Weimar and Nazi Germany paper 3 full

Post World War I, Germany

2 million troops died

Debt trebled from 50 billion marks-> 150 billion marks

British navy blockaded ports- stopped food shipmen's- 750,000 civilians died

Anarchy

shattered industry

completely bankrupt (horrific effects of ToV)

No single recognised authority

German Revolution

1) Mutiny in the Navy: 28th October 1918, naval chiefs ordered warship to be launched from Kiel harbour to stop the British, sailors refused- said it would be suicide. 100 sailors were arrested for mutiny. mass protests held against arrests- troops came to join the rebellion -> REVOLUTION

2) Stuttgart: Daimler Plant - workers strike and protested after the signing of the TOV. they wanted a more left wing gov which would give them better wages, shorter working week, more control on how factories were run

Reasons for the abdication of the Kaiser

1) conditions get worse: winter 1918 - low fuel and food supplies lead to power cuts and factory closures and most adults survived of less than 1000 cal daily. Two of Germany's allies had stopped fighting - Germany was forced to ask the allies for peace.

2) attempt at democracy - Allies agreed a conditional piece: Germany must be more democratic, the Kaiser has to share power (go from an autocracy to a democracy)

-2nd October, Kaiser allowed main party in the Reichstag to form to form new governments - take power away from the Kaiser

3) general Ludendorff went to see the Kaiser- said he'd lost control of the army- needs to abdicate

Abdication of the Kaiser - 9th November 1918

Kaiser abdicates

Kaiser's chancellor (Von Baden) handed over his office to Friedrich Ebert (SPD) - Ebert became chancellor

Abdication of the Kaiser - 10th November 1918

Declaration of the new Republic

Scheidemann (leader of the SPD) was in the Reichstag- fearing communist takeover from rioters against the Kaiser

Shouted out of window of the Reichstag that the Kaiser had gone and that there was now a new republic - hoped for a peaceful transition

Ebert made agreement with Groener (army's 2nd in command) to work with the army to prevent a communist takeover

suspended all Old Reichstag and named 6 moderate politicians who would form the Council of People's Representatives

Council of People's Representatives

council was to be head of the country, but only till a new constitution can be established: Ebert planned to keep extremists out of power till new constitution is agreed

-> meant SPD was able to take control of Germany - prevent anarchy or communist takeover

11th November 1918

Armistice signed by Matthias Erzberger (Ebert's official)

formal agreement between the allies and Germany to stop the fighting

Setting up Weimar Republic

Ebert tried to increase people's confidence in WR

1) ensured state would keep running - civil servants under Ebert kept jobs - work with soldiers and workers councils (eg ran schools)

2) Ebert ensured Groener (army leader) that the army wouldn't be changed or reformed - in return, Groener would use the army to protect the new republic

3) Ebert assured industry leaders (eg Hugo Stinnes) that the new republic wouldn't change or confiscate land or nationalise industries

4) won trade union support - promised Carl Legien (leader) that they would try to achieve an 8 hour working day

- Extremists were still unhappy, but Ebert acheived a fragile hold till the new constitution was agreed

National Assembly

job was to create a new constitution

elections were held January 1919 - 82% of those eligible to vote, voted

moderate parties gained most votes- SPD - 40%

1st NA me and Weimer (as there was too much violence in Berlin) in February 1919

31st of July 1919, they had agreed a constitution with 262 votes to 75

New Republic (since the 9th of November 1919) was governed by constitution

It was a agreed Weimar so was therefore called the Weimar republic

Weimar Constitution- organisation

1) Head of state- President: (=1st ever German President)- head of Weimar Republic, chose Chancellor, democratically elected every 7 years

2) government-Chancellor: head of the Weimar Republic. Government chose all ministers

-Cabinet= main decision-making body.

