History Weimar Germany: Key Topic 2: Hitler's rise to power, 1919-33

Why was there limited support for the Nazis during the lean years: Hindenburg, President of Weimar?

- 78-year-old Paul von Hindenburg became president of the Republic in 1925. - He was an ex-field marshal of the German Army and therefore a war hero. - This increased support for the Weimar Republic and cut support for parties who wanted to get rid of it, like the NSDAP.

What were the key Nazi beliefs contained in the 25-Point Programme?

- A strong Germany - the Treaty of Versailles should be abolished and all German-speaking people united in one country. - Führer - the idea that there should be a single leader with complete power rather than a democracy. - Social Darwinism - the idea that the Aryan race was superior and Jews were 'subhuman'. - Autarky - the idea that Germany should be economically self-sufficient. - That Germany was in danger - from communists and Jews, who had to be destroyed. - Lebensraum - the need for 'living space' for the German nation to expand.

Hitler served only 9 months in prison after the Munich Putsch. Whilst there he completed his autobiography 'Mein Kampf' (my struggle), which also contained his political views. What were the key ideas of Mein Kampf?

- Abolition of the Treaty of Versailles - Gain Lebensraum (living space) to create a greater Germany where all German speaking people would be incorporated into the nation - Creation of Volksgemeinschaft (people's community)- the strongest races would dominate the weakest in Germany - All ills in German society were caused by Jews. All Jews were to be eliminated from Germany.

What happened after the Munich Putsch?

Hitler was arrested alongside his main supporter (Erich Lundendorff) and tried for treason. - trial began in February 1924 and lasted only one month - the trial gave Hitler nationwide publicity - it introduced him to the German public via the national press - Hitler denied the charge of treason and insisted he was only attempting to restore Germany's greatness and resisting the weak and feeble Weimar government - he scorned the November criminals, Treaty of Versailles and 'those Jewish Bolschevists' who had betrayed Germany (Hitler believed they'd betrayed Germany by agreeing to the armistice in 1918 and signing the Treaty of Versailles) - he used the trail to put forward his political views (the judges were sympathetic and allowed him to make long speeches, which were reported in national newspapers) - as a result, Hitler became famous in Germany Hitler was found guilty of treason, hut the judges treated him leniently. Lundendorff was not charged. 1st April: Hitler sentenced to 5 years (minimum sentence to be served in Landsberg Prison).

Who inspired Hitler to carry out the Munich Putsch?

Hitler was impressed by Benito Mussolini's seizure of power in Italy in 1922. He was leader of the Italian National Fascist Party and had used his private army to seize power after marching on the capital, Rome.

The Munich Putsch was a failure in the short term, but it was also an important event in the Nazis' rise to power. Why was it a long term success?

Hitler was sentenced in April and out of prison by December. During his time in the comfortable Landsberg Prison, he wrote 'Mein Kampf' - a propaganda book setting out Nazi beliefs. Millions of Germans read it, and Hitler's ideas became very well-known. Hitler's trial was a propaganda success for the Nazi Party- Hitler made himself known nationally and won support from other nationalists. Hitler realised that he would never come to power by revolution; coups didn't work. He would have to use democratic, legal means to gain power, so he reorganised the party to enable it to take part in elections. Hitler also realised that he would need to have complete control over the party to guarantee its future success. Hitler had time to reflect in prison and he was able to come to the conclusion that he was the leader needed to make Germany great again.

How were the Nazi Party able to take advantage of the Great depression?

If a political party could offer a clear and simple solution to the economic problems, it would readily win votes. Workers wanted jobs. The Nazi party did just that.

Support for the Nazis increased partly due to the fear, especially among the middle classes, of a possible communist take over. After the failed Spartacist Revolt 1919 and the death of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebkrecht, how did the German Communist Party (KPD) recover?

In 1923, new KPD leader Ernst Thälmann abandoned the goal of immediate revolution. From 1924 onwards, he contested Reichstag elections with some success. During the years of the Weimar Republic, the KPD was the largest European communist party. Outside of the Soviet Union, it was seen as the 'leading party' of the communist movement.

How was the early Nazi Party established? What were its ideas?

