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AQA GCSE History Unit 2 B Hitler's Germany, 1929-1945

Chancellor 1933
1. As a result of the Wall street crash there was an economic collapse in Ger, which meant unemployment rocketed
  1. In turn this meant that Hitlers ideas had a special relevance and his 25 point programme was v attractive to the most vulnerable people
    1. He offered them someone to blame for Germany's problems ~ the allie's, nov criminals, and the jews.
      1. In the 1930's election Nazis got 107 seats, in nov 1932 nearly 200 ~ now the single biggest party
        Nazi campaign methods were modern and effective, talked about uniting people
        Hitler was a v powerful speaker.
        Ran for president in 1932 but lost by 6 million votes to Hindenburg
        Despite his defeat it raised his profile hugely
        Nazi support rocketed
        Historian Gordon Craig said some support for the Nazis came from negative cohesion meaning that people supported them not ebcause they shared nazi views but because they shared nazi likes and dislikes
        Communism was also rising
        Some people feared communism so turned to the Nazis
        As unemployment rose more people felt let down by the Weimar republic and so turned to extreme parties.
        In 1932 Hitler demanded the role of chancellor from president Hindenburg but as he was suspicious of Hitler he said no.
        Von Papen carried on as chancellor but when he had no support Hindenburg appointed Von Scleicher instead.
        Within a month however, Von Schleicher was forced to resign.
        By this time it was clear that the Weimar system was not working.
        30th Jan Hindenburg offered Hitler chancellor as Hitler would get support in the Reichstag for policies and be able to control communists but they could also limit his influence and resist his extremist demands
        Hindenburg thought he could control him but he was v wrong
        Once he was chancellor Hitler took steps to completely take over Germany .
        He called another election in March 1933 to try and get an overall nazi majority in the Reichstag .
        On Feb 27th 1933 the Reichstag building burnt down.
        Hitler blamed the communists and declared that it was the start of an uprising.
        He demanded special powers to deal with the situation and was granted them - he used them to arrest communists, break up meetings and scare voters
        Many Germans at the time thought that the Nazis could have started the fire themselves
        In the election Nazis won largest ever share of votes and had the majority.
        Using the SS and the SA Hitler intimidated the Reichstag into passing the enabling act which allowed him to make laws without consulting the Reichstag
        Following the election communists were banned
        The enabling act made Hitler a virtual dictator
        There was nothing even Hindenburg could do
        Within a year any opponents or potential opponents of the Nazis had either left Germany or been taken to a special concentration camp run by the ss.
        All other parties were banned
        However Hitler was still not entirely secure.
        Leading officers in the army were not impressed by him and were particularly suspicious of Hitler's SA.
        SA was badly disciplined and Hitler was also suspcious of the leader
        Hitler had to choose between army or SA
        On the 29-30th June 1934 squads of SS men broke into homes of the leader and other figures in the SA and arrested them
        Over the weekend 400 people were executed
        Became known as the Night of the Long Knives
        Army was satisfied with the events
        Soon after this hindenburg died and Hitler took over as supreme leader (Furher) of Germany.
        On 2nd Aug 1934 the entire army swore a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler.
        Propaganda & censorship
        Propaganda by Goebbels
        Newspapers, radio, film industry all censored and used for propaganda
        Goebbels organised mass rallies (e.g nuremburg)
        1936 Berlin games used to showcase Aryan Superiority
        In july 1933 Germany became a one party state
        Used SS and Gestapo to intimidate, arrest and kill any opponents
        Took control of education
        Had to follow a Nazi curriculum, school textbooks rewritten etc
        1933 Catholic Church signed the concordat with Hitler - both sides promising not to interfere with the other
        Nazi set up the Reich church
        Persecution
        1933 Nazis boycotted all Jewish Businesses, doctors, dentists etc
        Jew shops marked with the star of David
        In 1935 Nuremburg laws introduced : Jews could no longer be German citizens, marriages between jews and aryans were forbidden, jews had to wear a yellow star on their clothing
        9-10th Nov 1938 thousands of Jewish businesses attacked and 200 synagogues burnt down. Hitler had ordered an attack on the jews after a polish jew shot a german diplomat in Paris. It became known as Kristallnacht.
        July 1944 some army officers came v close to removing Hitler, Stauffenberg hid a bomb in Hitler's conference room. The army knew they were loosing the war and so wanted to get rid of Hitler. The plan failed and killed 5000 people but not Hitler.

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AQA GCSE History Unit 2 B Hitler's Germany, 1929-1945

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	Created by Katie Nunn about 10 years ago