Transcript Hitler`s Rise to Power

Hitler’s Rise to Power
Goal of Today
• At the end of this lesson you should be able to:
• Identify and explain a number of factors that
led to the rise of the Nazi party
• Recognize that no single factor led to Hitler’s
rise
• Know the difference between right wing and
left wing
Overview
• The National Socialist German Workers Party or
Nazi Party was formed in 1919.
• Hitler joined the party shortly after it’s inception
• Germany was in a state of disarray after WWI
• There were many extremist groups in Germany at
the time.
Right Wing vs. Left Wing
• Right- Wing: a descriptive term for conservative or
reactionary political views, particularly those
supporting the current social order or call for a
return to an earlier order.
• Left- Wing: a descriptive term for liberal, radical, or
revolutionary political views, particularly the view
that there are unacceptable social inequalities in
present order of society.
Germany 1919-1923
• Many Germans were disillusioned after the defeat in the
first World war. Ex-soldiers felt that they had been
‘Stabbed in the back’ and felt that they had not been
defeated on the battlefield. Many of them joined Right
Wing groups such as the Freikorps or the Nazi Party.
• The Spartacist rising, amongst others, led to many
people fearing a Communist revolution in Germany.
People looked to Right Wing groups to act against this.
• Economic hardship was coupled with humiliation as a
result of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Right
Wing groups gained popularity by saying that they
would not adhere to it’s terms.
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 appeal of the Nazis
• Socialist- eg farmers should be given their land;
pensions should improve; and public industries
such as electricity and water should be owned by
the state.
• Nationalist - all German-speaking people should
be united in one country; the Treaty of Versailles
should be abolished; and there should be special
laws for foreigners.
• Racist - Jews should not be German citizens and
immigration should be stopped.Fascist - a strong
central government and control of the
newspapers.
• 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.
1923: Violent Uprising
• By 1923 the Nazi party had gained much support in
Bavaria. Now firmly under the control of Adolf
Hitler the group attempts to seize control of the
government through the use of force.
• On the night of 8 November 1923, Hitler and 600
storm troopers burst into a meeting that Kahr and
Lossow (they were local Bavarian politicians) were
holding at the local Beer Hall. Waving a gun at
them, Hitler forced them to agree to rebel - and then
let them go home. The SA took over the army
headquarters and the offices of the local newspaper.
• The next day, 9 November 1923, Hitler and his
Nazis went into Munich on what they thought would
be a triumphal march to take power (Does that
sound familiar?). However, Kahr had called in
police and army reinforcements. There was a short
scuffle in which the police killed 16 Nazis. Hitler
fled, but was arrested two days later.
• Despite having many sympathizers the coup fails
and Hitler is imprisoned for treason.
• The failure of the Beer Hall Putsch demonstrates
that power needs to be taken through legal means
• The Nazi party was banned, and Hitler was
prevented from speaking in public until 1927.
• 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.
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.
Nazi’s Into Government (2)
• Electoral support rises: In 1932 the Nazi’s become
largest single party in the Reichstag gaining 37% of
the seats.
• Continuing economic crisis leads to breakdown of
faith in current government.
• Germany in desperate need of a strong leader.
Nazi’s In Power
• Hitler invited to become Chancellor on January 30th,
1933, by politicians who believe that Hitler can be
manipulated easily.
• President Hindenburg’s death allows Hitler to
assume presidential powers.
• Nazi Party’s rise to power is complete.
The Nazi’s in Power and How
They Kept Power
Hitler becomes Chancellor
January 1933
The depression after the
Wall Street Crash made many
more people vote for the
Nazis. In 1933 Von Papen
convinced Hindenburg that
Hitler should become
Chancellor.
The Reichstag Fire
February 1933
The Reichstag Fire
 The Reichstag building burnt down.
 A Communist was found inside the building. He admitted responsibility for
starting the fire.
 Chancellor Hitler was able to convince people that the Communists were trying to
take power by terrorism.
 He was able to have the Communists banned from the Reichstag.
• Hitler used the fire to his advantage in two ways:
– It gave him an opportunity to imprison many
communist leaders, which stopped them
campaigning during the election.
– It allowed the Nazis to say that the country was in
danger from the communists during its election
campaign.
– Both these actions helped the Nazis to win more
seats in the election.
With the Communists banned from
the Reichstag Hitler was able to pass:
March 1933
HITLER CAN
RULE ALONE
FOR FOUR
YEARS. THERE
IS NO NEED TO
CONSULT THE
REICHSTAG
• “Reichstag fire” gives
Hitler total power
• In 1933, all parties
were outlawed except
the Nazi party
• People’s civil rights
were suspended
• Political
prisoners
were sent to
concentration
camps
June 1934
Now I have got rid of opposition political
groups, I can now deal with opposition in my
party. Ernst Rohm (an old friend), head of
the S.A. is very unpopular with the German
army leaders. They have the power to
overthrow me.I’ve been worried about Rohm
for a while, so this is a good excuse.
The Night of the Long Knives
• Hitler had to get rid of Rohm.
He was too much of a threat.
• On the night of 30th June 1934
Hitler’s S.S. killed over 1000
SA members including Rohm.
• The army was pleased and
now supported Hitler.
A final note
August 1934
PRESIDENT HINDENBURG’S
DEATH GAVE HITLER THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE
THE ROLE OF CHANCELLOR
AND PRESIDENT. HE CALLED
HIMSELF ‘DER FUHRER’.
Every soldier swore a personal oath of
loyalty to ADOLF HITLER.
HITLER
BECAME
CHANCELLOR
OATH OF
LOYALTY
TO
HITLER
THE
REICHSTAG
FIRE
DEATH OF
PRESIDENT
HINDENBURG
THE
ENABLING
ACT
THE NIGHT
OF THE
LONG
KNIVES
• Keeping Control:Terror State
Key Quote
“Terror is the best
political weapon for
nothing drives people
harder than a fear of
sudden death.”
How did Hitler keep control of
Germany?
The Terror State
Secret police called the
Gestapo would spy on
and arrest enemies of
the state.
SS were responsible
for running the
concentration camps.
Everyone was scared of
being arrested by the
Gestapo and being put in
a concentration camp.
Propaganda
Mass Rallies, Posters
and Propaganda films.
Keeping Control
of Germany
The Nazis controlled
and censored the radio
& newspapers.
Popularity
Ripping up the
Treaty of Versailles.
Creating Jobs
School children were
indoctrinated with Nazi
ideas at school.
Hitler Youth & the
Young Maidens.
The Terror State
• Both the Gestapo and the SS
were run by Heinrich Himmler.
• The Gestapo employed an
army of spies who would inform
on people
Enemies of the State
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Communists
Social Democrats
Jews
Trade Unionists.
Work Shy
Homosexuals
Gypsies
• Germans who bought
from Jews
• Pacifists
• Radical Christian
Organisation
• Anyone who criticised
Hitler or the Nazi Party.
Enemies of the State
• A list of German
women who were still
purchasing goods from
Jewish shops.
• Printed to scare or
terrorise other people
into not buying from the
Jews.
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