It founded in 1919 by Anton Drexler. It was called 'the German Worker's Party'- DAP. The party was very nationalist and had ideas of volkish- pure German people. It also had socialist ideas about restricting big business and a classless society.

Nazi propaganda (controlled by Joseph Goebbels) had three main themes. How did propaganda help to scapegoat the Jews (and others) for Germany's ills?

Jews were often portrayed as sub-human, or as a threat to both the racial purity and economic future of the country.

As Germany descended into political chaos in 1930-32, Goebbels was able to present the Nazi Party in which type of elections?

Local, regional, national and presidential elections

Why didi the SA support the Nazi Party?

Many of the SA men were former soldiers. Some were upset with the way they had been treated after World War One and saw the government as the 'November Criminals'.

Give some figures that demonstrate the Nazi Party struggling to gain seat in the Reichstag during the lean years:

May 1924- 32 seats won December 1924- 14 May 1928- 12 seats won

Why did Franz von Papen resign as chancellor in December 1932?

Papen suggested abolishing the Weimar Constitution. Kurt von Schleicher (Minister of Defence) persuaded Hindenburg that this could result in civil war. Papen lost Hindenburg's confidence and resigned.

When the Depresson arrived in Germany, the Weimar Governemtn argued and couldn't decide which solution to use. as a result, how did the people feel?

People felt that nothing was being done to help.

Nazi propaganda (controlled by Joseph Goebbels) had three main themes. What was volksgemeinschaft?

People's community. This was the idea that the Nazis would create one German community that would make religion or social class less relevant to people.

Chancellors in the 1930s were normally weak. Why? By 1932, what had President Hindenburg resorted to, as a result of this?

Proportional representation made it hard for political parties to gain a majority of seats meaning the Chancellor found it difficult to control the Reichstag. By 1932 President Hindenburg had to use Article 48 to pass almost every law.

When Papen resigned, he was succeeded by Schleicher, who hoped to attain a majority in the Reichstag by forming a Querfront. What is a Querfront?

Querfront, meaning 'cross-front'. Would have involved bringing together different strands from the left and right parties.

In the period 1929-33, the Nazis became the largest political party in Germany. Hitler appealed to all classes; his simple messages and slogans could be understood by all. Who was Josef Goebbels?

Reich Minister of Propaganda of Nazi Germany The Nazis were fortunate to have a person (Goebbels) who understood how to use the mass media and how to manipulate huge audiences.

How did the Weimar Government respond to the Great Depression?

Successive Weimar governments, especially the Brüning government of 1930-32, failed to deal with the problem of unemployment. Some measures were tried but there was little agreement on the best way to reduce it.

By 1929, the Nazi Party was well organised; it had 100,000 members and Hitler had tightened his personal control over the party. What did Hitler's reorganisation of the party help with?

Tackling the issue of limited support: in 1925 the Party only had 27,000 members but by the end of 1928 the number of Party members had exceeded 100,000 (this wasn't well reflected in the election results though). Nazism eventually became a nationwide party that attracted all classes. By 1926, Hitler was the undisputed leader, der Führer, and his message was to use propaganda to win over the voters.

What were many people led to believe about the role of the Jews in Germany's WWI surrender?

That Jews in the army and government had encouraged the surrender.

Following the Wall Street Crash and Depression, unemployment hit all classes. What was the Nazi message regarding this?

That Weimar had caused economic crisis in Germany and the weak coalition governments had no real solutions to offer. The Nazis alone could unite Germany in a time of economic crisis. The Nazis then played on the resentment of the Treaty of Versailles. Old wounds were reopened. Germany's problems were blamed on the November Criminals and the Weimar Republic. Only the Nazis could restore Germany to its former glory.

How did the outcome of the 1930 election compare for the Nazi Party and Weimar?

The 1930 election was a breakthrough for Hitler and the Nazi Party. For Brüning, the election meant he still relied on other parties and on Hindenburg and Article 48.

Why didi the working class support communism?

The German Communist Party promised jobs and money by redistributing wealth from rich to poor.

Because the Nazis' 25 Point Programme appealed to people all over the country from all walks of life, they became popular and were very successful in the 1930 election. Other extremist groups like the communists only really appealed to the industrial workers in Germany's cities and couldn't keep up. Who did the Nazi Party appeal to in rural areas?