3) Parliament -Reichstag: more powerful (like House of Commons) elected by people at least every 4 years

-Reichstrat: elected every four years, represented regions

4) electorate: anyone 21 or over (voting age decreased)

Strength of constitution

1) proportional representation: all small parties had fair share of seats

2) women: able to vote as well as men

3) Reichstrat: could regulate power of Reichstag by delaying laws

Weaknesses of constitution-

Explain why the Weimar Republic was unpopular in the years 1919-1923

(12 marks)

1) proportional representation- meant no party could gain majority vote - had to form coalition government, which were unstable, so found it difficult to have strong policies and they often fell apart-> made the Weimar Republic unpopular

2) lack of strong government-> weakness in a crisis-> ended up with president passing laws without prior consent of the Reichstag- article 48 of the Constitution-> 'emergency' situation, but was no definition of an 'emergency'

3) based on division and violence: government use violence enforced to subdue riots, no public enthusiasm, opposed by extremist and considered flawed by moderates-> the constitution was unstable from the start

Weaknesses of constitution- Treaty of Versailles organisation and planning

The vindictive piece settlement following the armistice

Germany wasn't invited to talks about the terms of the treaty as they didn't have a delegate, so they were permanently excluded

The Big Three had the biggest influence, but all had different ideas about the terms of the treaty:

1) Britain (Lloyd George)- doesn't want Germany's destruction - acted as a buffer between the communist USSR and Great Britain, so needed it to be strong enough, but wanted a 'just' peace- enough to please voters wanting to 'make Germany pay'

2) France (Clemenceau)- wanted complete destruction, as most of the Western front was on French soil- want to Germany to never be strong enough to attack France again, disband its army and Germany was not allowed in the league of Nations

3) America (Wilson)- didn't want to blame Germany for the war so hated the war guilt clause (Article 231 of the treaty) - issued 14 points to end the war->= Wilson's 14 points

Terms of the ToV

WART

1) War guilt: war guilt clause was article 231 of the treaty - had to accept all blame for starting the war, made all of the treaty terms valid-> people resented the government, as they believe they had fought the war in self defence so other countries were to blame

2) Armed Forces: army was limited to 100,000 men, no air Force - all aircraft was destroyed, six battleships and six cruisers - no submarines and demonisation of the land bordering France (the Rhineland)

3) Reparations: Germany to pay £6.6 billion in compensation to the allies, this was in yearly instalments - struggled to pay

4) Territory: 11 colonies in Africa were given as mandates to the allies, lost Danzig Port- significant as it was an industrial deep seaport, lost Saar and Ruhr to France - bad for economy as they were both oil and coal rich industrial regions, Alsace Lorraine went back to France and the 'Polish Corridor' went back to Poland - significant, as they now have access to see

Why did the Treaty of Versailles make the Weimar Republic unpopular?

Signed June 1919 by 2 German politicians from the SPD

-> 'November Criminals'

Treaty of Versailles damaged economy made the Republic financially weak from the start-the people who signed it were traitors to Germany

Germany was forced to sign- the allies threatened to restart hostilities if it didn't

Called it 'Diktat' - dictated of enforced peace

people felt that Germany hadn't lost the war, only stopped fighting -> army could've won the war had the armistice not been signed: Germany had to sign as 2 of its allies had withdrawn)

believed in 'Dolchstoss' theory - November Criminals 'stabbed Germany in the back'

-> economy was weak from the outset

Wilson's 14 points

Wilson's plan for post-war peace

eg: an open peace (no secret treaties), free access to seas in peace and war and League of Nations set up

League of Nations

An international organisation of all countries, formed 1920

Its role was to keep peace and ensure that Germany wasn't fully destroyed

Left-Wing vs Right-Wing

Left-wing: equal society, communist, spread well, socialism, promoted Corporation with other countries (e.g. KPD)

Right wing: capitalist, nationalism, country over individual, traditionalism, hierarchy of wealth, one strong leader (e.g. NSDAP)

Left-wing challenge to the Weimar republic

Spartacist revolt

Spartacists were left-wing, independent socialist party, had the backing of the USSR, based in Berlin

January 1919- spartacists took control of 33 daily newspapers and had 400,000 members- well funded and supported by the USSR

Tried to organise a workers strike and took control of newspapers in telegraphs-> showed the Weimar Republic was losing control

