Download The Nazi`s in the wilderness 1924-29

The Nazi's in the wilderness 1924-29
•
•
B aim – to explain how and why the Nazi party restructured and judge how
credible a threat they were
A aim – to analyse how credible a threat the Nazis were considering the
political environment and the condition of the Nazi party
Why did Hitler’s putsch fail?
General Seeckt, acting on
President Ebert’s orders,
ordered Lossow to crush
the revolt.
Read this source and highlight key points.
Write own knowledge around this source which you can link to it. Use your cartoons to help you.
Can you think of any own knowledge to challenge this source?
•
•
B aim – to analyze why the Nazi party followed its
particular ideology and the reasons for their popularity in
the early years
A aim – to analyze the reasons for Nazi ideology and the
impacts of their ideology and circumstances on their
popularity in the early years
Recap on Monday
What key words would you use to describe Nazi ideology?
Why did they have this ideology?
They didn’t win any seats before 1924, but they did increase in
numbers from 515 members in 1920 to 6000 members in 1922. Why
did they increase in membership?
Use the sources on p.54 to answer the following
questions
1. Why did Hitler consider the Nazis not ready for
power?
2. In what ways did the failure help the Nazis?
3. Does source 2.33 show that after the Munich Putsch
the Nazis became a democratic party, and accepted
the Weimar constitution?
4. Was the Munich Putsch a complete failure?
What do you think Hitler wanted to achieve with this article?
1925 February 26 In an editorial entitled "A New Beginning," Hitler proclaims the rebirth
of the Nazi Party. To get ahead of criticism concerning some of the more unsavory party
members, Hitler denies that it is his job to weed out the more controversial Nazis: "I do
not consider it to be the task of a political leader to attempt to improve upon, or even to
fuse together, the human material lying ready to his hand." Hitler went on to attack some
of the other party members, who had brought opposition by the Catholic Church—a very
large and very respected entity in Bavaria—to the Party. He thus lodged "a special
protest against the attempt to bring religious disputes into the movement, or even to
equate the movement with religious disputes . . . . Religious reformations cannot be
made by political children, and, in the case of these gentlemen, it is very rarely that
anything else is in question."
Mein Kampf
Hitler’s control
Organisation
Nazi Restructuring
Members and leaders
Prelude to success
Turning point
Was
Gregor
Stasser a
credible
opponent?
While Hitler was in prison, Strasser decided
that the party had to go in a new ideological
direction. Whereas Hitler had preached the
Nazi value of ‘Blood and Soil’ – that all
Germans of good blood came from a rural
farming background – Strasser believed in
the opposite – that the urban man and
industrialisation were the way ahead if
Germany was going to retain her old power
and authority in Europe. Strasser saw
himself as an “urban revolutionary” who
wanted to fully embrace “undiluted socialist
principles”. He believed that he would give
the party a far greater intellectual bent than
Hitler could ever hope to achieve.
At the 1926 Bamberg Party Conference
Strasser was supported by his brother, Otto,
and initially by Goebbels. However, it soon
became clear to Goebbels that Hitler had
more support than Strasser had bargained
for and he was able to argue his case for
‘Blood and Soil’ with some cogency. As a
result Goebbels changed sides and this
resulted in Strasser calling him a “scheming
dwarf”.
Strasser was a member of the Freikorps before joining the National Socialist German
Workers Party (NSDAP). He took part in the Beer Hall Putsch and after its failure was
briefly imprisoned. On his release he sold his apothecary shop and used the money to
devote himself wholly to the party.
He moved to North Germany where he quickly became one of the most important figures in
Sturm Abteilung (SA). He developed a large following and became leader of the
revolutionary wing of the NSDAP. Strasser was a committed socialist who believed in
"undiluted socialist principles". Like Ernst Roehm, opposed Hitler's policy of trying to win
the support of the country's major industrialists. His outspoken views caused a deep rift
with Hitler and other leaders of the party.
In 1924 he joined forces with his brother, Otto Strasser, to establish the Berliner Arbeiter
Zeitung, a left-wing newspaper, that advocated world revolution. It also supported Lenin
and the Bolshevik government in the Soviet Union. Later that year, Strasser was elected to
the Bavarian Legislature. His biographer, Louis L. Snyder, has argued: "In this capacity he
proved to be an able organizer, an indefatigable if weak speaker, a shrewd politician, and a
lover of action.... Using his parliamentary immunity to protect him from libel suits and
holding a free railway pass, he turned his energy to seeking the highest post in the National
Socialist Party. He would push Hitler aside and replace him. Strasser regarded himself as a
proud intellectual who had far more to offer the party than the emotional and unstable
Hitler."
In one speech Strasser argued: "The rise of National Socialism is the protest of a people
against a State that denies the right to work. If the machinery for distribution in the present
economic system of the world is incapable of properly distributing the productive wealth of
nations, then that system is false and must be altered. The important part of the present
development is the anti-capitalist sentiment that is permeating our people."
Ernst Hanfstaengel has claimed that "Hitler was deeply jealous of Gregor Strasser. He was
the one potential indeed actual rival within the party. He had made the Rhineland his fief. I
remember during one tour through the Ruhr towns seeing Strasser's name plastered up
against the wall of every railway underpass. He was obviously quite a figure in the land.
Hitler looked away."
On 14th February, 1926, at the NSDAP annual conference, Strasser called for the
destruction of capitalism in any way possible, including cooperation with the Bolsheviks in
the Soviet Union. At the conference Joseph Goebbels supported Strasser but once he
realised the majority supported Adolf Hitler over Strasser, he changed sides. From this
point on Strasser began to call Goebbels "the scheming dwarf".
Hitler was deeply jealous of Gregor Strasser. He was the one potential indeed actual rival
within the party.
He hadwhich
made the
Rhineland his fief. I remember during one tour through
Highlight
anything
makes
the Ruhr towns seeing Strasser's name plastered up against the wall of every railway
him
a credible
and
underpass.
He was opponent
obviously quite
a figure in the land. Hitler looked away. There was no
anything
which
makes
him
a doing well", or any approving sign.
comment about
"Strasser
seems
to be
feeble opponent.
The Golden Years Recap
Strengths
Domestic Politics
International
Agreements
Culture
Economy
Weaknesses
Did it work?
Yes
because...
No
because...
•
•
B aim – to explain how and why the Nazi party restructured and judge how
credible a threat they were
A aim – to analyse how credible a threat the Nazis were considering the
political environment and the condition of the Nazi party
Bs include information about the Nazi party
structures. Charis include information
about the Nazi party structure and the
political environment of Weimar Germany.
• Very serious threat....
• Fairly serious threat....
• Quite a serious threat....
• Not a very serious threat....
Homework – Due Monday 9th December
Read pp. 176-188 of the Green Book. Write a report by
Hitler of the state of the Nazi party in the early years.
Include information from the text.