The Nazis appealed to people in the countryside - especially middle class shopkeepers and craftsmen, farmers and agricultural labourers.

Brüning called a general election in September 1930 in the hope of winning a majority in the Reichstag. What actually happened?

The Nazis made a breakthrough and won 107 seat and were the second largest party after the Social Democrats, who won 143. Brüning's lack of a majority force him to rely more and more on President Hindenburg.

What was the Nazi party's simple message/promise?

The Nazis would give the people 'Arbeit und Brot' (work and bread).

The Nazi Party was not the only organisation to have a paramilitary group (the SA). Who else had one?

The communists also had similar elements.

Who died during the Great Depression that made things seem worse?

The death of Stresemann added to the crisis- it was felt that he was the only person able to steer Germany through troubled times.

Because the Nazis' 25 Point Programme appealed to people all over the country from all walks of life, they became popular and were very successful in the 1930 election. Other extremist groups like the communists only really appealed to the industrial workers in Germany's cities and couldn't keep up. How did the Nazi Party appeal to the middle class?

The middle-class were generally quite traditional and were not convinced by the Weimar democracy. Hitler promised them a strong government and won their votes.

At the Bamberg Conference conference, leaders were able to put their views forward. What were the views of the north and south?

The northern section, led by a man named Gregor Strasser, was keen to emphasise the socialist elements of the 25-Point Programme to attract support from the workers. The southern section was more interested in the nationalist and racist policies in order to attract support from the middle classes and farmers.

What was one encouraging effect of the economic crisis (the Depression) in Germany?

The suspension of reparations payments in 1931.

What was the role of the SA?

Their role was to protect party meetings, march in Nazi rallies and intimidate political opponents by breaking up their meetings.

The Müller Government (1928-30) was in power when Germany was first affected by the Depression. How did they react?

There was a division over whether to increase unemployment contributions from 3% to 3.5% to pay for the increased numbers out of work. In March 1930, Müller resigned.

What political scheming occurred between 1932-33 that resulted in Hitler becoming chancellor?

- After Nazi Party becoming largest party, Franz von Papen (chancellor) began scheming with Hindenburg. Hitler demanded role of chancellor at a meeting in August. This demand was refused by Hindenburg. Nazis were losing popularity. - Papen resigned and was succeeded by Schleicher, who hoped to attain a majority in the Reichstag by forming a Querfront. - Papen was determined to regain power. He met Hitler in January 1933. They agreed Hitler should lead a Nazi-nationalist government with Papen as vice-chancellor. - Army, major landowners and leaders of industry felt that papen and Hitler were saving Germany from Schleicher's plans and a possible communist takeover. Papen convinced Hindenburg a coalition government with Hitler as chancellor would save Germany and bring stability to the country. - Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. He was the leader of the largest party and he had been invited to be leader by the President. Hitler achieved his aim of becoming chancellor by legal and democratic means.

Describe Adolf Hitler's early life before the Nazi Party:

- Born and raised in Austria 1889 - As a child, his upbringing was not always happy, but he later wrote about how close he was to his mother. - Father died in 1903 - Mother died in 1907 - He wanted to become an artist so applied to Vienna Art Academy, but was rejected - He then lived rough, spending his inheritance and selling postcards. He was a vagrant, drifting from place to place and spending lots of time in boarding houses. - Left Vienna and went to Germany in order to avoid military service - But, when WWI started, he was caught up in the excitement and joined the army - He fought in WWI. He was badly wounded twice and won two Iron Crosses for bravery. - He was injured in a gas attack and in hospital when Germany surrendered in 1918 - He was angry about the surrender- believed the Dolchstoss myth Many of his early experiences influenced what he wrote in his book, Mein Kampf.

What made Hitler feel the Munich Putsch would be possible?

- By 1923, the Nazi party had 55,000 members and was stronger than ever before. - The Weimar Republic was in crisis due to hyperinflation. - In September 1923, the Weimar government had called off the general strike, and German nationalists were furious with the government. - Hitler thought he would be helped by important nationalist politicians in Bavaria. - Hitler had a huge army of SA members, but he knew he would lose control of them if he did not give them something to do.

