Hitler
Essay Samples attached for overview and specific questions with different timeline and scope. The first 2 Essay are good summaries
Hitler’s Rise to Power from 1920 – 1933
Hitler and the Nazi party rose to power as the attractive alternative to the weak Weimar government.
The Weimar government was discredited from the start as it accepted the humiliating Versailles Treaty leading to the Nazi’s myth of being the “November Criminals”. Hitler concocted the “stab-in-the-back” theory to discredit the Weimar government by accusing them of signing the armistice though the military had actually arranged it.
The system of proportional representation resulted in formation of many indecisive coalitions, leading to the government’s inability to enforce law and order such as in the Spartacist Uprising, where it had to rely on a private force, the Freikorps, to quell the uprising. There was a traditional lack of respect towards the inexperienced democratic government among Germans and they recognised the military as Germany’s rightful rulers.
The post-war economic problems also contributed to the government’s lack of support. After the war, Germany was almost bankrupt by the reparations and the war costs. The 1923 French invasion of the Ruhr led to hyperinflation. The working classes and middle classes were the worst hit and they turned to the Nazis.
In 1919, the Nazi Party was formed with Hitler as its leader. The party’s nationalistic aims mainly destroy the Versailles Treaty, unite the Germans under the 3rd Reich and establish eastern lebensraum appealed to many.
The Essay on How Hitler Lost the War
As an influential, forceful person, Adolf Hitler used his articulate speech to empower the Nazi political party. Hitler received complete power as the Chancellor of Germany, after passing the Enabling Act. He utilized the totalitarian power to create the Third Reich, and through military moves and a propaganda movement headed by Joseph Goebbels, he made a great impact on the Germany’s citizens. ...
He organised storm trooper (SA) regiments to break up other party meetings. This brutality and his mass rallies appealed to many people. Encouraged by his rising popularity, and Mussolini’s successful March on Rome, he started the Beer Hall Putsch at Munich in 1923. On 8th November, he rushed into a Beer Hall and announced a national revolution. The next day, he and General Ludendorff led 3000 Storm troopers through the streets. However, being unknown outside Bavaria and lacking the army’s support, the police easily quelled the putsch.
He was jailed for the putsch but his highly publicised trial speeches and the book he wrote in prison on his struggles and Nazi ideals, Mein Kampf, raised his popularity among Germans. However, his party fell into disarray.
Under Chancellor Stresemann, Germany saw growth and stability. With the help of US loans under the Dawes Plan, had improved and stabilised the economy. He also introduced the Rentenmark, reducing inflation and unemployment. The Locarno Treaty (1925), Kellogg Pact (1927) and Young Plan (1929) were signed. Germany joined the League in 1926. Nazi popularity dipped.
The over reliance on US loans was made apparent during the Great Depression. When the loans were called up, the economy collapsed, leading to severe unemployment of 6 million. Stresmann had died leaving Germany in crisis. The weaknesses of the Weimar government were exposed by the Nazis, whose policies of deflationary measures of wage cuts and tax increases were unpopular.
Nazis took advantage of the mass misery of Depression to garner support. They promised to solve unemployment and formed interest groups, showing that they care. They provided employment through the SA. By 1932, Nazis had 230 seats in the Reichstag.
The Nazis also capitalised on the communist threat of revolution and portrayed themselves as guardians against communism. The masses, especially the industrialists feared losing their properties if a revolution occurred and turned to the Nazis. Effective propaganda under Goebbel’s won support. Hitler’s speeches were broadcasted and millions of swastika banners and propaganda posters put all over to make the Nazis the last hope for Germans.
The Essay on Communistic Society Communists Government Property
Communistic Society Karl Marx, a 19 th century philosopher, is credited with establishing and developing the idea of a communist society in response to modern capitalism in the early 1800's. Communism is the theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of all its members. Marx described human history as ...