Freikorps was sent to stop the revolt- Spartacist leader was shot

4th January - Ebert sacked leader of the police who seemed popular with workers-> KPD so this is an opportunity to undermine the republic

6th January-100,000 workers protested

Showed that the republic was losing control and was weak as within a day rebels were able to see his control of government newspapers and telegraph offices

Right-wing challenge to the Weimar republic

Kapp Putsch

Freikorps= right way, ex-soldiers who kept their weapons, 250,000 members in 1919, army organisation

March 1920- Freikorps troops (fearing unemployment) March to Berlin

National politician Kapp was put in charge by rebels and the Weimar government fled Berlin seeking safety

To put down the Putsch, government organised trade unions to go on strike - they did this and the national strike called such chaos that Kapp couldn't control the rebels and was forced to flee - Weimar ministers returned

Political assassinations

1919-1923- (early days of the republic)-376 political assassinations took place - usually left-wing or moderate politicians (who signed the armistice)

Matthais Erzberer (who signed the armistice) was shot and killed in 1921

Rathenau (Weimar foreign minister) with machine-gunned to death 1922

Not a single right wing assassin was convicted, but 10 left-wing murderers were convicted

-> showed right wing bias from judges in court

As a result of political violence, many parties hide armed men to guard meetings (many ex-soldiers) : KPD had private army (the red front fighters) and the SPD (black red gold flag)

Political armies led to increasingly violent rallies

Weimar Republic - staggered through 1919 to 1923: played by left and right wing extremist challenges

Political attack attacks on the republic

1) left wing and right wing parties in the Reichstag (extremists)

2) Kapp Putsch and spartacist uprising

3) political armies

4) right wing biased in court

5) political assassinations

French occupation of the Ruhr

1923

Germany failed to send coal to the French (it's remaining reserves of gold were all spent) -> French and Belgian troops were sent to the industrial area of the Ruhr in January 1923

Confiscated raw materials and machinery

Weimar government urge strikes in their area - French arrested strikers and brought in their own workers

It was a failure of the republic - French occupation of the Ruhr was devastating: the Ruhr:

-Ruhr region = large economic and industrial area - contained 80% of industry

-> increase of debt and demand for reparation repayment

-> led to hyperinflation of 1923

hyperinflation

Weimar government printed more money to pay reparations and strike kids in the row and made up for the loss of coal, steel and iron production-> more money printed means that the value decreases

November 1923- German Mark was useless people burnt money as coal as the coal was worth more than the money, used it for wallpaper or children's toys

1919: bread was worth 1 mark

1923: bread was worth 200,000 billion marks

People blame the republic as they printed more money, making the problem worse

Support for extremist parties group: people wanted extreme change in times of severe economic hardship

Increase criminals on the black market - people paid extortionate prices as they were desperate

Effects of hyperinflation

1) businessmen benefited - wiped out debts/bought smaller businesses that were going bankrupt

2) pensioners/people on fixed incomes and savings (middle class) - savings were not worthless people were either back to work or in extreme poverty

3) workers - we just never kept up with the price rises

4) middle class - lost complete faith in the republic - they were unable to deal with the problem and instead made it worse

5) fixed rents for rooms/shops were very cheap

Reasons for recovery economic 1923 to 1929

August 1923: Stresemann was appointed chancellor by Ebert

His objective was to stabilise the political situation in Germany and restore peoples faith in the republic - reduce extremist support

Did this by providing three new economic policies:

1) Rentenmark

2) Dawes Plan

3) Young plan

Rentenmark

November 1923

Stresemann set up the Rentenbank and issued the new currency called the Rentenmark

The supply of notes was tightly controlled and tied to the price of gold

1924- Reichsbank was given control of the currency - it was now called the Reichsmark

Hyperinflation was over

Reichsmark provided much strong basis for recovery of jobs, but couldn't bring back the losses of the hyperinflation crisis

Dawes Plan

1924

resolves Germany's non-payment of reparations

1924: American banker, Dawes, desire to plant so Germany could pay reparation

Instruments were temporarily reduced to £50 million yearly

US banks agreed to loan Germany's industry £24 billion (1924-30)

