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extent of change of voted in election for NSDAP
rapid and explosive increase
extent of change of votes for the kpd
gradual and incremental change
votes for the NSDAP in 1928 to november 1932
1928 - 2.6% (all time low for votes)
1930 - 18.3%
presidential election 1932 - 37% (voted for hitler)
july 1932 - 37.4% (peak of nazi popularity, highest % of votes nazis receive in free election, 2nd highest in the history of the republic)
november 1932 - 33.1% (drop in votes)
voted for the KPD between 1928 and november 1932
1928 - 10.6%
presidential election 1932 - 10.2% (represented by thälmann)
july 1932 - 14.5%
november 1932 - 16.9%
which party was more successful in broadening their appeal?
NSDAP, both gained voters following the depression, but the nazis gained a wider and more diverse group of supporters
changes to nazis’ demographic
before 1929 - nazis’ supporters were the lower middle class e.g. small shopkeepers and craftsmen
after the depression - expanded appeal to broader middle class/mittlestand and farmers as well as nationalists and industrialists
reasons why support for the NSDAP from the broader middle class and farmers increased
appealed to farmers - promised higher prices for goods and protection against imports through tariffs and subsidies to protect domestic industry
appealed to broader mittlestand - become disillusioned with DVP and DNVP, afraid of the threat of communism
geographic areas of success for NSDAP and KPD
nazis - protestant north, east and central of germany , less successful in catholic south and west
communists - working class in cities and industrial towns, gained at the expense of the SPD
most notable opponents of hindenburg in 1932 presidential election
thälmann → KPD
duesterberg → Der Stahlhelm
hitler → NSDAP
events of 1932 presidential election
first ballot → hindenburg fell just short of 50% needed to win outright
second ballot:
duesterburg withdrew from election
hindenburg won 53% of the vote and won the election
hitler won almost 37% of the vote, but won higher percentage in rural areas the hindenburg due to broad appeal
what did the results of the presidential election mean for the NSDAP?
won prudential 37% of the vote → gave nazis a boost in confidence to continue
demonstrated the successful, intended impact of propaganda and initial manipulation of publicity from the munich putsch
now become national party after having been a fringe part on the edge of society for several years
statistics for growth in communism
1928-1932 → gained 2 million votes
membership increased from 117,000 to 360,000
became a growing and significant force in german politics, especially in large industrial towns
why did the kpd receive the majority of votes from large industrial towns
proliferation of the suffering urban proletariat, main supporting social group and had the largest social presence in these areas
communists best represented solutions to their needs through their policies
actions of the KPD to extent appeal to the unemployed as german entered the depression
setting up committees of the unemployed
staging hunger marches
campaigning against benefit cuts
appealing to ‘wild cliques’ like the red apaches and farmer’s fear - encouraged working class young men to join in campaigns against police and labour exchanges
styled the red front fighters league (paramilitary) as protestors of the people against the NSDAP through frequent battles and full scale riots, some areas fell under their control
KPD victims of political violence in 1931 and 1932
1931 - 52 KPD members minimum were killed
first 6 months of 1932 - 75 KPD members were killed
ideologies of the KPD
anti-democratic
revolution and overthrow of the weimar republic
support for the working classes
anti-SPD
how were the KPD anti-democracy?
argued that weimar republic’s democracy only served interests of ruling upper classes, specifically the industrialists and landowners
wanted to form a single party state (similarly to NSDAP) with a dictator to lead → inspired by stalin and the ussr
how did the KPD advocate for the revolution and overthrow of the weimar republic?
advocated close cooperation with ussr and stalin
called for revolution like the bolsheviks did successfully in 1917 → overthrow working classes and create a workers state
viewed the depression as the final nail in the capitalism’s coffin → inevitably led to revolution
how did the KPD promote support for the working classes?
resisted cuts to welfare and unemployment benefits, and wages
called for legalisation of abortion and complete gender equality
progressive in hopes of appealing female voters
partially to attract voters, but also agreed with their ideology
anti-SPD ideology of the KPD
communists saw the SPD as equally dangerous as the Nazis due to their support from democracy and the republic
attacked the SPD as “tools of the capitalist classes”
labelled the SPD as “social fascists” → spent almost equal time fighting them as the NSDAP
strengths of the communists at this time?
effective propaganda
included posters with slogans like “bread and freedom”
ernst thälmann’s speeches that stressed class struggle and aim of destroying capitalism (like hitler, except the communists truly meant the latter)
growth of support 1930-32
high of 16.9% in november 1932
improved organisation and support at neighbourhood and street level especially in big cities like berlin
messages became increasingly popular amongst members and unemployed post 1929
berlin’s nickname - why ?
berlin → RED FRONT
became a hub of support for the kpd
weaknesses of the communists at this time
middle class voters frightened into voting NSDAP (communist threat)
NSDAP seen as only protectors against communism → generous donations from businessmen like Thyssen
50% of new members in 1932 left within a few months → couldn’t maintain support
limited support amongst women (remained traditional) and outside industrial regions
short on money (many members unemployed)
focused on fighting SPD instead of Nazis → wrong threat
