Germany: Chapter 3 [The Rise of Hitler and the Nazis to 1933] Flashcards
1
Q
ORIGINS OF NAZI PARTY
A
- Hitler had served on Western Front in WW1
- war ended and many Germans felt betrayed so extreme political groups grew
- 1919: Hitler monitored said groups for army [specifically German Worker’s Party]
- BUT soon realized he agreed with party views
- democracy = weak and Germany needed a powerful leader to rebuild strength
- Jews made Germany weak
- communists and socialists caused Kaiser’s fall
- Socialist Weimar Politicians betrayed Germans with TOV
- Sep 1919: joined party
2
Q
CHANGES TO PARTY [1920 - 1922]
A
- February 1920: Hitler put in charge of propaganda
- him and Drexler rewrote Party Aims in 25 Point Programme
- Party renamed National Socialist German Worker’s Party [NSDAP]
- 1921: became party leader
- kept party aims intentionally vague
- nationalists keep on destruction of TOV
- people who needed to blame someone for Germany’s defeat could blame Jews
- middle classes and big business remained content with his anti-communist ideas
3
Q
HITLER’S ROLE [1920 - 1922]
A
- talented speaker, appealed to Weimar critics, controlled party like military leader and introduced popular swastika and salute
- ousted Drexler to become leader, used VB to spread party news, surrounded himself with loyal people [Rohm, Goering and Hoess] and developed powerful friendships [Ludendorff]
- his argument for an authoritarian gov was popular
- 1920: 1,100 members
- bought Volkischer Beobachter [People’s Observer]
4
Q
ORIGINS OF STURMABTEILUNG
A
- nationalist ex-soldiers who supported Hitler
- leader = Ernst Rohm
- brownshirts and members provided uniforms, meals and accommodation
- paramilitary force created to control Nazi crowds and disrupt opposing political parties and their meetings
- violence common between SA and communists
- their power, organization and street parades impressed many
- many members unruly but Hitler had demanded their complete obedience to him
- chose most trusted to form personal body guard [The Stosstrupp]
5
Q
CAUSES OF MUNICH PUTSCH [NOV 1923]
A
- led armed uprising to overthrow Weimar Republic
- Germans had developed deep anger towards gov [Dolschtoss, reparations and colony loss] and so increasingly supported NSDAP
- hyperinflation peaked in 1923 and Hitler saw opportunity for power
- French had imprisoned and deported any resisting Germans in the Ruhr and Weimar’s inability to resolve this made the gov look weak
- support from leaders of Bavarian State gov [Gustav von Kahr] who were hostile to Weimar, agreed with NSDAP and ignored SA violence
- Nazis influenced by Mussolini Paramilitary’s 1922 March on Rome whereby they used violence to make Italian democratic gov to surrender and installed Mussolini as leader
- also influenced by their flag and salute use
- believed takeover possible due to 20,000 supporters, SA and friendship and cooperation of Ludendorff to persuade army to support Nazis
- 1928: membership = 108,000
5
Q
MUNICH PUTSCH MEMBERS
A
- OTTO VON LOSSOW: head of Bavarian army and fled during Putsch to join Hitler’s opposition
- VON KAHR: Bavarian PM and supported Hitler’s aims
- LUDENDORFF: sought Kahr’s support and led Putsch with Hitler leading to his arrest
6
Q
8 NOVEMBER
A
- right-wing meeting being held at Munich Beer Hall
- Hitler and SA supporters stormed hall
- Hitler forced Kahr and Lossow to support his plan to march on Berlin and install Ludendorff as leader
- SA members used violence and intimidation against members of Bavarian State gov
- Lossow and Kahr swore loyalty to Putsch and left hall
6
Q
9 NOVEMBER
A
- Ebert declared state of emergency and ordered Lossow to crush uprising
- Lossow and Kahr announced opposition to Putsch
- but Ludendorff believed in soldier support and persuaded Hitler to persist
- 2000 Nazis and supporters marched into Munich to takeover vital buildings
- confronted by armed police and soldiers
- 14 Nazis killed amid fire
- 11 Nov: Hitler arrested
7
Q
RESULTS OF MUNICH PUTSCH
A
- February 1924: Hitler, Ludendorff and Rohm tried
- Hitler used trial as stage to attack gov and call leaders traitors
- grew popular because seen as nationalist standing up for German rights
- found guilty but speeches impressed judges
- 5 years for treason at Landsberg Castle
- released after only 9 months
- Ludendorff found innocent
- party banned
- Putsch had shown even powerful forces [judges] wanted Weimar destruction
- Hitler wrote Mein Kampf alongside Hess during jail time
8
Q
REORGANIZATION OF THE PARTY [1924-1928]
A
- Feb 1925: ban lifted
- Hitler relaunched party returning at same Beer Hall and 4,000 supporters attended rally
- Mein Kamp [1925] became best seller and outlined Hitler’s ideas against Jews, for Lebensraum and regarding dominance of Aryan race
