Transcript Hitler’s rise to power & growth of Nazism, 1929-1939

Hitler’s rise to power & growth
of Nazism, 1929-1939
“In 1929 the golden age of the Weimar Republic
came to an end. This was caused by an economic
crisis that created political problems. These
problems in turn led to the total collapse of
democracy in Germany.”
Modern World History, p.152
Economic causes
Political causes
Hitler’s tactics
Economic causes
• Wall Street Crash (October 1929)
• American banks demanded repayment of
loans
• German businesses slumped or went
bankrupt
• Statistics: 1.8 million unemployed (1928)
6 million (1932)
Economic causes
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People could not afford rents or mortgages
Begging on streets
People lost faith in Weimar Republic
Growth of political extremists
Political causes
• Streseman died, October 1929
– German Foreign Minister
– He had spent years working to restore the German
economy and stabilize the republic and died, having
exhausted himself in the process.
• Disagreement among coalition parties
• 3 alternatives: print more money
cut unemployment
raise taxes
What were the problems with all
these alternatives?
Political causes
• Hermann Muller (leader of SPD) refused
to cut benefits to save money and
resigned
•
(Social Democratic Party of Germany (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands — SPD)
• Heinrich Bruning (leader of Centre Party)
lacked support in Reichstag and used
Article 48 to pass legislation
“In effect, Weimar democracy came to an end in 1930.”
Modern World History, p.153
Hitler’s tactics
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Support for Nazis grew rapidly, 1929-32
Hitler toured by plane
Speeches
Modern technology, microphones & radio
Hitler’s tactics
• Joseph Goebbels
responsible for
propaganda
• Nazis owned 8
newspapers
Hitler’s tactics
• Wealthy supporters, Alfred Hugenberg
(leader of German National Party,
newspaper owner);
• Thyseen (steel manufacturer)
• Promises to reduce powers of trade
unions
Hitler’s tactics
• SA (Storm troopers)
• Sturm Abteilung
(Storm Section)
• Numbers increased to
400,000 by 1932
• Street battles, bullying
tactics
Who did Hitler & the Nazis
appeal to?
Positives
Negatives
General appeal
Elite
Workers &
Peasants
Racial
minorities
Young
Women
General appeal
• ‘Stabbed in the back’ theory of the Treaty
of Versailles
• Failures of Weimar Republic,
• Exploited suffering caused by Great
Depression
• Anti-semitism
Elite
• Feared communist uprising
• Supported Nazis (e.g. paid for Nazi
electoral campaigns)
• Lost confidence in Weimar Republic
• Suspicious of Hitler’s background – hoped
to control him within government (using
Hindenburg & von Papen)
• Traditionally supported Nationalist Party
Workers & Peasants
Farmers
• Badly affected by
Depression and
slump in food prices
• Nazi promised
financial support &
incentives for farming
communities
• Naturally supported
socialist &
communists
Workers & Peasants
• Germany suffering
from economic
depression
• 6 million unemployed
(1933)
• Nazis promised to
end unemployment &
financial hardship
• Traditionally
supported socialists &
communists
Racial minorities
• No discrimination under Weimar
governments
• Hitler made Jews scapegoats for Treaty of
Versailles
• Anti-Semitism in Nazi Party (e.g. Mein
Kampf)
The young
• Disappointed with Weimar Government
• Attracted by career opportunities within Nazi
Party
• Impressed by activities of Hitler Youth Movement
• Joined Hitler Youth to rebel against family
constraints
Women
• Greater emphasis on role of women as
mothers & housewives
• Improved women’s rights under Weimar
Republic
• Nazi opposed to female careerism
How did Hitler become
Chancellor in 1933?
Political developments
• March 1932
Hitler challenged
Hindenburg for
the presidency
• He lost by 19.4
million votes to
13.4 million
Hindenburg – the
winner!
Political developments
• May 1932,
Chancellor
Bruning resigns
due to rising
unemployment
Chancellor Bruning –
not a happy man!
Political developments
• May 1932 Von
Papen becomes
Chancellor
Von Papen –
aristocratic & respected
Political developments
• July 1932 Von
Papen calls a
general election
to win more
seats for Centre
Party
• Nazis win 230
seats
Poltical developments
Schleicher – the military
man!
• November 1932, Von
Papen holds new
elections but fails
again to win more
seats for Centre Party
• Hindenburg replaces
von Papen with
General Kurt von
Schleicher
• Nazis win 196 seats
Political developments
• Von Schleicher resigns when Hindenburg
refuses to continue to govern using Article 48
Poltical developments
• January 1933,
Hindenburg appoints
Hitler as Chancellor
• Von Papen is
appointed Vice
Chancellor
 Your task
• Construct a timeline showing Hitler’s rise
to power
• Why do you think Hindenburg appointed
Hitler as Chancellor, especially as the
Nazis were becoming less popular?
How did the Nazis consolidate
power,
1933-4?
Reichstag fire
Political parties
Elections
Enabling Act
Trade unions
Night of the
Long Knives
Reichstag fire
• 27 February 1933, Reichstag building
burns down
• Marinus van der Lubbe, communist,
arrested & admits guilt
• Communist plot feared – leaders
imprisoned
• Article 48, state of emergency imposed
Elections
• March 1933 election to Reichstag
• Hermann Göring, Minister of the Interior,
ordered police to leave SA alone
• Opponents, e.g. SDP & KPD forbidden
from campaigning under terms of state of
emergency
Elections
Results of March 1933 elections
288
300
250
200
150
120
81
100
52
50
0
74
1st Qtr
32
Nazi Party
SDP
KPD
Centre
National Party
Other parties
Elections
• Hitler needed 2/3 majority
• Won support of Nationalists & Centre
Party (promising to defend RC Church)
• Banned Communist Party
Enabling Act
• March 1933, Enabling Act
• SA & SS present during vote
• 444 members for v. 94 against
Political parties
• Law against the Formation of Parties
• KPD & SPD leaders arrested & imprisoned
in concentration camps
• Germany a one
party state
Trade Unions
• Trade Unions powerful during Weimar
Republic
• Depression weakened political influence &
membership
• 2 May 1933, Trade Unions offices
occupied by Nazis & leaders arrested &
imprisoned
• Labour Front (DAF)
Night of Long Knives
• 30 June – 1 July 1934 leaders of SA
arrested & shot
• Ernst Röhm (leader of SA)
• George Strasser (founder of DAP)
• Schleicher (former Chancellor)
• 1000 deaths
Why did Hitler purge the SA?
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Rohm & others feared as revolutionaries
Growth in membership to 2 million by 1934
Removal of potential opponents
Pressure from within SS (e.g. Himmler)
Concession to conservative elite
Concession to army (Reichswehr) –
August 1934 swear oath of personal
loyalty
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