Growth of German Nationalism
Rise of the Nazi Party
Adolf Hitler
This is the house where Hitler was born – in the town of Braunau near Linz in Austria in 1889.
Hitler as a baby
As a child Hitler had a difficult time. His father - Alois - was fifty-one when Hitler was born. He was shorttempered, strict and brutal. It is known that he frequently hit the young Hitler.
Hitler was not popular at school and he made few friends. He was lazy and he rarely excelled at school work. Can you spot Hitler below?
In later years as leader of Germany, he claimed that History had been a strong subject for him - his teacher would have disagreed!! His final school report only classed his History work as "satisfactory". Hitler's final school report (September 1905) was as follows French
Unsatisfactory Geography
Satisfactory
German
Adequate
Gymnastics
Excellent
History
Satisfactory
Physics
Adequate
Maths
Unsatisfactory Art
Excellent
Chemistry
Adequate
Adequate
Geometry
Mother Mary With The Holy Child Jesus Christ Oil and Canvas by Adolf Hitler, 1913
Hitl e
1889-1909
r–t he a
rtis t
But he was rejected from a top art college in Vienna – this hurt him badly!
A self portrait.
r e l t Hi
–
th e
s
r e i old
1913-1918
Hitler signs up for WW1
Hitler was not a popular or successful solider – but he was brave. He won 6 medals for bravery including two Iron Crosses – Germany’s highest military medal.
But, he was blinded in a gas attack and was in Hospital when the German Army surrendered – this made him very angry
In Jan 1933 – Hitler becomes leader if Germany. He is sworn in by President Hindenburg (right)
Germany After WWI
The Treaty of Versailles
France
Germany France humiliated Germany by making them sign the armistice in a train The signing of carriage the armistice
Does anyone know what Palace this is?
It is the Palace of Versailles in France, near Paris
German Emperor Wilhelm I being crowned in the Palace of Versailles after defeating France in 1870
‘The Big Three’ (Wilson, Clemenceau & Lloyd George) signing the Treaty of Versailles in the Hall of Mirrors
The Treaty itself was a diktat – this meant that the German representatives were not involved in the design of the Treaty and Treatyall was as a didn’t, humiliation even before the to hadThe to accept thealready terms.seen If they the Allies threatened Why do yourepresentatives think the Allies chose this location to of sign the Treaty? German had viewed the terms the Treaty invade Germany
Terms of the Treaty What were the main terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
BRAT
Terms of the Treaty Blame Reparations Army Territory
Blame 1. Germany had to accept the Blame for starting the war (Clause 231).
The War Guilt Clause “The Allied governments affirm, and Germany accepts, the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied governments and their peoples have been subjected as a result of the war.” The Treaty of Versailles, Clause 231 (the 'War Guilt' clause)
The War Guilt Clause “The Allied governments affirm, and Germany accepts, the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied governments and their peoples have been subjected as a result of the war.”
What does this sentence mean?
The Treaty of Versailles, Clause 231 (the 'War Guilt' clause)
How much did the War cost? Country Germany Russia France Austria-Hungary British Empire Italy United States
Cost in US Dollars 37,775,000,000 22,593,950,000 24,265,583,000 20,622,960,000 35,334,012,000 12,413,998,000 22,625,253,000
Reparations Germany had to pay ÂŁ6,600 million (called Reparations) for the damage done during the war.
Costs to repair schools, houses, roads, railways etc.
Cost to repair farmland and industry
Compensation for war widows and wounded.
Reparations Germany had to pay £6,600 million (called Reparations) for the damage done during the war. Remember, Germany spent the most money during the war – could they really afford to pay this sum?
The Military Settlement
Army Germany was forbidden to have submarines or an air force. Â She could have a navy of only six battleships, and an Army of just 100,000 men.
Territory Germany lost Territory (land) in Europe Germany’s colonies were given to Britain and France.
Land taken from Germany
How useful is this cartoon in informing us about the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
Verdicts regarding the Treaty - Quotes
General Ferdinand Foch
‘This is not peace. It is an armistice for 20 years’ In what year did WWII break out?
“We shall have to fight another war again in 25 years time.” Lloyd George, talking about the Treaty of Versailles.
“May the hand wither that signs this treaty.” Frederick Scheidemann, the German Chancellor (June 1919) then he resigned rather than agree to the Treaty
Discussion Point Why were the Germans so enraged by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles? Which one of the above terms do you think they resented the most?
The Weimar Government
Weaknesses and Opposition
Weimar today‌
The Weakness of Weimar The Weimar Republic emerged from defeat in the First World War. In the eyes of many Germans the new Republic was associated with defeat and the harsh Treaty of Versailles. It was therefore not surprising that the Weimar politicians were condemned for signing the hated treaty.
