Key dates
October 1929
1930
September 1930
1930
1931
1931
Wall Street stock exchange crashes. USA gives Germany 90 days to repay loans
Most parties in Reichstag want to cut unemployment benefit. Social Democrats
walk out in protest
Social Democrats biggest party in Reichstag, but Nazis gain 107 seats. SDs will
not work with other parties so leader of Catholic Centre Party Bruning becomes
Chancellor
Unemployment was at three million
Key Characters
Heinrich Bruning
Adolf Hitler
Chancellor from 1930 to June 1932
Leader of the Nazis from 1921
Kurt von Schleicher
Former general who became Chancellor in November 1932
Franz von Papen
Catholic businessman who was friends with Hindenburg and became
Chancellor in June 1922
President from 1925-1934
Leader of the Communist party
Unemployment rose to 4.5 million
Bruning unable to form a government. Asks Hindenburg to use Article 48 to rule
by decree
Unemployment reaches six million; 40% of factory workers are unemployed;
half of 16-30 year olds do not have jobs; farmers struggle greatly
Presidential election- Hindenburg wins but Hitler a close second with
communist Ernst Thalmann in third
Franz von Papen is appointed as Chancellor after Bruning is sacked
Paul von Hindenburg
Ernst Thalmann
President
27th February 1933
Papen unable to control the Reichstag- another election is called and the Nazis
become the largest party with 230 seats
Papen is still unable to control the Reichstag. Another election is called in which
the Nazis are still the biggest party but with 196 seats. Hitler contemplates
suicide. Von Papen is sacked and replaced by von Schleicher
Conflict rages between communists and other parties on the streets of
Germany
With von Schleicher unable to deal with the violence on the streets, Hitler is
appointed Chancellor with von Papen as vice Chancellor
Reichstag fire
28th February 1933
Hitler is granted emergency powers
Emergency powers
5th March
24th March 1933
May 1933
Nazis win 288 seats in the election
Enabling Act is passed
Trade unions and other political parties banned
Reichstag fire
Trade unions
SA
30th June 1934
Night of the Long Knives- 200 members of the SA and other political opponents
are killed by members of the SS
Hindenburg dies
Army swears an oath of allegiance to Hitler
90% of the public vote for Hitler to be appointed as ‘Fuhrer’, merging the
offices of President and Chancellor
SS
1932
March 1932
June 1932
July 1932
November 1932
January 1933
January 30th 1933
2nd August 1934
2nd August
19th August
Key characters and concepts
Article 48
Chancellor
Coalition
Part of the constitution that allowed the President to rule by himself in
times of emergency
Head of the Reichstag- leader of the government. Usually the leader of the
biggest party
Most important position in Weimar Germany- directly elected. Could use
Article 48 in times of emergency
An agreement between different political parties that they will work
together in government
Government
The act of ruling over the country
Reichstag
The German parliament building
Enabling Act
A law that enabled the Nazis to pass any law without reference to the
Reichstag
Powers which gave Hitler and the Nazis power to arrest, imprison and
execute as they wished. Civil liberties were suspended
The burning down of the Reichstag
Organisations that campaign for better rights for its members
Brownshirts- original Stormtroopers. Carried short knives and numbered
around two million before NOLK
Blackshirts- started as Hitler’s private bodyguard but increased in size and
replaced the SA after NOLK
Simple order expected to be followed as if it was a law
A pledge to stand by and follow Hitler
Decree
Oath of allegiance