11 - the Appointment of Hitler as Chancellor

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  • The Appointment of Hitler as Chancellor
    • The appointment of Hitler
      • 30 Jan 1933 Hindenburg invited Hitler to lead a new 'government of national concentration'
        • Nazi party would share power with the DNVP + others, including Franz Von Papen
          • Hitler was now chancellor of a new government
            • Hindenburg + Papen believed Hitler's inexperience meant he could be easily manipulated
      • In the 1932 elections the Nazis won the elections to become the largest party in the Reichstag
        • NSDAP didn't have majority
      • Hitler's appointment had been the result of secret meetings
        • Not a result of a Nazi political uprising as Nazi propaganda suggested
    • The Political and Economic Crisis
      • The Fall of Bruning's Government, May 1932
        • Bruning's coalition government was in power from March 1930 to May 1932
          • Bruning could only pass laws with Hindenburg and Schleicher's approval
        • Schleicher wanted to constuct an authoritarian government
          • He attempted this through Bruning's government which was ruled mostly through presidential decree
        • Economic Policies.....
          • Reduce state expenditure - cut welfare benefits, reduce number of civil servants + wages
          • These measures actually worsened the depression
            • Feb 1932 unemployment had exceeded 6 million
              • Led to support for the Nazis and KPD increasing
                • Level of street violence rose
                  • By Spring 1932 Germany was in chaos + a Communist revolution seemed like a possibility
        • April 1932 ban on SA
          • political situation worsened + Schleicher withdrew his support
            • No government could rule without the support of the Nazi party
        • Hitler refused to join a coalition government unless he was Chancellor
          • Schleicher wasn't willing for this
            • But Hitler didn't oppose the new coalition if there was a new election + the ban on the SA ws lifted
              • Bruning resigned + was replaced with Papen, Schleicher was Defence Minister
      • Papen's Government, May- December 1932
        • The Cabinet of Barons
          • Papen established a 'government of national concentration'
            • Apart from 2 DNVP posts in the cabinet, the rest were non-political  (industrial elite)
              • With limited support Papen ruled by presidential decree
          • Papen sympathised with Nazi ideas and feared a Communist revolution
            • He lifted the SA ban + imposed curbs on left-wing press
              • Resulted in a new wave of street violence
                • So he imposed authoritarian rule on Prussia
        • July 1932 election
          • Nazis established themselves as the biggest right party
            • Attracted middle-class voters, but not voters from the SPD, KPD or Centre party
          • Hitler refused to join papen's coalition unless he was chancellor
            • Nazis joined with other parties (Communists) to vote no confidence on Papen's government
              • Majority of 512 to 42 votes - Hindenburg dissolved the Reichstag + called a new election
        • November 1932 election
          • Nazis lost 2 million votes + 34 seats (were still the largest party)
            • Hitler's attack on papen alienated middle class voters
              • The Nazis had supported a KPD led transport strike in Berlin + Nazi funds were exhausted
        • The end of Papen's government
          • Papen faced a hostile Reichstag majority + was losing army credibility
            • He considered using the army to ban the Nazis and Communists
              • Schleicher informed him the army wouldn't support him so he resigned
    • The role of backstairs intrigue
      • Hindenburg's inner circle
        • Since 1926 Schleicher had been political head of the army
          • 1929 he was made head of the Ministerial office (represented army in government)
            • Schleicher was instrumental in persuading Hindenburg to withdraw support from Bruning + appoint papen
              • He wanted an alliance with the Nazis to form an authoritarian government
        • Oskar Von Hindenburg (his son)
          • Dr Otto Meissner (civil servant who was a go-between in negotiations between Hindenburg and Hitler)
        • Hindenburg disliked Hitler + saw the nazis as undisciplined
          • Reluctant to make Hitler chancellor
      • Schleicher's Government Dec 1932 - Jan 1933
        • Schleicher was reluctant to become Chancellor
          • Constructing a government would be hard + thought a coalition Nazi government led by him would be best
        • Nazi support continued to fall + they were bankrupt
          • Schleicher believed he could play on Hitler's problems to get him to agree
            • Schleicher entered in discussions with Gregor Strasser, but Hitler quickly got rid of Strasser
        • Schleicher changed tactic - gain trade union support and through that reichstag support
          • He cancelled wages/benefits cuts
            • Considered a large scale job creation scheme
              • + distributing land to small farmers
          • All this failed to attract union support
        • Schleicher asked Hindineburg to suspend the constitution + dissolve the reichstag
          • Hindenburg refused + Scleicher resigned
        • Hitler + Papen negotiations over a new government - Hitler was now willing to enter a coalition if he was chancellor
          • DNVP were prepared to support a Nazi coalition
            • Led to a deal of a coalition with Hitler as Chancellor
              • Papen would be vice-Chancellor + Hitler would not have a free hand to govern as he wanted
              • As Hitler was inexperienced they thought he would be easy to control

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