In May 1932, Brüning resigned. During his time as chancellor, the right-wing Nazi Party had had successes in the regional and general elections. What happened to the government following this?

- During the next 8 months, there was continued political and economic turmoil that saw the extreme parties become more violent. - Some of Brüning's changes made improvements, but it was too little too late. - The Depression had unleashed chaos across Germany. As a result, Hitler gained more and more support. In January 1933, he became chancellor.

Why was there limited support for the Nazis during the lean years: the impact of the Dawes and Young Plans?

- Economic stability was restored by Stresemann's new currency and the Dawes and Young Plans. - The public became better off as a result of inflation easing and employment increasing. - This cut support for extremist parties like the NSDAP (the moderate SPD won 30% of the general election vote in May 1928).

What were some causes of the Munich Putsch, November 1923?

- German humiliation following the French occupation of the Ruhr. Many German people were furious that the Weimar Republic eventually called off passive to the French occupation. - Hitler hated the Weimar Republic - Weimar was disgraced; Hitler believed people across Germany would support him instead - Growth of Nazi Party; the Nazi Party has increased support by 1923. especially in Bavaria - Hitler detested Versailles and wanted to remove the terms of the treaty - Hitler had won the support of General Lundendorff, the former army commander-in-chief, an extremely popular figure - The SA would be used as armed support - Hitler was confident that Kahr and the army in Bavaria would support him - Weimar was blamed for hyperinflation

In the 1920s, the Nazis tried to appeal to a lot of different members of society. The 25-Point Programme had policies that were racist. Give some examples:

- Jews should not be German citizens. - immigration should be stopped.

Positives for the Nazi Party during the lean years: the Gauleiter System?

- Once the Nazi Party was re-launched and Hitler had taken control again, changes were made to the party and its structure. - Party branches were made, called Gaue (single Gau). A Gauleiter led each party. - Hitler ensured that only his closest associated helped rerun the party from Munich. - These people alongside the Gauleiter pushed the idea of the Führerprinzip.

What was the emblem of the Nazi Party?

- Swastika adopted as the emblem - Raised arm salute

The Bamberg Party Conference had a big impact on the Nazi Party. How?

- The 'socialist' principles of the Nazi Party were weakened, giving Hitler more freedom to adopt any policies he liked. - Hitler's control of the party was now clear.

The Munich Putsch was a failure in the short term, but it was also an important event in the Nazis' rise to power. Why was it a short term failure?

- The Nazi party was banned - Hitler was prevented from speaking in public until 1927. - Hitler was tried for high treason (betraying his country) and sentenced to five years in prison. - Some Nazis were shot dead during the putsch. - Hitler's credibility as a leader was questioned.

Brüning's reduction of government spending lost him support of the unemployed. Give some examples of how the economic situation remained bleak:

- The people of Germany were tired of food shortages- they were experiencing shortages for the third time in 16 years. - Some German banks collapses in the financial crisis of 1931. Foreign investors withdrew their assets and hopes of recovery were hit further.

Why was there limited support for the Nazis during the lean years: Locarno Pact and League of Nations?

- Under Stresemann, the Locarno Pact, membership of the League of Nations and the Kellogg-Briand Pact all gave Germany more status in the world. - This cut support for nationalist parties like the NSDAP.

Positives for the Nazi Party during the lean years: lifting the ban on the Nazi Party?

- Whilst Hitler was in prison, the party's fortunes declined. - The party had been banned, but it survived secretly. - Alfred Rosenberg acted as a replacement leader. He had few leadership qualities though and the party ended up splitting into rival groups. - Upon his release from prison, Hitler was able to persuade the President of Bavaria to lift the ban on the Nazi Party. - In February, the Nazi Party was re-launched and Hitler began to take control again.