Four different coalitions were set up in 2 years with one able to solve the economic crisis. Hindenburg suspended the coalition and ruled by decree in a bid to save the government. Finally, a group of right-wingers, mainly von Papen, Hindenburg, invited Hitler to power as they hoped to control him internally and use the Nazis’ votes to achieve a majority. They also feared a civil war against the Nazis and felt the Nazis could eradicate Communist threat of revolution. In January 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany.
Hitler – Consolidation of Power
Hitler consolidated power through his policies.
The Reichstag Fire was started by Dutch anarchist van der Lubbe was used to stir up fear of communism as a pretext of banning the party. Fearful of communist revolution, President Hindenburg was convinced to declare a state of national emergency. There were mass arrests and imprisonment without trial to eliminate communists. Civil rights were also suspended. Discrediting of communists before the elections meant more support for Nazis.
In the 5th March 1933 elections, Nazis funded an expensive campaign. Meetings of all parties except Nazis and Nationalists were wrecked and speakers were beaten up, but police turned a blind eye. However, the Nazis didn’t manage a majority and they had to rely on smaller parties to form a coalition government. This led to the Enabling Law.
On 23rd March 1933, the Enabling Law was forcefully implemented by the Nazis. With this law, Hitler was given unlimited powers for 4 years to make laws without the consent of Parliament, and could indefinitely extend the law and make changes to the constitution. With this, created a one party state by banning all other parties except the Nazi Party. Strict media control and censorship was exercised. He consolidated Nazi power in over regional state governments by ending the autonomy of local government.
On 30th June 1934, the Night of Long Knives saw Ernest Roehm, leader of SA, and other key SA officials being dragged from their beds and assassinated, because Hitler was displeased with his plan to merge with German Army which was opposed by the latter. He also saw him as a threat to his power. Through this, Storm troopers were reduced in importance. Other critics like Papen were also eliminated. He gained the support and allegiance of the army to remain in power.
The Term Paper on Adolf Hitler War Jews Party
... 4. Weimar Republic 5. German Worker? s Party 6. Munich Putsch 7. Mein Kampf 8. Hitler? s Rise to Power 9. Hitler ... on such rallies by the local police. The Nazi party began drawing thousands of new members, many of ... in 1927. It included a history of the Nazi party to that time and its program, as well ... would rule the world for 1, 000 years. Hitler's Nazi party captured 18% of the popular vote in the ...
After the death of President Hindenburg on 2nd August 1934, Hitler merged the offices of chancellor and president, and became head of state as Fuhrer and Chancellor. He could bring army under control so that no one could overthrow him.
(U can mention 2/3 eg of Gleichschatung/ policy of forcible coordination)
Hitler followed a policy of Gleichschatung, which transformed Germany into a totalitarian state and all aspects of life were controlled by the Secret Police, the Gestapo. Civil services were purged, and all Jews and suspected enemies of state. These were done to remove any opposition. Trade Unions were abolished, had their funds confiscated and their leaders arrested. The German labour front replaced them which all workers had to belong. Strikes were banned.
Education was closely controlled so that children were indoctrinated with Nazi opinions. School textbooks were edited to fir the Nazi theory. Teachers were observed to prevent them from expressing anti- Nazi views. Children were even encouraged to report their parents and teachers if they spoke ill of the Nazi regime.
All communication and media were controlled and supervised by Propaganda Minister, Goebbels. Non-German books and plays were forbidden. Writers, artists and scholars were harassed until none dared to express ill views about Nazi system. Opposition could not be expressed and mass support was ensured.
Economy was closely organized. Policies were introduced to reduce unemployment and to make Germany self –sufficient by boosting exports and reducing imports. Workers were moved around country to places where jobs existed, food prices and rents were controlled and foreign exchange rates were maintained to prevent inflation. Synthetic rubber and wool were manufactured and production of petrol from coal was experimented to reduce reliance on foreign countries.
Religion was brought under one state. Religious members from both Catholic and Protestant churches were persecuted should the slightest sedition appear. Many priests and nuns were sent to concentration camps.
