1. The Road to Dictatorship 1925-33
Hitler and the Nazis
The Road to Dictatorship

2. Why was Weimar Germany replaced by a Nazi Dictatorship?
Or, in other words, why did Hitler and the Nazis become so politically powerful?

3. Post-Putsch Nazi Party
Hitler left prison in 1924 and faced some significant problems
Party fragmentation, Weimar stability
While in prison, he had become convinced that only he could lead the Nazis and that a violent coup was not going to work, thus power would have to be obtained through legal methods

4. The Rebuilding Years
What steps did Hitler take to secure his leadership?
Bamberg Conference, Fuhrerprinzip
How did Hitler reorganize the party structure in the years before the Great Depression?
Gauleiter system, Goebbels & propaganda, new organizations (Hitler Youth, Teachers Assoc.), creation of SS

5. The 1928 Elections By 1928, party membership had increased four-fold
So how did the Nazis do in the Reichstag elections of May 1928?
Disappointing! Despite the reorganization, only 12 seats were won (2.6% of the vote) Why?
Were there any signs of progress?

6. Describe the make up of the Nazi party between 1925-1930.
Mostly the lower middle class, but not many urban workers
Farmers began joining after 1927
Upper class membership was low, but they made up a large % of leadership
By 1930 ½ the German University population had joined
Essentially a young man’s party
Women were not a significant presence

7. The Great Depression
How did the start of the Depression affect Germany economically? Politically?
How did the government respond to the crisis? How did the Nazis?
Why did the reading claim democracy didn’t survive beyond 1930?
September 1928
650,000 unemployed
September 1929
1,320,000 unemployed
September 1930
3,000,000 unemployed
September 1931
4,350,000 unemployed
September 1932
5,102,000 unemployed
January 1933
6,100,000 unemployed

8. The 1930 Election
Who are Paul von Hindenburg, Kurt von Schleicher, and Heinrich Bruning?
What was the significance of the Sept 1930 Reichstag elections?
Though not specified in the reading, can you infer what the Nazi’s 1928 shift in political strategy entailed?

9. Propaganda
Who is Joseph Goebbels? Why was his role crucial to Nazi success in the elections between ?
What were some of the specific techniques that were used by the Nazis?
Why were the young so drawn to the party?

11. Nazi Political Methods
Propaganda
As early as 1924 in Mein Kampf Hitler had shown an awareness of the power of propaganda:
“The receptive power of the masses are very restricted and their understanding is feeble…all-effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials….slogans should be persistently repeated…”
Process was highly organized and stemmed from Party headquarters
Joseph Goebbels, 1930

12. 1932 Campaign Poster

13. Nazi Political Methods
Canvassing
Goebbels developed sophisticated propaganda techniques that tapped into the psychology of the viewer, much like modern advertising
Specific campaigns were tailor made and directed at different social and economic groups
Technology
Loudspeakers, radio, film, records, cars and planes
“The Fuhrer over Germany” 20 rallies in 6 days in 1932

14. Nazi Political Methods
Mass Suggestion
Rallies created an emotional environment that would encourage participants to succumb to the collective will
Music, flags, uniforms, speeches, salutes
Scapegoats
November criminals
Communists
Jews
Violence
The SA under Rohm helped destabilize Germany domestically
Encouraged by Nazi leaders who wanted control of the streets
The end justifies the means…

15. Nazi Political Methods
What themes did they try to convey to the electorate?
Unifying Themes
The Fuhrer Cult
Hitler as Messiah
Volksgemeinschaft
National Community
German Nationalism
Make Germany great again

16. 1930-1932 How did the Nazis undermine Bruning’s government?
What steps did Hitler take in 1931 and 1932 to increase support and legitimacy?
What was the significance of the Spring 1932 election?

17. May-July 1932
Why did Hindenburg get rid of Bruning as chancellor in May 1932?
Who replaced him?
What did Papen do after being appointed chancellor?
Describe the 1932 July elections and their aftermath.
Why had more people joined by 1932?

18. July 1932 Elections

19. 1932 Posters
1. The Social Democratic Party (1930) with the slogan: “These are the enemies of democracy! Away with it! Therefore vote for list 1”; 2. Centre Party (1932) with the slogan: “Brüning, the last bulwark of freedom and order – truth – freedom – justice; vote for list 4”; 3. The Communist Party of Germany (1932) with the words: “end this system, KPD List 3; 4. The National Socialist German Workers' Party (1932) with the parole: “Our last hope: Hitler”.

20. Creation of a Mass Movement
Hitler and the Nazis never gained an overall majority in the Reichstag elections
An unlikely event due to proportional rep. system
July 1932 elections showed that the NSDAP had the support of 37.3% of the electorate (230 seats out of 608)

21. Who voted for the Nazis?
Many gains between 1928 and 1932 occurred in the North and East
High Protestant and less urbanized populations
Catholic and industrial regions tended not to vote Nazi (including Bavaria, ironically)
Both opposed Nazism ideologically
Had organizational framework (Church hierarchy and Trade unions) to counter Nazi propaganda
Both had strong identity from persecution under Imperial Germany

22. Who voted for the Nazis?
Nazis tended to win high proportion of support from the following:
Peasants, farmers, established middle class (white collar) and lower middle class (Middlestand)
Working class joined in small proportions, but was still the largest section in the NSDAP
The young
41% of Party members who joined before 1933 were between 20 and 29

23. The People’s Party
The Nazis can be considered Germany’s first Volkspartei, or people’s party
It is clear that the Nazis were very attractive to certain segments of the population
However, the Nazis appealed to ALL sections of society, just some in greater numbers than others

24. Political Intrigue: July 1932- Jan 1933
Hitler needed to transfer his popular following into real political power
He was determined to take the Chancellor position, but was blocked by Papen
Party morale begins to decline…

25. Political Intrigue: July 1932- Jan 1933
The Reichstag passed a “no confidence” vote in September, thus new elections were called for
Nazis lost seats in the November 1932 elections-why?
President Hindenburg demanded Papen’s resignation and replaced him with Kurt von Schleicher
Dec 1932

26. Election Summary: Nazis
1928: Disappointing results despite heavy campaigning
1930: huge victory; 2nd largest party in the Reichstag
1932
Presidential: Hitler loses to Hindenburg
July: violent chaotic, huge victory; largest party
November: Nazis lose some seats, SA frustrated

27. Who is Schleicher again?
What role does he play following the November 1932 elections?

28. Political Intrigue: July 1932- Jan 1933
Schleicher tried to create a broad-based government
He also tried to split the Nazis by offering Strasser the vice-chancellor spot
This backfired, Strasser left the Party
Papen, angry about getting ousted, begins secret negotiations with Hitler, Hindenburg, and major landowners/industrialists in early 1933

29. Political Intrigue: July 1932- Jan 1933
How does Papen’s plan work out?
Why is Hitler now willing to compromise?
How does Hindenburg feel about Schleicher?

30. Political Intrigue: July 1932- Jan 1933
Jan 30, 1933: Hitler is appointed chancellor of a Nazi-Nationalist coalition government by Hindenburg
Papen convinces Hindenburg that the new gov would not be by presidential decree and that the Nazis would be hemmed in by the conservatives
Only 3 Nazis would be in the cabinet
Both Papen and Hindenburg thought Hitler would be able to be controlled
Whoops…

32. Questions Did Hitler come to power legally?
How much credit should we give Hitler for attaining the position of chancellor? How much of a role did other people play? What about context?
From this point (Jan 1933) is Hitler’s rule as dictator inevitable?
Did democracy die in Weimar Germany with Hitler or before?