Objectives

• 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

• Recognise that no single factor led to Hitler’s rise

ADOLF (Schickelgruber)HITLER

(1889 – 1945)

THE RISE OF HITLER

Born Adolf Hitler, April 20th, 1889 in the small town of Braunau Am Inn, Austria.

Klara Alois

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:AHWatercolor1.jpg

The Weimar Republic

• In the midst of political chaos in Germany politicians met in the German town of Weimar to discuss a new constitution.

• The new German Republic met in February 1919. (WEIMAR REPUBLIC)

Dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles (DIKTAT)

• Ex-soldiers felt that they had been ‘Stabbed in the back’ and felt that they had not been defeated.

• Hatred over provisions (I.e. War Guilt Clause)• The Spartacist rising, amongst others, led to many

people fearing a Communist revolution in Germany.

• Gave rise to parties who promised to overturn the treaty. (I.e. NAZI Party)

Political and Economic instability in Germany (1919 to 1923)

• Attempts to overthrow Weimar govt.– Munich Putsch

Regrouping

• While in prison Hitler analyzed the parties strategy

• Political Strategies were developed and refined

• Shift to winning electoral support

• Development of propaganda tools

• Attempts to win support of big business

The Great Depression

• The economic crisis caused the rise in popularity of more extreme parties offering radical solutions to Germany’s problems.

• American bankers and financiers needed their money back from Germany.

• German industries could no longer sell their goods abroad which resulted in mass unemployment.

• Middle classes scared of Communist revolution.

Votes for the Nazis Unemployed in Germany

• Study the graphs answer the following questions.

• Considering what you have read in this section, why would support for the Nazi Party have been so low in 1924 and 1928?  

• How does the unemployment graph and the quotation help explain why support for the Nazi Party increased?

“We will become Reichstag deputies in order to cripple…Weimar… with its own type of machinery. If a democracy is so stupid as to provide us with free tickets…that is its own affair…We come as enemies! We come like the wolf which breaks into the sheepfold.”

- Joseph Goebbels“Instead of working to achieve power by armed coup we shall have to hold our noses and enter the Reichstag…Sooner or later we shall have a majority, and after that Germany.”

- Adolf Hitler

According to the quotations by Joseph Goebbels and Hitler, how did the Nazi Party

plan to get control of Germany?

Into Government

• Electoral support rises: Nazi’s become largest single party in the Reichstag

• Continuing economic crisis leads to break down of Weimar coalition governments.

• Aging and ineffective president • Germany in desperate need of a strong leader• Hitler is invited to become chancellor by

politicians who believe that Hitler can be manipulated easily

Charismatic Appeal of Adolph Hitler

"Our opponents accuse us National Socialists, and me in particular, of being intolerant and quarrelsome. They say that we don't want to

work with other parties. They say the National Socialists are not German at all, because they refuse to work with other political

parties. So is it typically German to have thirty parties? I have to admit one thing - these gentleman are quite right. We are intolerant. I have given myself one goal - to sweep these thirty political parties

out of Germany. They mistake us for one of them. We have one aim, and we will follow it fanatically and ruthlessly to the grave."

How did Hitler turn the Chancellorship into a dictatorship by 1934?

HITLERBECAMECHANCELLOR

THE REICHSTAGFIRE

THEENABLING

ACT

THE NIGHTOF THELONG

KNIVES

DEATH OFPRESIDENT

HINDENBURG

OATH OFLOYALTY

TOHITLER

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.

February 1933

February 1933

The Reichstag building burnt down.

A communist was found inside the building. He admitted responsibility.

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.

March 1933HITLER CANRULE ALONEFOR FOUR

YEARS. THEREIS NO NEED TOCONSULT THEREICHSTAG.

With the Communists banned from the Reichstag Hitler was able to pass:

THE ENABLING ACT GAVE HITLER THE POWER TO MAKE HIS OWN LAWS. SO, HE BANNED ALL OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES!

THE ENABLING ACT GAVE HITLER THE POWER TO MAKE HIS OWN LAWS. SO, HE BANNED ALL OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES!

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 were pleased. • Hitler had gained the support of the

army.

August 1934

A final note

PRESIDENT HINDENBURG’SDEATH GAVE HITLER THEOPPORTUNITY TO COMBINETHE ROLE OF CHANCELLORAND PRESIDENT. HE CALLEDHIMSELF ‘DER FUHRER’.

Every soldier swore a personal oath of loyalty to ADOLF HITLER.

HITLERBECAMECHANCELLOR

THE REICHSTAGFIRE

THEENABLING

ACT

THE NIGHTOF THELONG

KNIVES

DEATH OFPRESIDENT

HINDENBURG

OATH OFLOYALTY

TOHITLER