Collapse of democracy 1930-1933

Question 1

Bruning’s cabinet

Answer 1

• March 1930- replaced Muller
• Led by authoritarian article 48- intensified crisis
• Policies like spending cuts and tax rises worsened depression

Question 2

Reichstag election September 1930

Answer 2

• SPD win with 29.8%
• Nazi gain 6 million votes
• KPD support increases

Question 3

Unemployment

Answer 3

• Reached 4 million by 1931

Question 4

Rise in political violence between SA and Red Front

Answer 4

1931

Question 5

Harzburg front

Answer 5

• October 1931
• Alliance between DNVP (Hugenberg), NSDAP (Hitler), paramilitary veterans’ association, agricultural league, and Pan German League
• “Freedom Law” of 1929 had joined them- Hitler became accepted ally
• Hugenberg planned to use Hitler for monetary gain but this failed
• Failed to produce united opposition to Weimar republic (differing aims of parties)

Question 6

Motion of no confidence against Bruning

Answer 6

October 1931
- Failed

Question 7

Iron Front alliance

Answer 7

• December 1931
• Left-wing response to Harzburg alliance
• SDP, Free trade unions

Question 8

Presidential election 1932

Answer 8

• Hindenburg re-elected
• Hitler gains 37% of vote

Question 9

Bruning imposes ban on SA

Answer 9

• 1932
• Leads to tensions between Bruning, Schleicher, and Hitler
• Bruning could only stay in power with Schleicher and Hindenburg’s support
• Hitler needs SA for intimidation

Question 10

Papen’s cabinet

Answer 10

• May 1932 replaced Bruning
• “Cabinet of Barons”
  > Broke established political theme, governed on non-party basis, positions filled with DNVP and landowning/ industrial elite
  > little support, ruled by decree
  > Pivotal for Hitler’s ascent
• Lifted ban on SA in June 1932

Question 11

SPD dismissed

Answer 11

• July 1932
• Papen declared state of emergency and dismissed them

Question 12

July 1932 election

Answer 12

• Nazis have biggest party with 37.3%
• 83% turnout- people tired of democracy
• Papen’s role:
  > Brought back SA, decreased left-wing and communist press
  > Democracy already on a downfall
  > Disagreed with Hitler but sympathetic as a nationalist man

Question 13

November 1932 vote

Answer 13

• Nazis lose 2 million votes- alienated middle-class voters with attacks on Papen
• DVP and DNVP became modest rivals
• 3 election campaigns in 8 months

Question 14

Schleicher’s cabinet

Answer 14

• December 1932 replaced Papen
• Conservative but followed left-wing economic policies to appeal Reichstag

Question 15

Eastern Aid Scandal

Answer 15

• 1933 (policy in 1926)
• Centre Party MP revealed misused funds from Eastern aid
  > Politically influential Junkers used these for luxuries
  > Pivotal in Hitler’s ascension
  > Agricultural backing already strong- this sealed it

Question 16

Hitler and Papen’s coalition

Answer 16

• Nazis and Papen brought down Schleicher- isolating him and making him resign due to ineffectiveness
• Left Hitler as most effective choice

Question 17

Hitler becomes chancellor

Answer 17

• 30 January 1933
• Bullock: “backstairs intrigue”- negotiations with political figures led to this

Question 18

USE OF TERROR

Answer 18

• SA pivotal in Hitler’s rise
• After January 1933

Question 19

Reichstag Fire and decree

Answer 19

27 February 1933
- Communist van der Lubbe arrested
28 February 1933
- Reichstag Fire decree
- Suspended constitutional rights, suppressed political oppositions
- Police able to arrest and detain without charge, enter and search private premises
- Censorship powers
> Backed by propaganda claiming Germany was threatened by German Bolshevik Revolution
> 10,000 Communists arrested in two weeks after ferocious SA campaign
> KPD not fully banned, but membership treated by courts as act of treason

Question 20

March 1933 election

Answer 20

• Nazis win 43.9% of vote
• Vote increased since November 1932 but not sufficiently
• No opposition gained significant votes
• Support for other parties persisted despite violence
• SS and SA incited terror, repression, and propaganda throughout; many opponents locked and officers smashed, funds confiscated, posters removed, distributors of leaflets arrested
• Nazis along with DNVP won majority

Question 21

Dachau established

Answer 21

• March 1933
• First concentration camp
• Initially for political opponents

Question 22

Enabling Act Passed

Answer 22

• END OF DEMOCRACY
• 23 March 1933
• SPD only party to vote against it
• Allowed Hitler to issue laws without parliamentary consent; laid down foundation for Nazification of Germany; initially temporary 4-year measure but became permanent
• Hitler prevented 81 KPD members and 26 SPD members from taking seats; had SA and SS members in chamber for intimidation
• Centre party were key facilitators in getting 2/3 majority
• Judges did not challenge the law, saw Nazis as legitimate

Question 23

SECURING SUPPORT

Answer 23

• Hitler had to make compromises
• Elites still controlled the army- threat
  > 3 February 1933- Hitler met army senior officers and outlined plan for rearmament, assuring that Hitler would not pursue a second revolution
• Industrialists needed for funds
  > 20 February 1933- Hitler met leading industrialists to ask for financial support, secured 3 million Reichsmarks
• Big Business benefited from anti-communist sentiment, but anti-capitalist sentiment of SA and more radical Nazis was worrying- Hitler had to stop Nazi attacks on large capitalist enterprises
• Historian Kershaw: “pact of 1933” with Hitler, army leaders, and big business agreeing to cooperate