The Nazi Revolution

Revival of Germany• 1933: Germany teetered

on the point of economic collapse, with 6,000,000 unemployed.

• 1939: German industrial production had doubled, and there was surplus of 2,000,000 jobs.

• 1933: Germany was disarmed and diplomatically isolated.

• 1939: Germany held the strongest military in Europe and the world.

Consolidation of Power• 30 January 1933:

Hindenburg, fearing clash between conservatives and socialists, named Hitler chancellor

• 27 February: Reichstag building burned; used as excuse by Hitler to persecute communists

• 5 March: new Reichstag elections; communists expelled from Reichstag

• 23 March: Enabling Act• 14 July: Law Against the

New Formation of Parties

Consolidation of Power• Consolidation via Terror

– “SA” “Stormtroopers” (“Sturmabteilung”), private army, typically from lower class, started as protectors at rallies

– “SS” “Blackshirts” (“Schutzstaffel”), politico-military elite, established as counterweight to rising SA

– “Gestapo” secret police, under Himmler, disdained SA

• Challenge to Hitler's leadership within Nazi party

– 30 June 1934: “Night of Long Knives” purged Nazi party, especially SA, reduced SA to fringe group

– Hitler claimed full responsibility

Consolidation of Power• Use of Anti-Semitism

– provided scapegoats

– unity within Nazism through common enemy

– inclusion of ordinary citizens into atmosphere of terror

• • Consolidation via seizure of office

– 2 August 1934: Hindenburg died

– Hitler declared himself “führer” (meaning leader)

Economic Rebuilding• • Hjalmar Schacht appointed as

economic minister– Had organized 1920s recovery under

Stresseman

– Head of the Reichbank, 1933

– Economic Minister, 1934

• • Economic policies included:– Government directly controlled

imports/exports

– Government directly controlled agricultural output

– Government directly controlled industry

– Peasant and Industrial workers glorified

– Job transfers were made difficult

– Maintained high value of mark

– Rearmament as means to success

Rearmament• Provided jobs within the

military• Provided instant market for

industrial output• Gave Germany pride in its

defense• Provided powerful base of

support for Nazis• Suited Nazi national

legends and beliefs• Violated Treaty of

Versailles• Foreshadowed use of

enlarged military

New National Image• Nazi Propaganda

defined modern propaganda techniques

• Joseph Goebbels: Minister of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda

– Controlled press– Controlled movies– Controlled radio: target home,

leisure time, workplace– 1936 Olympics gave Germany

international focus Propaganda poster, showing Hitler with a pseudo-messianic image

Conclusions• Nazi Germany, from 1933 to

1939, underwent an essentially “bloodless” revolution which

• Transformed the economy from one based on capitalism to based on governmental control;

• Stripped the political structure of its democratic and replaced them with dictatorship;

• Converted the social structure into one based upon nationalism, scapegoats, and terror; and

• Found economic strength in military expansion.