Describe the Armistice in 1918 (4)
Describe the Armistice in 1918 (4)
• Peace agreement to end WW1.
• Germans saw it as a betrayal and felt that the
German army had been stabbed in the back
(Dolchstoss).
• The politicians who signed it became known
as the “November Criminals “.
Describe the Treaty of Versaillles (4)
Describe the Treaty of Versaillles (4)
28 June 1919
• Germany lost 13% of its land
• Germany lost 48% of its iron production
• They had to accept war guilt (Article 231)
• They had to pay 6.6 billion pounds in reparations
• Germany were not allowed to join the League of
Nations
• Germans felt this was a “diktat” (a dictated
peace) as they were not allowed to have a say in
the conditions.
Describe a weakness in the Weimar
Constitution (4)
Describe a weakness in the Weimar
Constitution (4)
• Proportional representation (the voting system)
meant that it was difficult for a single party to
gain a majority in the Reichstag. This meant
leading parties had to rely on coalition
Governments which constantly broke down.
1923-30 there were 10 coalition Governments.
• Article 48 meant that the President could pass
laws without consulting the Reichstag in an
emergency. This allowed the President too much
power.
Describe hyperinflation in 1923 (4)
Describe hyperinflation in 1923 (4)
• Germany lost a lot of money due to passive resistance in
the Ruhr and the Government had to print more money
to pay the reparation fees to the Allies.
• This led to hyperinflation where money became
worthless
• People on fixed incomes could no longer afford to eat
e.g. pensioners
• People’s savings became worthless
• Businesses had to close and unemployment rose
• People blamed the Weimar Government
THIS IS NOT THE GREAT DEPRESSION
Describe the Munich Putsch (4)
Describe the Munich Putsch (4)
• Membership of the Nazi party had reached 55,000 and were particularly
popular in Bavaria
• Hitler had the support of General Ludendorff (a popular army General)
• Hitler and 600 SA entered a beer hall in Munich and held leading Bavarian
politicians at gun point so they would support his Putsch
• Hitler and the SA marched through Munich and were met by the army and
police (who were warned by the Bavarian politicians)
• 16 Nazis were killed and 4 policemen
• Following the Putsch
• The Nazi party was banned
• Hitler gained publicity and sympathy through his trial and only got a
sentence of 5 years
• In prison Hitler write Mein Kampf (a manifesto of his ideas)
• In prison Hitler decided to change his tactics and decided he would come
to power democratically.
Describe the Nazis use of
propaganda before 1933 (4)
Describe the Nazis use of propaganda
before 1933 (4)
•
•
•
•
Campaign was led by Josef Goebbels
Used radio, newspapers, speeches and posters
Nazis owned 120 newspapers
Financial backing from Krupp and Bosch allowed
a sophisticated campaign
• Promised jobs to the working classes and to crush
communism to the middle and upper classes
• Made Hitler look strong next to the weak Weimar
Government
Describe the SA (4)
Describe the SA (4)
• Sturmabteilung
• Formed in 1925 and led by Rohm
• Wore brown uniforms and were known as
brownshirts or storm troopers
• Acted as “bully boy thugs”
• Helped Hitler in the Munich Putsch in 1923
• Protected Nazi speakers
• Disrupted opposition meetings
• 170,000 of them in 1932 making Hitler look
strong
Describe Hitler’s political
manipulation of Von Papen and
Hindenburg (4)
Describe Hitler’s political manipulation
of Von Papen and Hindenburg (4)
• Hitler gained 230 seats in 1932 but Hindenburg
made Von Papen Chancellor instead
• Von Papen did not have a majority in the
Reichstag so was ineffective. Hindenburg
replaced Von Papen with Von Schleicher which
annoyed Von Papen
• Hitler persuaded Von Papen to manipulate
Hindenbrug into making Hitler Chancellor and
Von Papen vice Chancellor
• HITLER BECAME CHANCELLOR ON 30 JANUARY
1933
Explain how the Great Depression
helped Hitler come to power in 1933
Explain how the Great Depression
helped Hitler come to power in 1933
• In 1929 there was an economic depression in
Germany
• In 1932 there were 6.2 million unemployed and
there was a feeling of hopelessness and despair.
