What do you know about Adolf Hitler BEFORE he became leader of Germany?

Which world wide

event was he

involved in?

Can you give 3 or

more groups of

people that Adolf

Hitler dislikes?

What did want to

do as a career?

Why did he have a

troubled

childhood?

Did he win any

awards?What did he want

to change?

Born in Austria in 1889. He got on badly with his father but was fond of his mother

Aged 16 he left school and went to Vienna to pursue his ambition of becoming an artist. Things went horribly wrong for him and between 1909 and 1914 he was homeless on the streets of Vienna

During this period, he developed a hatred of foreigners and Jews

He served throughout the First World War with distinction, winning the Iron Cross

Hitler found it hard to accept the Treaty of Versailles and felt betrayedby the Jews and capitalists

He despised the Weimar democracy and looked back to the ‘glorious days’ of the Kaiser

He stayed in the army after the war working in Munich as an intelligence officer.

Hit

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Title: How did Hitler become leader of the NSDAP?

Lesson objectives:Describe how Hitler became the leader of

the NSDAP.

Explain Hitler’s policies (25 point programme).

Explain why Hitler was an appealing leader.

Explain how the Nazi Party was organised.

How do political

parties in the UK

elect their leaders?

Individual liberty, rule of law,

democracy (or lack of)

Hitler’s rise to power – overview 1) When did Hitler become the leader of the NSDAP?January 19202) How many members did they have by 1923?3,0003) Name the 4 key membersRohm, Geobbels, Goring, Himmler4) What was Hitler’s plan to take over Germany called?The Munich Putsch5) What was Hitler’s book called?Mein Kampf6) How much did unemployment rise by between 1928-32?5 million7) When did Hitler become Chancellor?30th January 19338) What did the Enabling Act allow Hitler to do?Make laws without the help or approval of the government. 9) What happened to the Jews once Hitler came to power?Removed from professional jobs such as judges, teachers. 10) What did Hitler do on the Night of the Long Knives?Murdered 400 members of his own party he saw as opponents to his leadership.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z3bp82p/revision/1

Hitler’s rise to power – overview 1) When did Hitler become the leader of the NSDAP?

2) How many members did they have by 1923?

3) Name the 4 key members

4) What was Hitler’s plan to take over Germany called?

5) What was Hitler’s book called?

6) How much did unemployment rise by between 1928-32?

7) When did Hitler become Chancellor?

8) What did the Enabling Act allow Hitler to do?

9) What happened to the Jews once Hitler came to power?

10) What did Hitler do on the Night of the Long Knives?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z3bp82p/revision/1

In January 1919, Hitler is sent to investigate the DAP by the German Army.

He attends a meeting and gets involved, impressing Drexler who invites him to join the party.

At that time, the DAP is a tiny organisation, Hitler was only the 55th member of the party.

Hitler rose in importance, becoming Drexler’s second hand man and the Head of Propaganda for the party.

Within two years the party had grown in size to 2,000 members and Hitler had firmly established himself as

the absolute leader of the party.

Party Policy – The Twenty-Five Point Programme

Hitler began to have more influence over the political direction of the DAP.

It was a party of protest, its main opponents were:

-The Jews who were blamed for undermining Germany

-Democracy which they believed to be weakening Germany

-The Weimar politicians who had made peace and accepted the Treaty of Versailles.

In January 1920, Hitler became the Head of Propaganda.

In February, Hitler and Drexler wrote the party’s Twenty Five Point Programme, a document explaining the core policies of the German Worker’s Party.

On your copy of the 25 Point Programme, using the

following key, identify which points relate to each

factor:

• Oppose the Treaty of Versailles

• Improve the country’s economy

• Improve education standards

• Restrict and control civil liberties (personal freedom)

• Socialist (Support workers against big business and

industry)

• Nationalist (Make Germany stronger)

• Anti-Semitic (Anti Jewish)

Start with these points: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 22, 23, 24 and

25

Complete the table below to explain your answer.

(i) What I can infer…

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Details in the source that tell me this…

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(i) What I can infer…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Details in the source that tell me this…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Give two things you can infer from Source A about the NSDAP in the 1920s.

Mark scheme

1-2 marks: Simple statements pointing out things in the source.

3-4 marks: A supported INFERENCE (an idea about what the source means or what its message is) from the source backed up by examples and your own knowledge to help you explain.

Complete the table below to explain your answer.

(i) What I can infer…from Source A about the NSDAP in the 1920s is that Hitler

wanted Germany to have one strong leader.

Details in the source that tell me this…”We demand the creation of a strong

central state power for the Reich”.

(i) What I can infer…from Source A about the NSDAP in the 1920s is that they

were forceful yet clear about their political policies.

Details in the source that tell me this…is the phrase “we demand” is repeat

throughout the source suggesting that the NSDAP was willing to use any

means possible to met its goals.

Give two things you can infer from Source A about the NSDAP in the 1920s.

Mark scheme

1-2 marks: Simple statements pointing out things in the source.

3-4 marks: A supported INFERENCE (an idea about what the source means or what its message is) from the source backed up by examples and your own knowledge to help you explain.

The Early Nazi Party 1919-1922

Party Organisation

What four changes did Hitler make to the party and how did that lead to growth?

Hitler’s Personal Appeal

Why was Hitler such a good speaker?

What evidence is there that his speeches caused party growth?

Party Leadership

When did Hitler get control of the Party?

How did he choose his party leadership team?

What members of the team were there?

What other key figures was Hitler making friends with?

The Role of the SA

What sort of organisation was the SA?

What kind of people were in it?