The Essay on Neo Nazis Hitler Party History
"Two Neo-Nazis have been convicted of murdering Black teenager Benjamin Hermansen. A third defendant has been convicted of being an accessory to the attack. The killing of 15-year-old Benjamin Hermansen while he was meeting a friend near his home in Oslo sparked outrage. Tens of thousands of Norwegians took to the streets a few days after the death to protest against racism and violence. Oslo City ...
Refer to Lowe for details of Gleichschatung policy for specific question
Outline Hitler’s rise to power from 1919 to 1933.
What were the factors which contributed to his rise?
Introduction
Remember to include the intros for part 1 and 2.
Hitler rose to power from 1919 to 1933. He was able to rise to power due to the Great Depression, his effective leadership and the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic.
Establishment of the Nazi Party
In 1919, Hitler joined the German Worker’s Party. In 1920, the organization merged with the National Socialist Workers’ Party, creating the Nazi Party under Hitler’s leadership. Hitler built up the party through his oratorical skills, charisma, propaganda and rallies. Ernst Rohm formed the Stormtroopers (SA) in 1921, a private army to destroy opponents and rival parties.
The Nazis aimed to create the Third Reich, uniting all Germans in Europe. They also wished to abolish the Treaty of Versailles and had an anti-Weimar Government policy, calling democrats “November Criminals” for betraying the army by signing Versailles.
It denounced democracy and advocated the use of force and violence for creating a strong government. They also aimed to introduce socialist reforms for nationalizing important industries.
The Weimar Republic – Political Problems
The Weimar Republic had political weaknesses. There was a traditional lack of respect for democratic governments, and admiration for the military. The parliamentary system of the Weimar Republic was weak, because it was based on a system of proportional representation. It was therefore unable to enforce law and order, which led to violence, putsches and political assassinations. This lost the Weimar Republic much support.
The Weimar Republic – Economic Problems
Additionally, the Weimar Republic was facing post-war economic problems. Germany was close to bankruptcy due to the war costs; this was aggravated by heavy reparation payments. People especially, the working and middle class, were upset with the Weimar Republic and looked to the Nazis as an alternative government.
Munich Putsch – November 1923
In November 1923, Hitler instigated the Munich Putsch. He had grown confident due to his increased support and wanted to seize power. Hitler called for a revolution in a beer hall in Munich and then in all of Germany.
The Essay on Adolf Hitler Nazi Party
... January 1925 the ban on the Nazi Party was removed and Hitler regained permission to speak in front ... totally remove Jews. By November 1923 Hitler was convinced that Weimar Republic was almost ready to collapse ... army. Then giving him all the military power. As Hitler then being his stubborn self failed to ... an attack. By 1945 Hitler ordered the destruction of the rest of Germany. He had decided if ...
However, the putsch failed as the Nazis lacked mass support. In spite of the failure, the Munich Putsch still gave Hitler and the Nazis great publicity throughout Germany. It also made him realize that he had to seize power legally.
The Stresemann Era – 1924 to 1929
The Stresemann Era, from 1924 to 1929, saw the recovery of the Germany economy. The new currency, the Rentenmark, solved inflation. The unemployment rate declined, while business investments increased. Stresemann’s foreign policy also restored Germany’s international respectability through the Locarno Treaties in 1925, membership in the League of Nations in 1926, and the Kellogg Pact in 1928.
During this period of stability, the Nazis lost much support. They secured 32 seats in the March 1924 elections, 14 seats in December 1924, and only 12 seats in December 1928. The Nazis still continued propagating their ideas and building up the party.
Great Depression – 1929 to 1933
The Great Depression, from 1929 to 1933, saw a huge increase in support for the Nazis. The Party gained support by promising to solve the problems, such as massive unemployment, which had been brought on by the depression. The Great Depression also resulted in Communist strikes; the Nazis promised to restore order and prevent a Communist Revolution.
Additionally, the Great Depression exposed the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic. The coalitions were weak, changing hands between Bruning, von Papen and Schleicher.
Gain in Support
Nazis appealed to a sense of nationalism by promising to restore the greatness of Germany.
