit
> resulted in the Germans being angry + frustrated with their democratic government
> there was an increasing use of Article 48 by President Hindenburg
7
Q
how did Hitler organise his party after being released from prison
A
- his party was recognised as a regional basis with each branch (Gau) placed under control of a party leader (Gauleiter)
- Hitler youth movement 1926
- SA organised + smaller unit SS introduced to protect Hitler
- Joseph Goebbels - propaganda expert - Gauleiter of Berlin
8
Q
what were the Nazi Party membership rates in the years 1925 - 1928
A
- 1925 = 27,000
- 1926 = 49,000
- 1927 = 72,000
- 1928 = 108,000
9
Q
how many seats did Nazis vs Communists have in Reichstag in 1930 + July 1932
A
1930:
- Nazi = 107 Comm = 77
July 1932:
- Nazi = 203 Comm = 89
> Nazi party was the single largest party in Reichstag
10
Q
when did Hitler run to be elected as President + what was the outcome
A
- March 1932
> lost to Hindenburg by 6 million votes
> this was after a national campaign across all regions of Germany
> Hitler was made to look like a credible leader
11
Q
what were the reasons of the growth of the Nazi Party
A
- very well organised: ex-soldiers well trained + local workers too
- propaganda: trained locals in propaganda + propaganda whipped fear & hatred of communists + promised to make G great again
- SA’s violent campaign intimidated Hitler’s opponents
- support of industrialists (anti-communists): received financial banking from them
- technology: used to spread propaganda - radios, Hitler flying around country
- workers promised jobs, higher pays etc
- Nazis flexible with promises, if something lost them votes they would drop it
- Hitler: charismatic public speaker = ppl respected him, strong powerful leader
- weakness of opposition who underestimated Nazis
12
Q
when did Hitler become Chancellor
A
30 January 1933
13
Q
how did Hitler become chancellor of Germany - step by step
A
- July 1932 Nazi party had 37% of votes + were largest party but didn’t have majority to control Reichstag
- P. Hindenburg made his friend Von Papen the chancellor
- Von Papen was removed + Von Schleicher became chancellor
- Von paper wanted revenge + regain power so made a deal with Hitler to form a new coalition government where Hitler would be chancellor + Von Papen would be vice chancellor
- Von Papen persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor + Papen would control and supervise Hitler’s policies
> Hindenburg agreed but in the government of 12 ministers, only 3 were Nazis - an attempt to limit the influence of the Nazi on the government
14
Q
as soon as Hitler became chancellor what did he do
A
- call an election because he wanted to get rid of his coalition government and form a dictatorship
15
Q
in what ways was the 1933 election violent + brutal
A
- Nazi used its position to hinder opponents
- communists weren’t allowed to demonstrate + their newspapers were restricted
- SA terrorised left-winged opponents
- over 2 million brownshirts
> one step at a time Hitler destroyed the democratic system which had governed Germany since end of WWI
16
Q
when did the Reichstag Fire happen
A
27 February 1933
17
Q
what was the Reichstag Fire
A
- the Reichstag building burned down
> the Nazis blamed a Dutch communist Marius van der Lubbe for causing the fire
18
Q
how did the Reichstag Fire increase Hitler’s power
A
- with evidence of a communist plot, he prevented communist parties from campaigning
+ arrested 4000 members of the communist party - persuaded Hindenburg to grant him the ‘Emergency Powers - the law for the protection of people and state’ which allowed him to remove basic human rights such as freedom of speech
- closed the Social Democratic Party’s newspapers
- gave police the right to arrest anyone without a fixed trial
19
Q
on 5th March 1933 elections what happened + how was this solved
A
- despite Nazis being the biggest party they lacked a majority which meant he couldn’t rule without support of other political parties
> however he banned the Communist party from taking their seats in Reichstag
> he also made a deal with Centre + National Parties to help him get a majority
20
Q
when was The Enabling Act passed
A
23 March 1933
21
Q
what was The Enabling Act
A
- Hitler + his ministers could make new rules without approval of Reichstag for 4 yrs
> they could rule by decree, without P. Hindenburg’s approval
22
Q
what event occurred on 1 April 1933
A
- one day boycott of Jewish owned shops
23
Q
what happened on 1 May 1933 + how did it increase Hitler’s power
A
- trade unions arrested + leaders arrested
> now Hitler isn’t imposed by any threats from the Trade Union
24
Q
when did the concordat happen + how did it increase Hitler’s power
A
- 20 June 1933
> Hitler + Pope make agreement that Hitler can take political power in Germany as long as he leaves the Catholic Church alone
25
what happened on 14 July 1933 + how did it increase Hitler's power
- Political parties were banned - only Nazi Party is allowed to exists
> gives Hitler complete power as his party can now rule and do whatever he wants
26
when did the Night of the Long Knives happen
30 June 1934
27
what happened on the Night of the Long Knives + how did it increase Hitler's power
- SA leaders demanded that Nazi party carry out its socialist agenda + SA take over German army
> Hitler + many of his allies didn't like this and he was persuaded by his allied to destroy the SA
> on the night of the long knives around 400 SA members were killed, including the leader Ernst Rohm
> Hitler's other opponents were also killed
28
when did Hindenburg die
2 August 1934
29
what happened after Hindenburg died
- Hitler declared himself jointly President and Chancellor
> he became the Fuhrer
- all military personnel in Germany sore a new oath of allegiance to Hitler as Fuhrer
> 19 August
30
who were the SS
- originally they were Hitler's personal bodyguard service
- but after they helped destroy the SA their role changed as they became main means of terrorising + intimidating Germans into obedience
31
who were the SS leader
Heinrich Himmler
32
what did the SS control
the concentration camps
33
what were concentration camps
- used as prisons
> opponents of the regime were taken here for questioning, torture, hard labour and 're education'
> at first no death camps but later they became the scene of mass genocide
34
who were the Gestapo + what did they do
- Nazi secret police
> they monitored German population for sign of opposition / resistance to Nazi rule
> regular German people would inform on their fellow citizens
> it was the Gestapo who opponents of Nazism most feared
35
who were the SD +their leader + their roles
- intelligence gathering
> they were the security service for Hitler + other top Nazis
- led by Reinhard Heydrich
36
why were Nazi election posters so effective
- swastika - symbol
- Germans depicted as strong with help of Nazis - they promised to restore German pride
- made simple appealing promises 'work and bread'
- you didn't need to read, just look at the posters
-simple message - Nazi will destroy ToV, communism, unemployment