Many came to believe in the myth that the proud German army had not been defeated fairly, but had been ‘stabbed in the back’ by Weimar politicians. This ‘stab in the back’ theory was used by Hitler and other right wing leaders to attack the new government.
Proportional Representation The voting system used was PR, which lead to many coalition Governments during the time of the Weimar Government. Many of the electorate viewed these Governments as being weak – unable to take decisive action.
Voting Systems
Proportional Representation
Proportional Representation The voting system used was PR, which lead to many coalition Governments during the time of the Weimar Government. Many of the electorate viewed these Governments as being weak – unable to take decisive action. Many Germans longed for strong leaders – like the days of Bismarck and the Kaiser.
Constitutional Weakness Article 48 •
Allowed the President to suspend the Reichstag and rule the country in the event of a crisis (but no attempt made to define what this was). This clause was used to rule the country in the early 1930’s.
•
In a country that didn’t have a long democratic tradition opponents of democracy could use this article to ensure a strong leader was back in charge of Germany.
Arguments against the constitution Proportional representation led to a series of weak coalition governments (9 from 1919-1923) PR encouraged sectional rather than national politics – allowing for the growth of smaller parties Article 48 gave the President too much power.
Historians Verdicts Whatever problems faced the Weimar Republic they were not attributable to the democratic nature of the Constitution, which was a brave statement of liberal and democratic principles. A J Nicholls
It was one of the most democratic documents in the world. In 1919, however, it was doubtful whether‌[it would] work in the hands of a people that were neither psychologically nor historically prepared for self-government. K Fischer
Opposition
Why do you think the seat of the new German Parliament was chosen to be here at Weimar rather than the capital, Berlin?
It was a lot safer
After the armistice had been signed, a body of politicians, under Frederick Ebert, formed a Provisional Government This was a very upper/middle class government
However, they were not the only group that wanted to rule post-war Germany
The Spartacists
A group of German Communists, inspired by Lenin and the Russian Revolution
In Jan. 1919, they staged an uprising in the streets of Berlin
Led by Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht
Spartacists Uprising
Ultimately, the Uprising failed – the Government successfully used the Freikorps (a group of ex-soldiers) to violently quash the revolution
Both Liebknecht and Luxemburg were shot in the back and their bodies thrown into the river. These are the monuments that mark the sites of their murders
After the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the Government moved its seat to the capital However this did little to improve their image
The Kapp Putsch This Putsch was launched in March 1920 by Wolfgang Kapp and the Freikorps The right-wing putsch forced the government to flee However it failed when the German population joined a general strike and refused to cooperate with the illegitimate government
Memorial for the suppression of the Kapp putsch in Wetter station. The sign reads: ‘For peace, freedom and democracy – in memory of the suppression of the Kapp Putsch in March 1920’
Economic Hardship
1923, 1929-1932
Cartoon – Clemenceau the Vampire What does this cartoon tell us of the situation Germany found herself in after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles?
Failure to pay reparations After the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was able to make the first few reparation payments However, money was tight and the Government failed to make the next payment in Dec. 1922 As a result the French and Belgium armies invaded the German industrial region of the Ruhr Tis region produced a large proportion of Germany’s coal France hoped to gain the money owed from the coal production
Failure to pay reparations After the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was able to make the first few reparation payments However, money was tight and the Government failed to make the next payment in Dec. 1922 As a result the French and Belgium armies invaded the German industrial region of the Ruhr This region produced a large proportion of Germany’s coal France hoped to gain the money owed from the coal production
French soldiers entering the Ruhr on 11 Jan. 1923
Invasion of the Ruhr This was sanctioned and supported by the League of Nations The German Government faced a difficult decision – how should they respond to the invasion? Discussion: What would you advise the German Government to do?
The German Government could not order the army to force the Franco-Belgian army out of the Ruhr It was no longer big enough
So the German Government ordered the citizens of the Ruhr to partake in a campaign of Passive Resistance
Protests by gymnasts from the Ruhr at the 1923 Munich Gymnastics Festival
Hyperinflation Passive Resistance meant that the people of the Ruhr refused to work in the factories or the mines How did the people get paid if they were not working?
In response to the invasion of the Ruhr, the Weimar Government began to print more money.
Effectively Monopoly money
Hyperinflation Passive Resistance meant that the people of the Ruhr refused to work in the factories or the mines The combination of an increase of printed money and the decrease of the production of coal led to an economic crisis known as Hyperinflation This is when money becomes worthless however the cost of goods continues to rise
Economic Distress 1923 Hyperinflation
What is happening in this picture? How long do you think it took to earn this amount of money?
A women storing her wages for a day’s work in a safe!
Taking his wages home from a day’s work
Lego
What is happening in this picture?
Using money as wallpaper!
