Hitler's Rise to Power - Bexhill High Academy to Power.pdf · Impact of the Depression, 1929–32 What changed everything was the worldwide Depression. In 1929, the Wall Street Crash

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Hitler's Rise to Power

Nazi Germany

For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

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What we will learn today

In this presentation you will learn:

1. Who Hitler was.

2. What Hitler brought to the Nazi Party.

3. How the failure of his Beer Hall Putsch helped Hitler.

4. How Hitler turned the Depression to his advantage.

5. How the Weimar government helped Hitler gain

power.


Who was Hitler?


What were the key events that moulded Hitler?

How important do you think each event was in

shaping Hitler?


What did Hitler bring to the Nazi party?


His trial gave publicity to the Nazi movement.

He reviewed and altered his political philosophy.

The Munich Putsch

In 1923, Hitler helped organise the Munich Putsch –

an attempt to seize control of Munich.

The attempt failed dismally.

Hitler was arrested for treason

and thrown into prison.

However, in the long run the

whole affair actually helped to

strengthen his position!

We will now investigate each of these in more detail.

Photograph courtesy of the Imperial War Museum, London.


1. Hitler‟s trial gave publicity to the Nazi movement.

The Munich Putsch – Hitler‟s trial


2. Hitler reviewed his political philosophy.

Whilst locked away in prison he dictated a book to one

of his most faithful followers, Rudolf Hess.

He entitled this book Mein Kampf (My Struggle). In it,

he developed two important principles.

The Fuhrer Principle – Hitler argued that to be

successful, his party needed one all-powerful leader

(„fuhrer‟) – in other words, Hitler himself!

The Reichstag Principle – Hitler argued that outright

rebellion would never destroy the system. Instead, it

would be necessary to “hold our noses and enter the

Reichstag [parliament]” – in other words, get elected

and then destroy the system from within.

The Munich Putsch – Mein Kampf


Continued weakness, 1924–28

Despite Hitler‟s efforts, the Nazis remained a minor

political force.

In 1924 they had 5% of the seats in the Reichstag.

In 1928 they had less than 2% – even the Communists

had four times as many seats!

One reason for this was that Stresemann had helped to

stabilize the country:

1924: Dawes Plan eases the reparations bill.

1925: Locarno Treaties improve relations with France.

1926: Germany allowed to join the League of Nations.


Impact of the Depression, 1929–32

What changed everything was the worldwide Depression.

In 1929, the

Wall Street Crash

caused the US stock

market to collapse.

This led to a terrible

chain reaction that

threw the whole world

into an economic crisis.

Germany was hit particularly hard because the country

had borrowed a lot of money to pay for reparations.


The Depression spread


Reaction of the Nazis: Fresh propaganda

It was during the Depression that the Nazis really started to

use propaganda – political advertising – effectively.

This was particularly the case in 1932, when Hitler ran for

president and came a very close second to Hindenburg.

Posters were produced depicting Hitler as „Germany‟s

last hope‟.

Planes were used to help him travel all over Germany

to deliver rousing speeches.

Radio was used to help him reach an even wider

audience.

The mastermind behind this campaign was Josef Goebbels.


Reaction of the Nazis: Mass appeal

1. End unemployment – Hitler promised to provide jobs

for the thousands of Germans who had become

unemployed as a result of the depression.

2. Tear up Versailles – Hitler said that he would break

the hated Treaty of Versailles and make Germany great

again.

3. Blame the Jews – Hitler gave the desperate German

people someone to blame for the depression and the

1918 defeat. He blamed the Jews.

However, propaganda is only effective if it is publicizing

popular policies. The Nazis came up with policies that

appealed to many ordinary Germans.


Reaction of the Nazis: Fresh policies

Hitler also identified several key groups in German society

that it was important for him to win over.

Hitler, with the help of Goebbels, made sure the Nazi

message targeted these key groups of voters.

Suggest a slogan that the Nazis could have used to

win the votes of women. Explain your choice.

The slogan „Work,

Freedom, Bread‟ was

used to convince workers

that the Nazis were

focused on the needs of

the industrial class.

People in the Cities People in the Countryside

The slogan „Blood and Soil‟

was used to convince rural

voters that the Nazis

believed that the German

nation sprang from the

farming class.


Reaction of the Weimar Republic: Indecision

Whilst Hitler responded brilliantly to the crisis created by

the Depression, the Weimar Republic did not.

Parliament – Proportional Representation (PR): The

electoral system meant that Reichstag seats were split

between many parties. No party could get a majority, so

weak, indecisive coalition governments were formed.

President – Article 48: The president had emergency

powers, but his advisers discouraged him from raising

unemployment benefits, fearing another hyperinflation

crisis like the one which had hit Germany in 1923.

Discussion point: In 1923 Germany suffered an

inflationary crisis. In 1929 it suffered a deflationary

crisis. What is the difference?


Reaction of the Weimar Republic: Hitler

As well as pursuing unpopular policies, the Weimar

Republic made a terrible mistake in appointing Hitler as

chancellor in January 1933 – even though he had made it

clear that he hated democracy.

What makes this decision even more surprising is that:

Support for the Nazi party was declining

Germany was coming out of the Depression

President Hindenburg had nothing but contempt for

Hitler, who he called „a little Bohemian corporal‟.


How and why was Hitler appointed chancellor?


How did Hitler get to power?

Documents

Hitler's Rise to Power - Bexhill High Academy to Power.pdf · Impact of the Depression, 1929–32 What changed everything was the worldwide Depression. In 1929, the Wall Street Crash