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The Rise of Extremism and the Collapse of Weimar democracy. HI136, History of Germany Lecture 8. Interwar Germany a fertile breeding ground for radical right-wing organizations. 1919: Anton Drexler founds the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (German Workers Party, DAP). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The Rise of Extremism
and the Collapse of
Weimar democracy
HI136, History of Germany
Lecture 8
The
Ori
gins
of
Naz
ism
Interwar Germany a fertile breeding
ground for radical right-wing organizations.
1919: Anton Drexler founds the Deutsche
Arbeiterpartei (German Workers Party,
DAP). Adolf Hitler joined the DAP in Sept. 1919,
quickly rising through the ranks to become
the party’s chief theorist and propaganda
officer. Feb. 1920: Hitler heads a committee which
draws up the Party’s ’25 Point Programme’
which remains the basis of Nazi ideology
until 1945. April 1920: The DAP renamed the
Nationalsozialistische Deutsche
Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German
Workers Party, NSDAP or Nazi for short).
July 1921: Hitler ousts Drexler & is
appointed Party Chairman.
The
Rise
of
Naz
ism
1925: Nazi party refounded with a new
commitment to achieving power
through legal means. 1926: The Bamberg Conference –
Hitler re-established his supremacy in
the Party, overcoming the challenge to
his leadership from Gregor Strasser,
but was forced to concede that the 25-
Point Programme (with its socialist
elements) remained inviolable.
Establishment of new efficient Party
structure and youth and women’s
organisations led to a growing
membership: 27,000 in 1925
increased to 108,000 in 1928.
But still had little popular support –
they won only 2.6% of the vote in the
Reichstag elections of 1928.
The Germ
an
Ideology? Nazism is difficult to
pin down: it is easier
to say what the Nazis
were against than
what they were for.
Some have argued
that Nazism cannot
be called an ideology
at all: it lacks
coherence & is
intellectually
superficial and
simplistic.
Most of the ideas key
to National Socialism
were present in
Germany in the 19th
century.
That is not to say
that Nazism is the
logical result of
German thought:
such ideas also found
receptive audiences
in Britain & France.
Key concepts:
Race
Führerprinzip
Anti-Communism
Nationalism
Volksgemeinschaft
The 25 Points:
Creation of a Greater
Germany encompassing all
ethnic Germans
Revocation of Treaty of
Versailles
Demand for colonies
(Lebensraum)
Only members of the
Volk can be citizens: no
Jew can be a citizens &
all non-citizens to be
deported
The primary duty of the
State is to provide a
livelihood for its
citizens: introduction of
profit sharing &
extension of welfare
state.
The Great
Depression
October 1929: the Wall Street
Crash led to a worldwide
economic downturn.
Germany was particularly hard
hit – the German economy
was heavily dependent on
foreign loans and the banking
system was geared towards
short-term credit to finance
long-term ventures.
As foreign investment dried up
and debts were called in,
German firms folded and
banks collapsed leading to
mass unemployment.
2 million Germans out of work
by the winter of 1929-30.
Unemployment reached 3
million in 1931 & had risen to
5.1 million by Sept. 1932. It
peaked at 6.1 million in early
1933.
This led to material hardship,
but also had an important
psychological effect – fear,
uncertainty, loss of pride and
status, feeling that the fabric
of society was unravelling.
The economic crisis quickly
became a political crisis as the
social insurance system
became overloaded.
Soucre: R. Overy,
The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Third
Reich (1996)
Reas
ons
for
the
Colla
pse
of W
eim
ar D
emoc
racy
Domestic Factors: Lack of popular support Constitutional flaws Role of established
elites International Factors: Legacy of Versailles World economic crisis
(the Great Depression) General crisis of liberal
democracy
The
Fina
l Cr
isis
, 193
0-33
March 1930: Hermann Müller’s Grand Coalition
collapsed when the DVP and SPD members of the
Cabinet could not agree on how to solve the crisis.
Hindenburg appointed Heinrich Brüning, leader of the
Centre Party, Chancellor. His lack of charisma and
unpopular deflationary policies (cuts in public spending
& tax rises) meant that he was unable to command a
majority in the Reichstag. Thus from the summer of
1930 onwards he was forced to use emergency powers
to pass any legislation. But the Depression had radicalized German politics and
the parties of the extreme left and right continued to
gain support – a very real fear of communist revolution
amongst conservatives and the middle classes.
By 1930 the Nazis were the 2nd largest party in the
Reichstag. Oct. 1931: the Harzburg Front – anti-republican alliance
between the Nazis, Alfred Hugenburg’s DNVP and the
Stahlhelm. 1932: Hitler confident enough to challenge Hindenburg
for the Presidency. By May 1932 Brüning had lost the support of the
President and his advisors – his policies had not
significantly solved the problems caused by the
Depression or stopped the escalating violence in the
streets. June 1932: Franz von Papen head the right-wing
‘Cabinet of Barons’.
