Collapse of the Weimar Republic - nazis and the politics of intrigue
Transcript of Collapse of the Weimar Republic - nazis and the politics of intrigue
The Nazis and the politics of intrigue
The Nazi path to power was helped by the so-called politics of intrigue. In
simple terms, this means plots and secret deals aided
the Nazis, deliberately or inadvertently.
There were numerous individuals and groups that
were involved in these actions.
Heinrich Bruning
Chancellor Bruning persuaded Hindenburg to force through laws by decree, undermining
German democracy.
In addition he convinced the President to call early
elections in September 1930, which in fact saw a huge surge in Nazi support and influence.
Franz von Papen
Papen was friends with Schleicher having known
him since they both attended the Prussian Military
Academy.
It was Schleicher that in May 1932 had persuaded
Hindenburg to appoint Papen as German Chancellor.
In September 1932, Papen had persuaded Hindenburg to dissolve the Reichstag but not
call new elections.
Schleicher opposed this, believing that without elections the country would fall into civil
war. Schleicher eventually persuaded the President to
remove Papen.
Papen blamed Schleicher for his problems and removal as
Chancellor and sought revenge.
In January 1933, Papen met with Hitler and agreed to be his Vice-Chancellor (believing that
he would control Hitler).
Papen persuaded Hindenburg not to back Schleicher and
instead make Hitler Chancellor.
Kurt von Schleicher
Schleicher played a role in changing various governments
and Chancellors in Germany. These changes helped
undermine public confidence in democracy.
Schleicher also believed that he was the strong leader which
Germany needed.
Schleicher had a good relationship with Hindenburg –
not least because of his friendship with the President’s
son, Oskar.
Schleicher originally persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Bruning as Chancellor.
Schleicher also eventually turned against Bruning, asking the President to remove him.
Schleicher also played a role in convincing Hindenburg that Papen should be appointed
Chancellor.
This included plans to select the government from the
country’s elite – and not the Reichstag – which hurt the
idea of parliamentary government and democracy.
Papen’s problems governing led Schleicher to push Hindenburg
to remove him from power.
Schleicher had also started manoeuvring to become the Chancellor. He built links with trade unions and some Nazi members, including Gregor Strasser (who later left the
National Socialists).
Once he was appointed as Chancellor, Schleicher found governing difficult, failing to win support from the Left or
the Right.
After Schleicher had fallen out with Oskar Hindenburg,
Papen persuaded the President to remove Schleicher and
appoint Hitler as Chancellor.
Schleicher had recognised that he was likely to be removed as Chancellor and blamed Papen
for this.
He believed that Papen – and not Hitler – would be made
Chancellor and so devoted all of his energy to arguing
against Papen, doing nothing to stop the Hitler challenge.
Paul von Hindenburg
As President, Hindenburg was responsible for appointing the
country’s Chancellor, and dissolving the Reichstag.
As such, Hindenburg was at the centre of all political intrigue, whether being influenced or
ultimately making the key decisions.
Each time a Chancellor was appointed and removed –
whether Bruning, Papen or Schleicher – it was
Hindenburg’s decision.
He was heavily influenced by a small group of men - often called a camarilla - which
included his son, Oskar, and for a long time, Schleicher.
Hindenburg’s decision to regularly change Chancellors was partly a result of the Reichstag’s
divisions. However it also undermined confidence in
democracy.
The fact that he was persuaded to make these changes, and also call early elections or use Article 48
powers, hurt Weimar too.
German elites
Members of Germany’s elite – including industrialists and
Junkers – also influenced Hindenburg, and plotted
against those they opposed.
Bruning was removed partly because of elite Germans’
opposition to his land reform proposals.
Under Papen’s government the political divisions in
Germany led industrialists and bankers – led by Hjalmar
Schacht – to ask Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor.
At this point, Hitler ultimately failed to meet the condition
that this would only happen if he gained Reichstag support.
During Schleicher’s reign, members of the elite were
alarmed by his resurrection of Bruning's land plans.
This led to further demands from this group for Hitler to be
appointed Chancellor. Most members of the elite believed that this was the only way to
stabilise Germany, and stop any Communist advance.
Historians’ views
• Ian Kershaw: Hitler needed the elite to gain power but they needed him to be able to impose an authoritarian government.
• Conan Fischer: The elites miscalculated that they could put Hitler into power and then control.
• Mary Fulbrook: By 1933 the elites wanted to see authoritarian government and so persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Hitler.
• Eugene Anderson: An elite group of Germans put the Nazis into power, wrongly believing that they could control them.