The Rise of the Nazis Party

Adolf Hitler was the Nazi Leader.

• Born in Austria in 1889 & lived in Germany 1912 onwards
• Brave soldier on Western front won the iron cross twice
• Couldn't accept defeat

• In 1919 he joined the German Workers Party- led by Anton Drexler
• 1920- name changed to Nation Socialist German Workers Party (Nazis)
• Hitler took over leadership- charasmatic speaker

• The party set up SA (armed group)
• Protected the Nazis leaders
• Harassed opponents

Hitler tried to ovetthrow the Government in the Munich Putsch.

• 1923- going bad for the government & it seemed weak
• Hitler planned to overthrow Weimar Government- starting by taking control of Government in Bavaria
• Hitler's soldiers occupied beer hall in the Bavarian city of Munich- local government leaders were meeting
• Announced revolution had begun
• Next day- marched into Munich with SA
• Revolt collapsed- police open fired

Hitler the book 'Mein Kampf' in prison.

• Imprisioned for role in Munich Putsch
• Wrote a book describing his beliefs & ambitions

• Believed the Aryans were a Master Race 
• Would join Austria and Germany (Anschluss)
• Would reverse Treaty of Versailles
• Create a greater Germany
• Germans had a right to Lebensraum (more space to live)
• Believed other races were inferior

After the Munich Putsch Hitler changed tactics.

• Nazis party was banned after Putsch
• Hitler released- re-established party with himself as supreme leader

• 1920- German economy was begining to recover
• Nazis support declined
• Changed tactics- gain control through democratic system
• Party- extended nationally 
• Propaganda was used to promote beliefs

The Great Depression caused poverty and suffering.

• Massive unemployment- 6 million by 1933
• 1931- Germany's biggest bank collapsed- harder to repay reparations
• Government kept changing- couldn't solve economic problems
• Depression- Weimar Republic collapsed
• Extremist groups became popular- promised strong leadership

The Nazis increased in popularity during the depression.

• Nazis promised to make Germany great
• Appealed to unempolyed, businessment & young people
• Some supported their anti communist & jewish views
• 1930- membership 300,000+

The elections of 1930 showed Nazi gain.

• Results- 2nd
• Vote: 1928= 800,000 1930= 6,409,000
• Seats: 1928= 12 1930= 107
• Share prices down 20%
• Chancellor Henrich Bruing couldn't control Reichstag properly- too many parties
• Rule by emergency decree

Germany had no strong Government.

• April 1932- conditions were serious
• Desparate for strong government
• President Hindenburg stood for re-election & Hitler ran against
• Hindenburg didn't win majority in first election
• Second ballot he won 53%

Hindenburg refused to give Nazis power.

• Couldn't find a chancellor who had support
• Appointed inexperienced Franz von Papen
• July 1932 election- Nazis biggest party (230 seats)- didn't have majority
• Hitler demanded to be chancellor- refused

The Nazis lost seats in the elections.

• Lost 34 in the November 1932 election
• Hindenburg appointed Kurt von Schleicher as Chancellor
• He tried to cause divisions in the Nazis party- asked Gregor Strasser (Nazis) to be vice
• Hitler made him refuse
• Hitler got offered Chancellor in January 1933
• Called another election in March 1933- hoped to make Nazis stronger in Reichstag

The Nazis used dirty tricks to win in 1933.

The Nazis did well in the elections because:

• Controlled news media
• Opposition meetings were banned
• SA terrorised opponents
• Reichstag fire- blame communist & increase their opposition
• Ruled by emergency decree- deal with it- intimidated communist voters

Hitler changed the law to keep control.

• Nazis won 288 seats- still no majority
• Hitler made communist party illegal
• Gave him enough support to pass Enabling act- lets him govern for 4 years without parliament
• Made all other parties illegal
• May 1933- Trade unions were banned
• July 1933- all other political parties were banned

• Hitler still had opposition- rivals in Nazis party
• Biggest threat- Ernst Rohm- controlled SA
• 29th- 30th June 1934 Rohm & others were arrested
• Several hundred were killed including Rohm
• Opposition had been removed

• Month later- death of Hindenburg
• Hitler combined post of Chancellor & President & made him Commander-in- Chief of the army
• He was now called Der Fuhrer
• Begining of a dictatorship

Germany was now under strong leadership.

• Germany was reorganised into a number of provinces- called Gau
• A loyal Nazi (Gauleiter) were in charge of each
• Among them was Reichsleiters- advised Hitler, Goebbels- propaganda, Himmler- chief of German police
• Hitler was in absolute control