1. The weak Weimar Government led by Bruning
failed to deal with this and the Hitler was a strong
leader
2. People turned to extremist parties like the Nazi
Party and the Communists
3. The Nazis promised jobs and that they would
crush Communism
Explain how the SA helped Hitler
come to power in 1933
Explain how the SA helped Hitler come
to power in 1933
• Sturmabteilung
• Formed in 1921 and led by Rohm
• Wore brown uniforms and were known as
brownshirts or storm troopers
• Acted as “bully boy thugs”
1. Protected Nazi speakers
2. Disrupted opposition meetings
3. 170,000 of them in 1932 making Hitler look
strong
Explain how propaganda helped
Hitler come to power in 1933
Explain how propaganda helped Hitler
come to power in 1933
•
•
•
•
Campaign was led by Josef Goebbels
Used radio, newspapers, speeches and posters
Nazis owned 120 newspapers
Financial backing from Krupp and Bosch allowed a
sophisticated campaign
1. Promised jobs to the working classes and to crush
communism to the middle and upper classes
2. Made Hitler look strong next to the weak Weimar
Government
3. Was effective so made sure the Nazi message was
everywhere
Explain the factors which helped
Hitler come to power in 1933
Explain the factors which helped Hitler
come to power in 1933
Any 3 of the following
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Great Depression
Propaganda
Financial Backing
Fear of Communism
Hitler was a strong leader
Weak Weimar Government
SA
Explain how the Great Depression
effected Germany 1929
Explain how the Great Depression
effected Germany 1929
1. 6.2 million unemployed which led to
hopelessness and despair
2. The Weimar Government led by Bruning
failed to deal with the crisis so people looked
for alternatives
3. People turned to extremist parties like the
Nazis and the Communists
How important was the Great
Depression in helping Hitler come to
power in 1933
How important was the Great
Depression in helping Hitler come to
power in 1933
• In 1929 there was an economic depression in Germany
• In 1932 there were 6.2 million unemployed and there was a
feeling of hopelessness and despair.
1. The weak Weimar Government led by Bruning failed to
deal with this and the Hitler was a strong leader
2. People turned to extremist parties like the Nazi Party and
the Communists
3. The Nazis promised jobs and that they would crush
Communism
CONCLUSION: it was important but other factors like
propaganda and the SA also played their part
How important was propaganda in
helping Hitler come to power in
1933
How important was propaganda in
helping Hitler come to power in 1933
•
•
•
•
Campaign was led by Josef Goebbels
Used radio, newspapers, speeches and posters
Nazis owned 120 newspapers
Financial backing from Krupp and Bosch allowed a sophisticated
campaign
1. Promised jobs to the working classes and to crush communism to
the middle and upper classes
2. Made Hitler look strong next to the weak Weimar Government
3. Was effective so made sure the Nazi message was everywhere
CONCLUSION: It was very important but without the Great
Depression the Nazis may not have been able to manipulate the
German people as effectively
How important was the SA in
helping Hitler come to power in
1933
How important was the SA in helping
Hitler come to power in 1933
• Sturmabteilung
• Formed in 1925 and led by Rohm
• Wore brown uniforms and were known as brownshirts or
storm troopers
• Acted as “bully boy thugs”
1. Protected Nazi speakers
2. Disrupted opposition meetings
3. 170,000 of them in 1932 making Hitler look strong
CONCLUSION: they were important but without the Great
Depression the political climate may not have been so easy for
the Nazis to climb to power.
Was the Great Depression the main
reason Hitler became Chancellor in
1933 (12)
Was the Great Depression the main
reason Hitler became Chancellor in
1933 (12)
YES: 6.2 million unemployed/weak Weimar Government
failed to deal with the crisis/people turned to extremist
parties/Hitler promised jobs and to crush Communism
NO: Propaganda (120 newspapers)
SA (170,000 members in 1932)
Financial backing from Krupp and Bosch
CONCLUSION: Set the correct political and economic
climate but without the Nazis ability to manipulate the
situation with the SA and propaganda they may not have
come to power
Describe the Reichstag Fire (4)
Describe the Reichstag Fire (4)
• 27 Feb 1933 German Parliament set on fire and
Dutch Communist Marinus Van Der Lubbe
blamed
• Some believe the Nazis did it so they could blame
the Communists
• Hitler arrested Communists and banned them
from the Reichstag before the March elections
• Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to sign an
emergency decree which meant he could control
the media before the March elections
Describe the March Elections (4)
Describe the March Elections (4)
• Hitler wanted a majority in the Reichstag so he
could pass any law he wanted
• He used violence and intimidation and there
were 70 deaths in the weeks before
• There was a lot of propaganda
• Hitler had heavy financial backing from
business men like Krupp and Bosch
• The Nazis gained the most seats (288) but did
not gain a majority
Describe the Enabling Act (4)
