3.2) Germany: Appeal of Nazism and Communism:

• Nazi and Communist gained support during depression.
• But Nazi's = better at broadening their appeal.
• Before 1929, Key nazi supporters were lower-middle class.
• The mittlestand, white collar workers, shop keepers  and craftsmen increased after the wall street crash.
• They got more of the middle class and farmers support too.
• Nazis promised farmers higher prices and protection on imports.
• They got 70% of the vote in farming constituencies.
• Middle class support grew over fear of communist revolution.
• Nazi = dominant in Protestant North west Germany. 

• 1932, 84 year old Hindenburg had to stand for presidiential election again, against KPD Thalmann, Nazi Hitler, and Duesterberg. 
• Hindenburg won at the end after 2 bollots with a majority of 53%.
• Hitler had got 37%.
• After this there were state election which showed Nazis as the most popular party.
• Nazis had more than 30% support in German states  in Prussia, Bavaria, Hamburg and Saxony.

• W.Class = half of the electorate.
• Their votes = vital between Nazi and KPD.
• Since 1919, many W.Class in industrial areas voted for SPD and KPD.
• This continued until 1930. 
• KPD support grew but was limited in big cities, had  support in poor areas like Berlin and by unemployed.
• But Nazi's 1930 electin had 27% of manual labourers so they won W.Class too.

• 3 elections between September 1930 and July 1932 = Nazi doubled support.
• Communists could only please traditional supporters, but Nazis appealled to all classess, generations and regions.

Economic crises caused polarisation. Nazi came across energetic and offered change. They appealed to many for many reasons.

NAZI IDEOLOGY:

• Their policy = first put in 25point programme which lasted till 1933.
• But Hitler didn't agree with many of it's points.
• In prison after failed putsch in 1923, he published Mein Kampf showing his true aim/ideas.
• He policy wasn't original, he kept changing it depending on the audience.
• Nazi propaganda outlined many key ideas.

• THE POWER OF WILL:
  • Hitler and Nazis = seen as a force for change.
  • Nazi propaganda showed that power, strength and will to succeed was what Hitler had.
  • With Parades of SA, they came across as showing order and unity.

• STRUGGLE AND WAR:
  • Struggle, violence and war = part of Nazi thinking. 
  • Hitler said his view of struggle and conflict between races was scientifically justified/natural.
  • For war he believed this as a way to reconstruct German society and a new Reich.
  • Propaganda showed loyalty and self-sacrifice as a military virtue.
• RACIAL COMMUNITY:
  • Volksgemeinchaft/people's community = key part of Nazi ideology.
  • Only Aryans could be citizens, whilst others would be treated as subject, not recieving benefits.
  • No social class, all Germans would be equal to find their level in society.
  • All would work together for Germany, believe in traditional values and gain benefits.
  • Wanted a revolution of a 'new' man and woman, knowing their importance. 
  • But the revolution was backwarsd looking.
• NATIONAL SOCIALISM:
  • NSDAP was a name to attract W.Class and to distinguish them from the KPD.
  • 25 Points programme = econimically radical/anti-capitalism like the KPD policies.
  • E.g. Take no war profits, nationalise large companies, taking land from estates. 
  • Hitler wasnt committed to these and changed his message accoring to the audience.
  • After 1930, he met with businessmen like Hugenburg to assure them their companies were safe.
  • To Hitler Socialism and Volksgemeinchaft were the same. 
  • National to him meant love for all and social meant people act for the community.

• THE FUHERPRINZIP:
  • Hitelr hated Weimar, Parliamentary democracy, it was weak and alien to Germany's tradition. 
  • He said Parliamentary democracy was linked to Communism and Jewish, a way to stop Aryan leadership. 
  • Weimar democracy was seen by Nazis as betrayal by the November criminals who stabbed Germany. 
  • This gave him the motive to destroy it and make a dictatorship, one party leadership/Fuherprinzip.
  • This was key to Hitler in 1925 as he was able to have complete control over policy in his party.
• AGGRESSIVE NATIONALISM:
  • Hitler had 3 aims, to reverse humiliation of TofV, he said it was unlimited blackmail and would take back German lands.
  • Make a great German Reich, all Germans would live in the boarder of the state.
  • Secure Lebensraum/living space, provide needs for Germans to sustain a great power.

