the nazi dictatorship

• how was Germany affected after WW1?

  forced to accept blame for starting the war - forced to pay for reparations of damage caused by war (Germans saw it as an attempt to humiliate them - resentment arises)
• how did Germany pay for reparations?

  could not afford to do so alone to had help from USA - 'Wall Street Crash', 1929, started global depression - 1931, Germany's biggest bank collapsed & mass unemployment (6 million).
• what did the Nazi's promise for Germany during the Depression?

  prosperity (success) - they would make Germany great again
• who was the Nazi leader?

  Adolf Hitler - charismatic speaker & decorated WW1 soldier (jailed in 1923 for attempting to overthrow government but wrote a book, Mein Kampf)
• what ideas did Hitler talk about in his book Mein Kampf?

  -Aryan supremacy (believed them to be a 'master race')

  -claimed that those with other races, religions and political beliefs were inferior to Aryans.

  -believed Germany had the right to take over other countries for 'Lebensraum' (living space)
• who did the Nazi beliefs become popular among?

  -appealed to the unemployed, businessmen and young people - hope for a better and more prosperous future.

  -anti-Jewish and anti-communist's also supported views held by Nazi party.
• how many people were members of the Nazi Party by 1930?

  over 300,000 - Germans began losing hope for Weimar Government (set up following WW1, 1919-1933) -> the Nazi's promised to solve the crisis of the Great Depression which the Weimar Government had failed to do so.
• who was President of Germany during this period?

  Paul von Hindenburg - elected in 1925 and due for re-election
• what happened during Hindenburg's re-election?

  he didn't win majority first time and so second vote was held - Hitler decided to run against him, yet lost during the second vote - Hindenburg won
• how many seats did the Nazi's win in the Reichstag re-elections 1932?

  230 (largest party in Reichstag - the government) - Hitler demanded to be made Chancellor yet Hindenburg refused - did not trust him after he ran against him in the Presidental elections
• who did Hitler make a deal with in his attempts of becoming Chancellor?

  Franz von Papen (politician) made deal - if he could persuade Hindenburg to make Hitler Chancellor, Hitler would make Papen Chancellor too

  • the Nazi's had previously lost more seats in November 1932 elections - still largest party but fueled Hitler to make deal with Papen and become Chancellor
• when was Hitler made Chancellor?

  January 1933 - Hindenburg thought he could control Hitler & he would be less extreme if he made him Chancellor - he was wrong.
• what did Hitler first do with his Chancellor title?

  hold another election to make the Nazi's stronger
• what did the Nazi's do during the elections to become stronger?

  -control media (opposition were banned)

  -used the SA (private army) to terrorise opponents

  -used Reichstag Fire (February 1933) for his benefit; blamed the communists, claiming they were a threat to the country
• how did the Reichstag fire help Hitler?

  gave him emergency power to deal with the 'communist threat'; he took away basic rights given by Weimar Government to intimidate anyone who voted for the communists - he hoped to raise anti-communist feeling among Germany.
• why could the Reichstag fire be seen as a turning point for Germany?

  the emergency powers granted to Hitler, marked the first step towards making Germany a dictatorship - he hid this, justifying them, making himself out as a hero who protected German people
• did the Nazi's win majority following the 1933 elections?

  no - they won 288 seats but people still voted for the Communists; Hitler made the Communist party illegal
• what act did Hitler pass as Chancellor in 1933?

  Enabling Act - let him govern (pass laws) without Reichstag acceptance - did not need acceptance from parliament.
• what did Hitler ban to make Germany a one-party state?

  all political parties accept the Nazi Party - removed opposition.
• who lead the SA?

  Ernst Rohm
• why did Hitler begin to see the SA as a threat?

  -its members were very loyal to Rohm, he was worried Rohm was becoming too powerful by 1934, the SA had more members than the German Army

  -it was unpopular with leaders of the German Army, people Hitler wanted on his side as he continued to grow in power
• when was the Night of Long Knives and why did it occur?

  29th-30th June 1934, Hitler wanted to remove anyone within the Nazi party who disagreed with his views or were a threat e.g. Rohm. The SS (Nazi bodyguards) killed/arrested political opponents and any threats to the party
• how did Hitler get away with the Night of Long Knives?

  he claimed all those killed/imprisoned were plotting to overthrow the government so all his actions were legal
• was the Night of Long Knives a success for Hitler?

  yes - he removed all political opposition and sent a powerful message that he would be brutal if necessary; showed he was now above the law - members of Germany did not know about this event until Hitler spoke publicly about it, they saw him as a protector or were too afraid to speak out
• how did Hitler achieve his title of Fuhrer?

  August 1934, Hindenburg died; Hitler combined the roles of Chancellor and President into one, Fuhrer and named himself the leader - beginning of the nazi dictatorship
• what was the reaction of German people to Hitler's Fuhrer title?

  some were glad that someone was taking control after the chaos and political weakness of the Weimar Government following WW1