What are the reasons for the Rise of the Nazi party1920-33?

1. What are the reasons for the Rise of the Nazi party1920-33?

2. Nazi Party1921-1925

3. What are the origins of the Nazi party? • Founded in January 1919 as the German workers party. • It assumed a new name (NSDAP) and set out a 25 point programme, in Munich in February 1920. • Manifesto- revision of the Versailles treaty, end of reparations, destruction of the establishment, creation of lebensraum (living space), creation Volkgemeinschaft (national community), and anti-Semitism.

4. Why did the party increase in membership? • The party became prominent in the splinter groups from the right. • In December the party bought a local newspaper VolkrischerBeobachter (Peoples observer). • In July 1921 Hitler became chairman of the party. • This was followed by the creation of the SA which became a paramilitary wing of the party. • The SA was involved in political violence, and thuggery primarily aimed at the Communists.

5. What happened in the Munich Putsch? • By mid 1923 the party had 55,000 members. • Many caught by the nationalism and manifesto of the party. • In the Ruhr crisis of 1923 Hitler and the Nazi press kept up its barrage against the Weimar Republic. • Tension as the Reich government had requested Bavaria arrest Nationalists. The Nazi’s thus believed the time was right to seize power. • Aim was to create a dictatorship with General Ludendorff as President. • The coup on the 8/9th November resulted in 17 dead and the arrest of Hitler. • His trial for treason in march 1924, turned into a propaganda coup, as he had a platform for his beliefs. • His term was 5 years in prison. In prison he wrote Mein Kampf (my struggle). In which he explains his views about elimination Jews, living space in the East, and for the destruction of Communism

6. What happened in 1924? • In 1924 Hitler was released from prison and he started to reorganise the party. • He realised the only way to get to power was by legal means. • He started by reorganising the Nazi party.

7. Were the 1924 elections successful? • In May 1924, the Nazi’s in alliance with other parties on the right, won 1.9 million (6.5%) of the vote, in elections to the Reichstag. • In the April elections in 1925, the Nazi’s only got 907,000 votes (3%). In response the party was changed.

8. How was the party organised? • At a party conference in February 1926, the new structure was discussed, with complete obedience to Hitler, and the Fuhrerprinzip • It was centralised, and an index of all members was created. • The party was organised in a series of areas led by a Gauleiter appointed by Hitler. 4) The Nazi’s also built up a series of associated organisations for young people, women, students, lawyers, factory workers. These helped press for Hitler to become Chancellor. 5) Nazi welfare organisations- which organised soup kitchens.

9. 1928-1930

10. What happened in the 1928 elections? • In the May 1928 elections the party only got 800,000 votes (2.6%) of the vote, and held only 12 seats in the new Reichstag. • This poor performance forced further change. Limited support as....... • The Nazi’s lacked the support of the W.C, they were supporting the Communists and Social Democrats. • 1924-1929 was a time of prosperity and peace, with the Dawes plan in 1924, Germany was economically stable. • The Nazi ideas were too extreme.... Anti-Semitic and the idea of invading other countries.

11. How was propaganda used? • Rallies, speeches, lectures and airplane campaigns in certain areas were effective in raising the profile of the party, of the increasing the vote. • Hitler was a charismatic speaker and leader of the Nazi party. He realised the importance with Josef Gobbels of the Nazi party. • A great effort was put into training speakers. By 1933 6,000 had been trained. • The tactic of identifying and targeting certain groups in regions, increased the vote. E.g- targeting poor farmers in Saxony. • The Nazi’s attracted the young, in 1930 over 2/3 of the party members were under 40 years old. • The Nazi’s needed electoral success to challenge for power, without it power would not be offered to them.

12. What were the Nazi’s promising? • Economic problems would be solved and people would be provided with work and bread. • Attention would be given to the needs of the German peasant and small traders who would be saved from the Jewish money lenders. • The Weimar government would be replaced with strong leadership which would smash communism and the Versailles treaty • German military would gain lebensraum (living space), and Germany would be great again.

13. How did the campaign for the Freedom law help the Nazi’s? • The Nazis were involved in the campaign. Only 13.8% actually voted for the new law. • It did give national exposure to the Nazi’s and to the Nazi rallies. • In the local council elections in November 1929 there was a rise in the Nazi vote. • The extra resources (money given to the party to help with the campaign by the Reich Committee Referendum, led by the leader of the DNVP Hugenberg). • National exposure by Hugenberg’s newspapers. • Able to take advantage of the polarisation of German polities, particularly because of their organisational reforms.

14. Was the SA important? • Began in 1921and developed into a mass organization of 500,000 by 1933. Ernst Rohm was in charge of them until 1934. • Many were ex-soldiers and went around beating up Communists and distributing propaganda leaflets. • They played a major role in Hitler’s success as they focused attention on the communist threat. Their disciplined marches gave the impression that the Nazi’s would offer firm government and restore law and order.