During elections, they used Gobbel’s propaganda such as Hitler films, slogans and millions of Swastika banners. In 1930, the Nazi Party obtained 107 seats. In July 1932, it became the largest single party with 230 seats.
However, by November 1932, Bruning’s policies started to pay off as the Nazis obtained only 196 seats.
Invited to Power
A small group of right-wing politicians then invited Hitler to power. President Hindenburg, von Papen, Schleicher and army generals decided to invite Hitler into the government.
They hoped to use the Nazi Party to restore the monarchy and return to the pre-Weimar situation. They also had thought that they could control Hitler if he was in the government. Additionally, they hoped to cooperate with the Nazis against the Communists.
The Essay on How And Why Did Hitler Become Chancellor Of Germany In 1933
HOW AND WHY DID HITLER BECOME CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY IN 1933? The reason why Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933, were because of many reasons; long term causes like World War One, treaty of Versailles, fear of communism, the November criminals, the early nature of the constitution1923 crisis. The economic depression 1929-1933; failure of the Weimar government; political crisis 1930-1933; ...
As a result, Hitler became Chancellor and von Papen, Vice Chancellor, on 30th January 1933.
Part Two
The Great Depression had contributed to Hitler’s rise to power. It had exposed the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic and had resulted in its downfall. The Nazis were also able to capitalize on the problems caused by the Great Depression, such as by promising to resolve the massive unemployment rate. They also appealed to the sense of nationalism by promising to restore Germany to its former glory.
Hitler’s effective leadership contributed to his rise. He made good use of propaganda to spread his ideas and gain support. Hitler also possessed exceptional oratorical skills and was able to present his views with great emotional force. People were therefore more willing to see the Nazi Party as an alternative to the Weimar Republic.
The weaknesses of the Weimar Republic were also a factor to Hitler’s rise. It lost support because it had signed the unpopular Treaty of Versailles. It also had failed to resolve the problems brought on by the Great Depression, such as the Communist strikes. These weaknesses made the Weimar Republic lose popularity to the Nazi Party, which gave Hitler more power.
Describe the rise to power of the Nazi Party in Germany from 1933 to 1934.
Introduction
Remember to include the intros for part 1 and 2.
Hitler and the Nazis consolidated their power over Germany from 1933 to 1934.
Hitler becomes Chancellor – January 1933
In January 1933, Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany after the Right Wing politicians invited him to power. These politicians had hoped to use the Nazi Party’s mass popularity to secure power in the elections, as well as to take advantage of its strength to control the Communists. They believed that this would also avert the risk of a revolution from the Nazis, and thought that they could control Hitler from within the coalition.
As the German Chancellor, Hitler was able to consolidate his personal and regime’s power through systematic means.
The Reichstag Fire – February 1933
In February 1933, the Reichstag fire took place. Hitler used the incident to discredit the Communists and blamed them for setting the Parliament on fire. On 28th February, a presidential decree was passed to declare a state of emergency. Hitler aimed to use this to crush his opponents by suspending civil rights through mass arrests and imprisonments without trial. Doing so would eliminate any potential challenge from the Communists.
Reichstag Elections – March 1933
The Reichstag elections took place shortly after in March 1933. Its outcome was a disappointing one for the Nazis. They failed to get a two-thirds majority and had to rely on smaller parties to form a coalition government. The elections revealed that the Nazi Party did not reign supreme.
It had also served as a catalyst to the Enabling Law, which was later passed in 23rd March through the use of coercion and intimidation by the SA.
The Enabling Law
The Enabling Law gave Hitler dictatorial powers to make laws without the consent of parliament for four years. During this period, he could ignore the constitution and sign agreements with foreign states. Hitler now no longer needed the support of Papen and Hidenburg; he now had the legal authority to make decisions single handedly and rule in the interest of his regime.
With these new powers the Enabling Law had granted him, Hitler banned all political parties, including the Communists. In July 1933, the Nazis were declared the only legal party of the state, and this laid the foundation for Nazi totalitarian rule.
