How and why was Hitler able to become Chancellor in
January 1933?
The Great Depression 1929
Germany was particularly badly affected. Germany had borrowed lots of money from
America and now the Americans were asking for it back..
The German economy collapsed, businesses went bankrupt and huge
amounts of Germans lost heir jobs.
Said the Treaty of Versailles was a crime so promised to get rid of it, because
of the depression, people were ready to listen.
Fear of communism
Lots of Germans were scared that the communists, who had also done
well in the elections, would take over.
German felt let down by the government (weimar)
The Democratic government could not agree how to get people back to work.
This led to extremist parties like the Nazis and the
communists getting a lot of support.
Massive unemployment 6 million 1933
Hitler was clever
He promised things that
appealed to a wide range of
people.
FARMERS
BUSINESS MEN
UNEMPLOYED
He promised "WORK AND BREAD" to the
millions unemployed and starving
Hitlers personality
Hitler was a very good speaker
Very well organised
They set up newspapers to print Nazi Leaflets
and posters,
They set up offices to
recruit loyal followers
Hitler youth was set up to
encourage young followers.
After the disorganisation in the Reichstag, the nazi party
seemed like it could take Germany out of the depression
Elections of 1930 and 1932
President Hindenburg had to find a new
Chancellor. This should have been Hitler's job but
Hindenburg didn't trust him
He gave the job to other people first, but in the end, due to
Hitler's popularity, Hindenburg had to give and and in January
1933 Hitler was declared chancellor.
How did Hitler change Germany
from a demooracy to a Nazi
dictatorship, 1933-1934, and then
reinforce this?
How Hitler became Fuhrer
Reichstag was mysteriously set on fire in February 1933 and was
blamed on Communists.
Hitler claimed he needed emergency powers so that he could rule without the
Reichstag's interference. This was called the ENABLING ACT and it was passed
in March 1933
He quickly banned all Trade Unions and any oppositions to ensure
complete control.
In the NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES Hitler killed all of the S.A, his previous
friends, as he saw them as a threat.
A month later president HINDENBURG died.
Hitler combined the posts of President and
Chancellor and became FUHRER.
GERMANY WAS NOW A DICTATORSHIP
How Hitler and the Nazi's maintained control
PERSUASION
Propaganda was used to spread certain ideas to try to control how people thought. Nazis took
over the media, controlled radio programs and used films and posters to spread their message
The Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda was led by Goebbels.
Censorship was used to control what information was in
book, newspapers and films (etc). Those who dared to
publish anti Nazi material risked execution. Their
censorship also encouraged anti-semitism.
VIOLENCE
The Nazi's ruled by fear. The vicious SS and the Gestapo would hunt anybody
who did not agree with Nazi ideas, they would then be sent to concentration
camps. People were encouraged to inform on their neighbours if they thought
that they were anti-Nazi
Anybody who did not fit into Hitler's ideas of the perfect human race
were seen as inferior and were ill treated. Such as: Jews, homosexuals,
Gypsys and disabled people
Nuremburg Laws
Stopped Jews from being
German citizens.
Banned marriage between Jews and
Non-Jews
To what extent did Germans
benefit from Nazi rule?
German growth under the Nazis
Hitler gave work to 6 million unemployed. He started a huge program of
public works; Huge motorways were started, army conscription was
introduced... (etc)
The unemployment figures were not entirely truthful, women were no
longer included in the figures as they were encouraged to stay at home.
Also, Jews were no longer included in the figures, the men forced to join the
army were not included in the figures, also.
Hitler encouraged people to work withj rewards. He set up a special organisation
called 'STRENGTH THROUGH JOY'' hich organised activities and ebem jholidays for
hard working people. This was also a method of Nazi control because they were
even controlling Nazi leasure time.
Young people
Created youth groups like; HITLER YOUTH for boys and GERMAN
MAIDENS for girls
They controlled education as school taught Nazi propaganda.
Teachers had to join the Nazi Teachers Assosciation
They burned Jewish and anti-Nazi books.
Children were taught to hate the Jews.
Boys were taught to fight, fire guns and march whilst the girls were
taught to sew,cook, keep fit and look after babies. This tells us that the
boys were being taught to be soldiers and the girls to be good wives and
mothers.
Nazi's believed that to control the future they had to control the children and their mothers.
Women
Women were expected toi raise
large families
The Nazis even gave out loans to encourage
couples to have large families
Nazis believed that women existed to have
children to provide future Nazis
Women were banned from following certain professions
and many female doctors, lawyers (etc) were sacked.