15. Why was the Wall Street crash important? • The Wall street crash in October, and the rise in unemployment further polarised German politics. • World wide bankruptcies and the closure of businesses hit German industry hard, particularly as the growth in the 1920’s had been funded in part by American money, that was now withdrawn. • The depression created the climate where people were willing to listen to Hitler’s views. It also acted as the trigger for the undermining of democracy in Germany.

16. How did the depression effect Germany? • The depression made life a great struggle for people- many businesses went bankrupt, framers struggled. By 1933 over 6 million (1 in 3) German workers were unemployed. • It made the Weimar government look weak- to start with they did nothing and then they cut back on the money they spent. • It increased support for extreme parties it persuaded a number of Germans of the need to vote for extremist parties. That although violent, they had a familiar message about destroying the Versailles Treaty.

17. By 1930 why were the Nazi’s increasing in support? • Wall street crash- depression in Germany, many turned to extremist groups. • Promises- some believed Hitler's and the Nazi party promises. • Weimar government seen as weak- wall street crash. • Propaganda- persuaded some to support the Nazi’s. • Reorganisation of the party- so able to gain more support, as there were more Nazi organisations, and the party was more efficient. • Role of the SA- spread propaganda and made people afraid of Communists. • Money- more money to challenge the Reichstag elections.

18. WHO SUPPORTECD THE NAZI PARTY?

19. Who voted for the Nazi’s? • Main view is that the Middle class, damaged by the economic instability of the republic voted for the Nazi’s. The Nazi’s also picked up the vote from some people who had previously voted DVP or DNVP. • The Nazi’s failed to attract many votes from the industrial working class, but 2 million workers voted for the DNVP. It is possible that the Nazi’s attracted these voters in the 1930’s. • The Nazi vote was weakest in urban areas. Despite this the Nazi’s could say that they cut across class and interest lines and were national, few others could say this. • For many a vote for the Nazi’s was a protests vote at the failures if the parties in the Weimar Republic. • Policy was vague but it was style over substance. This made it attractive to the ruling establishment who shared their critique if the Weimar and the desire to destroy democracy.

20. Why was Brunning’s government so important? • A key nail in the coffin of the Weimar republic was the creation of the Heinrich Bruning government in March 1930. • The government was based on presidential and not parliamentary power. • Bruning was the leader of the centre party but did not hold a parliamentary majority. • President Hindenburg made it clear if Chancellor Bruning’s government was defeated or lost a vote of no confidence then the Reichstag would be dissolved and he would rule by decree, using Article 48. • In July 1930 the government lost a Financial bill, and tried to pas it anyway by decree using Article 48. A motion was passed in the Reichstag condemning this and demanding a withdrawal of the decree, as the constitution said was their right. • The Reichstag was dismissed by Hindenburg and a new election called. The financial bill was passed by decree. • It showed the contempt to which the President held the Reichstag an the Weimar democracy. There was a shift from parliamentary government to presidential government.

21. Did the Nazi vote increase? • In June 1930 the Nazi’s won 14.4% of the vote in elections in Saxony. • The previous year Joseph Goebbels had been appointed to lead the parties propaganda, and he helped plan successful electoral campaigns. • In September 1930, the Nazi’s gained 107 seats, an increase of 95 seats. In 1928 the votes was 8000,000 in 1930 it was 6.4 million. • It resulted in the newly reformed Brunning cabinet with even less support, and made them dependent on the SDP and article 48. • Between September and the end of the year 100,000 more people joined the Nazi party. • The expansion of the National Socialist AgrarpolitischerApparat (AA) extended Nazi influence in the countryside. • In 1931 the Nazi party averaged 40% at local elections.

22. Was the issue a legality still a problems in the Nazi party? • The issue of legality in the Nazi party continued. In March 1931 the leader of the Berlin SA Steenes, rebelled against a decree requiring police permission for rallies. It highlighted tensions in the movement. • The fact that the leadership was seen to be dealing effectively with the revolts of more radical party members, such as Strasser and Stennes, was important in securing confidence in Hitler's commitment to legal means.

23. What was the economic crisis of 1931? • After the constitutional crisis in the summer Brunning saw himself as responsible not to the Reichstag but to the president. • His main focus was on removing the burdens of reparations and not reducing unemployment. • In 1931 the economy was collapsing, as a result to Brunnings lack if initiative, it led to banking collapse in 1931. • There was a flight of foreign capital out of Germany. • In July 1931 the banks were closed for 3 weeks, government had to make available 1,000 million Reich marks to prop up the banking system. • As the economy declined the support for the Nazi’s increased. The banking collapse in 19312 made many fear social collapse and disorder.