From January to February 1934, Hitler also consolidated his control over Berlin. He wanted to end the autonomy of the local government and thus abolished it. He also went on to abolish the upper house of the federal parliament.
The Night of Long Knives – June 1934
The Night of Long Knives in June 1934 involved the assassinations of Rohm and key SA officers and critics. The background to this was that the leader of the SA, Ernst Rohm, wanted his Brownshirts to be merged with the Reichswehr and himself made a general. Rohm persisted in his demands, forcing Hitler to have him killed.
Hitler also seized the opportunity to have other enemies and opponents murdered, even though they had nothing to do with the SA. These murders eliminated the risk of exposure and blackmail from Rohm, his associates as well as from Hitler’s opponents. Hitler had also gained the support of the Reichswehr for his decisive handling of the problem.
Death of Hindenburg – August 1934
After Hindenburg’s death, Hitler became the new President in August 1934. He also became the commander-in-chief of the army. He emerged as the head of state, the Fuhrer of Germany. By monopolizing key power positions, Hitler had become an infallible Nazi dictator. His power over Germany was now complete.
Gleichschaltung
During his rule, Hitler followed a policy known as Gleichschaltung, which turned Germany into a totalitarian state.
Under this policy, trade unions were abolished. Their funds were confiscated and their leaders arrested. The trade unions were replaced by the German Labour Front, to which all workers had to belong. The government dealt with all grievances and strikes were banned.
The education system was closely controlled, so that children could be indoctrinated with Nazi opinions. School textbooks were often rewritten to fit in with Nazi theory, most notably in biology and history. Teachers and professors were closely watched to make sure that they did not express opinions which strayed from the party line.
Through Gleichschaltung, all communications and the media were controlled by the Minister of Propaganda, Dr Joseph Goebbels. Radio, newspapers, books, films, music and art were all supervised. By the end of 1934, roughly 4000 books were on the forbidden list because they were considered “un-German”. Writers, artists and scholars were harassed until it became impossible to express any opinion which did not fit in with the Nazi system.
Describe the policies of Hitler inside Germany during the years 1933-1939 towards:
a) Churches
b) Workers
c) Women and children
To what extent is it true to say that Hitler received widespread support from the German people during these years?
Introduction
Include the intros for both part 1 and part 2.
Hitler imposed policies on Churches, workers, and women as well as children. He was popular with the people by a large extent.
Churches
Both protestant and Catholic Churches were persecuted under Hitler’s policies.
In 1933, Hitler signed an agreement, known as the Concordat, with the Pope, in which he promised not to interfere with German Catholics in any way. In return, they agreed to dissolve the Catholic Centre Party and take no further part in politics.
However, Hitler later broke the Concordat after he dissolved the Catholic Youth League because it rivaled the Hitler Youth. When the Catholics protested, their schools were closed down. By 1937, the Catholics were completely disillusioned with the Nazis, and the Pope issued an Encyclical in which he condemned the Nazi movement for being “hostile to Christ and his Church”. In response, Hitler had thousands of priests and nuns arrested and sent to concentration camps.
Since a majority of Germans belonged to one of the various Protestant groups, Hitler tried to organize them unto a “Reich Church” with a Nazi as the first Reich bishop. However, many pastors objected, and a group of them protested to Hitler about government interference and also about his treatment of the Jews. Once again, the Nazis were completely ruthless. Over 800 pastors were sent to concentration camps, while hundreds more were arrested later. The rest were forced to swear an oath of obedience to the Fuhrer.
Eventually, the persecutions appeared to bring the Churches under control, but resistance continued. The Churches were the only organizations that kept up a quiet protest against the Nazi system. For example in 1941, some Catholic bishops protested against the Nazi policy of killing the mentally handicapped and mentally ill in German asylums. Over 70 000 had already been murdered by the campaign.
Workers
Two key things were done – the creation of jobs for the unemployed and the introduction of benefits for workers.