In the 1920s, the Nazis tried to appeal to a lot of different members of society. The 25-Point Programme had policies that were nationalist. Give some examples:

- all German-speaking people should be united in one country - the Treaty of Versailles should be abolished - there should be special laws for foreigners

In the 1920s, the Nazis tried to appeal to a lot of different members of society. The 25-Point Programme had policies that were socialist. Give some examples:

- farmers should be given their land - pensions should improve - public industries, such as electricity and water, should be owned by the state

In the 1920s, the Nazis tried to appeal to a lot of different members of society. The 25-Point Programme had policies that were fascist. Give some examples:

- focused on creating a strong central government - government control of the newspapers

Hitler's time in prison was relatively easy. Give some examples of the way he was treated:

- permitted as many visitors as he wanted - received large amounts of mail - able to access whatever books he wanted

The Depression and unemployment helped both the communists and the Nazi Party. How did the Nazi Party come out on top?

- propaganda (that resulted in Hitler having a high profile when it came to the elections) - Hitler's charisma (speeches) - communist threat (bale to win support of middle class) - SA

The German Communist Party (KPD) maintained solid electoral performance after new leader Ernst Thälmann took over as leader. Give some evidence of this:

- usually the KPD polled more than 10% of the vote - gained 100 deputies in the November 1932 elections - the in presidential election of the same year Thälmann took 13.2% of the vote (compared to Hitler's 30.1%)

Nazis increased support through propaganda. Josef Goebbels ensured the Nazi message was simple and frequently repeated. Give some examples of the propaganda used:

-Mass rallies - Posters in prominent places - Displaying banners wherever possible so that the Nazis appeared to be everywhere - By the early 1930s, the Nazis owned 120 daily or weekly newspapers that were regularly read by hundreds or thousands of people across the country. - The Nazi message was heard everywhere, especially on the radio. - Movies

When Hitler joined the German Workers' Party he became its 55th member. By the end of 1920 the newly named Nazi Party recorded a membership of how many? During the upheaval of the hyperinflation crisis its membership grew rapidly. By the time of the Munich Putsch in November 1923, how many members were there?

2,000 by the end of 1920 It then rose to 20,000 by the time of the Munich Putsch in November 1923.

Give some examples of points of the 25 point programme that regarded the Treaty of Versailles:

2. Get rid of the Treaty of Versailles

Give some examples of points of the 25 point programme that regarded religion:

24. Freedom of religion

When did Hitler become chancellor?

30th January 1933

Give some examples of points of the 25 point programme that regarded race:

4. Only Germans can be citizens. No Jew can be a German citizen. 5. People in Germany who are not citizens will obey special laws just for foreigners. 7. Citizens are entitled to a job and a decent standard of living. If this cannot be achieved, foreigners will be asked to leave the country to create more jobs. 23. German newspapers must be free of foreign influence.

Why did the middle classes fear a communist revolution? How did this benefit the Nazis?

A communist revolution has occurred in Russia in 1917 that resulted in middle class factory owners, bankers and landowners being wiped out or forced to flee abroad. The German Communist Party was growing and they promised a way out of the depression. The Nazi party gained support through negative cohesion; the middle class would support groups committed to opposing communism (e.g. the Nazi Party).

In 1921, Hitler assembled private army for the Nazi Party. Who were the soldiers? What was the army called?

A large group of unemployed young men and former soldiers were assembled. They were known as the Storm Troopers (Sturmabteilung) or SA. They gained the nickname 'Brownshirts', after their brown shirted uniforms.

In February 1920, under Hitler's leadership, the Nazi party quickly developed a 25-Point Programme. What was this?

A list of the policies it would introduce if it came to power. It included points regarding the Treaty of Versailles, race, religion, civil rights and industry. It was accepted as the cornerstone of Nazi Party policy.

During the Nazi Party's lean years, in 1926, the Bamberg Conference took place. What was this?

A national conference of the Nazi Party called by Hitler to address a split being caused by the Gauleiter System. It was based in Bamberg, in Bavaria. Partly due to this location, it was mainly southern party leaders who attended the conference.

What did Fuhrerprinzip mean?

Absolute loyalty to one leader- Hitler

The SA played a part in the Nazis' increasing popularity. How?

By: - intimidating the Nazis' political opponents, especially the communists, by turning up at their meetings and attacking them - providing opportunities for young, unemployed men to become involved in the party - protecting Hitler and other key Nazis when they organised meetings and made speeches - handing our propaganda on the streets (newspapers and posters) - appearing strong, orderly and disciplined whilst Weimar was in chaos

By 1929, much of Germany had experienced five years of prosperity as a result of USA loans helping to resolve inflation and much investment in industry. So, what caused the Great Depression in Germany?