24. How did Hitler first get a position in the government? • Presidential election of April 1932 saw Hindenburg returned to office. • Hitler also stood in the election and received 30.1% in the first ballot, 36.8% in the second ballot. Hindenburg received 49.6% in the first ballot and 53% in the second. The Nazi vote in the Reichstag had more than doubled, so they saw this as a victory. • The Emergency decree of 1932, passed by General Groener the Minister of the Interior-banned the SA and the SS, as there had been growing street violence. • General Von Schleicher, wanted to tame the Nazi’s and use the mass movement to create a military dictatorship. Hitler in a meeting on the 8th of May with Schleicher agreed to a role in the presidential cabinet, and lifting of the ban on the SA/SS.

25. How did this benefit Schleicher? • Groener resigned after being shouted down by Nazi deputies, on the 10th of May. • 29th of May, Hindenburg demanded Brunnings resignation which he got. • A new government was passed with Von Papen as Chancellor, and General Schleicher as Minister of defence. • The ban on the SA lifted on the 16th of June. In the run up to the election, there was 100 dead and 7,000 casualties in street violence.

26. What was the Prussian coup d’etat? • Von Papen dismissed the SPD dominated Prussian government after he said they had failed to keep the peace. Legally highly questionable. • When it was questioned by the SPD leader Otto Braun, Hindenburg ordered the army to seize control and put in a Reich commissioner to govern Prussia. The SPD and trade unions did not resist. • New regime in Prussia, did not obey the Weimar state but rather Von Papen and the Reich commissioner. • This set a precedent, seizing power under the pretence of ‘legality.’ • By 1933 the emergency powers of the constitution, had been used to effectively destroy the constitution.

27. What happened in the 1932 elections? • In the July 1932 elections, the Nazi’s gained 37.3% of the vote, 230 seats. It was the largest party in the Reichstag. • The party had the mandate from the German people to be involved in the government. • Von Papen and Schleicher ignored the violence of the Nazi’s as they stood against the left wing.

28. What was the new style of politics? • From 1930 onwards government was conducted by intrigue, and deals such as those that led to the removal of Groenber and Bruning from office in May 1932. • Von Papen and Hindenburg made a big mistake, in thinking they could control and use the Nazi movement. In fact they helped the Nazi’s get into power.

29. Why was the election of 1932 important? • The election of 1932 did not give the Nazi’s an outright majority or automatic power, and Von Papen refused to hand over the Chancellorship to Hitler. • Lots of SA brutality was going on during and after the election. • In August 1932 as Von Papen and Hitler were discussing Hitler’s role in the government, (Hitler wanted to be Chancellor). • The murder of a Communist KonradPeitzuch was announced in the press. Hitler openly supported the SA men who were found guilty of the murder. On hearing they were to be executed, he got Von Papen to commute their sentences to life in prison, and ordered their release after he became chancellor.

30. What were the results of the 1932 election? • The Reichstag was dissolved in September 1932, as Von Papen and Hitler could not agree. The government lost a vote of no confidence by 512 to 42. • The election in November 1932, saw a drop in the Nazi vote of 4%, 34 seats. The Nazi’s were still the largest party. • By 1932 elections were not the sole means by which power was gained, such was the extent to which democratic politics had already been undermined. • The November 1932 elections reinforced the same problems as in the previous elections- • A) Hindenburg wanted to continue a presidential government but would not appoint Hitler as Chancellor, wanted him to gain a majority in the Reichstag. • B) The Nazi party in a coalition with the Centre party could vote down a government at will. • The only alternative was to rule without the Reichstag, and suppress all opposition.

31. Is General Von Schleicher able to rule Germany? • Hindenburg trying to find a way out, and so sacked van Papen and appointed General Von Schleicher as Chancellor on the 3rd of December. • He tried to draw the Nazi’s into a coalition by offering the Vice Chancellorship to GregorStrasser, he wanted to take it, but was forced to back down and resign after arguments with Hitler • Without Nazi support Schleichers government had no credibility, this was seen in opposition in the economic policy in December. • Preparations were being made for a government of the right, including the NSDAP. It was seen Schleichers economic policies, were too conciliatory to the left wing. This was centred around Von Papen who was angry at how he had been treated.

32. How did the Business community help bring the Nazi’s to power? • The business community disliked Schleicher’s reforms of September 1932, and wanted a return to more authoritarian rule, under Von Papen or Hitler. • Industrialists such as Paul Reusch and financiers such as Kurt Von Schroder, helped pave the way for a Nazi takeover of power through their influence. • Von Papen and Hitler even met for talks at Von Schroder’s house.

33. Who appointed Hitler as Chancellor? • From the 4th January Von Papen and Hitler held talks about a coalition based on a nationalist agenda. This had support from Agrarian league and industrialist organisations. • Hindenburg seeing this asked Von Papen, to form a government. • Hitler was to made Chancellorbut with a cabinet that would be made up of a coalition of the right. Von Papen would be vice Chancellor. • Hindenburg thought a new authoritarian regime would bring peace and appointed Hitler on the 30th January.

34. A key factor in the rise of Nazism was it expanded and provided a political home for those who were discontented. There were many such people after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Therefore the party structure was flexible.