Download Hitler`s Rise to Power

Hitler’s Rise to Power
NAZISM
• Nationalist German
Workers Party (19191945)
• Anti-parliamentary,
democratic, capitalistic,
communistic
• Anti-Semitic
• Extreme Nationalism,
Militarism, Racism
• Use of Violence
• Charismatic Leader
Life, Sun,
Power,
Strength,
Good Luck
Nazi Program
1. A union of all German to form a great Germany on the
basis of the right of self determination of peoples.
2. Abolition of the Treaty of Versailles.
3. Land and territory for the surplus of people.
4. German blood as a requirement for German
citizenship. No Jew can be a member of the nation.
5. Non-citizens can live in Germany only as foreigners,
subject to the law of aliens.
6. Only citizens can vote or hold office.
7. The state ensures that every citizen live decently and
earn his livelihood. If it is possible to provide food for
the whole population, the aliens must be expelled.
Nazi Program Continued…
8. No further immigration of non-Germans. Any nonGerman who entered Germany after August 2, 1914,
shall leave immediately.
9. A thorough reconstruction of our national system of
education. The science of citizenship shall be taught
from the beginning.
10. All newspapers must be published in the German
language by German citizens and owners.
By the end of the 1920 the Nazi Party had about 3,000
members.
How did the Nazi party gain support in this
period?
• Military uniforms demonstrated strength at a time
when the government was weak.
• Use of force against Communists and Trade
unionists was popular with businesses.
• References to traditional values and reminders of
‘Who was to blame’ for the economic crisis builds
support.
• Appeals to Nationalism.
• The Nazis did not appeal to:
• working men who voted Communist
• intellectuals such as students and university
professors
• They were popular with:
• nationalists and racists
• Farmers
• lower middle-class people such as plumbers and
shopkeepers who were worried about the chaos
Germany was in
• rich people worried by the threat from
Communism
• The SA (Brownshirts) were directed to keep order at
party meetings.
• Later the SA were deployed to break up meetings of
other parties (Thugs)
• Wore military style uniforms and used force to
achieve ‘order’.
• Intended to provide a strong image.
• Hitler went to prison, where he wrote 'Mein
Kampf’. Millions of Germans read it, and Hitler's
ideas became very well-known.
• Hitler decided that he would never come to power
by revolution; he realized that he would have to
use constitutional means, so he organized:
– the Hitler Youth
– propaganda campaign
– mergers with other right-wing parties
– local branches of the party, which tried to get
Nazis elected to the Reichstag
– the SS as his personal bodyguard, which was
set up in 1925
– It was this strategy of gaining power
legitimately that eventually brought him to
power.
Regrouping
1929-1931 A Change in Fortunes
• Wall Street Crash leads to end of effective financial
assistance from USA.
• Unemployment rises rapidly- 3 million to 6 million
• Hyperinflation recurs.
• Threat of Communism increases.
• Coalition government fails to address problems
successfully.
HITLER’S RISE TO POWER
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THE GREAT DEPRESSION (1929)
40% unemployment
Industrial Production 1929-1932 fell by ½
Hitler – simple answers – complex problems
“national rebirth”
“crimes” of the Treaty of Versailles
Nazi’s Move Into Government (1)
• Nazi’s use force to prevent uprisings.
• Rhetoric plays on peoples fears.
• Emphasis placed on military power wins support of
many soldiers and traditionalists.
• Weak coalition government enables Nazi’s to gain
political strength.
• Propaganda and shows of might impress the
masses.
FACTORS = RISE OF NAZISM
• WEAKNESSES OF THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC –
weak president, many political parties
• LACK OF DEMOCRATIC TRADITION – history of
autocracy, Democracy = economic failure, Nazi
promises of economic stability, nationalistic glory
• LEADERSHIP OF HITLER – orator, mass politics,
propaganda, violence, suppressed opposition,
organizational ability
HITLER’S RISE TO POWER
• ELECTION 1932
• President –
• Paul von Hindenburg
19,360,000
• Hitler – 13,400,000
• Reichstag – Nazi Party
230 seats, 38%
HITLER’S RISE TO POWER
• HINDENBURG NAMES HITLER
CHANCELLOR
• Jan. 1933
• Feb. 1933 REICHSTAG FIRE
• ARTICLE 48 – suspension of civil liberties in
time of national crisis
• March 1933 - THE ENABLING ACT – ruled
by decree
HITLER’S RISE TO POWER
• THE NIGHT OF THE LONG
KNIVES
• June 1934
• Purge of the SA
(Strumabteiling) “storm
trooper”
• Leader Ernst Rohm
• Purge carried out by the SS
(Schutzstaffel) and the Gestopo
(Secret Police)
HITLER RISE TO POWER
• August 1934 Hindenburg dies
(age 87)
• Office of President and
Chancellor combined
• Der Fuhrer – “leader”
• Third Reich – “empire”,
“nation”
• “One people, one Reich, one
leader”
HITLER’S GOVERNMENT
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The Third Reich (1933-1945)
Gestapo – Secret Police Heinrich Himmler
Propaganda – Joseph Goebbels
BIG LIE TECHNIQUE
“Nuremburg laws”
Public Works, Economy – Full employment
TOTAL WAR
HITLER
BECAME
CHANCELLOR
OATH OF
LOYALTY
TO
HITLER
THE
REICHSTAG
FIRE
DEATH OF
PRESIDENT
HINDENBURG
THE
ENABLING
ACT
THE NIGHT
OF THE
LONG
KNIVES
Key Quote
“Terror is the best
political weapon for
nothing drives people
harder than a fear of
sudden death.”
How did the Terror State Work?
You are imprisoned
for up to six months
doing hard physical
labour.
You are handed
over to the SS who
run the
concentration
camps.
By signing this form
you are giving your
consent to be put into
a concentration camp.
When you are
released you tell
everybody what has
happened to you
Fear
Days or maybe weeks
later you are
interviewed and
asked to sign form
D11
Gestapo Spies
inform on you
You are woken up by
the Gestapo at 1 am in
the morning and told
that you have 5 minutes
to pack your bags.
You are arrested
and thrown into a
cell at the police
station