Was the Great Depression the main reason why the Nazi party grew between 1929 and 32?

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  • Created by: annanolan
  • Created on: 30-10-16 09:49

The Great Depression

  • Caused by the WALL STREET CRASH in 1929, when Americans recalled loans which German industry was reliant on.
  • Affected everyone:Poverty, homelessness, hunger: rise in impetigo, rickets and pulmonary diseases
    • Buisnessmen faced tax increases
    • Young people - over 50% of 16-30 year olds were unemployed
    • 40% of factory workers unemployed by 1932
    • People couldnt afford farmers food
  • In 3 years, German production halved

   (http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/images/evans1.jpg)

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What the Government did

  • Taxes increased and benefits frozen to avoid hyperinflation
  • Only 900 000 people got national insurance assistance

The end of democracy

  • The two leading parties fell out and the Social Democrats walked out
  • Had to use Article 48 to pass laws
  • Democracy wasn't workingso people turned to extremist parties such as the Nazis and Communists
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What the Nazi Party did

  • Opened hostels for unemployed SA members - made people want to join
  • Opened soup kitchens to feed the hungry
  • Said that they could solve problems better than democracy could
  • Blamed...
    • The Weimar Government
    • The Treaty of Versailles
    • The Jews (November Criminals and political leaders)
  • Hitler gave stability that people were desperate for
  • The great depression was the trigger the Nazis needed to gain support

                                                                                       (http://therealcommunity.weebly.com/uploads/4/8/2/8/4828004/869010.jpg?414)

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Goebbels and Propaganda

  • Goebbels controlled the party propaganda
  • Held big rallies to encourage and inspire people to join
  • Held parades with SA - showed order and appealed to many people
  • Posters which advertised Hitler as a powerful figure who would solve their problems
  • Used anti-semitic messages as scapegoats
  • Used radio and newspaper to gain support (Hitler's speeches reported in 120 newspapers)

                                                               (http://www.crestock.com/uploads/blog/2008/propagandaposters_de/22.jpg)

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Negative Cohesion

  • People weren't attracted by promises but by shared fears and dislikes (e.g fear of communism)
  • Countryside - support grew as agricultural prices slumped
  • Buisnesses were threatened by communism - Nazis offered protection
  • Women - Hitler wanted to make the role of wives and mothers more important
  • Young people - nationalist; attracted by Nazi speeches, the SA and the threat of communism
  • Upper class - Threatened by communism, gave funding
    • Alfred Hugenburg gave Nazis access to media
  • Working class - mostly wanted communism but those not in unions were attracted by promises of better wages
  • Promised to make Germany great again
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Role of SA

  • By 1932 - 600,000 members
  • People attracted by uniforms, discipline  
  • Beat up the communists (heroic?!); violence made democracy seem weak
  • 'Brot und Arbeit' shelters were set up for unemployed SA members
  • Soup kitchens were set up to feed the hungry

                                 (http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/1c326de6c8c04e73b2fb3e610d45e76e/sa-member-march-through-berlin-during-the-reichstag-election-campaign-cpkt10.jpg)

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Role of Hitler

  • Famous across Germany thanks to publicity of Munich Putsch trial
  • His book Mein Kampf became a best seller
  • People wanted a strong leader
  • Good oritorical skills

         (http://img2.izismile.com/img/img6/20130412/640/banned_neverbeforeseen_photos_of_hitler_in_shorts_640_01.jpg)                           (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TmFyuUkcTXw/TzU0HJaHDMI/AAAAAAAAAJE/-LWnfXfaWfQ/s1600/pic4375-0.jpeg) 

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Comments

Barnzie553

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Im loving the card but it does not say how Hitler helped the Great Depression

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