Key Topic 2: Hitler and the rise of the Nazi Party 1919-33 (Part 1) Edexcel Textbook Notes

History

Key Topic 2: Hitler and the rise of the Nazi Party 1919-23

The birth of the Nazi Party, 1919-23

HITLER

• b. Austria 20 April 1889
• beaten by father, bad at school
• blamed Jews for failures
• 1913, Munich for work
• fought in war, good, iron cross
• thought 'stabbed in back'

• After war H reported extremest political groups for job,
• Found DAP (german workers party), small founded ’19 by Anton Drexler 
• Went 2 meetings Sep ’19, agreed with views: against
  • comm/socialists, blamed them fro bringing K down
  • weimar politicians who accepted Versailles
  • democracy, weak
  • Jews, undermining G’s economy
• H joined, 7th committee member. Humble start, fund only 7 marks, 50 pfennig

The 25 point programme

By 1920, Drexler’s RH man. Feb - reveal 25pp, includes:

• rid of versailles
• expand G borders - lebensraum (living space)
• no G citizenship for Jews

Also clear - willing to use force

Hitler’s role grows

• Good at speaking, new members (dissatisfied with W.Rep - to weak home/abroad). 
• Mostly army/police/small businesses. 
• 1100 members in Jun.’20

• 7 Aug 1920, DAP - NSDAP (national socialist germane workers party)
• Bring in swastika/raised arm salute
• 3000 members 1920, more funds, bought newspaper Völkischer Beobachter  

• mid 1921, H is führer. To strengthen position-leaders:
  • Ernst Röhm: scarred, bull-necked soldier
  • Hermann Goering: wealthy hero of GAF
  • Rudolf Hess: wealthy academic, H’s deputy
  • Julius Streicher: founded Nazi paper Der Stürmer 
• Also had powerful friends i.e. Gen Ludendorff, lead army WWI

The SA - Hitler’s stormtroopers

• 1921, create Sturmabteillung - Nazi private army  
• ex soldiers/unemployed/students. Mostly Freikorps
• security at meetings/bodyguard for leaders/break up opposition meetings
• thugs - hard to control, so 1923, H selected most trusted - Strosstrupp - personal bodyguard

The Impact of the Munich Putsch

• failed revolt, imprison, long term not so bad
• H trial - national publicity for views - first seats in Reichstag (32) in May 1924 election
• NSDAP ban weakly enforced/soon lifted
• thinking time in jail:
  • wrote Mein Kampf (struggle) - political ideas, Nazi guiding light
  • realised new approach needed - get elected, then destroy…