Hitler aimed to eliminate unemployment and to make Germany a self-sufficient nation by boosting exports and reducing imports, a policy known as autarky.
Factories were closed down if their products were not required. Workers were moved around the country to where jobs existed and labour was needed. Vast schemes of public works, such as the construction of motorways, land drainage and slum clearance, were introduced. This provided the unemployed with many jobs. Expenditure on armaments was increased. In 1938 and 1939, the military budget accounted for 52 percent of government spending. Conscription was reintroduced in 1935. There were purges of Jews and anti-Nazis from the civil service as well as from many other jobs connected with law, education, journalism, broadcasting and music, which left large numbers of vacancies.
These policies were successful in eliminating unemployment. In January 1933, the figure stood at 6 million, but unemployment disappeared completely by 1939.
In order to maintain the support of workers, the Strength through Joy Organization provided benefits such as subsidized holidays in Germany and abroad, cruises, and cheap theatre and concert tickets. Other benefits included holidays with pay and control of rents.
Children
The Hitler Youth and the education system were used to get children to support Hitler from a young age.
Hitler had special policies for women and children. The education system was closely controlled so that children could be indoctrinated with Nazi opinions. School textbooks were often rewritten to fit in with Nazi theory, the most obvious examples being in history and biology. History was distorted to fit in with Hitler’s view that great things could only be accomplished by force. Human biology was completely dominated by the Nazi race theory. Teachers, lecturers and professors were closely watched to make sure they did not express opinions that strayed away from the party.
The system was supplemented by the Hitler Youth, which all boys had to join at 14. Girls had to join the League of German Maidens. Children were taught that their first duty was to obey Hitler. They were even encouraged to betray their parents to the Gestapo.
Women
Racially pure mothers were encouraged to have more children.
Women were encouraged to have more babies to address the problem of declining birth-rate in Germany. Family planning centres were closed down and contraceptives banned. Mothers who responded well were awarded medals, the Cross of Honour of the German Mother. A mother of eight children gained a gold medal, six children a silver medal, and four a bronze medal.
However, people who were considered “undesirable” were discouraged from having children. These included Jews, gypsies and the physically or mentally unfit. In 1935, marriages between Aryans and Jews were forbidden. Over 300 000 people who were designated as “unfit” were forcibly sterilized to prevent them from having children.
Part Two
Hitler received widespread support from the people by a large extent.
Hitler was very popular with the workers in Germany. He was successful in eliminating unemployment. When he came to power, the figure still stood at six million. By July 1935, unemployment dropped to as low as two million, and had virtually disappeared by 1939. Hitler had provided what the people had been demanding in their marches in 1932, work and bread. Therefore, he was able to gain their support.
Wealthy industrialists and businessmen supported Hitler. They now felt safe from a communist revolution, thanks to Hitler’s banning on all political parties except for the Nazis. They were also glad to be rid of trade unions, which had previously pestered them with demands for shorter working hours and increased wages. There was also promise of great profits from the public works schemes, rearmament and other orders which the government had placed with them. Therefore, Hitler was able to gain the support of the wealthy.
However, Hitler’s support from the people was limited to a small extent.
He failed to receive the support from Churches. He had persecuted both Catholics and Protestants. Hitler dissolved the Catholic Youth League and later closed down Catholic schools. After the Pope had issued an Encyclical which condemned Hitler, the latter responded by sending thousands of priests and nuns to concentration camps. The Protestants resisted Hitler’s attempts to organize them into a Reich Church. Once again, the Nazis acted ruthlessly and sent over 800 pastors to concentration camps. Hundreds more were arrested later. These persecutions angered both Catholics and Protestants. Therefore, Hitler was very unpopular with both groups of Churches.
Describe the following events linked to Adolf Hitler’s rise to power.
a) The Beer Hall Putsch
b) Mein Kampf
c) The Reichstag fire
Why were the Nazis so popular?
Introduction
Include both part one and part two intros.
