How did the Nazi Party gain seats in the Reichstag?

Question 1

When was the Munich Putsch?

Answer 1

8th November 1923.

Question 2

What is a putsch?

Answer 2

An attempt to overthrow the government.

Question 3

Why did Hitler try to seize power in 1923? Why did this fail?

Answer 3

• Year of Crisis ~ hyperinflation ~ people = losing faith with the Weimar Republic ~ tries to get rid of government.
• Was too late as people were recovering.

Question 4

How did Hitler first become involved in the Nazi Party?

Answer 4

Was sent to spy on them and then agreed with them ~ became leader.

Question 5

Who founded the German Workers’ Party/DAP in January 1919?

Answer 5

Anton Drexler.

Question 6

When did Hitler first attended a DAP meeting?

Answer 6

September 1919.

Question 7

What did Hitler and Drexler’s announce together in February 1920 and what aims did it include?

Answer 7

New 25 Point Programme which included;

• Scrapping the Treaty of Versailles.
• Expanding Germany’s borders.
• Depriving the Jews of German citizenship.

Question 8

(2 points)

What did Hitler do in June 1920 to grow membership?

Answer 8

• Hitler = energetic, passionate speaker ~ began to attract larger numbers to meetings.
• Exploited the fact that so many people were dissatisfied with the Weimar Republic ~ membership grew rapidly to 1100.

Question 9

What did Hitler suggest in August 1920?

Answer 9

DAP change it’s name to National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) & adopt the swastika as its emblem.

Question 10

When did Hitler push Drexler aside and become party leader and set up the SA?

Answer 10

Mid-1921.

Question 11

What is the NSDAP?

Answer 11

Nazi Party.

Question 12

What does ideology mean?

Answer 12

Beliefs/ideas.

Question 13

(8 points - clear message, manifesto, Drexler, SA etc)

How did the Nazis create a credible political party?

Answer 13

• Clear message ~ hatred of Treaty of Versailles, Jews and blame the Communists and socialists for political issues.
• Manifesto ~ 25 Point Programme.
• Clear communication of policies via Hitler as the main orator.
• Wide range of policies which appealed to Germans.
• Targeted a key demographic ~ workers as they were the most affected.
• Swastika = emblem ~ marketing tool ~ recognisable. Colours = colours of German flag.
• Drexler = pushed aside by Hitler ~ Hitler becomes leader.
• Set up SA ~ makes them look powerful and popular.

Question 14

What does Orator mean?

Answer 14

Public speaker.

Question 15

What does Demographic mean?

Answer 15

People in Germany.

Question 16

What does Herrenvolk mean?

Answer 16

Master race.

Question 17

What does Fuhrerprinzip mean?

Answer 17

A leadership principle where one party is ruled by an all powerful leader.

Question 18

What does Lebensraum mean?

Answer 18

Living space.

Question 19

What does Volksgemeinschaft mean?

Answer 19

People’s community (where everyone works together).

Question 20

What does volk mean?

Answer 20

German people.

Question 21

What does Untermenschen mean?

Answer 21

Sub-humans.

Question 22

What did the Nazis believe to do with Social Darwinism believe?

Answer 22

Believed the Herrenvolk was the Aryan population.

Question 23

What did the Nazis believe to do with antisemitism?

Answer 23

Jews became the scapegoat for many problems Germany faced.

Question 24

What did the Nazis believe to do with Anti-Democracy?

Answer 24

Democracy = betrayal (November Criminals) ~ wanted a one party state based on the Fuhrerprinzip model.

Question 25

What did the Nazis believe to do with Nationalism?

Answer 25

Wanted to restore Germany after the Treaty of Versailles and achieve Lebensraum for the German people.

Question 26

What did the Nazis believe to do with Social aspect?

Answer 26

Anti-capitalist (rejected the economic system based on private property and profit) ~ promoted the concept of Volksgemeinschaft ~ would benefit all those who racially belonged to the Volk.

Question 27

(4 points)

How did the Nazis appeal to a range of voters?

Answer 27

• Clear manifesto.
• Hitler = Orator (good public speaker).
• Swastika.
• Changed their name to NSDAP.

Question 28

(2 points)

How successful was the Munich Putsch?

Answer 28

• Long term success - Hitler becoming more popular due to his book which he wrote in prison. Hitler was able to reflect on the failure of their tactics.
• Short term failure - Hitler was arrested.

Question 29

What does fascism mean?

Answer 29

Nationalistic right wing ideas.

Question 30

(5 points)

What were the internal (within the Nazi Party) reasons for failing to gain power in 1923?

Answer 30

• Poor organisation/decision making ~ Nazis released Kahr.
• Limited weaponry - 2,000 rifles ~ no match for police.
• Banning of Nazi Party, arrest of Hitler in Landsberg prison.
• Hitler was too optimistic.
• Gave up too quickly.

Question 31

(3 points)

What were the external (outside the Nazi Party) reasons for failing to gain power in 1923?

Answer 31

• Government maintained support of army and police ~ able to squash the rebellion.
• Constitution remained despite the challenges.
• Lack of support from local community and Kahr.

Question 32

When was the Nazi Party ban lifted?

Answer 32

1925.

Question 33

What is a gaue?

Answer 33

Regional areas.

Question 34

(5 points)

What did the Bamberg Conference agree to in 1926?

Answer 34

• Party = run according to the Fuhrerprinzip.
• 25 point programme = unchanged.
• Reorganisation of the party structure into Gaue.
• Introduction of the Hitler Youth, Nazi Teachers’ Association, Union of Nazi Lawyers & the Order of German Women.
• Creation of the SS.

Question 35

What were the SS?

Answer 35

Hitler’s private bodyguards.

Question 36

(2 points)

How did the Nazis use the gaue system to grow support?

Answer 36

• 35 regions ~ spread Nazi ideology, nuanced to individual regions.
  Gauleiter - ‘working towards the Fuhrer’.
• Goebbels = in charge of Berlin.

Question 37

How did the Nazis use the Hitler Youth to grow support?

Answer 37

Indoctrinate youth ~ Thousand Year Reich.

Question 38

(3 points)

How did the Nazis use the Nazi Welfare Organisation to grow support?

Answer 38

• Soup kitchens.
• Annual drives for charity.
• Sent armed Nazi officials to collect donations ~ used interior minister to limit other charity drives ~ Welfare Organisation = collect most money.

Question 39

How did the Nazis use the Nazi Teachers’ Association to grow support?

Answer 39

Teachers are more believable to children & will take their word for it ~ further spread Nazi ideology to future generations.

Question 40

(2 points)

How did the Nazis use the SS to grow support?

Answer 40

• Created to be an example of Hitler’s ‘master race’ (herrenvolk) - Aryan race with generations of ‘pure’ lineage.
• Hitler’s private bodyguards, nicknamed blackshirts for their uniform.

Question 41

How did the Nazis use the SA to grow support?

Answer 41

Hitler’s private army ~ made up of violent ex-soldiers ~ used to spread messages through violence and fear ~ reputation grew very quickly ~ fear ~ increase in support.

Question 42

How did Hitler keep close, loyal supporters?

Answer 42

1921 = Hitler took leadership ~ surrounded himself with loyal supporters ~ rewarded them with positions of power ~ ensured his position was safe, whilst being able to delegate most of his dirty work to them.