Germany's prosperity depended on the USA. When its stock market collapsed in October 1929 (the Wall Street Crash), the problems created had huge consequences for the German economy. Loans ended. Bankers and financiers in the USA recalled the loans made to Germany in 1924 under the Dawes Plan (asked for the money back). The German industry lost finance so production was lowered. Workers were sacked. As a result, people spent less. Prices dropped and demand fell. German exports fell rapidly in the years after 1929. The industry lost more money, lowering production further. More workers were sacked. People spend even less. The Great Depression arrived in Germany.

The Depression created problems for the Weimar government and there was little agreement about how to tackle unemployment and poverty. Brüning succeeded Müller as chancellor, but he did not have a majority. Therefore, who did he rely upon?

He relied on President Hindenburg and Article 48. The Reichstag was used less frequently. The use of Article 48 (e.g. to decree wage cuts) undermined democracy and weakened the power of the Reichstag - arguably opening the way for Hitler's later dictatorship. Historians see this as the death of Weimar.

Hitler made his own views very clear at the Bamberg Party Conference. How long did he speak for? About what?

He spoke for five hours. He made it seem that the 'socialist' wing of the party were more like communists- the Nazis' enemies.

At the Bamberg Conference, Hitler made great efforts to win Goebells over to his side. Was he successful? How did Strasser react?

He succeeded. Goebells abandoned Strasser's arguments. Strasser was disgusted and called Goebells 'a scheming dwarf'.

How did Hitler gain support for the Nazi Party?

He was very popular. He was charismatic, acted as a great personality and was a brilliant speaker. He also had great ideas. He blamed problems on Weimar Germany and Jews. He spoke of making Germany great again by ending the Treaty of Versailles, building an army to make Germany powerful and by having one strong leader.

In 1920, the party changed its name from the German Worker's Party (DAP) to what? What changed?

To the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) - or Nazis for short. Membership increased. The Party owned their own newspaper.

What were the lean years of the Nazi Party, 1924-28?

Two contradictory things were happening: - the Nazi Party was being reorganised and growing in size - the Nazi Party were struggling to win seat in the Reichstag

What was the main consequence of the Great Depression for the German people?

Unemployment began to rise as employers sacked workers and factories closed. German farmers had already been experiencing problems and the continued fall in food prices worsened their plight. Some Germans were unable to pay their rents and found themselves living on the streets.

Because the Nazis' 25 Point Programme appealed to people all over the country from all walks of life, they became popular and were very successful in the 1930 election. Other extremist groups like the communists only really appealed to the industrial workers in Germany's cities and couldn't keep up. How did the Nazi Party appeal to wealthy businessmen?

Wealthy businessmen were frightened communists would take their wealth away and did not want to see any more increase in support for them. To combat this, they began to give money to Hitler and the Nazis, hoping they would gain more seats - not the communists.

How did Hitler become involved with the Nazi Party?

With WWI over, Hitler returned to Munich and set on a path that eventually led him to become the leader of the Nazi party. Hitler was employed by the army to spy on them. September 1919: he attended a meeting and spoke in response to one of their members, catching Drexler's attention. He later joined the German Worker's Party (DAP) 1920: Hitler became the Party's leading public speaker and propagandist. He gave speeches on the Dolchstoss theory, his disgust of the Treaty of Versailles, his hatred of the Weimar government and of the November criminals. His speeches also included conspiracies about communists and Jews. 1921 - Hitler was elected Party Chairman and leader of the Nazis. His speeches continued, with the same themes. A growing emphasis put on race. Jews were used as scapegoats for Germany's problems.

Hitler continued to strengthen his position as leader at the Bamberg Party Conference. How?

− Possible rivals to his leadership (such as Gregor Strasser and Josef Goebbels) were won over. Strasser was appointed propaganda leader for the party and Goebbels was made Gauleiter of Berlin (despite Strasser pledging his loyalty to Hitler, he was never fully trusted and as a result: he was replaced by Goebells as head of party propaganda in the late 1920s and he was later murdered in 1934 during a clear-out of Nazi leaders). − Other opponents were removed (e.g. Hitler forced Ernst Röhm to resign as leader of the SA because he was concerned that the SA would continue to be a violent group. He could not guarantee that Röhm would follow his orders) − A new leader of the SA was appointed- Franz Pfeffer von Salomon. − Hitler lastly created his own bodyguard, the Schutzstaffel (SS).

