HIST2125 Hitler’s Germany Lecture 5: NSDAP and the End of the Weimar Republic, October 2012

The Crisis of Democracy, : 3 factors 1) Mass unemployment (≥ 6 million) + 2) ‘Presidential government’ (or ‘Hindenburg government’) of moderate-rightist CP leader Heinrich Brüning (Art. 53 of Weimar Constitution) ► First step into an authoritarian regime ► Shift of power from Reichstag to government ► Weimar democracy already at stake + 3) NSDAP election results = Gradual demise of Weimar Republic

Brüning’s deflation policy (1) Strong cuts in government’s spending esp. in civil service Massive increase of + introduction of new taxes → To raise competitiveness of G products abroad → To demonstrate to Allies willingness to pay reparations = Deflation policy with clearly foreign policy intentions

Brüning’s deflation policy (2) → Deflation policy cuts government expenditures in economy + lowers buying- power of people = Self-destructive mechanism ≠ J.M. Keynes’ idea of temporarily expanded public debts (inflation policy)

Economic crisis Huge unemployment Decrease of unemployment subsidies More people receive only welfare subsidies = No active government plan to fight but only to manage crisis ► Strong decline of trust in government ► Brüning’s public appeals no longer believed ► Hopes faded for improvement of situation

NSDAP in Reichstag elections : SPD 29,8 - 24,5 % NSDAP 2,6 - 18,3 % KPD10,6 - 13,1 % DNVP 14,2 - 7,0 % DVP 8,7 - 4,5 % DDP 4,9 - 3,8 % July – November 1932 NSDAP37,3 - 33,1 % SPD 21,6 – 20,4 % KPD14,3 – 16,9 % DNVP 5,9 – 8,3 % DVP 1,2 – 1,9 % DDP 1,0 – 1,0 %

Reichstag election, Sep 1930 Decisive break-through of NSDAP: High voters’ turn out Decline of DNVP Voters from lower middle-class + various other strata of society Financial subsidies from big industry much less important than Hitler’s own charisma

NSDAP after re-founding in 1925 Munich branch effectively party headquarter Hitler’s claim for absolute leadership + personal orders to sub-leaders ☺ ≠ Strasser’s bureaucratic structure ☻ Hitler’s concept of SA as party force ☺ ≠ Röhm’s concept as military force ☻ districts lead by Gauleiter (district leaders) + local party branches leaders Special party organisations + professional associations as wider mass networks

NSDAP characteristics Internal symbols of Hitler’s charismatic rule: A)Super-power position B)Embodiment of heroism + sacred mission + greatness + devotion C) Decision-making as ‘action and example’ without formal limitations External symbols of Führer cult: A)Heil Hitler’, Hitler Youth, propaganda (Goebbels) B)Sub-leaders in ‘blood brotherhood’ with feudal loyalty to Hitler C)Führer myth → ‘Hitler Party’

NSDAP agitation + propaganda Rites + symbols, parades of NS organisations Rallies: 1926 Weimar, since 1927 Nuremberg Election campaigns: Mass rallies, flags, films, Hitler’s flights through Germany = Omnipresence, actions, dynamism, technical modernity, H’s charisma → Movement of the ‘Young-and-fresh’ = Flag consecrations, martyr cult for fallen Nazis, oaths for loyalty + sacrifice, terror + attacks on political enemies → ‘Fighting Movement’ ► Actionist ‘movement’ style + irrational heroism ≠ rational discourse, compromise, pluralism, democracy

Election campaign Jul 1932 Increased terror of SA/SS against political opponents esp. vs. Communists → Republican police seemingly helpless → More calls for strong government leader Dismissal of SPD-led government in Prussia by Chancellor Papen (Preussenschlag) = Major republican stronghold removed

Reichstag election Jul 1932 Great success for NSDAP: A kind of protest party vs. Weimar democracy Defeat of moderate-rightist & middle-class parties Good results of SPD, Catholic Centre Party, KPD = 57,6% votes against Weimar = Reflection of strong dissatisfaction with domestic & economic situation

Hitler’s excessive demands Declared end of NSDAP support for Papen Refused to join Papen government: “All or nothing” → Wanted government with him as Chancellor = Rejected by Hindenburg who saw NSDAP government as not acceptable (13 Aug) ► NSDAP blocked to take power = Reichstag vote of no confidence in Papen (12 Sep) ► Stalemate + new Reichstag election 6 Nov 1932

Reichstag election Nov 1932 Surprising NSDAP losses due to low voters’ turnout Losses of SPD + Centre Party Gains for extremes KPD + DNVP = Voters’ fatigue after 5 consecutive election rounds (Reichstag, President, Federal States) = Stable government again not possible due to majority of 296 NSDAP/KPD of 584 Reichstag seats

Hitler’s Way to Power: 8 explanations Political: Versailles Treaty Economic: Economic crises Institutional: Weimar constitution Sociological: Lower middle class Ideological: Authoritarian tradition Marxist: Necessary crisis of capitalism Mass psychology: Propaganda Personality: Hitler