Describe the Enabling Act (4)
• Hitler needed 2/3 of the Reichstag to agree to it. He
used intimidation to make sure this happened
• The Enabling Act was passed on the 23 March 1933
and meant Hitler could pass any law he wanted
without consulting the Reichstag
• It became known as the “foundation stone of the Third
Reich”
• Using the act he banned trade unions (2 May 1933)
and other political parties (14 July 1933)
• Hitler removed all opposition
• Hitler became a “dictator”
Describe the Night of the Long Knives
(4)
Describe the Night of the Long Knives
(4)
• 30 June 1934
• Hitler killed 400 leaders of the SA and enemies of the Nazi
Party including Ernst Rohm and Von Schleicher
• Hitler claimed the SA were plotting against him
• It was known as “Operation Hummingbird” or the “Bloody
Purge”
• He removed the threat of the massive SA (170,000
members in 1932)
• He gained the support of the army who did not trust the SA
• It showed that Hitler would rule through fear and
intimidation
Describe the death of Hindenburg (4)
Describe the death of Hindenburg (4)
• The President died August 2nd 1934
• Hitler combined the roles of Chancellor and
President to make Fuhrer (Supreme Leader)
• The army swore an oath of allegiance to Hitler
• Hitler had complete power
Explain how the Reichstag Fire helped
Hitler come to power
Explain how the Reichstag Fire helped
Hitler come to power
• 27 Feb 1933 German Parliament set on fire and
Dutch Communist Marinus Van Der Lubbe
blamed
1. Hitler arrested Communists and banned them
from the Reichstag before the March elections
2. Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to sign an
emergency decree which meant he could
control the media before the March elections
3. The emergency decree stopped civil liberties
giving Hitler more power
Explain how the Enabling Act helped
Hitler come to power
Explain how the Enabling Act helped
Hitler come to power
• Hitler needed 2/3 of the Reichstag to agree to it. He
used intimidation to make sure this happened
• The Enabling Act was passed on the 23 March 1933. It
became known as the “foundation stone of the Third
Reich”
1. Hitler could pass any law he wanted without
consulting the Reichstag
2. Hitler removed all opposition e.g. Using the act he
banned trade unions (2 May 1933) and other political
parties (14 July 1933)
3. Hitler became a “dictator”
Explain how the Night of the Long
Knives helped Hitler come to power
Explain how the Night of the Long
Knives helped Hitler come to power
• 30 June 1934
• Hitler killed 400 leaders of the SA and enemies of the Nazi
Party including Ernst Rohm and Von Schleicher
• Hitler claimed the SA were plotting against him
• It was known as “Operation Hummingbird” or the “Bloody
Purge”
1. He removed the threat of the massive SA (170,000
members in 1932)
2. He gained the support of the army who did not trust the SA
3. It showed that Hitler would rule through fear and
intimidation
How important was the Reichstag Fire
in helping to consolidate the Nazis
power
How important was the Reichstag Fire
in helping to consolidate the Nazis
power
• 27 Feb 1933 German Parliament set on fire and Dutch
Communist Marinus Van Der Lubbe blamed
1. Hitler arrested Communists and banned them from the
Reichstag before the March elections
2. Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to sign an emergency decree
which meant he could control the media before the
March elections
3. The emergency decree stopped civil liberties giving Hitler
more power
CONCLUSION: It was important but without the Enabling Act
and Night of the Long Knives other obstacles to full power
were still there
How important was the Enabling Act in
helping to consolidate the Nazis power
How important was the Enabling Act in
helping to consolidate the Nazis power
• Hitler needed 2/3 of the Reichstag to agree to it. He used
intimidation to make sure this happened
• The Enabling Act was passed on the 23 March 1933. It became
known as the “foundation stone of the Third Reich”
1. Hitler could pass any law he wanted without consulting the
Reichstag
2. Hitler removed all opposition e.g. Using the act he banned trade
unions (2 May 1933) and other political parties (14 July 1933)
3. Hitler became a “dictator”
CONCLUSION: It was important but without the Night of the Long
Knives and Death of Hindenburg Hitler would never have had control
over the army
How important was the Night of the
Long Knives in helping to consolidate
the Nazis power
How important was the Night of the
Long Knives in helping to consolidate
the
Nazis
power
• 30 June 1934
• Hitler killed 400 leaders of the SA and enemies of the Nazi
Party including Ernst Rohm and Von Schleicher
• Hitler claimed the SA were plotting against him
• It was known as “Operation Hummingbird” or the “Bloody
Purge”
1. He removed the threat of the massive SA (170,000
members in 1932)
2. He gained the support of the army who did not trust the SA
3. It showed that Hitler would rule through fear and
intimidation
Was the Reichstag Fire the main
reason Hitler consolidated his power?
(12)
YES: Reichstag Fire
NO:
March elections
Enabling Act
Night of Long Knives
Death of Hindenberg
CONCLUSION