Nazi Rise to Power

1929-1932

Something for everyone• Working class • Farmers – new policies aimed at countryside and small

towns• Middle classes – self employed, small businessmen,

craftsmen, shopkeepers• Army officers• Upper classes

Methods of publicity• Spoken word• Rallies & marches• Visual symbols all over• Nazi newspapers –

disctributed free• Cinema advertising – 1929

Hitler impressed Alfred Hugenberg (leader of Nationalist Party DNVP). Two agreed to cooperate in a campaign against Young Plan. Financial support

• Banners & uniforms• Visiting cities (Hitler visited

21 towns in 6 days) during a campaign in 1932)

Depression

• October 1929 American Stock Exchange collapsed

• Pay back, less trade, factories closed, unemployment grew

• Republic seemed unable to solve the problem

• More and more turned to extremist parties who seemed to have a simple solution for Germany’s troubles

• Result: By 1930 Nazi won 108 seats in Election

Unemployment in Germany

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Democracy starts to crack• Spring 1930• President Hindenburg

appoints Heinrich Bruning as Chancellor

• Bruning rules Germany without majority in Reichstag

• Possible because Article 48 allows President (or a person of his choice) to rule without needing Reichstag support during times of emergency

• Democratic parties could not agree on how to deal with problems – most people lost faith & discontent grew

Hindenburg and Hitler

• Hindenburg a war hero, twice elected as President

• By 1932 old man, not always clear in his thinking

• Didn’t like Hitler “an Austrian ex-corporal”, feared threat to democracy“A cabinet led by you would develop into a dictatorship”

Nazi support grows• In 1928 less than 1m voted for Nazi Party• By 1930, nearly 6.5m• July 1932, over 13.5m• Largest party in Reichstag• Others saw this popularity and hoped to use them for own purposes

- Nationalists thought they could share power, industrialists thought they could defend them against Communism, army officers thought Nazi’s would give them army back => gave Nazi’s money

Legally, violently, propaganda & money

Nazi propaganda was very effective. It blamed the communists and Jews for Germany’s problems and presented Hitler as the strong leader Germany needed.

Nazi stormtroopers were used to attack the meetings of opposition parties during election campaigns. Violence and the murder of opponents were deliberate tactics.

The Nazis had control of the police in Prussia, Germany’s largest state. Opponents were arrested on false charges and the police ignored the violence of the SA.

Hitler had the support of big business; they thought he would prevent Germany becoming communist. They provided the money Hitler needed to fight elections.

Chancellorship• Other politicians were concerned about his growing

support, others thought they could control him if they put him in a position of power

• In 1932 Franz von Papen replaced Bruning as Chancellor• Hitler refused vice Chancellorship – no intention of being

linked to a crumbling system with no power to change it.

• General Kurt von Schleicher replaced von Papen in 1932 (enemy of von Papen)

• Von Schleicher tried to limit activities of Nazi’s• In retaliation, Nazi’s allied with von Papen’s party to

defeat von Schleicher in Reichstag• Von Papen then persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Hitler

as Chancellor of Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933• Care needed though – few Nazi’s in coalition

government & Hindenburg had power to get rid at any time