The French agreed to leave the Ruhr -> employment and trade increased

-> Germany's industrial output doubled, 19 28-29, passing pre-WW1 levels-> boosted Germany's economy

Young plan

1929

American banker, young, proposed the plan (August 1929)

Reparations were reduced: £6.6 billion a year -> £2 billion a year

Gave Germany until 1988 to pay reparations (+59 years)

Low reparations -> lower taxes on the German people

Extremist opposition: extending reparations was burdening future generations, eg: Hitler said it was "passing on the penalty to the newborn"

Was mainly successful - 1929 referendum showed that 35 million Germans weren't favour of the plan (around 85% of voters)

Allies were confident that they would get their reparations

Extremist with furious that Germany had agreed to pay reparations - didn't think WWI was their fault

-Fragile economic recovery -> dependent on American loans -> Germany was now reliant on Americans 'Dancing on a volcano'

Stresemann's success Home and abroad - foreign policies

Stresemann resigned chancellorship, November 1923, but stays on as far a minister until 1929 (his death)

Achievement, strength, and confidence of Germans in the republic

Reduced extreme at

Reduced economic hardships of German people - diplomatic negotiations and efforts to improve foreign relations:

1) Locarno Pact

2) Kellog-Briand Pact

3) League of Nations

Locarno Pact

1925

Germany agreed it's new borders with France - improve relations

Allies and Germany agreed to permanent demilitarisation of the Rhineland

Not imposed on Germany like the treaty of Versailles - increased global status and popularity of the republic - boosted prestige and support for moderate parties

Diplomatic discussions -> war in Europe = less likely

S was awarded Nobel peace prize in 1926

However, extremist parties disagree with the treaty of Versailles borders (e.g. the Nazis)

Kellog-Briand Pact

1928

Countries must avoid using water to achieve their foreign policy objectives

Show Germany was once again a major power

Showed moderate parties could build Germany strength internationally

Increased public confidence in how Germany was governed

League of Nations

New International body hope to discuss world problems in order to avoid war

1920- was set up although Germany was initially excluded

1926 - Germany was invited to join and become a member of the council

Boosted peoples confidence in the Weimar government

However, for some the league of nations was a symbol of the unpopular treaty of Versailles - Extremists hated the treaty of Versailles (still in place) and disagreed with the new French borders

Impact of S on domestic policies- vote shares

8% increase for democrats

12% decrease for extremists

-> boosts split

death of Ebert and appointment of Hindenburg

Ebert dies 1925 - positive for people: he was associated with the November criminals

Replaced by Hindenburg (an ex-field Marshall)

Hindenburg was hot tempered by the treaty of Versailles

Changes for workers and wages in the golden years

(Golden years = 1925-29)

Working conditions improved

Weekly hours decreased (1925 = 50 hours, 1927 = 46 hours)

Real wages Rose by 25%, 1925-28

Impact on unemployment in the golden years

1926: 2 million people were unemployed

1928: 1.8 million people were unemployed

Unemployment Act of 1927

Charged 164 million workers 3% of their wages - 3% wage deduction - money was put towards insurance that would give them basic benefits if they became unemployed or sick

Changes for housing in the golden years

1925: 15% rent tax was introduced to fund building associations

1925-29: 100,000 new homes were built

Veterans were offered help with the Reich Pension Law

Reich Pension Law

1920

gave pensions page through the nineteen twenties to 750,000 veterans, 400,000 war widows and 200,000 parents of dead servicemen

Impact on education in the golden years

Education improved

Before WW1, 70,000 students were in higher education

1928, was 110,000-> future Germany flourished

Changes for women at work

Encouraged them to go to university

some jobs offered new opportunities to women (e.g. medicine and teaching)

Changes for women in leisure

More independence for younger, single women

They were less interested in marriage - more into having a 'good time'

'New Women': shorter hair, trousers, revealing clothing, drinking, make-up and jewelery

Their behaviour was disliked by some traditional men and women - felt traditional values were being eroded, women could not go out unchaperoned

