Emergence of Hitler

November Criminals

On Nov. 7, 1918, the SPD (Socialist Party), led by Friedrich Ebert, issued an ultimatum demanding the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II

The government was told that if the Kaiser didn’t abdicate, the situation would get out of hand

On Nov. 9, Prince Max (the Chancellor) informed the press of the Kaiser’s abdication and his decision to resign

On Nov. 11, an armistice was signed – people blamed the left-wing government for signing it

Political Violence

For 5 years, Germany’s major cities suffered political violence between left-wing and right-wing groups

Both committed violence and murder against innocent civilians and each other

Most of the violence was between the right-wing paramilitaries called Freikorps and left-wing paramilitaries called Red Guards

Both admitted disgruntled ex-soldiers into their ranks

Examples of Political Violence

In Jan. 1919, 50,000 Spartacists rebelled in Berlin, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Leibknecht (Spartacist Rebellion)

In Apr. 1919, after much violence, a Bavarian Soviet Republic was created

In Mar. 1920, the Friekorps, the right-wing paramilitary group, led a rebellion called the Kapp Putsch

Also in Mar. 1920, the Red Guards took control of the Ruhr region

In Mar. 1921, communist rebellions were put down in Saxony and Hamburg

Left-Wing Is Tied to Jews

Communist leaders of several key German states, like Prussia, Bavaria, and Saxony were Jewish

There were also prominent Jewish leaders in Russia, like Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev

Lenin (called a Jew) wished to create a German communist revolution and tried to export revolution (Comintern created in Mar. 1919)

Because Jews and Communists were tied together in some instances, Hitler scapegoated both as the enemy and cited them for all Germany’s problems

Lenin was considered a Jew, although he renounced the religion

Problems With the Weimar Republic #1 – Right-Wing Sympathizers

Many army leaders, judges, and government officials were right-wing sympathizers. They didn’t care about the government In the Kapp Putsch – 700 were tried of treason by only 1 went to

jail In the Beer Hall Putsch – Hitler was given a light sentence

Hitler was in Munich during these “Bolshevik revolutions” and he feared Moscow’s tampering, like many others

Most people in Germany had investments in stocks, bonds, and savings, so many were opposed to communism

Problems With the Weimar Republic #2 – Unable To Stop the Violence

The government didn’t have control over the army:Army was weak because of VersaillesArmy was full of right-wing sympathizersArmy blamed the civilian government for signing the

armistice (Stab in the Back/November Criminals)

People criticized the government for being unable to stop the violence

Problems With the Weimar Republic #3 – Faulty Political System

Proportional voting led to 28 parties, making it difficult to establish a majority

This caused frequent changes in government. From 1919-1933, there were 20 different coalition governments that ruled

Article 48 allowed the president to enact legislation by decree during times of emergency, bypassing the Reichstag

This caused many to lose faith in the political system and people began to think democracy was weak

Problem With the Weimar Republic #4 – Ruhr Valley Crisis

In 1923, Germany failed to meet reparation payments. As a result, France occupied the Ruhr Valley and took reparations from the industries there

In retaliation, the government ordered a mass strike and printed money to pay the strikers, causing hyperinflation

Eventually, the money was replaced by a new currency, which helped the economic crisis along with U.S. loans

France was persuaded to leave the Ruhr in late 1924 The whole incident was humiliating and led to a loss of

faith in the government

Ruhr Valley

French troops occupying the Ruhr Valley. Rough treatment of Germans by black colonial French troops led to German resentment and humiliation

Problem With the Weimar Republic #5 – Following the Versailles TreatyThe government had signed the Versailles

Treaty, which most Germans hatedAlthough they violated it a few times, on

the whole they followed itAs a result the government was seen as

defeatist and weak

Flag of the Weimar Republic

Heinrich Bruning

Paul von Hindenburg, the President, appoints the chancellor Heinrich Bruning, but his policies made him unpopular:Raised taxes and reduced salaries to combat

unemploymentReduced unemployment benefitsUnemployment still rose from 2.25 million in

1930 to over 6 million in 1932In September 1930, the chancellor called a

parliamentary election, hoping that his party could gain more votes and he could pass his program for economic relief

Heinrich Bruning

In the election, the Nazis won 6.5 million votes in 1930

Bruning’s election backfired because more Nazis were elected, so the electorate didn’t accept his economic program

