1. Emergence of Hitler

2. November Criminals
On Nov. 7, 1918, the SPD (Socialist Party), led by Friedrich Ebert, issued an ultimatum demanding the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II
The government was told that if the Kaiser didn’t abdicate, the situation would get out of hand
On Nov. 9, Prince Max (the Chancellor) informed the press of the Kaiser’s abdication and his decision to resign
On Nov. 11, an armistice was signed – people blamed the left-wing government for signing it

3. Political Violence
For 5 years, Germany’s major cities suffered political violence between left-wing and right-wing groups
Both committed violence and murder against innocent civilians and each other
Most of the violence was between the right-wing paramilitaries called Freikorps and left-wing paramilitaries called Red Guards
Both admitted disgruntled ex-soldiers into their ranks

4. Examples of Political Violence
In Jan. 1919, 50,000 Spartacists rebelled in Berlin, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Leibknecht (Spartacist Rebellion)
In Apr. 1919, after much violence, a Bavarian Soviet Republic was created
In Mar. 1920, the Friekorps, the right-wing paramilitary group, led a rebellion called the Kapp Putsch
Also in Mar. 1920, the Red Guards took control of the Ruhr region
In Mar. 1921, communist rebellions were put down in Saxony and Hamburg

5. Left-Wing Is Tied to Jews
Communist leaders of several key German states, like Prussia, Bavaria, and Saxony were Jewish
There were also prominent Jewish leaders in Russia, like Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev
Lenin (called a Jew) wished to create a German communist revolution and tried to export revolution (Comintern created in Mar. 1919)
Because Jews and Communists were tied together in some instances, Hitler scapegoated both as the enemy and cited them for all Germany’s problems
Lenin was considered a Jew, although he renounced the religion

6. Problems With the Weimar Republic #1 – Right-Wing Sympathizers
Many army leaders, judges, and government officials were right-wing sympathizers. They didn’t care about the government
In the Kapp Putsch – 700 were tried of treason by only 1 went to jail
In the Beer Hall Putsch – Hitler was given a light sentence
Hitler was in Munich during these “Bolshevik revolutions” and he feared Moscow’s tampering, like many others
Most people in Germany had investments in stocks, bonds, and savings, so many were opposed to communism

7. Problems With the Weimar Republic #2 – Unable To Stop the Violence
The government didn’t have control over the army:
Army was weak because of Versailles
Army was full of right-wing sympathizers
Army blamed the civilian government for signing the armistice (Stab in the Back/November Criminals)
People criticized the government for being unable to stop the violence

8. Problems With the Weimar Republic #3 – Faulty Political System
Proportional voting led to 28 parties, making it difficult to establish a majority
This caused frequent changes in government. From , there were 20 different coalition governments that ruled
Article 48 allowed the president to enact legislation by decree during times of emergency, bypassing the Reichstag
This caused many to lose faith in the political system and people began to think democracy was weak

9. Problem With the Weimar Republic #4 – Ruhr Valley Crisis
In 1923, Germany failed to meet reparation payments. As a result, France occupied the Ruhr Valley and took reparations from the industries there
In retaliation, the government ordered a mass strike and printed money to pay the strikers, causing hyperinflation
Eventually, the money was replaced by a new currency, which helped the economic crisis along with U.S. loans
France was persuaded to leave the Ruhr in late 1924
The whole incident was humiliating and led to a loss of faith in the government

10. French troops occupying the Ruhr Valley
French troops occupying the Ruhr Valley. Rough treatment of Germans by black colonial French troops led to German resentment and humiliation
Ruhr Valley

11. Problem With the Weimar Republic #5 – Following the Versailles Treaty
The government had signed the Versailles Treaty, which most Germans hated
Although they violated it a few times, on the whole they followed it
As a result the government was seen as defeatist and weak
Flag of the Weimar Republic

12. Heinrich Bruning
Paul von Hindenburg, the President, appoints the chancellor Heinrich Bruning, but his policies made him unpopular:
Raised taxes and reduced salaries to combat unemployment
Reduced unemployment benefits
Unemployment still rose from 2.25 million in 1930 to over 6 million in 1932
In September 1930, the chancellor called a parliamentary election, hoping that his party could gain more votes and he could pass his program for economic relief

13. Heinrich Bruning
In the election, the Nazis won 6.5 million votes in 1930
Bruning’s election backfired because more Nazis were elected, so the electorate didn’t accept his economic program

