♡ DS2 - How did Hitler rise to chancellor?

Overall timeline:

Nov 1918 - WW1 ends, Hitler in hospital

Nov 1919 - Hitler joins German Worker’s Party after discovering them while spying on extremist groups

1920 - Hitler becomes party’s leader, names it Nazi Party

1921 - Hitler founds SA

Nov 1923 - Munich Putsch

Feb 1924 - Mein Kampf

Oct 1929 - Wall Street Crash, Depression

Sep 1930 ~ Jul 1932 - Nazis do well in electrons

Jan 1933 - Hitler becomes Chancellor

Nazi ideas in the 1920s:

Abolish the ToV

Rearm Germany

Conquer Lebensraum

Create a strong central government

Increase old-age pensions

Destroy Weimar

Remove Jews from leadership positions

Increasing Nazi support: Reorganising the party

Democratic approaches → more effective in elections

Increasing Nazi support: Winning over working class

Run public meetings, increase anti-Jewish propaganda

Result: unaffective

Increasing Nazi support: Winning over middle class

Find new members (switch focus from working to middle class)

Increasing Nazi support: Public meetings

Train public speaking skills, put on meetings with speakers

Wall Street Crash:

Businesses close, unemployment, farmers struggle

What did the Weimar government do during the Wall Street Crash?

Raised taxes to look after poor people

Depression weakens Weimar: Unpopular economic policies

The government could have printed money to solve the unemployment problem, but didn’t → fear of Hyperinflation

Instead, they raised taxes, cut wages and reduced unemployment support → unpopular amongst citizens

Depression weakens Weimar: Presidential rule

Social democrats withdrew from coalition government → Chancellor ruled with Article 48 + President selected quickly (Hindenburg)

Depression weakens Weimar: The rise of extremism

Communists: Depression = capitalist system is doomed → rise of communism

Nazis: Blamed Weimar, ToV, Marxists and Jews for Depression → promised citizens a better Germany

How did Hitler become Chancellor?

Dec 1932 - Von Schleicher as chancellor → struggles to keep Reich majority, unpopular

Jan 1933 - Von Papen persuades Hindenburg to appoint Hitler, especially since they can control him (he doesn’t know a lot about politics)

→ Hitler appointed as Chancellor

Why did President Hindenburg make Hitler Chancellor, even though he personally disliked him?

Both Von Papen and Von Schleicher unpopular

Reichstag Fire:

Feb 1933

Reichstag building on fire → Communist is blamed → Hitler uses this to accuse communists for plotting against his government

Result: 4000 communists arrested

During the Reichstag Fire: Emergency decree

Hitler persuades Hindenburg to pass it

→ suspends personal liberty, freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of assembly

→ police can search houses, confiscte property, detain people without trial, ban meetings

Aftermath of Reichstag Fire:

Workers cannot join trade unions

Opposition politicians arrested

Nazi enemies could be executed

SA can ransack homes of suspencted opponents

Many opponents driven to exile

Nazis intimidated voters

Enabling Act:

Hitler wanted to pass this in the March 1933 elections

How? → Ban communists, intimidate Social Democrats

Result: Enabling Act passed (make laws without consent of President and Reichstag) = dictatorship + collapse of Weimar

TRUE or FALSE: The passing of the Enabling Act could have been stopped

TRUE, Hindenburg could have used his VITO to stop Hitler, but decided to let the Reichstag decide

Benefits: Choosing the SA

SA fought for Hitler in Munich Putsch

Against communists

Commited Nazis

2,500,000 men

Disadvantages: Choosing the SA

Interferes with running of the country

Had other demands

Some disapproved some Nazi leaders

Hitler did not agree with many SA (anti-capitalist) policies

Benefits: Choosing the army

Well trained, organised, disciplined

Supported by big businesses

Efficient army needed to retake lost territory

Disadvantages: Choosing the army

Only 100,000 men (ToV)

Don’t know how loyal

Some generals disliked Nazis

Final decision: SA or Army?

Army

The Night of the Long Knives:

June 1934

Meeting with Röhm and other SA leaders at hotel

SA accused of plotting to seize power in a coup

Result: Röhm and 400 SA members arrested, then shot

After NoLK:

Hindenburg dies → Hitler becomes President (dictator)