How did they strengthen the Nazi Party?

How did they strengthen Hitler?

Hitler’s Personal Appeal

Soon after Hitler joined the DAP it became clear that Hitler’s personal appeal as an extremely captivating orator (public speaker) was a significant reason for the growing popularity of the party.

Hitler’s speeches were exciting for a few reasons:

- Hitler carefully rehearsed his speeches. He usually started slowly and quietly, building up the tension towards a passionate and frenzied rant at the end. Although his speeches were often very frantic and aggressive, they were persuasive.

- His gestures were a key part of his appeal. He would lean in and fix his eyes on the audience, drawing them in. He would vigorously wave his arms about and punch the air.

- His publicity photos and paintings often showed him speaking to a crowd.

At the 46 party gatherings held between November 1919-1920, Hitler was the star speaker at 31 of them. His appeal and fame spread, and with it membership in the party. This grew to 1,000 by July 1920, and 3,000 by December 1920.

Although Hitler was one of seven other leading members in the party, it was clear that the majority of the new members were his supporters.

Party Organisation

By 1920 Hitler was Anton Drexler’s right hand man. He began to make big changes to the party’s organisation.

- In January 1920 the DAP set up a permanent office in Munich. Hitler chose Rudolf Schussler, a personal friend from the army, as the party’s administrator. This meant that meetings were more organised and better advertised and led to greater membership and party funds.

- Hitler suggested a new name for the party. The 25 Point Programme had focused on “Nationalism” and “Socialism”. This led to the new name, The Nationalist Socialist German Worker’s Party (NSDAP). This name appealed to more people and also caused party growth.

- The new NSDAP adopted its new logo, the Swastika, and the iconic straight armed army style salute. This made the NSDAP stand out from the other right wing extremist parties.

- By the end of 1920, the bigger membership and greater funds allowed the party to purchase a newspaper, the VolkischerBeobatcher (The People’s Observer). It cost 180,000 marks but within a year its circulation had risen from 11,000 to 17,000 copies. This spread the National Socialist voice across Germany.

Party Leadership

In July 1921 Hitler forced a leadership challenge and defeated Drexler. Hitler was now in control of the party, to help him maintain control Hitler surrounded himself with supporters and friends. They were carefully suggested for their loyalty, skills, and the image they presented.

These included:

• Rudolf Hess – A wealthy, intelligent academic. He became Hitler’s deputy.

• Hermann Goering – A dashing, young and very wealthy WW1 pilot.

• Julius Streicher – He was already a popular nationalist speaker and like Hitler was an ex-army Iron Cross winner. When he joined and brought in his supporters, the Nazi membership doubled overnight.

• Ernst Rohm – A scar faced, bullish ex-army officer who was very popular among ex-soldiers and had been a member of the Freikorps.

He also made friends with a number of powerful individuals, including General Ludendorff, the inspirational leader of the German army during WW1.

Rudolf HessHermann Goering

Julius Streicher Ernst Rohm

The SA (Sturmabteilung)

The Sturmabteilung (literally, the Storm Detachment) were the NSDAP paramilitary (private military) force.

Most of the soldiers were unemployed Germans, often students or ex-army. They dressed in brown uniforms and were known as the “Brownshirts”

The SA paraded in the streets as a show of force. By August 1922 there were 800 members of the SA and this impressed people by their sense of organisation and strength.

At NSDAP meetings the SA was used to control the crowds. This meant subduing any opposition to Hitler, often violently. They were also sent to disrupt opposition meetings and were especially violent when dealing with communists. This helped to strengthen the Nazi party.

The SA also strengthened Hitler significantly. Although Ernst Rohm was the leader of the SA they were expected to be completely obedient to Hitler himself. He chose the best and most trusted of them to be his personal bodyguard, which was called the Stosstrupp (Shock Troop).

The January 1922 Party Conference

In January of 1922 the Nationalist Socialist German Worker’s Party held its annual party conference.

In this conference, Hitler managed to persuade members to give up their right to elect their leader. This completed Hitler’s take-over of the party.

He gave a two and a half hour speech, in which he announced which direction the party was going. There was no debate, discussion or voting. Hitler now personally set the agenda.

Interpretation 1From The Weimar Republic by John Hiden published in 1996.

The NSDAP was built up not only on protest but on resentment. This is evident from its programme as well as the party’s chief followers and leading officials. Hitler incorporated in his own person many of the major features on which his movement thrived: the deep sense of frustration, hate against the Jews and the Communists, dislike of democracy. To build a mass movement from such beginnings and keep it together required unique personal qualities. It was clear, for example, from the beginning that the NSDAP depended heavily on Hitler’s spectacular speaking skills.

Interpretation 2 From an article a historical magazine published in 2013

The 1922 NSDAP party conference was a mile-stone in the Nazi Party history because it marked the beginning of Hitler's complete personal control of the party’s organisational structure. Hitler persuaded the membership to give up voluntarily the rights it had enjoyed under the democratic rules of the NSDAP and to accept a framework of discipline and obedience to Hitler himself. In turn he promised his personalised control of the NSDAP would allow it to reach greater heights.

GCSE Question: 4 Mark “Main Difference” question

Study Interpretations 1 and 2. They give different views about how Hitler gained control of the Nazi Party in the years 1919-1922.

What is the main difference between these views?

Explain your answer, using details from both interpretations. (4 marks)

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How to answer:

Identify the main idea of the first interpretation, then find a quote that supports that main idea and explain how it does so.

Identify the main idea of the second interpretation, then find a quote that supports that main idea and explain how it does so.

Summarise in a sentence what the difference between these two views is.