14. Heinrich Bruning
Bruning asked Hindenburg to put the program into effect by decree through Article 48, bypassing the Reichstag
Hindenburg accepted his proposal
This ended parliamentary democracy in Germany and launched a 3-year period of rule by presidential decree
Paul Von Hindenburg was a WWI hero and 2nd president of the Weimar Republic

15. Heinrich Bruning Is Dropped
He relied on presidential decree powers and clung to his rigid fiscal policy while the depression worsened. Unemployment was making Bruning unpopular (“hunger chancellor”):
1930 – 3 million
1931 – 4,380,000
1932 – 5,615,000
In 1932, Hindenburg ran against Hitler, who attacked Bruning’s policies

16. Heinrich Bruning Is Dropped
Josef Goebbels
Herman Goering
Hindenburg received 19 million votes, while Hitler received 13 million, a vast number for the Nazi Party
In May 1932, Hindenburg dropped the unpopular Bruning and appointed Franz von Papen as chancellor
Franz Von Papen
Adolf Hitler

17. Franz von Papen
He hoped to gain Hitler’s sympathy and support by lifting the ban on the SA and by illegally ousting the socialist government of Prussia
He had no support in the Reichstag. As a result, he asked Hindenburg to call elections in July and November 1932 in an unsuccessful attempt to secure some support
In the July election, the Nazis won 230 seats and 37% of the vote, becoming the largest single party
In the November election, they won 196 seats and 33% of the vote, but remained the largest party

18. Franz von Papen Resigns
Papen urged Hindenburg to use his decree power to revise the constitution and transform the government into an authoritarian regime dominated by the wealthy groups
Hindenburg refused because he thought it would cause a general strike or civil war
On November 17th, 1932 Papen resigned
Hindenburg told Hitler that he would be considered chancellor only if he could:
Show that a parliamentary majority backed him
Govern without special emergency presidential decrees
However, Hitler hated to share power, so he couldn’t meet the conditions

19. General Kurt von Schleicher
As a result, Hindenburg appointed General Kurt von Schleicher, who represented the Army High Command
His solution was to try to split the Nazi Party and to win the support of Gregor Strasser (Hitler’s rival) and his more left-wing section of the Nazi party
When his attempt failed, he urged Hindenburg to ban both the Nazis and the Communist party. Hindenburg again refused, saying that it would could cause another crisis as Papen’s earlier proposal would have done

20. General Kurt von Schleicher Is Replaced
The Reichstag refused to back Schleicher on any of his programs for unemployment or relief
Hindenburg was convinced by Papen that the only way to end the parliamentary crisis would be by offering the chancellorship to Hitler. He was from the largest party, although he hadn’t set foot in the Reichstag
Papen believed that he could tame Hitler and keep close tabs on him as vice chancellor
On January 30, 1933, Hindenburg appoints Hitler chancellor…Papen told a friend that “Within two months we will have pushed Hitler so far into the corner that he’ll squeak!”

21. The Deal Part of the deal with Hitler becoming Chancellor was:
Papen would use his connections to help deal with the Nazis financial problems
In return, Papen could choose most of the Cabinet
Nazis occupied only 3 posts in the coalition Cabinet:
Hitler – chancellor
Hermann Goring – in charge of Prussia
Wilhelm Frick – minister of the interior

22. Nazi Party Platform and Hitler’s Beliefs
Germany lacked land and space for a “healthy” expansion of the people (needed Lebensraum – living space)
Emphasized preeminence of German race
Jews caused all Germany’s problems
Only people of “German blood” could be citizens
Would maintain law and order
Wanted to tear up the Versailles Treaty
Tried to offer something for everyone
Common interest before self interest
Went along with the socialist theme to avoid alienating a substantial segment of the party
The notion that a democracy tolerates different ideas and approaches to solving problems was condemned as disunity and chaos of parties

23. Why People Liked Hitler
Many chose to support Hitler because:
They liked what he stood for
He gradually implemented more restrictions
Some were fanatical
Opportunists who were riding a bandwagon
They saw in Hitler a savior who would end Germany’s humiliation and injustices of Versailles

24. Anti-Democratic Feelings
Anti-democratic ideas were supported by:
Right-wing
Left-wing
Ignorant and ill-educated
Middle class youth – student unions and universities
Unemployed
Elite
Political parties