 starter activity How will future historians be able to work out who voted New Labour? How does this differ for historians trying to work out who voted for the Nazi Party?

Possible answers Opinion polls Opinion polls Voting statistics Voting statistics Membership records Membership records Campaigns in the media – e.g. TV, radio & newspapers Campaigns in the media – e.g. TV, radio & newspapers Individual interviews Individual interviews

 Your task Copy the list of different types of Germans on p. 118 of Hite & Hinton into your notes and decide on the basis of what you currently know whether they would vote Nazi (+), or not (-) or you aren’t sure (?)

NSDAP voters Low ranking civil servant Low ranking civil servant Retired professor Retired professor Army general Army general Shopkeeper in northern Germany Shopkeeper in northern Germany Female industrial worker Female industrial worker Junker Junker Catholic priest Catholic priest Protestant small retailer Protestant small retailer Industrial worker High-ranking civil servant Protestant student Small farmer Catholic unemployed worker Unemployed ex-soldier Unemployed artist

Who voted Nazi? Historiographical problems in finding out about early support for the NSDAP

How can we tell who voted Nazi Problems- lack of opinion polls, secret ballots Problems- lack of opinion polls, secret ballots Some states held separate ballots for men & women (blue & pink voting slips) Some states held separate ballots for men & women (blue & pink voting slips) Nazis did well in certain areas, e.g. overwhelmingly Protestant, or farming areas Nazis did well in certain areas, e.g. overwhelmingly Protestant, or farming areas Membership records – SA & Nazi Party Membership records – SA & Nazi Party Propaganda – who they appealed to Propaganda – who they appealed to Autobiographies, e.g. Prof Abel, Columbia Uni, 581 autobiogs. Autobiographies, e.g. Prof Abel, Columbia Uni, 581 autobiogs. What are some of the problems with these sources of evidence?

Why have historians views changed? Decline of Marxist theory of history – class struggle, oppression of working classes by middle & elite classes More sophisticated analysis of voting behaviour – e.g. greater importance attached to religion & culture More sophisticated data analysis – use of computerised analysis, local studies Collapse of Communism & opening of state archives The fall of the Berlin Wall heralded the end of Communism and the opening of many state archives on Nazi Germany

 Your task Look at source 7.10 (p.119, Hite & Hinton). Look at source 7.10 (p.119, Hite & Hinton). List 2 groups that were over-represented & 2 groups that were under-represented List 2 groups that were over-represented & 2 groups that were under-represented List 2 groups that were over-represented & 2 groups that were under-represented List 2 groups that were over-represented & 2 groups that were under-represented How did membership of the party change between 1929 and 1933? How did membership of the party change between 1929 and 1933? How did membership of the party change between 1929 and 1933? How did membership of the party change between 1929 and 1933? What does source 7.11 tell us about the nature of Nazi support? What does source 7.11 tell us about the nature of Nazi support? What does source 7.11 tell us about the nature of Nazi support? What does source 7.11 tell us about the nature of Nazi support?

Over represented = white-collar workers & self- employed artisans Over represented = white-collar workers & self- employed artisans Under-represented = Peasants, workers Under-represented = Peasants, workers

Membership of workers increased from 26 to 32.5%, possibly due to rising unemployment & economic crisis Membership of workers increased from 26 to 32.5%, possibly due to rising unemployment & economic crisis Membership of white-collar workers decreased, possibly due to fear at the growth in popularity of radical movement like NSDAP Membership of white-collar workers decreased, possibly due to fear at the growth in popularity of radical movement like NSDAP

7.11 suggests many workers were attracted to NSDAP by promise of greater social welfare (clothing, accommodation & board) & a feeling that the SDP had abandoned its socialist cause suggests many workers were attracted to NSDAP by promise of greater social welfare (clothing, accommodation & board) & a feeling that the SDP had abandoned its socialist cause.

 Your task Look through the different tables on p and note where NSDAP support was strongest in the following categories: Look through the different tables on p and note where NSDAP support was strongest in the following categories: Religion Religion Age Age Gender Gender Region Region Chronology (i.e. how did historical events impact on Nazi support) Chronology (i.e. how did historical events impact on Nazi support)

 Your task Historians are divided in their analysis of who supported the Nazis. Read through the sources on p and complete the table on p.122.

Why did people support the Nazis? Can you explain the appeal of these Nazi propaganda posters? Are they appealing to the same sorts of people?

 Your task Copy the table below and study one of the sources. Feedback as a class and compare your findings. (5 columns, 11 rows) Source Group directed at Their grievances What the NSDAP offered Other comments?

 Your task Read p (Hite & Hinton) Write a CV for a typical Nazi voter using the template on the history website.

 Your task You have been commissioned by the Nazi party to produce a poster for the 1932 presidential campaign. Before committing to print the NSDAP have asked you to send them a design brief for the poster. Decide which socio-economic group the poster will focus its message on, what grievances will be expressed and what the NSDAP will be offering to redress the situation. Write a paragraph describing your poster – the more adventurous may wish to include a sketch as well.

 Your task Read p and list the different ways in which historians have explained the popularity of the Nazi Party.

Historian’s assessment – why did Germans support the Nazis? Emotional appeal of Nazis Emotional appeal of Nazis Petty bourgeoisie under threat from big business and radical working class Petty bourgeoisie under threat from big business and radical working class Popular amongst Germans from weak, unsupportive communities Popular amongst Germans from weak, unsupportive communities What qualities did the Fuhrer offer that inspired such devoted support?

Propaganda, mass rallies (however, Noakes argues NSDAP were successful in elections where there was little use of propaganda) Successful economic policies (Brustein) – alternative to Marxist state planning & laissez- faire capitalism How could the construction of autobahn be seen as a propaganda exercise?

Anti-Communism Anti-Communism Anti-Semitism, racialist & homophobic policies appealed to extremists or those with scores to settle (however, Goldstein, argues anti-Semitism not crucial in electoral successes Anti-Semitism, racialist & homophobic policies appealed to extremists or those with scores to settle (however, Goldstein, argues anti-Semitism not crucial in electoral successes What is the message behind this anti-Semitic Nazi propaganda?

 Your task Read sources 7.34 and 7.35 and explain the differences between the two views. How far do you agree with the explanation for Nazi support as ‘complementary rather than competing’?