Heinrich Bruning

Bruning asked Hindenburg to put the program into effect by decree through Article 48, bypassing the Reichstag

Hindenburg accepted his proposal

This ended parliamentary democracy in Germany and launched a 3-year period of rule by presidential decree

Paul Von Hindenburg was a WWI hero and 2nd president of the Weimar Republic

Heinrich Bruning Is Dropped

He relied on presidential decree powers and clung to his rigid fiscal policy while the depression worsened. Unemployment was making Bruning unpopular (“hunger chancellor”):

1930 – 3 million 1931 – 4,380,000 1932 – 5,615,000

In 1932, Hindenburg ran against Hitler, who attacked Bruning’s policies

Heinrich Bruning Is Dropped

Hindenburg received 19 million votes, while Hitler received 13 million, a vast number for the Nazi Party

In May 1932, Hindenburg dropped the unpopular Bruning and appointed Franz von Papen as chancellor

Franz Von Papen

Herman Goering

Josef Goebbels

Adolf Hitler

Franz von Papen

He hoped to gain Hitler’s sympathy and support by lifting the ban on the SA and by illegally ousting the socialist government of Prussia

He had no support in the Reichstag. As a result, he asked Hindenburg to call elections in July and November 1932 in an unsuccessful attempt to secure some support

In the July election, the Nazis won 230 seats and 37% of the vote, becoming the largest single party

In the November election, they won 196 seats and 33% of the vote, but remained the largest party

Franz von Papen Resigns

Papen urged Hindenburg to use his decree power to revise the constitution and transform the government into an authoritarian regime dominated by the wealthy groups

Hindenburg refused because he thought it would cause a general strike or civil war

On November 17th, 1932 Papen resigned Hindenburg told Hitler that he would be considered

chancellor only if he could: Show that a parliamentary majority backed him Govern without special emergency presidential decrees

However, Hitler hated to share power, so he couldn’t meet the conditions

General Kurt von Schleicher

As a result, Hindenburg appointed General Kurt von Schleicher, who represented the Army High Command

His solution was to try to split the Nazi Party and to win the support of Gregor Strasser (Hitler’s rival) and his more left-wing section of the Nazi party

When his attempt failed, he urged Hindenburg to ban both the Nazis and the Communist party. Hindenburg again refused, saying that it would could cause another crisis as Papen’s earlier proposal would have done

General Kurt von Schleicher Is Replaced

The Reichstag refused to back Schleicher on any of his programs for unemployment or relief

Hindenburg was convinced by Papen that the only way to end the parliamentary crisis would be by offering the chancellorship to Hitler. He was from the largest party, although he hadn’t set foot in the Reichstag

Papen believed that he could tame Hitler and keep close tabs on him as vice chancellor

On January 30, 1933, Hindenburg appoints Hitler chancellor…Papen told a friend that “Within two months we will have pushed Hitler so far into the corner that he’ll squeak!”

The Deal

Part of the deal with Hitler becoming Chancellor was:

Papen would use his connections to help deal with the Nazis financial problems

In return, Papen could choose most of the Cabinet

Nazis occupied only 3 posts in the coalition Cabinet:

Hitler – chancellor Hermann Goring – in charge of Prussia Wilhelm Frick – minister of the interior

Nazi Party Platform and Hitler’s Beliefs Germany lacked land and space for a “healthy” expansion of the

people (needed Lebensraum – living space) Emphasized preeminence of German race Jews caused all Germany’s problems Only people of “German blood” could be citizens Would maintain law and order Wanted to tear up the Versailles Treaty Tried to offer something for everyone Common interest before self interest Went along with the socialist theme to avoid alienating a

substantial segment of the party The notion that a democracy tolerates different ideas and

approaches to solving problems was condemned as disunity and chaos of parties

Why People Liked Hitler

Many chose to support Hitler because:They liked what he stood forHe gradually implemented more

restrictionsSome were fanaticalOpportunists who were riding a

bandwagonThey saw in Hitler a savior who would

end Germany’s humiliation and injustices of Versailles

Anti-Democratic Feelings

Anti-democratic ideas were supported by:

Right-wing Left-wing Ignorant and ill-

educated Middle class youth –

student unions and universities

Unemployed Elite Political parties