8B Flashcards
(10 cards)
What was the Munich Putsch, and what were the impacts?
8 November 1923, Hitler believed the time to topple the Weimar Government had come as they were preoccupied with the economic crisis. Joined by old war hero Ludendorff, he hijacked a local government meeting and announced he was taking over the Bavarian Government. The SA, mostly under the command of Ernst Röhm, took over official buildings. The next day, the police retaliated, rounding up the SA, and after a brief exchange of shots, 16 Nazis were killed, and the rebellion broke up in chaos. Hitler escaped in a car, while Ludendorff and other Nazis stayed to face the armed police. Hitler had counted on the people to rise up and support him, we=hich they didn’t do. He and other leading Nazis were arrested and charged with treason. However, Hitler gained enormous publicity for himself and his ideas, as every word he said was reported in the newspapers. Ludendorff was freed altogether and Hitler was given 5 years in prison, of which he served 9 months, even though he should have received a life sentence. This showed he had sympathy and support from important figures within the legal system, and his links with Ludendorff gave him the attention of important army figures. The time he spent in prison allowed him to write Mein Kampf,which clarified and presented his ideas about Germany’s future, and gave him time to come to the conclusion that the Nazis needed to achieve power by working with the democratic system, rather than through force
What were the new strategies implemented by the Nazis until 1928?
Target the farmers: the workers supported the Socialists and the Communists, and Hitler claimed they were exploited, however urban industrial workers actually felt well treated up to 1929. Hitler decided to focus on peasants farmers, middle-class shopkeepers, and small business people in country towns instead. The Nazis highlighted the importance of peasants in their plans for Germany, promising to help agriculture. They praised the farmers as racially pure, contrasting their ‘clean’ and ‘simple’ life with the ‘corrupt’, ‘crime-ridden’ cities, they used hatred for Weimar culture.
The SA: in 1925, Hitler enlarged the SA, about 55% coming from the unemployed, and many were ex-servicemen from the war. He also set up the SS, who were fanatically loyal to Hitler personally. Membership of the party rose to over 100,000 by 1928
Propaganda: Hitler appointed Joseph Goebbels, who was highly efficient at spreading the Nazi message. They believed appealing to feelings rather than using rational argument would reach what they called ‘the masses’. Goebbels produced posters, leaflets, films, and radio broadcasts, he organised rallies like the annual Nuremberg Rally, set up photo opportunities, and ensured leading party members were trained on how to deliver speeches in public
What was the Great Depression, and how did it help the Nazis?
In 1929, the American stock marker crashed, and to pay off debts, American bankers and businessmen asked German banks to repay the loans from the Dawes Plan. This caused economic collapse in Germany, businesses went bankrupt, workers were laid off, and unemployment skyrocketed. The Weimar Government couldn’t take any firm and decisive action due to the Weimar Constitution’ and the Government’s structure. All of a sudden, Hitler and the Nazis’ ideas were relevant. The Weimar Government was indecisive? Germany needed a strong leader like Hitler. Reparations were causing problems? Eliminate the Treaty of Versailles. Unemployment rising? Let the unemployed join the army, build Germany’s armament, and work on public works like road building
Why did the Nazis succeed in elections?
Nazi campaigning: Hitler was a powerful speaker, messages were spread through films, radios, and records. He was presented as a dynamic man of the moment, the leader of a modern party with modern ideas who also knew and understood the people and their problems. They relied on generalised slogans such as ‘uniting the people’ and ‘going back to traditional values’ but were never clear about what this meant in terms of politics, which made it hard to criticise them. When they were criticised about a specific policy, they usually dropped it, and they repeated their source of problems were the Jews, communists, Weimar politicians, and the Treaty of Versailles. They also backed their campaigns with practical action, such as organising soup kitchens and providing shelter in hostel for the unemployed.
Negative cohesion: people shared the same fears as the Nazis (Communists, Treaty of Versailles, Weimar politicians, and the Jews), not the same views
Disillusionment with democracy: the Weimar Government seemed weak and disorganised, politicians couldn’t effectively solve the Depression
Communist threat: they turned the rising communist support to their advantage; the SA and the SS seemed orderly compared to the communists, who had regular street battles with the police. Business leaders feared the Communists because of their plans to introduce state control of businesses, and they were concerned about the growing strength of Germany’s trade unions. Since they felt the Nazis would combat these threats, they started to put money into Nazi campaign funds. Farmers also feared the communists due too the communist government in the USSR taking over all of the land, killing or imprisoning millions of peasants in the process.