Changes for women in politics

Earned the right to vote in 1918

Article 109 of the constitution stated women had equal rights as men and could enter professions on an equal basis

Marriage was an equal partnership

1932: 112 women were elected into the Reichstag

Almost 10% of all members were women

Impact of all changes for women

Some felt liberated - others felt daunted

Some men accepted, others thought it was inappropriate and challenged the role of men in society

Conservatives and traditionalists complained that women should focus on being wives and mothers, not challenging the male-dominated, patriarchal society

Cultural changes, 1924-29

Economic recovery of 1924 created wealth to finance arts - the government gave grants to support and finance arts, galleries and theatres

1920s: several factors caused a surge of artistic and cultural energy (new freedoms after the Kaiser)

New energy caused a growth of numbers of new ways of looking at the arts

Different attitudes towards art in the golden years

1) new objectivism: art should show reality of the world (e.g. squalor)

2) modernism - art should focus on the future and see the beauty and city and industry and technology

3) expressionism - art should reflect thoughts and feelings of the artist

Cultural changes during the golden years

1) cinema

2) art

3) theatre

4) architecture

5) literature

Changes to cinema during the golden years

Expression in flourish due to lack of restrictions after the Kaiser

Merlene Dietrich: was a famous actress - starred in 'The Women One Longs For', 1929

Germany's first sound film was in 1930

-> 1932, sound films were showing in the cinemas

Changes to art during the golden years

Rise and expressionism

Otto Dix: Cave Flowers (his painting)

Promoted realism and captured raw emotions of people

Changes to theatre join the golden years

Emergency of the theatres of 'Operas of the Time'

Featured realism

Changes to architecture during the golden years

Flourished - Bauhaus School, Berlin

Founder= Walter Gropius

Believed in basic shapes, colours and a minimal space, time, materials and money

Challenged traditional styles

Changes to literature during the golden years

Right-wing: Arthur Moeller - critical of German democracy and glorified experience post WW1

Left-wing writers: very anti-war- Erich Remarque wrote "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1929), within three months was a very successful film

Left and right wing opposition to the cultural changes during the golden years

Left-wing - said funding was spent on extra extravagance, when working people needed basic help

Right wing - said the changes undermined traditional German culture

Goebbels

Use propaganda techniques from British - high-techt (eg: radio - very effective)

Goering

Head of Air Force

In charge of the SA

Hess

Set up NSDAP with Himmler

Himmler

Set up Nazi party organisation

Chief of the SS and the Gestapo

Rohm

Founding member of the DAP

Set up and ran SA (from 1921)

Valuable - army captain from World War I- in charge of 1 million ex soldiers-> = SA

early SA

Set up 1921

= stormtroopers

Used to disrupt opposition meetings and control crowds in opposition to Hitler-violent thugs

Brownshirts (had brown uniform)

Allowed Hitler to break the terms of the treaty of Versailles without officially breaking them - scared and intimidated people (e.g. broke up SPD)

Hitler's early life

Austrian

born 1889

Move to Munich 1913 - became obsessed with Germany

Hated his father, loved his mother

His mother died when he was 18, moved to Vienna

In Vienna, he was an artist (although a failure at school) - picked up many believes that later shape the Nazi party (mainly anti-semetic)

Worked as a builder at one point, but lost his job when a Jewish trade union official found out that he wasn't a member of the trade union

Good World War I one soldier - one medal of bravery and got a job in the army by running evening classes on political education-> hitler was always a good orator

Hitler's early political career

1919 - join the workers party (DAP- set, 1919 by Anton Drexler)-> attracted by parties aims (e.g. prevents at the treaty of Versailles)

1920 - Hitler was second in command of the party - renamed it to the national socialist German workers party (NSDAP)-> contradiction in the title

1921 - Hitler controlled the party - renamed it to the Nazi party

Setting up the Nazi party-> 25 point programme

1929

party policy (the 25 point programme) was written by Hitler and Drexler

Later became the Nazis political manifesto

what was the 25 point programme opposed to?