Hyperinflation was beneficial to some‌ the people began to see the Government as being weak and once again longed for Germany to be ruled by one strong leader.
This meant that extremist parties such as the Nazis and the Communists gained votes.
Some began to see this as an opportunity to make changes to the way the government was structured‌
The Munich Putsch Hitler believed that the time was right for the Nazi party to seize power He began to plan a Putsch based on Mussolini’s March on Rome Hitler would first gain the support of the political leaders in Bavaria – von Karr After this, they would march upon Berlin and form a new, right-wing, government
Leaders of the Putsch
Ludendorff and Hitler
However… Hitler’s attempt to seize power failed Ludendorff allowed von Karr to leave the Beer Hall – he alerted the authorities Once Hitler found out, he ordered a march on Berlin
They shot at the demonstrators – the man beside Hitler was killed
However‌ Hitler’s attempt to seize power failed Ludendorff allowed von Karr to leave the Bear Hall – he alerted the authorities Once Hitler found out, he ordered a march on Berlin Hitler himself was later arrested and sent to jail
Watch the following clip from ‘Hitler, Rise of Evil’. Using your own knowledge, how accurate is this depiction of the Munich Putsch?
Period of Recovery Between 1924 and 1929 the German economy experienced a recovery. The German foreign minister Gustav Stresemann implemented the Dawes Plan of 1924, which reduced reparations and used American loans (800 million marks) to rebuild the economy.
The French leaving the Ruhr
The period between 1924 and 1929 is known as the “Golden Years� of the Weimar Republic. During this time the economy was settled, democracy appeared to be working and there were also no attempts to overthrow the government.
As a result of the Dawes Plan, votes for the extremist parties dropped (e.g. the Nazis and the Communist KPD)
But the good times were not to last‌
Wall Street Crash - 1929 The collapse of the American Stock Market led to the quick return of loans given to Germany by the U.S. Once again Germany found herself in the grip of a major depression. By 1932 German unemployment had reached 6 million.
Germany Germany had had the the highest highest proportion proportion of of unemployed unemployed workers workers in in the the world world during during the the economic economic slump slump of of 1929-32 1929-32
Rise of the Nazis
1929-1933
Aftermath of the Munich Putsch
Hitler was put on trial after the Munich Putsch and was charged with treason. He used the trial as an opportunity to spread his political ideas.
The judges were impressed with Hitler and sentenced him to 5 years in prison – treason was punishable by life. Hitler served 9 months before he was released!
Whilst in prison, Hitler took the opportunity to write a book, composing of an autobiography and a political manifesto.
The Fuehrer Principle All Germans must be united under one strong leader
All Jews and Communists must be destroyed as they are the cause of all Germany’s troubles
The Treaty of Versailles was unjust and must be torn up
Living Space Germans need more land to live and work in, will get this by taking over countries in the East The German Race The Germans must be kept pure to become the master race.
Whilst in prison, Hitler took the opportunity to write a book, composing of an autobiography and a political manifesto.
It was also during this time that Hitler realised that in order to take power in Germany, he would have to do so legally.
However, as we have said previously, 1924-28 was known as the Golden Years of the Weimar Republic – why would the people vote for a party such as the Nazis?
The Great Depression
Why did people vote for the Nazis? Year
Unemployed
1928
650 000
1929
1 320 000
1930
3 000 000
1931
4 350 000
1932
5 102 000
1933
6 100 000
Many people voted for the Nazis because they agreed with the Nazi ideas. Others voted for the Nazi Party because they were desperate to vote for a party that would take action to put Germany back to work.
Why did people vote for the Nazis? Year
Number of Votes
1928
800 000
1930
6 400 000
1932 July
13 700 000
1932 Nov
11 700 000
This 1933 election Poster says ‘Hitler our last hope.’ What is the link between unemployment & votes for the Nazi Party?
Reichstag election results. 1928
12 seats
2.6 %
1932
230 seats
38%
Why did many businessmen support Hitler? Many businessmen were afraid of what would happen to their property if the Communists took over. These businessmen also hated the power of the trade unions which forced up the wages they paid their workers. Hitler promised to smash the Communists and the trade unions.
Historian’s Verdicts Hitler would almost certainly have remained on the fringe of politics had it not been for the Great Depression Finlay McKichan
The Great Depression put the wind in Hitler’s sails A. J. P. Taylor
The Appeal of Hitler and the Nazis
Early 1930s Hitler took full advantage of the weaknesses in Weimar and the economic conditions at the time to greatly further his own cause. Hitler had won a large support from the German public – appealing to all classes of Germans. He and Goebbels had set in motion a Nazi propaganda machine. The SA (Stormtroopers) were providing the physical backup to the growth of the Nazis.
