Germany - 2.1 Early development of Nazi Party

Question 1

What was Hitler recovering from at the end of WW1?

Answer 1

Gas poisioning

Question 2

When Hitler recovered from gas poisoning, what job did the army give him?

Answer 2

Spying on local political activists

Question 3

What type of meetings did Hitler begin to attend from his spy job?

Answer 3

German workers’ party, or DAP

Question 4

What was the DAP or German Workers’ Party?

Answer 4

• Founded in February 1919 by Antoine Drexler who wa a railway mechanic
• Tiny political party

Question 5

What did Hitler think of the DAP and what did he end up doing to it? (3)

Answer 5

• The first meeting hitler attended on the 12th September 1919 there were only 23 people.
• However, Hitler was still attracted to the parties ideas and on the 19th September 1919 he joined the party
• Within just 2 years he had taken control of the party away from Drexler and reshaped it into the Nazi Party

Question 6

What were the 5 parts to Hitler’s takeover of the DAP?

Answer 6

• Party Policy
• Hitler’s personal appeal
• Party organisation
• Party leadership
• The Sturmabteilung (SA)

Question 7

What was the DAP opposed to? - Party Policy (3)

Answer 7

• Weimar politicians: blamed them for the Kaiser’s abdication, making a disastrous peace (the armistice) and the Treaty of Versailles
• Democracy: saw it as a weak form of government
• The Jews: used as a scapegoat for Germany’s defeat and the economic turmoil which followed

Question 8

How did Hitler make a mark on the DAP?

Answer 8

In Feb 1920, Hitler eloped write the DAP’s 25 Point Programme

Question 9

What was the DAP’s 25 Point Programme?

Answer 9

A document explaining the key policies of the DAP. It contained both nationalist and socialist policies
- Nationalist policies: emphasised race, expansion, the army and power
- Socialist policies: stressed government control over living conditions and the economy

Question 10

Hitler’s personal skill as an _______ (public speaker) was vital in attracting support for the DAP

Answer 10

Orator

Question 11

How did Hitler grow support for the DAP using his speeches? (2)

Answer 11

• He rehearsed his speeches carefully, beginning quietly and slowly, then building up the tension to an impassioned and almost frenzied rant
• He also practised his gestures e.g. waving his hands vigorously towards the end of his speeches

Question 12

At the 46 party gatherings between November 1919 and November 1920, Hitler appeared on ____ occasions as the star speaker

Answer 12

31

Question 13

As hitler’s appeal spread, membership of the DAP grew to ______ by June 1920 and ______ by the end of 1920

Answer 13

1000, 3000

Question 14

Describe how Hitler made a change in the DAP’s Organisation (4)

Answer 14

• By 1920, Hitler was Drexler’s right hand man and in January 1920 a permanent office was set up in Munich and a full time administrator was appointed (Rudolf Schussler). Since meetings were better organised and advertised, party membership and funds began to increase
• Hitler renamed the DAP the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) so that it appealed to many different people. As we know, the two main pillars of the 25 point programme were Nationalism and Socialism.
• Soon after the Nazis adopted their characteristic logo the Swatstika and its straight armed party salute. This meant that the party stood out from all the other small nationalist parties
• In December 1920, the Nazis bought a newspaper - the People’s Observer - so that the voice of the party could be more widely heard. It’s initial circulation was 11,000 copies but within a year it had reached 17,000

Question 15

How did Hitler change the Party Leadership in the Nazi Party? (2)

Answer 15

• By July 1921, Hitler felt so assured of his position that he forced a leadership contest and defeated Drexler. Hitler was now the leader of the NSDAP
• To further consolidate his position, he surrounded himself with key supporters to help lead the party and they were very carefully selected for their skills and for the image that they would bring to the party

Question 16

Which 4 people did Hitler choose to surround himself with to further consolidate his position and help him lead the party?

Answer 16

• Rudolf Hess: a wealthy academic who became Hitler’s deputy
• Hermann Goering: a young, dashing and wealthy WW1 fighter pilot
• Julius Streicher: a publisher who founded another Nazi newspaper, the rabidly anti-semitic desterma
• Ernst Rohm: a scarfaced, ball-necked ex-army officer who was very popular within ex-soldiers like the Friekorps

Question 17

Describe the role of the SA (5)

Answer 17

The Sturmabteilung (Stormtroopers), or SA were formed in August 1921 (just a month after Hitler took control), were a paramilitary force.
- Led by Ernst Rohm and wore brown uniforms, known as the “Brownshirts”.
- There were often ex-soldier demobilized from the army. In 1930 they numbered about 400,000, and grew to around 3 million by 1934
- They played a major role in increasing support for the Nazis during the elections of 1930 and 1932 as they seemed to be able to control unrest on the streets by standing up to the Communists’ paramilitary force.
- Their use of fear and violence to disrupt meetings and rallies, destroy publicity material, and beat up and intimidate opposition candidates effectively sabotaged opposition parties
- When they paraded in the streets they impressed people with a sense of power and organisation
- The SA strengthened Hitler because they were expected to be completely obedient to him

Question 18

Describe how Hitler gained complete control (3)

Answer 18

• By the party congress of January 1922, Hitler’s control of the NSDAP was complete
• He persuaded the membership to give up their right to elect their leader. In return he promised his personalised control would enable the party to be more effective in bringing down the Weimar Republic
• There was no discussion of policy at the congress: Hitler dictated policy in a speech that went on for 2 and a half hours

Question 19

Hitler painted himself as ‘___ __ ___ ________’. Because he was a soldier who fought in the First World War, he understood German troubles.

Answer 19

one of the people

Question 20

Propaganda helped spread the Nazi message. What 3 things did it emphasise?

Answer 20

• Firstly, the Hitler Cult. Hitler was presented Germany’s saviour.
• Secondly, Volksgemeinschaft (people’s community). The Nazis wanted to restore traditional values in Germany and focus on Aryan community
• Thirdly, anti-semitism. They blamed the jews for the Great Depression in Germany

Question 21

What was meant by Hitlers ‘flexible Nazi message’?

Answer 21

• For businessmen, the Nazis would solve the Great Depression, control trade unions and deal with Communists
• For the workers, the Nazis would give employment and food. He promised he would address the fall in wages
• For the middle class, the Nazis would return Germany to its traditional roots
• For farmers, the Nazis would stop Communism and government controlling all food production and industry
• For women, the Nazis would prioritise the family and home

Question 22

What did Hitler tell the farmers to gain votes?

Answer 22

• Hitler told the farmers that the Nazis would protect them from communism and the threat of nationalisation (the organisation of all of a country’s production and industry so that it is owned and managed by the government)