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1929 - 1933
The Good Times are Over!
1929 – a bad year for Weimar
• 1929 started off well for the Weimar Republic– Young Plan spread out
German reparations until 1988
• In October, the Weimar Republic was rocked by 2 disasters.– 1) The Wall Street Crash– 2) The Death of
Stresemann
1929 – a bad year for Weimar
• In October, the Weimar Republic was rocked by 2 disasters.– 1) The Wall Street Crash
• Why was this significant for Germany
– 2) The Death of Stresemann
• Why was this significant for the Weimar Republic
September 1928
650,000
September 1929
1,320,000
September 1930
3,000,000
September 1931
4,350,000
September 1932
5,102,000
January 1933
6,100,000
The Impact of the Wall Street CrashUnemployment in Germany
The Political Impact of the Depression
• Cuts had to be made to government spending– The Social Democrats left the
coalition due to cuts in unemployment benefit
– Germany had to be ruled by decree.• Bruning uses article 48
• The worse the situation got for Germany, the more the Nazis prospered.– Explain what happened to the Nazi
vote and number of seats between 1928 and 1933
Nazi Electioneering
• List the Nazi party’s propaganda and electioneering tactics:– Remember that they are not in control of
the country yet: so they still need to pay for everything.
Nazi ElectionTactics
Nazi Electioneering– Pamphlets– Poster campaigns
• Blanket flypostering– Printing Newspapers– Speeches
• Hitler was a talented orator– Rallies
• Bus activists to rallies to appear more popular than they actually are.
– Intimidation • SA will beat up groups blamed by Nazis for Germany’s failures
– Radio• Transmitting speeches and rallies
– Air transport• To allow Hitler to appear in many places
Nazi Electioneering
• Write a Nazi election speech in 1932. Include blame for Germany’s problems on:– Treaty of Versailles– Reparations payments– Communists– The Weimar Government– Foreigners– Jews
• Use repetition• Use Exaggeration• Do not feel constrained by the truth
1932 - 1933
Hitler Manoeuvres into Power
The Collapse of Democracy
• The Nazis manage to take advantage of the following factors to take control of Germany– 1) Dissatisfaction of Treaty of Versailles – 2) Economic Collapse and Unemployment– 3) Aggressive election tactics by Nazi Party– 4) Political Intrigue
• Doing deals to gain power• The Nazis NEVER get a majority
Date of Election Jan
1919 Jun
1920 May 1924
Dec 1924
May 1928
Sep 1930
Jul 1932
Nov 1932
Mar 1933
SPD Social Democrats 165 102 100 131 153 143 133 121 120
Communists KPD/USPD 22 88 62 45 54 77 89 101 81
Centre Party (Catholics) 91 64 65 69 62 68 75 70 74
DDP (Democrats) 75 39 28 32 25 20 4 2 5
Right-wing parties (BVP/ DVP/DNVP)
63 157 156 174 134 90 66 83 72
NSDAP (Nazis)
32 14 12 107 230 196 288
Others 7 9 29 29 51 72 11 12 7
Total Deputies 423 459 472 493 491 577 608 584 647
1932 Hitler challenges Hindenburg
• President Hindenburg is an old war hero.
• Hitler feels strong enough to challenge him for the ultimate
• Hitler loses– Hindenburg 53%– Hitler 36%
• However,– Hitler surprises many be polling
so many votes.– Hitler gets national media
coverage
Political Intrigue
• May 1932– General Schleicher asks Hindenburg to ask Franz
von Papen (Catholic Party) to form a government. • replacing von Bruning – who had been anti-Nazi
• July 1932– Reichstag elections disaster for pro-weimar parties– Best result for Nazis
• August 1932– Hitler demands to be made Chancellor– Hindenburg dismisses the ‘Bohemian Corporal’
Political Intrigue
• September 1932– Von Papen loses a no-confidence vote
• November 1932– Another Reichstag election
• Nazis lose 2 million votes!• But still too many anti-weimar parties with seats• Von Papen wants to be reappointed by
Hindenburg and rule with Article 48• General Schleicher puts himself forward
– Wants to work with reasonable Nazis (Strasser)
Von Papen’s revenge!
• Hitler dismisses Strasser– No deals short of
Chancellorship
• Papen does a deal with Hitler behind Schleicher’s back– Hitler will be Chancellor– Von Papen vice-chancellor– Nazis given just 3 cabinet
seats– Von Papen thought that he
could control Hitler – Hindenburg tired of
bickering
Why did Hitler come to power?
Mistakes by his opponents
Hitler and the Nazi Party
General Conditions in
Germany
Factors to Consider• Hitler’s promise to smash the
Communists• SA Intimidation• Chancellors Bruning, von Papen
and Schleicher’s use of article 48• Hitler promise to restore family
and moral values• Von Papen’s double crossing of
Schleicher• Treaty of Versailles’ conditions• Hitler was an excellent orator• The Nazis were in no way
responsible for the economic problems
• Nazis becoming the largest political party
• Wall Street Crash• Nazi Party Propaganda
techniques• Hindenburg was old and tired• Schleicher thought he could
appeal to reasonable Nazis• Von Papen thought he could
control Hitler• Worldwide Depression• Strasser’s inability to stand up
to Hitler• 6 Million unemployed