A Nazi Rally consisting of Brownshirts
Joseph Goebbels - Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
THE APPEAL OF NAZI POLICIES The Nazis were the first German political party to try and appeal to ALL Social classes PROMISES
SOCIAL GROUPS WORKING CLASS
Jobs
FARMERS
Higher prices for their produce
ARMY
A greater role in German life
INDUSTRIALISTS
Protection from Communism
MIDDLE CLASSES
An end to the economic depression – and “Jewish” banks
GERMAN YOUTH
A brighter future
A Nazi poster from the 1930s showing the importance of Radio. The Slogan reads “All of Germany listens to the Fuhrer on national radio�.
Newspapers The Nazis also produced their own papers - as many as 12 were in production at the same time! “Zeitungszeugen� = Newspaper of Witness Volkischer Beobachter = National Observer
1932 Election Campaign. In 1932 Adolf Hitler attempted to be voted into power as the President of Germany. “Hitler over Germany” became the slogan for the campaign – double meaning?
Hitler landed in as many as 5 cities per day and gave a speech.
Propaganda – Analysis Hitler played on the fears and emotions of the German people and many were captivated by the Nazi message. However, many historians believe that propaganda was more successful in reinforcing existing opinions rather than changing them.
Historian’s Verdict The NSDAP was in a fortunate political position, unlike almost every other party in the Weimar Republic, of appealing to different groups for different reasons. David Welch
There is no doubt that the majority of educated Germans were very distrustful of Hitler’s propaganda. Ritter
The Appeal of Hitler. Hitler as a Person.
Hitler as a Person Hitler was incredibly self confident. Had very strong will power. Had a very addictive personality (people were drawn to him).
Hitler as public speaker (orator).
The Rise of the Nazis Hitler’s oratory skills and use of propaganda were used to great effect. During public meetings Hitler build the audience up into a frenzy of excitement creating an electric atmosphere. He speeches and propaganda played on the worries, fears, emotions and prejudices of the German people.
The Appeal of Hitler. Hitler as a Politician.
Hitler as a Politician.
800,000 members by 1932
500,000 Stormtroopers (Political thugs) by 1932
The Appeal of the Nazis Other Aspects
Hitler’s Appeal: Nazi Rallies The Nazis held mass rallies which were staged managed so that thousands could hear Hitler’s speeches. Military music and flags were used to give the impression that the Nazis represented order. Hitler promised over and over again that he would give Germany strong leadership.
Marching Stormtroopers
The following formations (seen in movies) have been inspired by the Nazi SA
Star Wars IV: A New Hope
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Why did Hitler become Chancellor?
Because of the mistakes his enemies made!
Though Hitler had left Austria in 1913, he still had not acquired German citizenship and hence could not run for public office, ie President or Chancellor.
In February 1932, however, the state government of Brunswick appointed Hitler to a minor administrative post and thereby made him a citizen..
In those days, the states conferred citizenship, so this automatically made Hitler a citizen of Germany and thus eligible to run for president/Chancellor
At the end of July, the Nazi party gained almost 14,000,000 votes, securing 230 seats in the Reichstag – making them the largest party.
Energised by the incredible results, Hitler asked to be made Chancellor.
July Election Results President Hindenburg chose Franz Von Papen as his Chancellor. •Von Papen was a member of the largely Catholic Centre Party •Like Hindenburg he was an upper class German who longed for German strength to be returned. •His party however, did not pole 50% of the vote so he would have to form a coalition government.
Hitler into Power? To make his coalition as strong as possible Von Papen looked to the largest party in the Reichstag for support – the Nazis. He offers Hitler the job of Vice Chancellor.
What does Hitler do? He refuses! With a lack of support in the Reichstag (e.g. failure to make a majority coalition) and with the Nazis in opposition to his proposals, Von Papen is quickly forced to hold a new set of elections.
Nov 1932 Election Results The Nazi party lost 34 seats (230 – 196) in the November 1932 election but remained the Reichstag's largest party. The Fatal Mistake After leaving office as Chancellor, Von Papen still held considerable sway with President Hindenburg and convinced him to offer Hitler the post of Chancellor, with him as Vice.
Von Papen believed that Hitler could be easily controlled
“We have hired him for our act�
Hindenburg agrees and on 30th Jan 1933 Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in a Coalition government involving the NSDAP-DNVP-Centre Party.
Historian’s Verdict Hitler was ‘Levered into power’ Ian Kershaw
Higher Essay How important were economic factors in the rise of the Nazi Party between 1919 and 1933?
The Rise of the Nazis The ‘factor approach’ The Weaknesses of the Weimar Republic, Stab in the back, Attempted coups, Coalition governments etc.. Hitler’s Personality and leadership The Success of Nazi propaganda The Appeal of Nazi Policies Economic Distress Lack of Political Opposition The role of Right-Wing politicians who helped Hitler