Hitler's rise to power: Key Nazi figures

- Wealthy politician.

-Served in WW1 as a general.

- Few Germans had ever heard of him before May 1932.

- Reputation of being inept, ambitious and vain.

-Didn't belong to a political party.

- Response to financial crisises was to raise taxes and cut benefits which made him unpopular.

-Lacked support in the Reichstag, hence, he couldn't govern.

- Issued over 110 decrees.

- Undermined democracy

- Appointed Reich propoganda minister in 1933

- He fought to raise Nazi profile in a traditionally 'red (communist) city.

-His mantra was to: tell a big lie + repeat it = people would believe it was true.

-His instructions were normally red to trick communist/ left wing.

-Organized Nazi party's mass rallies.

- WW1 hero with many injuries and medals from battle.

- Founded the SA in the 1920s.

- He was both an asset and a problem to Hitler.

- By 1929, SA ranks reached over 400,000

- He dissuaded Nazi oppenents from speaking up and allowed Nazis to dominate political conversation.

- Leading member of military.

- Close friends with Hindenburg.

- Persuaded Bruning to give up power and put a controllable puppet in place instead (Von Papen).

-Didn't belong to a political party.

-Believed that Germany needed a strong leader with military values to survive the depression.

- President of Germany from 1925- (death) 1934.

-Military hero.

-Seen as a force for stability and a symbol of order.

-Allowed Bruning to rule by decree as he believed in strong leadership.