1) Weimar politicians- deposed the Kaiser, made peace-signed Armistice (1918) and sign the treaty of Versailles (1919)

2) democracy- believed it to be weak

3) Jews - blamed for undermining the German economy

25 point programme main points

Nationalism and socialism

1) nationalised industries- pleased businessmen - targeting influential voters

2) scrapping treaty of Versailles - no more punishment, taking back Germany's land and building up armed forces

3) all citizens have equal rights - pleased women

4) only German (Arian) races maybe members of the nation - no Jewish citizens

5) every hard-working citizen has the chance at higher education

Schlusser

Army friend of Hitler

Hitler chose him to be first party administrator

'The People's Observer'

Bought by Nazis (first nazi newspaper)

1920

Powerful for Nazis -> had control of the narrative if they wanted it

Hitler's personal appeal

Hitler was a powerful orator - rehearse speeches carefully - started quietly and gradually built up emphasis, and ended in a passionate rant-> vital for gaining Nazi support

He was charismatic and charming -> appealed especially to influential voters, e.g. businessmen and industrials

His publicity photos were everywhere showing him as a powerful orator and strong leader

Hitler was only one of seven committee members, but it was clear that all new party members with his followers:

DAP party member increase showing hitler as an appealing leader- gaining party support

June 1920 - DAP had 1000 members

1923 - DAP had 50,000 members

At 46 party gatherings, Hitler appeared 31 times as the star speaker (from November 1919 - November 1920)

Hitler made powerful friends with the party (e.g. general Ludendorff, an army leader from World War I)

Munich putsch- Causes

Long-term causes: Dolchstoss theory- terms of the treaty of Versailles (especially reparations and territory) and resentment of the Weimar government

Medium term causes: influenced by Mussolini - fascist party leader in Italy - March to Rome, 1922 - force government to accept him as their leader

Short-term causes: hyperinflation, 1923 - starving people are more likely to start an uprising, French occupation of the Ruhr, 1923 - workers resisted and were arrested - hitler was aggrieved-exploited his grievances

-hitler thought he had army and SA support

Trigger of the Munich putsch

September 1923

Stresemann's got my code off the German workers' passive passive resistance and began paying reparations again - humiliating downtime for right wing

Presented further evidence of a weak and unstableWeimar republic

Munich/Beer Hall Putsch

November 1923

Hitler's attempt to overthrow the Weimar government

8th November 1923: Hitler and 600 SA entered the beer hall in Munich - meeting of the Bavarian Government (Kahr, Seisser and Lossow) -a gun point forced to accept them and support them

5am 9th November 1923- hitler and supporters gathered in the streets. Hitler knew the three Bavarian leaders had withdrawn on their support - he hesitated.

Midday ninth of November 1923- hitler continued his revolt. 1000 SA and 2000 volonteer supporters, hitler marched and declared himself president of Germany.

Hitler was outgunned (only had 2000 rifles), group met state police - chaos - 14 of Hitler supporters and four policeman died

Hitler's bodyguard dragged Hitler to the floor - he dislocated his shoulder

Ludendorff, Rohm and Streicher were arrested for treason and put on trail

Judges will buy us towards Ludendorff (he was in army general) - let him off-> = why he was so valuable to Hitler - has supported the army, government and courts

Hitler fell in a car and hid at his friends house

11th of November 1923- hitler was found hiding in a wardrobe and arrested

consequences of the Munich putsch

After this and up until 1928, the Nazis were banned - struggled to gain support

Short term-nazi embarrassment, Hitler was in Lansberg prison - biased trial, released after nine months, NSDAP banned (back Feb 1925)

Long term- hitler used trial to publicise views, used time in prison to write Mein Kampf published in 1925

Set out political ideas (especially Jewish treatment), putsch made Hitler realise he needed to be democratically elected into government, as it wasn't enough just to use violence- hitler hated democracy-> party needed to be better organised to be more democratic

NSDAP was banned (November 1923-February 1925) , but still had voters: entered May 19 24 elections under a different name - 132 seat seats