Heinrich Brüning succeeded Müller as chancellor. Hw did he try to tackle the Great Depression?

Brüning believed the best way to tackle problems was to budget by reducing spending and raising taxes. 1930: Wage cut of 2.5% for civil servants. Tax rates increases on income, beer and sugar. Some new taxes were introduced. Government expenditure, wages and unemployment pay were cut. These ideas were blocked by the SPD in the Reichstag. President Hindenburg backed his chancellor and used Article 48 of the Constitution to decree the wage cut. Brüning was adding to the spiral of decline and unemployment continued to rise. He was making those who had lost their jobs even poorer. By the end of 1931, the pay of civil servants had been reduced by 23%. Cuts of up to 60% were made to unemployment benefits. These decisions were unpopular.

What was the Nazi Party's position in Germany by 1923?

By 1923, despite membership growing, the nazi Party was still only a regional party with support mainly in Bavaria.

In the early 1930s, unemployment continued to rise. The fear in Germany was no longer inflation; it was unemployment. Give some unemployment statistics:

By January 1932, the total unemployed exceeded 6 million. 4 out of every 10 German workers were without jobs This would have impacted families on an even wider scale.

Why was there limited support for the Nazis during the lean years: the Gauleiter System?

By early 1926, it was clear that the local power of Gauleiters was creating a split in the Nazi Party (the Bamberg Conference was held to address this): − Some party activists (such as Strasser and Goebbels) were based in northern, urban and industrial areas, like Berlin and the Ruhr. They emphasised the socialist part of National Socialism and stressed benefits for workers and attacks on businessmen and landowners. − Other party leaders (such as Hitler himself) were in southern, more rural areas of Germany, like Bavaria- the heartland of the Nazi Party. They emphasised the nationalist part of National Socialism. They stressed a strong German state and action against the Jews.

Nazi propaganda (controlled by Joseph Goebbels) had three main themes. What was the Führer cult?

Hitler was always portrayed as Germany's saviour - the man who would rescue the country from the grip of depression.

Give some examples of points of the 25 point programme that regarded civil rights:

10. The first duty of a citizen is to work 20. Improve education so that all Germans can get a job. 21. Improve people's health by making a law for people to do sports. 25. Strong central government with unrestricted authority.

Give some examples of points of the 25 point programme that regarded industry:

13. The government should control public industries 14. Large companies must share their profits. 17. Small farmers will be given their own land.

By 1932 the SA had 400,000 members. This number had swelled to how many by the time Hitler came to power in 1933?

An estimated two million This was largely due to unemployed men joining up during the Great Depression

What major events leading to Hitler becoming Chancellor occurred in 1932 (April, May, July, November, December) and January 1933?

April: Presidential election. Hitler came second to Hindenburg, who won 53 per cent of the vote to Hitler's 36.8 per cent. May: Brüning resigned as Chancellor. Hindenburg appointed Franz Von Papen, a conservative, as his replacement. July: Reichstag elections. The Nazis became the largest party with 230 seats. Hitler demanded to be made Chancellor but Papen remained. November: Reichstag elections called by Von Papen to try to win a majority in parliament. Nazis lost 34 seats but remained the largest party with 196 seats. December: Von Papen resigned. Hindenburg appointed Kurt Von Schleicher, an army general, as Chancellor. Von Schleicher tried to split the Nazis by asking a leading Nazi called Gregor Strasser to be his Vice Chancellor. Hitler forced Strasser to decline. January: Von Papen and Hindenburg turned to Hitler, appointing him as Chancellor with Von Papen as Vice Chancellor. They believed they could control Hitler and get him to do what they wanted.

How did elections go for the Nazi Party during the lean years?

As a result of many factors, the NSDAP won practically no support from the German working classes in the big cities. In 1928, general elections took place. The Nazi Party won only 1% of the votes in Berlin and in the Ruhr industrial district. This meant they had only won 12 seats in parliament, having held 32 in 1924. The message was clear; whole the economy was strong, few people voted for the Nazis.