General Kurt von Schleicher(Non party)
Dec. 1932 – Jan. 1933
Franz von Papen (Centre Party)June – Dec. 1932
Heinrich Brüning (Centre Party)March 1930 – May 1932
Chancellors, 1930-33
The
Fina
l Cr
isis
, 193
0-33
July 1932: Preussenschlag – The illegal
constitutional coup in which the elected
SPD government of Prussia deposed by
the army on the orders of von Papen. A
Reich Commissioner was installed and
Social Democratic and liberal officials
were replaced by conservative civil
servants. Nov. 1932: Papen replaced by General
Kurt von Schleicher. Papen enters into secret negotiations with
the Nazis, big business and large
landowners designed to bring about his
return to power with a majority in the
Reichstag. Jan. 1933: Hindenburg reluctantly agrees
to dismiss Schleicher and replace him with
Hitler. The Conservatives convinced that they
would be able to control Hitler and the
Nazis – Papen was Vice-Chancellor and
their were only 3 Nazis in the Cabinet.
Hitler’s first Cabinet, 30 January 1933:Seated (left to right): Hermann Göring, Hitler, Franz von Papen
Standing (left to right): Baron Konstantin von Neurath (Foreign Minister), Günther Gereke (Commissioner for Job Creation), Count Lutz Schwerin
von Krosigk (Finance Minister), Wilhelm Frick (Interior Minister), General Werner von Blomberg (Defence Minister), Alfred Hugenberg (Minister of
Agriculture and Economics)
Who Voted for
the Nazis? The Nazis had the greatest
support in Protestant rural
North Germany, and did
badly in Catholic areas of
South Germany and in the
big cities.
This was at least in part
because Catholics and
urban workers had their
own well-established
political parties and social
organizations.
Traditional view = the
Nazis a party of the
disaffected middle class.
But close analysis reveals
that support was much
broader (though not deep).
By 1932 the Nazis could
claim to be a Volkspartei
(People’s Party) – they
became a universal party
of protest.
Source: G. Layton, Democracy and
Dictatorship in Germany (2009)
Soucre: R. Overy, The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Third Reich (1996)
The
1933
El
ecti
on
New elections called within 24 hours of
Hitler becoming Chancellor.
The election campaign took place in an
atmosphere of violence and intimidation.
The Nazis used their access to the organs of
the state to get their message across &
intimidate their opponents.
31 Jan. 1933: Hitler’s ‘Appeal to the German
People’ – blamed Germany’s problems on
the Communists and presented his
government as a ‘National Uprising’ that
would restore German pride & unity.
As Minister of the Interior of Prussia Göring
recruited 500,000 extra police in Germany’s
largest state, most of them drawn from the
ranks of the SA and the SS.
Violence & intimidation of political
opponents – SPD and KPD meetings broken
up, voters intimidated etc. 69 people killed
during the 5 week campaign.
The Reichstag
Fire 27 Feb. 1933: The
Reichstag burned down.
An unemployed Dutch
bricklayer named
Marius van der Lubbe
arrested.
The Nazis claimed this
was part of a
Communist plot.
‘Decree for the
Protection of the People
and the State’:
suspended civil liberties
& increased the power
of central government –
the Nazis rounded up
political opponants.
Van der Lubbe &
Bulgarian Communist
Georgi Dimitrov put on
trial for the fire.
But on-going debate
about who was
responsible.
Party Votes
NSDAP 43,90%
DNVP 8,00%
DVP 1,10%
BVP 2,70%
Zentrum 11,20%
Deutsche Staatspartei 0,90%
SPD 18,30%
KPD 12,30%
Other 1,60%
Elec
tion
Resu
lts,
5 M
arch
193
3
The
Enab
ling
Law
(E
rmäc
htig
ungs
ges
etz)
Without the two-thirds majority in the
Reichstag necessary to change the
Constitution, Hitler proposed an ‘Enabling
Law’ that would enable him the
government to pass legislation without the
approval of either parliament or the
President. 23 March 1933: ‘Law for the Removal of
Distress from People and the Reich’
Article 1: In addition to the procedure
prescribed by the constitution [i.e. decision
by parliament], laws of the Reich may also
be enacted by the government of the Reich.
This includes laws as referred to by Articles
85 sentence 2 and Article 87 of the
constitution. Article 2: Laws enacted by the government
of the Reich may deviate from the
constitution as long as they do not affect the
institutions of the Reichstag and the
Reichsrat. The rights of the President remain
undisturbed.
Gle
ichs
chal
tun
g
After the passage of the Enabling Law the
Nazis acted to ‘co-ordinate’ as many areas of
German life as possible and bring them into
line with Nazi ideology. April 1933: Laws passed enabling Nazi-
dominated State governments to pass
legislation without the approval of provincial
parliaments. Jan. 1934: State parliaments abolished &
local government subordinated to the federal
Minister of the Interior. 2 May 1933: Leading Trade Unionists
arrested & workers’ organizations merged to
form the Deutscher Arbeitsfront (German
Labour Front, DAF). 22 June 1933: The SPD officially banned.
June-July 1933: Other political parties
dissolved themselves. 14 July 1933: The Nazi Party proclaimed the
only legal political party in Germany.
The Night of the Long
Knives,
30 June 1934 Pressure from the party
rank-and-file (and
particularly from within
the SA) for a ‘second
revolution’.
Fears that the
radicalism of the SA
would bring about a
military coup against
the Nazis.
This led to a purge of
the party on 30 June
1934 – the SS carried
out raids against
targets across Germany.
Critics of the regime
such as Vice-Chancellor
Papen were arrested,
while old enemies such
as Gregor Strasser &
Gustav Ritter von Kahr
were summarily
executed. Over 1000
people were arrested &
at least 85 killed.
Ernst Röhm (1887-1934)