• ANTI-SEMITISM:
  • Hitler saw Jews as responsible for Germanys problems.
  • In propaganda, Jews = greedy, cunning and had selfish motives.
  • Seen as state parasites, no official country but tried to control other races. 
  • Jews were reason for evils of capitalism and communism.
  • Jews were to blame for the defeat in war, TofV, political weaknesses of Weimar.
  • Communism was seen as a Jewish creed to stop social cohesion of Germany.

HITLER'S IMPORTANCE FOR NAZI SUCCESS:

• 1929, Hitler = complete control over Nazi party. 
• Skills and qualities were crucial to the party, to many, he had charisma.
• His speeches were repeated and lies, he knew how to play peoples emotions and fears and tell them he had the answers.
• He tailored his message to the audience and his appeal led to popularity.

HOW ANTI-SEMITISM HELPED NAZI VOTING SUCCESS:

• Jews were used as a scapegoat for economic problems.
• During the depression, shopkeepers and small businessmen now expressed their hidden Anti-semitism.
• Ordinary Germans now faced with hardship were hearing what they wanted.
• Nazi extremism faded as they promised work and bread. 
• Many voted Nazi's in spite of Anti-semitism, not because of it.

• Nazi propaganda was changed via local circumstances.
• Sometimes Speeches were anti-semitic and weren't, e.g. dusseldorf speech.
• Rise of the SA encouraged anti-semitism, 'Juda Verreck' = 'down with the jews' was used.
• But joining SA wasn't only to beat up jews but for free meals, anti-communism etc...
• Statistics of campaigns in 1931-32 on economic issues focued little on anti-semitism.

HOW PROPAGANDA HELPED NAZI SUCCESS:

• Nazi = very skilled in propaganda.
• Joseph Goebbels was a master at it.
• Hitler public speaking skills and propaganda helped a lot.
• Money provided by Businessmen Hugeman and Thysan helped Nazis.
• E.g allowed Hitler to travel in main cities. 
• Nazis had own newspapers, staged rallies and had film shows. 
• Their banners, songs, marches displayed strength.
• Propaganda targeted different groups and changed messages. 
• Nazi speakers were well trained in oratical speech.
• Used anti-semitism sometimes and blamed Weimar for all the problems.
• Created an image of a powerful Germany once again.

• KPD = 2m votes in 1928-1932 July elections..
• Membership went from 170,000 in 1929 to 360,000 in 1932.
• Was growing in large industrial areas where in the past in 1920, they focused on factories and workshops where Trade union membership was common.
• After 1929, party focused on unemployed, committees of the unemployed, stage hunger marches and were against benefit cuts.
• Red front runners fought Nazi's SA and were seen as defenders of W.Class districts.
• Some cities had district that were under communist control.

POLICIES AND IDEOLOGY:

• Closely linked with USSR, wanted abortion legal, no austerity, no military spending.
• KPD goals were to overthrow the Wiemar inspired by the Soviet Union and declare a workers' state.
• To them SPD and Nazis equally damaged working class interests.
• To them the depression was the final nail in the capitalist coffin.

STRENGTHS:

• Communist propaganda helped grow members via speeches by Thalmann.
• Wanted to smash capitalist system.
• Slogans like bread and free were told to the unemployed with picture of capitalist hit with a hammer. 
• Images showed linked with USSR.
• Propaganda attacked SPD as a tool of Capitalist. 
• Electoral support for KPD grew in 1930-32.
• Peak was 17% in November 1932.
• Grew in membership and votes and organisation on street/neighbourhood level, it was strong.
• But Many middle class feared a communist revolution and voted for Nazis.
• Businessmen like Thysen financed hitler as a result.

WEAKNESSES:

• Never close to a revolution
• 50% of it voters in 1932 left in a few months.
• Failed to attract support outside industrial lands and had limted appeal to women. 
• KPD member were unemployed, short of money.
• Decided to attack social facism (democracy was facist, stopped communist revolution) instead of main opponants, Nazis. Caused Anti-Nazis to divided instead of unite.