When papen persuaded Hindenburg to make Hitler chancellor, what did he believe he'd be able to do?

Control Hitler. He would 'make Hitler squeak'.

Why did Brüning become known as the 'Hunger Chancellor'? What did his harsh remedies result in?

His harsh remedies made the crisis deeper and more businesses continued to fail. The unemployed and hungry wanted solutions the Weimar government couldn't offer. As a result, they looked to other political parties to relieve their suffering.

The decision to pursue power through democratic methods meant the Nazi Party needed a national structure to attract members, develop polices and campaign. Hitler put this in place during 1925 and 1926. What was the new structure of the Nazi party?

Hitler The SS Leadership corps The SA Party membership Hitler Youth

If anyone doubted the simple Nazi messages, Hitler ensured that another scapegoat could be offered. The Jews were blamed for Germany's problems. What did Hitler say they did?

Hitler said they: - were involved with communism and also the evils of capitalism - had helped cause unemployment - had conspired in Germany's defeat in World War I - had been involved in the Bolshevik Revolution - were preparing to cause a revolution in Germany that would mean all private property and wealth would be seized by the state

Positives for the Nazi Party during the lean years: Hitler Youth?

Hitler set up the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) to rival other youth groups.

What led to Hitler holding Lossow and Kahr at gunpoint during the Munich Putsch?

Hitler thought he would take advantage of the hyperinflation crisis and plotted with two nationalist politicians - Kahr and Lossow - to take over Munich in a revolution. Hitler collected the SA and told them to be ready to rebel. But then, on 4 October 1923, Kahr and Lossow called off the rebellion. This was an impossible situation for Hitler, who had 3,000 troops ready to fight.

Nazi propaganda (controlled by Joseph Goebbels) had three main themes. How was Hitler's charisma used to win people over?

Hitler was a great speaker with an extraordinary power to win people over. Goebbels' propaganda campaign was very effective: - he used aeroplanes to bring Hitler to speak across the country (seemed modern) - radios to broadcast important speeches - rallies made supporters excited Huge support was brought for the Nazis by targeting specific groups of society with different slogans and policies to win their support.

During the hyperinflation crisis of 1923, Hitler saw an opportunity that led to the Munich Putsch. People across the country had many different ideas about how Germany was being run. The individual states had different identities that affected how politics was run in that area. Give an example:

In Bavaria, (capital - Munich) the majority of the population were Catholic and things were quite traditional. This meant that many within that state intensely disliked the new Weimar government and saw them as weak.

After the failure of the Munich Putsch, the SA was reorganised. What was its new role?

It began to be used to intimidate voters into voting for the Nazi Party.

Because the Nazis' 25 Point Programme appealed to people all over the country from all walks of life, they became popular and were very successful in the 1930 election. Other extremist groups like the communists only really appealed to the industrial workers in Germany's cities and couldn't keep up. How did the Nazi Party appeal to nationalists?

Nationalists blamed the legacy of the Treaty of Versailles and reparations for causing the depression and so lent their support to the Nazis who had promised to make Germany strong again.

When the Munich Putsch take place?

November 1923 (a time when Weimar was especially weak due to the hyperinflation crisis)

Describe the events of the Munich Putsch: Was it a success?

On 8th November 1923. Hitler and 600 SA members seized the Bürgerbräukeller (a huge beer hall in Munich), where Kahr, Seisser and Lossow were attending a political meeting. Hitler placed the 3 leaders in a room and won promises of support for his planned takeover from them after they had been held at gunpoint. The SA took over the army headquarters and the offices of the local newspaper. The 3 leaders were allowed to leave the building and the next day Seisser and Lossow changed their minds and organised troops and police tor resist Hitler's planned armed march through Munich. During the march on the next day (9th November), the Nazis only has about 2,000 rifles and when they were challenged they were no match for the well-armed police force. The two opposing forces met. Shots were fired and 16 Nazis and 4 police officers were killed. The incident soon ended and the Nazis scattered. Hitler disappeared but was arrested 2 days later on the day that the Nazi Party was banned.