The Legal Revolution!

1. The Legal Revolution! Hitler into Power. October 1929 – January 1933

2. Re-cap. • By 1928, the Weimar Republic had finally started to prosper. • The republic and survived: • Numerous revolutionary attempts • A weak government system. • Extremist groups. • Established elites who hated democracy. • In the 1928 election the Nazi Party had only got 800,000 votes (2.6%). • The economy was starting to recover with the help of American loans. • Stresemann had effectively used diplomacy to score a number of successes for Germany. • President Hindenburg, although anti-republican had supported democracy and in the process given it respectability.

3. But…. • All of this was to change in October 1929. • The Wall St Crash in the US damaged the American economy, but destroyed the German financial system. • Almost immediately American loans ceased to Germany. • This was quickly followed by an increase in demands to repay short-term loans as soon as possible. • The world slump in export prices caused by the crash meant that Germany’s exports dropped and her ability to make money dried up!

4. However, don’t forget! • Even before the Wall St Crash, the German economy had inherent weaknesses. • National debt was incredibly high. • Number of unemployed before the WSC was 1.9 million. • Most farmers were in debt by 1927.

5. “Therefore it can be said that by 1929 the Weimar economy was seriously unstable, but it was the Wall St Crash that was the final push which brought the entire economic system in Germany tumbling down!”

6. The Human Effects Of The Depression. • During the winter 1929-30 unemployment rose above 2 million. • By January 1932 it rose above 6.1 million. (1 in 3 workers were unemployed). • Few families escaped the effects of the depression. • Most manual/industrial workers faced the prospect of long-term unemployment. • Wives could not feed families • The depression dragged down the middle-classes. • The agricultural depression ruined farmers.

7. Transformation of the Nazis. • The economic crisis of 1929, transformed the Nazi Party into a mass movement! • The depression created in Germany an environment of discontent. • This was exploited by: • Nazi political methods. • Nazi message and ideas. • Hitler’s own character and leadership style.

8. The Political Implications of Weimar • The economic crises in Germany caused people to doubt the republican government. • Britain and the US were established democracies and did not suffer the same problem.

9. Herman Muller. • In 1929, the Weimar republic was governed by Herman Muller’s coalition gvt. • This coalition had before 1929 withstood attacks from the DNVP, Stahlhelm and the Nazi party • However, a combination of the depression and internal divisions in the SPD brought down Muller’s government.

10. Heinrich Von Bruning. • Bruning was the leader of the 2nd largest party, the ZP. • But, historians have noted that Bruning’s appointment was a step towards ending true democracy: • Why: • He was manoeuvred into office by a select circle of political intriguers.

11. 1930.Elections. • The effect of the Depression starts, Nazi vote jumps to 14.4% in June 1930 election. • In September 1930, the number of Nazi seats in the Reichstag rises from 12 – 107 and the number of people voting Nazi goes up to 6.4 million. • Result of this was the Bruning gvt now had to govern with even less support!

12. 1931 Economic Collapse. • Bruning had been trying new policies to remove the burden of reparations. • The prospect of a Austro-German trade agreement prompted foreign capital to leave Germany. • As a result in July 1931, a panic hit Germany and all German banks were forced to close for a three week period. • By September 1931, unemployment stood at 4.3 million. • The parties on the right (DNVP, NASDAP) started to place pressure on the Bruning gvt.

13. Presidential Election April 1932. • By 1932, the Bruning Gvt under immense pressure. • In the March/April 1932 PRESIDENTIAL election Hitler stood against Hindenburg. • Hindenburg was returned to office, but what is more interesting was Hitler’s share of the vote: • 1ST Ballot: Hitler-30.1% Hinburg-49.6% • 2ND Ballot: Hitler-36.8% Hinburg-53% • This was disastrous for Hitler, showed that even with violent electioneering Nazi’s still could not win.

14. The Fall of Bruning! • In response to the Nazi actions in the election and a rumour of a Nazi coup an emergency decree (April) banned the SA and SS. • But, this merely intensified the political intrigue that had started to grow in Berlin!

15. The ban of the SA and SS had been introduced by General Groner (Min of Interior) • But, shortly after the ban was introduced, Groner undermined by a whispering campaign led by Gen Kurt von Schleicher. • Von Schleicher, was desperate to get rid of Von Bruning and with the support of the Nazi Party he knew he could do it!

16. With pressure growing from Nazis and Nationalists, Hindenburg forced Von Bruning to resign. • A new cabinet was formed with Franz Von Papen as Chancellor and Von Schleicher as Minister of Defence! • New Reichstag elections were set for July, and the ban on the SA was lifted!

17. July 1932 Reichstag Election. • The violence in the run up to the election left 100 dead. • SPD state governments were overthrown across Germany as politics lurched to the Right! • Unions were weakened by divisions between SPD and KPD. • Nazi’s still did not win overall power, but gained 37.3% of the vote (largest party).

18. The Aftermath! • Despite the result the Nazis did not gain automatic power! • Von Papen refused to give Hitler the Chancellorship. • As a result the newly elected Reichstag was dissolved in September after a vote of no confidence in the new Von Paper coalition. • New elections called for November 1932.

19. November 1932 Reichstag Election. • Despite violence and intimidation the share of the vote fell for the Nazi Party (down 4%). • However, the Nazis were still the largest party. • This result simply reinforced a political stalemate in Germany. • Hindenburg wanted to keep the power with the Reichstag, but refused to appoint Hitler until he secured a Reichstag majority!

20. Von Schleicher as Chancellor! • To break the deadlock, Hindenburg sacked Von Papen and appointed Von Schleicher (3rd December 1932). • Von Schleicher tried to draw the Nazis in to a coalition by offering vice-chancellorship to Gregor Strasser. • Although Strasser wanted to say yes, Hitler forced him to refuse.

21. Von Schleicher’s gvt was weak and ineffectual. • From 4th Jan Hitler and Von Papen held talks to see if they could form a coalition. • The support from many in the Reichstag for such a coalition gvt so impressed Hindenburg that he asked Papen to form a new gvt. • Hitler was offered the Chancellorship, with Von Papen and other Nationalists filling other lead roles.(30th January)