Weak opposition: the Social Democratic Party didn’t think the Germans would fall for the Nazis’ promises and accusations, and failed to work with other parties, like the Communists. Ebert’s crushing of the Communists in 1919-1920 left bitter memories and the Nazis exploited the divisions among their opponents.
Why was Hitler appointed Chancellor?
In July 1932, he demanded to be made Chancellor, as the Nazis were the largest single party but did not have the overall majority. Hindenburg refused as he was suspicious of Hitler and the current Chancellor Franz von Papen was allowed to continue on. He then used his emergency powers to pass the measures von Papen hoped would solve unemployment, however von Papen had virtually no support in the Reichstag, and so he called another election in November 1932. The Nazis came out as the largest party again, but they lost over 2 million votes along with 38 seats.Hitler is said to have threatened suicide, but Hindenburg again refused and appointed Kurt von Schneider, who was forced to resign after a month as well. Von Papen advised Hindenburg to appoint Hitler, saying they could control Hitler, and use him to gain support for their policies and control the Communists. Hitler was appointed Chancellor in January 1933.
What was the Reichstag Fire, and how did it help the Nazis?
Hitler called for another election in March 1933, however on 27 February 1933, the Reichstag Building burnt down. Hitler blamed the communists and declared it was the beginning of a communist uprising. He demanded special emergency powers to deal with the situation and was given them by Hindenburg. These powers were used to pass laws, members of opposition parties were arrested and sent to concentration camps camps, enemies of the Reichstag (the Nazis) were executed, the SA were allowed to search the homes of suspected enemies of state, all trade unions were banned and workers were banned from striking, the SA were allowed to intimidate voters during the 1932 elections by watching them as they marked their votes
What was the Enabling Act?
In March 1933, the Nazis had their largest-ever share of votes, and with the support of the smaller Nationalist Party, an overall majority. Using the SA and the SS, Hitler intimidated the Reichstag into passing the Enabling Act, which allowed him to pass laws without consulting the Reichstag. The Communist Party had been banned after the elections and couldn’t vote, and the Catholic Centre Party decided to cooperate rather than be treated like the Communists, and in return they retained control of the Catholic schools. Only 94 voted against, 444 voted for. This made Hitler a virtual dictator.
What were the Gleichschaltung Laws?
31 March 1933, dissolved all of Germany’s state governments except Prussia. 7 April 1933, Nazi approved Reich governors were put in complete control of each state, with Goering in charge of Prussia for Hitler. Jews and political opponents were dismissed from the Civil Service, judged opposed to the Nazis were banned from working in courts of law. In May, trade unions were banned and replaced with the Nazis’ ‘German Labour Front’ (DAF). In 1935, the ‘Acts Hostile to the National Community’ allowed them to legally persecute opponents
What was the Night of the Long Knives?
Within a year, most political opponents had left Germany, were in concentration camps, or were banned. Leading army officers were getting suspicious of the SA and Ernst Röhm. The SA were badly disciplined, Röhm talked of making the SA into a second German army to begin a ‘second revolution’, whic would achieve some of the Nazi’s more socialist aims from their 25-Point Programme. Röhm was backed by almost 4 million power hungry SA who were causing increasing trouble in the streets, screaming insults and demands aimed at Hitler. Hindenburg threatened to enforce martial law if nothing was done, so Hitler falsified evidence that Röhm had been paid by the French to overthrow him. Hitler was also suspicious of Röhm as he had the power to overthrow him. On the 29-30 of June 1934, squads of SS men broke into the homes of Röhm and other leading figures in the SA and arrested them. Röhm and as many as 400 other were executed. Hindenburg thanked Hitler for his ‘determined action which has nipped treason in the bud’. The army said it was well satisfied with the events of the weekend. The SA was not disbanded, remaining as a Nazi paramilitary organisation, but subordinate to the SS, and many of its members were absorbed by the army and the SS.
What was the Army Oath?
Hindenburg died on August 19, 1934, due to old age. Hitler used the Enabling Act to merge the position of President and Chancellor, making him head of state and government. The army swore an oath of personal loyalty to Hitler as Führer on the day Hindenburg died. They army agreed to stay out of politics and serve Hitler in return for vast sums spent on rearmament, the return of conscription, and plans to make Germany a great power again.
