DS2 LECTURE NOTES

Hitler’s Nazi Beliefs

• National socialism - loyalty to Germany
• Racism - Aryans were master race
• Armed forces - war essential to develop healthy rate
• Lebensraum - living space for its people
• Volksgemeinschaft - united community
• The Fuhrer - strength lay in total loyalty to absolute ruler

1921-23 Stage One: Strengthening of the Party

• Armed squads set up by SA under Rohm
• Support of Hermann Goring giving party respectability
• 1923: 20,000 people in membership
• Munich Putsch: convinced Hitler only way of getting power was by LEGAL MEANS → voted into power
• Nazi Party making progress 1923-1929
    * May 1928 Elections: won 32 seats
    * Ban on Nazi Party lifted

Munich Beer Hall Putsch

• During 1923 hyperinflation crisis, Hitler plotted to take over Munich in a revolution.
• Hitler collected the SA and told them to be ready to rebel.
• 4 October 1923, Kahr and Lossow called off the rebellion
    * Hitler had 3,000 troops ready to fight.
• 8 November 1923, Hitler and 600 SA members burst into beer hall meeting with Kahr and Lossow
    * forced them to agree to rebel
• The SA took over army HQ and local newspaper offices
• 9 November 1923: Hitler and the SA went into Munich to march and take power
• Kahr had called in police and army reinforcements.
    * police killed 16 members of the SA.
• Hitler fled, but was arrested two days later.

Depression and Weimar Government

The Depression weakened the Weimar government

• Bruning’s Austerity - cut welfare and raise taxes
    * Many people were badly affected and unemployed
• Bruning’s presidential decrees - decline of democracy
• Rise of extremist parties - desperate solutions to problems
    * 1932 Elections: 500 people died
    * 1928 - 1932: communists from 117,000 → 360,000
    * Fear of communism increased support for Nazis
    * 1928 Elections: 800,000 votes for Nazis
    * 1930 Elections: 6.4M votes for Nazis
    * 1932 Elections: 13M votes for Nazis

Germany’s Chancellors

1930 - 1932: Bruning

1932: von Papen

1932: Schleicher

1933: Hitler

Hitler’s Rise to Chancellor

• Hitler Over Germany: documentary of Hitler touring Germany to campaign for 1932 Presidential elections
• Lost Faith in democracy: Bruning able to push through unpopular austerity policies from Article 48
• Propaganda: newspapers, meetings, speeches, rallies and parades increased Hitler’s widespread recognition

Hindenburg

By 1932: Hindenburg used Article 48 to pass every law

April 1932 Presidential Election: won 53% of vote

May 1932: Appointed von Papen as Chancellor

July 1932 Reichstag Elections: Nazis became largest single party with 230 seats - Hitler demanded to be made Chancellor

Nov 1932: Papen forced to call another Reichstag election - Nazi lost 34 seats but remained largest party

Jan 1933: von Papen persuaded Hindenburg to allow a Hitler/Papen government to form

• 30 Jan 1933: Hitler appointed as Chancellor of Germany and von Papen as Vice Chancellor
• Papen claimed Hitler could be controlled as Chancellor

MOST IMPORTANT REASON HITLER BECAME CHANCELLOR

• Popularity of the Nazis
• Great Depression
    * economic collapse
    * Hitler predicted Young and Dawes Plan would fail → gained credibility and support
• Von Papen and Hindenburg
• Treaty of Versailles
    * make DEU resentful
    * caused hyperinflation that made democracy look bad
• Weimar Government
• Propaganda
    * appeal to different parts of society
    * gained popularity though 1932 campaigns
• Decline of Democracy
• Support of Conservative elites
• Fear of communism/uprising
• Hitler’s personal appeal

1. {{‘The scheming of Hindenburg and Von Papen was the main reason Hitler was able to become Chancellor.’ How far do you agree with this statement? [10]{{

• Yes: made him chancellor +
• No: depression + TOV

TIMELINE:

30 Jan 1933: Hitler takes over

1925: SS had been created