Growth of nazi party support (the Great Depression) Flashcards
What caused the Great Depression?
The Wall Street crash in October 1929 caused the Great Depression.
What did the Wall Street crash end?
The Wall Street crash ended economic recovery.
How did the Wall Street crash affect Germany?
- USA couldn’t afford to keep lending money to Germany.
- Germany’s economic recovery between 1924 and 1929 was built on unstable foundations, dependent on loans from the USA, which had been agreed in the Dawes plan.
- Had to also pay back some of the previous loans to the USA.
- Germany’s economy collapsed, factories and banks closed leading to mass unemployment.
State the figure that shows how the Great Depression led to mass unemployment?
In October 1929 1.6 million people were unemployed, and by February 1932, there were over 6 million people unemployed.
What happened in March 1930, what did this lead to?
The Weimar Republic introduced a new chancellor Bruning to deal with the crisis, he introduced tough economic policies to keep inflation from rising, but his policies weren’t popular and included things like reduce government salaries and pensions.
What was Bruning nicknamed?
The hunger chancellor, as standards of living were beginning to fall.
Why did the government become less democratic during the Great Depression?
- Brunings economic policies were so unpopular that he had difficulty passing them in the Reichstag, he began to rely on article 48 .
- By 1932 he was regularly bypassing parliament to force his economic measures through.
How did Hitler use the Great Depression to his advantage?
- There was a fall in support for the government, as Weimar no longer felt like a democracy, and the German people felt neglected.They began to look towards alternative political parties such as the nazi party and the communist party.
- Desperation meant that German people were willing to consider any political party that promised something different.
What did Germans loosing faith in democracy lead them to look towards?
More extremist parties.
Name an important factor in the nazis popularity?
Hitlers personality, he was patriotic and energetic and was able to effortlesly convey his enthusiasm to his supporters.His speeches brought hope to those who listened with promises of work and bread.In the 1932 Nazi campaigns Hitler was depicted as Germanys saviour , who stood up to the Weimar government.
How did the nazi party appeal to many different members of society?
- Hitler promised to make Germany great again.
- Appealed to the many unemployed and the youth for hopes of a brighter future.
Who did Hitler run against in the April 1932 elections?
President Hindenburg, hitler lost.
What happened in the elections of July 1932?
The nazis became the more popular party in the Reichstag, hitler demanded to be made chancellor but Hindenburg didn’t like him and refused his request.
How did Hitler get to be chancellor?
- Papen resented Schleicher because he suspected he had persuaded Hindenburg to dismiss him, he wanted to get back into the government so he made a deal with Hitler .
- They agreed that if Papen persauded Hindenburg to make hitler chancellor , hitler would make papen vice-chancellor.
- January 1933, Papen persuaded Hindenburg to replace Schleicher with hitler , papen argued that they could control hitler and use him as a puppet, he was wrong.
