Higher History Germany 1815 - 1939 Issue 6 An evaluation of the reasons why the Nazis were able to stay in power, 1933–39

Learning Intentions To know and understand the reasons why Hitler and the Nazis were in a seemingly weak political position in January 1933. To know the timeline of events which led to the creation of a Nazi dictatorship.

The Creation of the Nazi Dictatorship The Reichstag Fire – 27 February 1933 (p115) The March Election - 5 March 1933 (p115) The Enabling Act - 23 March 1933 (p115) One-Party State – 14 July 1933 (p115) The Night of the Long Knives - 30th June 1934 (p116) Führer – August 1934 (p118)

March Election and Enabling Act March election (not free or fair). Nazis 288 seats (from 196) in the Reichstag (43.9% of the vote). Hitler proposes the Enabling Act – ‘you have given the other parties thirteen years, now give me four’ 2/3 (66%) majority needed to change the constitution. The Nazis only have 43%. Communists (KPD) banned from taking their seats (Emergency Decree), 26 of the SPD were ‘missing’, Zentrum and DVP voted for the act, leaving only 94 of the SPD to vote against it. So, Hitler gets the 2/3 majority he needs.

One Party State 14 July 1933 – a law was passed that stated that the Nazis were the only legal political party. KPD and the SPD had been banned and the other parties agreed to disband themselves.

Analysis The dictatorship was created very quickly. Within 18 months Hitler was Fuhrer of a one- party state. Without the creation of a political dictatorship, none of the other Nazi policies would have been possible. The Enabling Act, in particular, gave the Nazis the power to change German law and society unopposed. Nazi policies were not subject to parliamentary scrutiny. There was no President after August 1934, so there were no Presidential checks on Nazi policy.

Starter – If this is the answer, what is the question? KPD Reichstag 23rd March, 1933 14th July, 1933 Rohm

The Trade Unions

Gleichschaltung - Analysis Gleichschaltung meant that every aspect of life in Nazi Germany was closely controlled. Institutions and organisations that could have stood in the way of the Nazis were taken control of or banned. Control of education and youth movements meant that future opposition to the Nazis would be unlikely.

Fear and Terror The Nazis, A Warning from History

Fear and Terror - Analysis Terror ensured that those who did not actively support the Nazis were too afraid to actually oppose them. In particular, the methods used by the Gestapo created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. The fact that the first concentration camp (Dachau) was opened in 1933, only a few months after the Nazis came to power, illustrates how ruthlessly the Nazis dealt with their enemies from the beginning of the regime

Nazi Policies – Foreign Policies The main aim of Hitler and the Nazis was to restore Germany’s power and prestige in Europe after the humiliation of the First World War and Versailles. Reparations had been cancelled during the Great Depression in 1932. As soon as the Nazis came to power they began rearmament, at first secretly, then openly (after 1935). As well as providing thousands of jobs, this policy proved to be very popular with most Germans, who felt that Germany had been treated unfairly after the First World War. The Nazis also had popular foreign policies, most importantly their promise to rescind Versailles. The remilitarization of the Rhineland in March 1936 and the Anschluss of March 1938 were greeted enthusiastically by the German people. The idea of Lebensraum (creating ‘living space’ by expanding into Poland and Russia) was also very popular (although this policy did not become a reality until after the start of the Second World War).

Nazi Policies – Crushing Communism Fear of Communism was a major factor in bringing the Nazis to power. Middle class Germans especially feared a communist revolution in Germany, similar to that that had happened in Russia. (This had been a very bloody revolution and had led to a civil war.) The Nazis delivered on their promise to crush the Communists very quickly. The KPD was banned after the Reichstag Fire in February 1933. (The Decree for the Protection of the People and the State.)

Nazi Policies – Anti-Semitism Many Germans approved of the Nazis’ anti-Semitic policies, especially those who took Jewish jobs. The Jews became convenient scapegoats to blame for Germany’s past problems In 1933 there was boycott of Jewish shops and businesses. The 1935 Nuremberg Laws deprived German Jews of their German citizenship. On Kristallnacht (the Night of the Broken Glass) in November 1938 Jewish shops, businesses were attacked and many synagogues were burned down. (The Final Solution of the Jewish problem (i.e. the death camps) did not come until after the beginning of the Second World War) At first, the Nazis anti-Semitism wasn’t hugely popular (the 1933 boycott only lasted a day). However, as Jewish businesses were confiscated and the Jews more openly persecuted anti-Semitism did become more popular in Germany. It is difficult to completely gauge the popularity of this policy though. Many Germans were shocked and appalled at the events of Kristallnacht.

Nazi Policies – Full Employment When the Nazis came to power one of their most powerful promises was to reduce unemployment, which they did. In January 1932 unemployment in Germany peaked at just over 6m (or 29.9%). By 1939 it was 380,000 (0.5%). This was a major achievement, largely due to Schacht’s policy of spending Germany out of the depression (Keynesian principles). Major factors that helped reduce unemployment: Rearmament. Public works (e.g. the building of the Autobahn). Conscription after 1935. Removing certain people from the workforce – Jews, women. Even though wages were falling in real terms and the German economy would have been in serious trouble had war not broken out in 1939, the Nazis putting Germany back to work proved to be very popular.

Nazi Policies – Strength Through Joy The Nazi programme KdF (Strength Through Joy) provided subsidised holidays, theatre visits and sports facilities. Later plans were even drawn up for a subsidised ‘people’s car’ (VolksWagen). This didn’t really go into production until 1938, but it was popular with many Germans who began to save for their car years before.

Nazi Policies - Analysis   It is hard to gauge just how genuinely popular Nazi policies were as the waters are muddied by dictatorship and fear; however, there is no doubt that many of the policies of the Nazis and many aspects of the Nazi regime were genuinely popular. In particular, the Nazis’ foreign policies restored the pride of Germans in their country again, after the humiliation of Germany’s defeat in the First World War. The Nazis’ ruthless elimination of their opponents, especially the Communists, was popular with many Germans, especially the middle and upper classes.

Lack of Opposition - Analysis Many Germans were more accepting of authoritarianism than democracy, as democracy had been short-lived and less than successful from 1918 – 1933. The lack of any opposition, not just political, was clearly essential to the survival of the Nazi regime. The Nazis had no political opposition, thanks to the dictatorship and no organisational or social opposition, thanks to the Gleichschaltung.