Lean Years of the Nazi Party

1924-1928-> limited Nazi support

Hitler was in prison - read widely

said it was a 'free education at the state's expense'

Wrote Mein Kampf

Used trail to publicise his views

Main Kampf

Published 1925

Made Hitler's views clear:

1) believe the Aryan race was destined to rule the world and there was a Jewish conspiracy to undermine Aryan rule

2) nationalism - Hitler was proud of Germany: all other countries were inferior

3) socialism: using wealth of industry and learn to benefit people

4) totalitarianism: throwing off democracy - one strong leader

5) traditional German values: clear female male roles, old style music and theatre, Christian

why was the Nazi party reorganisation (1924-28)?

Failure of the Munich putsch-> hitler realised he needed to re-organise the Nazis to be better a organised political party in order for them to be democratic elected

Reorganisation-> stability in the party and creation of a national Nazi party

Each of the 35 Weimar constituencies had regional party leader-> = Gauleiters: hitler relied on them to force the party to the top

Notoriously anti-Nazi towns

Berlin

Hamburg

Most Nazi support towns

Munich (Nazi HQ)

Nuremberg

Changes made to the Nazi party to make it more democratic

1) Well organised finances:

Bouhler- secretary

Schwartz- treasurer

2) organised like a mini state:

Hitler as leader, departments for all aspects of government, e.g. finance, foreign affairs and education

3) as well as the SA (Parliamentary arm), party had women's section - German Women's Order, and Hitler Youth (nazi education for 14-18-year-olds)

How did Hitler fund the Nazi party reorganisation?

Funded all of this by raising money from healthy industrials who shared some of hitler's nationalist views - targeted wealthy businessman for loans - brought together all in industry sharing his views

early SS

1930 - SA had 400,000 members

After Munich Putsch, hitler now understood the importance of having a bodyguard - didn't trust the essay as they had become loyal to Rohm

1925 -Hitler sacked Rohm and replaced him with Himmler

Then, set up security group (SS) - specially trained members to act as Hitler's personal bodyguard

Himmler expanded SS to 3000 members (1930-32)

1932- introduced black uniform-> now known as Blackshirts-> feared

Bamberg conference

1926

Gauleiters were creating a split in Germany:

North (Goebbels and Strasser)= socialist

South, Berlin and Munich (Hitler) = nationalist and took action against the Jews

1926- hitler called national conference in Bamberg to address the split - talked for five hours:

Said that the northern socialists were communists - an enemy to the Nazi party

Made great efforts to win Goebbels over- worked-> abandoned Strasser and was awarded role of Gauleiter of Berlin

Strasser pledged allegiance to Hitler - was never fully trusted, murdered in NoLK, 1934

Reasons for Lean Years, 1923-29

LIMITED NAZI SUPPORT

1) Stresemann stabilises economy

2) Stresemann establishes better international relations

3) Hindenburg elected president of the Weimar Republic

4) support for working classes

AS A RESULT: moderate parties did well 1924 to 28 and extremist lost ground

Results of the May 1928 elections for Nazis

Nazis won 12 seats, pulled only 2.6% of the total vote and only the seventh biggest party in the Reichstag

Moderate parties won: SPD won 30% of all seats

why did Stresemann stabilising the economy result unlimited Nazi support?

Dawes and Young Plans-> stability, less support for extremist, employment increased

why did Stresemann establishes better international relations result unlimited Nazi support?

Locarno and Kellogg-Briand Pacts AND League of Nations

Raised Germany's global status, cut support for nationalist parties, eg: NSDAP

why did Hindenburg's election as president of the Weimar Republic result unlimited Nazi support?

1925

78 years old

ex-field marshall

popular- splits army support

raises support for republic and reduces support for anyone wanting to get rid of it (eg Nazis)

why did increased support for working classes result unlimited Nazi support?

Nazis one only 1% votes in the 1928 elections in Berlin and Ruhr industrial regions

-> message was clear: when the economy was good, extremist party support was low as there was less need for extreme change

Reasons for growth in Nazi support 1929-32

1) Failure to deal with unemployment

2)Rise in support for extremists (KPD AND NSDAP)

3) Appeal of H and SA

Why did the WR's inability to deal with unemployment result in limited Nazi support in 1929-32?