- many key ideas in Mein Kampf
- superior German race will rule world
- Jews leading conspiracy to undermine Aryans
- Jews wanted to weaken Aryan race by intermarriage
- Jews taking over German businesses and moderate political groups
- TOV must be undone
- Lebensraum needed for expansion of Aryan race
- must invade Russian land to east to drive out communism
- German wealth must benefit working class and not rich
- democracy = weak and one leader needed
- made party attractive in many ways
- national HQ created in Munich
- divided nation into 34 districts each with leading Nazi
- 1926: party conference in Bamberg where Hitler confirmed leader and convinced party to readopt 25 Point Programme
- 1926: first Nazi rally in Weimar
- encouraged more youth into SA and set up Hitler Youth
- established new private body guard [Schutzstaffel]
- Goebbels made editor of VB and leader of propaganda to spread popular anti-semitic Nazi message
- public meetings held across nation and members trained to be effective public speakers
- established organizations [e.g. Woman’s League] to spread message across all demographics
- concentrated on winning farmer support as industry was struggling in 1920s
9
Q
LIMITED NAZI SUPPORT [1923 - 1929]
A
- party well organized with 100,000 members but had little success with Reichstag sears
- Stresemann had ended inflation, stabilized the economy and restored Germany’s international standing and so was gaining rapid support
- 1925: Hindenburg became President, popular for his conservative and nationalist views
- Stresemann and Hindenburg united and made effective coalitions
- Germans content with gov
- support for extremist parties decreased
- 1928: Nazis had 18% of vote in farmer areas but only 1% in Berlin and Ruhr
10
Q
WALL STREET CRASH [1929]
A
- Crash and Stresemann’s death gave Hitler idea to attempt gaining more support
- speculation, loss of confidence and collective sale of shares on market in NY caused Crash
- USA recalled loans to Germany
- Germany into financial crisis with gov unable to fund and pay loans
- business forced closed, jobs lost, unemployment increased rapidly and taxes raised as gov needed more money for benefits
11
Q
EFFECT OF GREAT DEPRESSION ON GERMANS
A
- gov decided to cut unemployment benefits
- suffering intensified and demand for manufactured products fell
- 1933: 50% of population aged 16-30 unemployed [even with good education]
- 4/10 factory workers jobless, struggling because benefits reduced while food prices high
- price of farmer goods fell and sent many into debt and caused them to support Nazis
- Nazis used farmer organizations to spread influences and take advantage of farmer problems
- businessmen with still existing businesses struggled too as people had less to spend and demand fell
12
Q
EFFECT OF GREAT DEPRESSION ON WEIMAR REPUBLIC
A
- SDP and Centre Party fell out
- Bruning [Centre] wanted further welfare benefit cuts and Muller [SDP] refused
- Muller resigned
- Bruning = chancellor but didn’t have Reichstag majority
- asked President Hindenburg to invoke Article 48
- 1930 onward, Germany run not as democracy but rather by Hindenburg
- Bruning rose taxes and cut benefits, causing suffering and Germans to support extremist parties
- Nazis gave people Jews, communist and Weimar Republic as scapegoats to blame
- 1930: Nazis won 107 seats
13
Q
HITLER BECOMING CHANCELLOR
A
- Nazis took advantage of Weimar’s economic and political issues
- Hitler had appeal
- during 1930-1932 election campaign, gave powerful, persuasive speeches and presented as desired, strong leader with superhuman strength in posters
- convinced Germany he was its last hope
- promised better future
- broad pledges = ‘Make Germany Strong’ and ‘Smash the Chains of Versailles’ appealed to many groups
- powerful businesses supported and even provided finances to stop communist uprising
- 1929: National Party declined and businesses and industrialists switched to supporting Nazis
- SA played integral role
- stronger than communist Private Army
- 400,000 members at rallies helped Nazi appearance of strength
- used lights, swords and flags as symbols of power and promising future
- disrupted political opposition meetings
- SA used violence to threaten opposition amid elections
- election propaganda utilized
- popular messages focused on
- switched as soon as messages lost support
- used new technology
- Hitler flown around Germany to make speeches
- Goebbels employed parades and marches with speeches
- plays, concerts and sports
- 8 different newspapers targeting 8 different audiences
- large rallies demonstrated Nazi order and discipline
- posters with clear messages designed to target different groups
