emergence of hitler

IDs

Explanation 

Treaty of Versailles (*article 231)

condition

- War guilt clause blamed Germany for WWI, creating widespread resentment.

Nazi Party (1919)

method

- Founded as the German Workers’ Party (DAP) by Anton Drexler and renamed the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) 

- Promoted nationalism, anti-Semitism, and opposition to the Treaty of Versailles.

25-Point Programme (1920)

method

- Rejection of Versailles Treaty → promised to get rid of reparations 


- Anti-Semitism and racial purity


- Economic reform for workers and farmers


- Promoted Führerprinzip: Absolute authority of the leader


- Appealed to wide audience 


- Aimed at working class, nationlists, busisessmen, etc. 


- Became successful after 1929

The SA (1920)

method

- Sturmabteilung → eventually becomes SS


- paramilitary, auxiliary police force


- obeyed to Nazi Party 


- stregnth/order, violence against KPD

- Paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party wing responsible for violence, intimidation, and coercion

Invasion of Ruhr (1923)

condition

- France and Belgium angry because Germany wasn’t paying reparation


- invaded Ruhr, took control of production → caused decrease in economy of Germany


- passive resistance → printing more money to pay employees 


- one leading cause of the hyperinflation

Munich Beer Hall Putsch (1923)

condition

- Nov. 8th 1923 → led by Hitler

- attempt to overthrow gov. → took over a beer hall in Munich


- broke into beer hall demanding support to take control of Bavaria


- failed, betrayed by Carr → Hitler imprisonned for treason

Gustav Stresemann (1923-29)

condition

- Chancellor for 100 days (1923)


- As chancellor → wanted to address Germany’s econ problems and international weaknesses

     ⇒ calls off passive resistance, cuts gov. Spending, new currency commissioner (new currency), Dawes Plan, Locarno Treaty, Young Plan


- Foreign minister for 6 years until death

Dawes Plan (1924)

condition

- Sliding scale of payments → Germany loaned from the US, paid reparations, France and Belgium payed loans back to US 


- Reichsmark - under allied supervision, backed by gold France stopped occupation of Ruhr in 1924-25 


- Better relations w/ France because of payments

The Young Plan

condition

- an agreement that reduced Germany's reparation payments from the Treaty of Versailles and extended the time Germany had to pay them. 


- re-examine reparations issue Brought reparations form 132 billion marks to 37 billion 


- Right-wing objected Germany paying any reparations, even Young Plan 


- Hitler w/ Nazi, used situation and made speeches against Young Plan

The Great Depression

condition

- 1929 → Wall street crash caused American economy to crash, America started asking for the loans to be payed back


- Germany → dependent on America for the economy → affected by Great Depression


- caused economy to decrease, faith in gov. decreased, people started siding with extremists (KPD, NSDAP)


- Hitler used as leverage to become Chancellor

Heinrich Bruning (1930-32)

condition

- 1932 - Burning banned SA to stop street violence


- persuaded Hindenburg to dissolve the Reichstag to hopefully gain more support 


- Nazi party made substantial gains


- got dismissed 1932

- Failed to stabilize the economy, paving the way for Hitler.

Franz Von Papen (May-Dec 1932)

condition

- June 1932 - Papen lifts ban on SA


- conservatives wanted to counter KPD popularity , thought coalition would make them stronger


- convinced Hindenburg to make Hitler Chancellor → thought they could control him

Elections from 1932-1933

condition

- July 1932: Nazis became the largest party (33% of the vote)


- March 5 1933: 

     ⇒ Nazis gained more support through fear, tactics and propaganda

     ⇒ Nazi Party increased from 33% to 43% 

     ⇒ Hitler focused on Center Parties (Catholics mainly) to secure two-thirds majority and be able to pass Enabling Act

Hitler’s ‘Legal Revolution”

method

- January - March 1933


- Jan. → Hitler becomes Chancellor

     ⇒ Hindenburg gives power Because of Nazi Party popularity, thought he would be less dangerous in office


- Hitler uses position to establish dictatorship (Art. 48)


- 1 day after he is elected, he calls for a new election in the Reichstag for March 1933 → hopes to increase seats in parliament and pass Enabling Act

Reichstag Fire (Feb 27 1933)

method

- February 27, 1933


- Marinus van der Lubbe (dutch w/ communist ties), arrested and executed


- Exploited by Hitler to crackdown on Communist (KPD)


- The ‘Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the Nation and the State’ → restriction of the right to assembly, and freedom of speech/press, among other rights, gave central gov. the authority to overrule state/local laws and overthrow state /local gov., and removed all restraints on police investigations

     ⇒ Hitler convinced President Hindenburg to enact article 48

     ⇒ argued it would diminish communist threat

     ⇒ First major step towards authoritarianism → arrest of opposition

Enabling Act (March 23, 1933)

method

- Gave Hitler power to make laws w/out Reichtags approval for 4 years

     ⇒ Took advantage, destroyed democracy → Germany = dictatorship


- ban other political parties, shut down trade unions, & create a one-party Nazi state


- Historian POV! Historian Alan Bullock said the Enabling Act ended democracy in Germany because it gave Hitler complete control


- passed w/ 444 votes for,  94 votes against, with many politicians pressured or intimidated into agreeing

Paul Von Hindenburg

condition

- 1925-1933


- won presidential elections against Hitler in 1932


- enacted article 48 in 1933 making Hitler Dictator

Politics of Anxiety

method

- lack of faith in Weimar Republic from the German


- feared traditional roles and statuses were threatened


- Hitler used to his advantage → increased his vote

Propaganda

method

- Fhurer → Hitler as savior, myth (bigger than him), sexual appeal


- use of slogans → inspired by Mussolini

Main political parties (p. 169)

condition

- NSDAP → Nazi Party

- KPD → Communist Party

- SPD → Social democratic party

National Socialism Key Ideas (p. 182)

Lowkey same thing as 25-key programme

Alfred Hugenburg (p. 173 & 181)

- Media tycoon who supported Hitler by providing access to national newspapers and propaganda platforms, helping to increase Nazi visibility and popularity

Historian Perspectives (All over Section I)

- Intentionalists: Hitler had a clear plan from the start to create a dictatorship

- Structuralists: External factors, like the Depression, political instability, and weak Weimar leadership, allowed Hitler to rise.

- Revisionists: Highlight the role of propaganda and Hitler’s charisma


AJP Taylor → if there had been a strong democratic sentiment in Germany, Hitler wouldn’t have come to power; they deserved what they got.