the rise of nazis

• How the NSDAP gained popularity

  1. Propaganda: Slogans like 'Work and Bread' appealed to the unemployed

  2. Promises: Promises business owners to protect them from communism; promised farmers to pay them a fair price for their grain

  3. Economic: The Great depression meant many people were losing faith in the government
• In 1928 the NSDAP only had 12 seats in the Reichstag
• By July 1932 the NSDAP had 230 seats in the Reichstag
• Hindenburg tried to avoid making Hitler chancellor


  However, when Von Pan and Von Schleicher both failed he had no choice
• Communists


  • Were a threat to Hitler as they were popular with lower classes
  • Able to removed threat after the Reichstag Fire was blamed on the communists
  • Hitler ordered to imprisonment of 4000 communists
  • NSDAP votes increase in the March elections
• Reichstag

  Could refuse to pass laws
• Hitler introduced the enabling act

  1. Forced the Reichstag to pass it

  2. Used the SA (threatening to hurt politicians families)
• Enabling Act

  Allowed Hitler to bypass the Reichstag and Weimar constitution
• Trade Unions

  Were a threat to Hitler's plans to increase German production as they could fight for workers rights
• Hitler used the enabling act

  To abolish trade unions
• Political Parties

  There was the possibility that other parties could gain more seats in the Reichstag and give Hindenburg the opportunity to removed Hitler as chancellor
• Hitler used the Enabling Act

  To ban all parties other than the NSDAP
• SA

  Had helped Hitler gain power, but were now a threat as they had more than 3 million members, and disagreed with Hitler's lack of socialist policies
• The army reduced support for Hitler

  While the SA were about
• Hitler removed the SA

  In the Night of the Long Knives by ordering the execution of their leader Rohm and c. 100 leaders and political opposition
• President Hindenburg

  The only man with more power than Hitler
• Hindenburg died and Hitler merged the role of president and chancellor into the position of Fuhrer

  August 1934
• Unemployment


  • All men aged 18-25 had to completed 6 month unpaid in the RAD
  • Public work schemes were set to build school, autobans and hospitals
  • Women were not counted in unemployment figures
  • The army was rebuilt from 100,000 to 1.4 million; created jobs in factories producing weapons and ammunition
  • Unemployment figures went from 6.1 million in 1933 to 0.4 million in 1939
• Self Sufficiency

  • Hermann Goering was put in charge of the Four-Year Plan. robbed German Occupied countries of their raw materials in order to further Germany's economic goals
  • Goering sought to develop a synthetic-materials industry to eliminate the need for some raw materials
• Work Place

  • Strength through Joy Programme provides workers with rewards such as theatre tickets and holidays
  • Beauty of Labour improved facilities by building new canteens and sports facilities