How Hitler became Chancellor Elizabeth lugones

Ricardo Ruiz

Chris Hallstrand

GOAL:Identify the roles which played a part in

Hitler being appointed as Chancellor

THE NAZI PARTY AND NAZI IDEASBefore 1933, the ideology of Nazism was broader than the viewpoint of Hitler.

The basic themes were: racial struggle, anti-Semitism, anti-Bolshevism, the idea of struggle,

the need for lebensraum (living space) and the destruction of the legacy of Versailles.

The philosophy of Nazism was not just influenced by Adolf Hitler but by Nazi thinkers

such as Gottfried Feder and Gregor Strasser.

The diversity of the Nazi message before 1933 was useful in presenting the political

phenomenon of National Socialism as a movement rather than a political party.

HITLER’S OWN SKILLS After the failed coup in Munich Putsch, Hitler realized that the public’s perception of

the Nazi party was crucial for political success.

In order to achieve this, the Nazi party needed to use legal means, such as elections, to

gain power.

Hitler also attempted to calm the SA (Sturmabteilung or ‘brownshirts’) by making

them take mundane roles, such as training and stewarding of rallies.

Using his own skills of oratory Hitler appealed to the patriotism of the German people.

HITLER’S OWN SKILLS (compromise & collaboration)Hitler's alliance with the conservative and nationalist parties was of paramount

importance in his appointment as Chancellor.

In 1929, the Nazis formed an electoral alliance with the nationalists, the Pan-German

and the Stahlhelm (nationalist paramilitaries) in opposition to the payment of further

reparations.

This became known as the Harzburh Front, this deal was of enormous importance to

Hitler because it offered the respectability needed to woo the middle classes.

"Propaganda tries to force a

doctrine on the whole people...

Propaganda works on the general

public from the standpoint of an

idea and makes them ripe for the

victory of this idea."

- Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler

PROPAGANDA Joseph Goebbels was the party's expert on propaganda and was the one who invented

the ‘Hitler Myth’.

He published numerous pamphlets and organized demonstrations as well as election

campaigns.

The use of rallies, speeches, lectures and ‘aeroplane campaigns’ in certain areas was

effective in raising the profile of the party and increasing the vote at elections.

Goebbels sought to Nazify the whole of German culture, wiping away what Hitler saw

as the ‘decadence’ of 1920s Weimar Germany, painting instead a picture of a Germany

with traditional values and with Hitler as the beloved Führer.

This is a typical early Nazi poster

from 1921. The first Nazi posters has

bright red backgrounds and a lot of

text. This one announces that Hitler

will speak, gives the topic, and notes

that Jews are prohibited from

attending. In Mein Kampf, Hitler

wrote:

“We chose red for our posters, since it

is vivid and was the color that most

aroused our opponents. It forced

them to notice and remember us.”

USE OF FORCEIn 1921 Hitler set up a group within the NSDAP that would protect his political

meetings from attacks by rivals. It gave a military look, feel and discipline to the party.

This group was known as the ‘stormtroopers’ (Sturm Abteilung – SA) or ‘Brownshirts’.

Many members of the SA were former soldiers unemployed since the end of the war.

As the SA grew in size, rather than simply protecting Hitler and Nazi meetings from

opponents, they began to disrupt the meetings of rival political groups.

As the Nazis gained power through democratic means, the SA gained a reputation as a

well-organised gang of violent thugs. This frightened and put many off Nazism, but

others were attracted by the organisation and discipline of a uniformed group.

A propaganda image showing Hitler speaking to his followers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXDAhkyqPwM

Paul von HindenburgHe was a german field marshal in WW1. He retired as a

general in 1919. He was a war hero and became president of

the Weimar Republic in 1825. He was convinced to appoint

Hitler as Chancellor of the new Cabinet in January 30, 1933.

They thought he could be controlled. Believing he will be

locked in a conservative dominated cabinet with Papen as

vice Chancellor.

Weimar Politicians At the time of 1932 Nazis had 37 percent of the vote and were the largest single party

in the Reichstag. Hitler was demanding to become chancellor but Franz von Papen was

chosen instead but he didn't have the Reichstag support.

Then he was replaced with General Kurt von Schleicher whose government was also

unable to control the Reichstag.

After this von Papen made a deal with hitler, where he would be Vice-Chancellor and

Hitler as Chancellor. He rallied for Hitler. After being convinced Hindenburg made

Hitler chancellor in hope of him creating a stable government.

Weimar PoliticiansSpecifically on the left you have the communist and socialist which overall failed to

challenge Hitler rising to chancellorship. Communist believed that by waiting and

doing nothing if Hitler came to power he will ultimately fall and communism will end

up victories. The SPD just had no idea what to do, they couldn't act violently. There

was also never any unity between the two and nothing was done to stop him.

And because the Weimar Republic went through so much chaos of losing so much to

the treaty of Versailles, and the 1929 crash this was all used as a blame to the current

system.

Weimar PoliticiansYou also have the conservatives and nationalist which had an alliance with Hitler. Both

saw his ideas of bringing Germany to being the true power it could as important. In

1929 the alliance between the nationalist and the Nazis with the Pan German League

and Stahlhelm, which opposed paying anymore reparations.

1. Conservatives, shared dislike of weakness and lawlessness of Weimar democracy

2. Conservatives and Nationalists thought that they could reduce some of the radical ideas of Hitler

3. Conservative was opportunistic saw how popular Hitler was. Wanted to use him to get to power and then make him a puppet

Industrial and Business Supports Industrial business supporters had somewhat of a reason to support Hitler. Because of

the crash, the Weimar system as a whole was blamed, it was portrayed as not being

able to have any power and fix the current situation.

These ideas helped the cause of both Communists and the Nazis, however industrial

and business supports were not fond of communist ideas and they saw Nazi support as

being beneficial to them.

Crash of 1929 and Depression The crash of 1929 occurred from people taking out too much money and speculating

in the stock market. This crash of the stock market in New York. The Nazi party used

this to gain support from a wide range of German people. By taking dissatisfaction of

the economic position and turning it into protests against the current government and

social system.

Case for The Nazi Party and IdeasThe Nazi party and its ideas were the key factors why Hitler rose to power due to the

components that build it. The party itself was constructed by

● Its many levels of propaganda

● Effects of the crash of 1929 and The Great Depression

● The intimidation of the Sturmabteilung (Stormtroopers)

● Hitler himself

Propaganda was used to support the party and try to make it appeal to the people. The

depression gave people a reason to support the party due to promises. The Nazi ideas

were supported when they appealed to the specific needs of the people. The SA drove

off opposing parties and Hitler used his speaking skills to lead it all.

Case against The Nazi Party and Ideas The Nazi party and its ideas should be partially credited for its contribution, but the

main point of all of those components is the traumatic impact of the Crash in 1929 and

The Great Depression on Germany. Many Germans were left hopeless during this

time, so the Nazi party appealed to many of those who were economically desperate.

The Nazi party then gained the most popularity it would ever have at the time because

of it. By July 1932, the Nazi party was the largest party in the Reichstag (and can be

argued to be caused by) the effects of the crash and The Great Depression. The party

itself was not genuinely supported until july 1932.

Best explanation of Hitler’s accession to power?To summarize the reason why Hitler gained access to power cannot be simplified

down to one or two crucial points. Many factors contributed to his eventual rise to

power including

● The process in the politics behind earning the “Chancellor” position

● The views of the general public

● The impact of the crash of 1929 and the Great Depression on Germany

● The physical and political intimidation of the SA

● Von Papen’s influence

● Hitler’s own skill