Bruning was chancellor 1930-2-> proposed 2 things to deal with unemployment:

1) High taxes to pay unemployment benefits (un unpopular with right wing, middle class and wealthy)

2) fixed time limits on unemployment benefits (make some more affordable)

July 1930- policies were rejected in Reichstag- 256 votes to 93, especially by SPD- significant as that's who they were in a coalition at the time-> failure for moderate parties to work together in coalition made Reichstag powerless to make policy

B couldn't pass laws through Reichstag- had to ask the president to go and buy decree and pass laws by article 48 (1932: 66 presidential decrees were issued)

useless decrees further undermined people's confidence in the WR - Bruning lost control, resigned May 1932

Why did the rise in support for extremists (KPD AND NSDAP) result in limited Nazi support in 1929-32?

KPD had 10% a vote in 1928, 15% in 1932-> biggest communist party in the world outside the USSR

Working classes = most affected by economic hardship->

Great Depression, 1928-32: many so communism is the only way to protect themselves

However, Nazi support grew quicker from the middle class and upper class-> scared their land will be confiscated with communist government

Meant, as Communism grew, more people were likely to vote for the NSDAP as saw Hitler as their best defence against communism

1928- Nazi seats in the Reich

12

1932- Nazi seats in the Reichstag

230

Why did the appeal of H and SA result in limited Nazi support in 1929-32?

people were fed up of unstable WR- saw H as an alternative who would strengthen Germany to pre-WW1 levels and scrap TOV - get Germany treated fairly again

hitler featured prominently in TV and radios

1930-32 elections, hitler travelled in planes all over Germany to host talks

gained support of wealthy businessmen who supported hitlers propaganda campaign

SA= uniformed - Nazis were organised (appealing at a time of social turmoil), strong (could put down unrest and foreign powers) and had a stronger army than KPD (SA, 1930= 400,00, KPD's Red Fronts= 130,000)

Nazi appeal to different sections of society

1) businessmen: hitler said he was the best protection against communism, e.g: Benz and Krups- poured money into Nazi regime-> vital funding for their propaganda

2) working class: propaganda promised 'work and bread' - they Nazis never got full support, as many preferred communism

3) Middle Classes: especially hurt by the great depression, feared communists-> supported Hitler

4) farmers: nazi policy- land was only confiscated if it was owned by a Jew (communists wanted to state-run all land) -> gain 60% of all votes in rural areas

5) Young people: speeches were exciting, rallies are full of atmosphere, Nazis promised more than traditional parties - gained many young members

6) women: Nazi propaganda - Nazis were the best for families - increase women found them attractive

Nazis also targeted Germany as a whole - a new approach for German politics: successful- helped them grow even further

Wall Street Crash

October 1929

US stock exchange lost $4 billion in a week - demanded Germany to repay loans from the Dawes and Young Plans

Banks collapsed: ran out of cash - people rushed to get savings and they were refused entry - feared hyperinflation repeat

German Civil Bank went bust, 1929

Unemployment: US demanded loans back, farmers and industries cut back production - no one buying goods, as they had no money - factories closing down - unemployment level skyrocket

Industry: January 1930-40% of all factory workers were unemployed

Savings were worthless- if you became unemployed, you had no money to fall back on

Taxes were raised to solve unemployment levels - 40% value of income was lost, people were desperate for work

Homelessness - people could no longer afford rent shantytown number increased and the boredom led to violence

-> LED TO GREAT DEPRESSION, 1929-33

amount unemployed- September 1929

1.3 million

about unemployed- January 1930

6 million

January 1930- % of all factory workers unemployed

40%

How did the Great Depression benefit Hitler?

Economic problems -> unemployment-> dissatisfaction with the weak Weimar government-> increased membership of left-wing and right wing extremist parties as people wanted extreme change

Propaganda: 1929-33-> not say increase support through propaganda (e.g.: posters everywhere and mass rallies)