hitler’s rise

• Why were the nazis’ policies popular?

  • short name stands out in elections
  • message covered: socialist, government run economy; nationalism, justice from WW1; racism, aryan race is superior and has the right to dominate others
• how did the SA make the party more successful?

  • causes fear in other parties, disrupts meetings
  • makes party look stronger and more powerful than current government
  • created fear that removed any opposition with violence
  • provided security at gatherings
• how was hitler popular?

  his charisma, skill in public speaking that drew huge crowds
• hitler’s close supporters:

  • he knew his closest supporters and gave them positions of power, ensuring his own safety
• munich putsch 1923

  • hitler wanted to take over munich with right wing politicians kahr and lossow
  • they called off the rebellion, but hitler continued alone with nazis and SA
  • November 1923, they burst into Kahr and Lossow‘s meeting at beer hall, forcing them to agree to rebel
  • next day hitler launched rebellion, but Kahr called police and army, hitler fled but later arrested, 16 nazis killed
• consequences of the Munich Putsch:

  1. hitler’s trial gave him publicity and attention
  2. his imprisonment evoked sympathy, presented him as martyr
  3. book mein kampf - publicity of beliefs
  4. he changed his approach and understood violence had failed, so he needed to get elected into reichstag instead
• how nazis used SA to ensure growth in support?

  provided protection during meetings and disrupted other parties’ meetings; many fights between SA and communist militia which hitler used to show that he could and would defeat bolshevik threat
• how hitler used appeal and election methods to ensure growth in support?

  mass rallies, films, radio ensured hitler was a recognised national figure; failed both rounds of 1932 presidential election but successful in reichstag due to goebbels’ tactics (presenting hitler as positive, playing on people’s fears); hitler used planes to speak at 5 cities in one day, which he used as cover of campaign
• how nazis used financial support to ensure growth in support?

  600,000 copies of nazi economic programme distributed; party received funds from leading industrialists who were scared of trade unions, which reduced influence; they developed close links with national party, who allowed them to publish newspaper articles criticising weimar, keeping nazis at forefront of people’s minds
• how nazis used propaganda to ensure growth of support?

  • hitler presented as charismatic war hero, saviour, ordinary man
  • jews used as scapegoat and blamed for causing unemployment, conspired in germany’s defeat, were preparing for bolshevik revolution
  • claimed they could restore germany to its former glory
  • attacked weimar government
• brief story of how hitler became chancellor:

  • july 1932 - nazi party gain 230 seats, more than other parties
  • august 1932 - hitler demands position of chancellor but hindenburg refuses
  • september - papen dissolves reichstag
  • november election - nazis lose seats but papen doesn’t gain majority
  • january 1933 - papen agreed hitler would lead a nazi-nationalist government with him as vice-chancellor
  • 30th january 1933 - hitler becomes chancellor by legal and democratic means