Hitler was able to build up his power through the Beer Hall Putsch, the Reichstag fire and the Night of Long Knives. The Nazis were popular because they had promised to overthrow the Versailles settlement, the people feared a communist revolution, and also because Hitler had extraordinary political abilities.
The Beer Hall Putsch – 1923
Hitler instigated the Beer Hall Putsch in November 1923, which aimed to start a national revolution and overthrow the Weimar Republic. He had grown confident about the amount of support he was receiving, and also believed that the Bavarian government supported him. Other reasons for the putsch include the government’s failure to handle the Ruhr Invasion and Germany’s economic crisis, and also because the SA wanted action.
Event
On 8 November 1923, Hitler and the SA stormed into a political meeting in a Munich beer hall. He proclaimed the formation of a provisional government and that a national revolution had toppled the Reich, all of which was a bluff. He demanded Kahr (Bavarian Government Head), Lossow (Bavarian Army Commander), and Ludendroff (Wartime leader) to support him. Hitler then took to the streets to stop the fighting between the army and the SA. Kahr and Lossow escaped and condemned the uprising.
On 9 November 1923, Hitler, encouraged by Ludendroff, marched with his men on the Munich streets. Clashes occurred between them and the police; 16 marchers were killed.
Reasons for Failure
The Munich Putsch had failed, because the Nazis had only 3000 members and lacked mass support for national revolution. It also lacked the support of the Bavarian Government Head, the army and the police.
Outcome
Hitler was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, but served only nine months. Although he had failed, the putsch had given Hitler and the Nazis great publicity throughout Germany. It also made him realize that he had to seize power through legal means.
Mein Kampf
Hitler wrote a book, Mein Kampf, while in jail, which showcased the four Nazi aims. He expressed his intentions to abolish the Treaty of Versailles, gain living space in Eastern and Central Europe, unite all German speakers in the Third Reich and create a racially pure German state.
However, without Hitler’s strong leadership, the Nazi Party had fallen into disarray in his absence. After Hitler was released, he streamlined the party and created local units to reach out to the rest of Germany. He ran public meetings and spread propaganda against the Weimar government and Jews, gaining mass support.
The Reichstag Fire – February 1933
The Reichstag fire took place in February 1933, just a few days before the elections. The fire was started by a young Communist, van der Lubbe, who was later arrested and then executed. It has been suggested that the Nazis had known van der Lubbe’s plans, but had allowed him to go ahead with the intention of blaming the Communists for the burning down of the Reichstag.
Hitler was able to use the fire as a pretext to declare a state of emergency. This led to the suspension of civil rights, and gave the Nazis the power to arrest and imprison suspects without trial. Hitler used the incident to discredit and ban of the Communist Party. Doing so helped him to eliminate part of the opposition, and the Nazis were able to secure 44 percent of the voting electorate.
However, the party still had failed to procure an overall majority. Realizing this, the fire was also used by Hitler as a catalyst for the enactment of the Enabling Law later in March.
Part Two
The Nazis were aiming to overthrow the Versailles settlement. The treaty had placed the full blame of World War II on Germany, stripped her of valuable territory such as part of Upper Silesia and severely limited her military, denying her the right to properly defend herself from foreign aggression. The Germans therefore hated the settlement and wanted the Nazis to take over, so that the party could help overthrow it.
The people, especially wealthy landowners, feared a Communist revolution. They hoped that the Nazis would serve as a weapon against Communism since they had a policy of hostility towards the Communists. Therefore, they decided to support Hitler and his party due to this fear.
Hitler himself also possessed a lot of charisma. He had tremendous energy and will power, as well as a remarkable gift for public speaking. This enabled him to put across his views to the people with great emotional force. Hitler also used the latest modern communication techniques, which included mass rallies, parades, radio and film. His exceptional political abilities thus allowed him to garner support from the people.
Samples of Policies of Total Control/ Totalitarian State for Specific questions
This is not an exhaustive list. You must read LOWE TEXT pl.
Policy of Gleichschaltung (Policy of Forcible Co-ordination) carried out to create a create a totalitarian state – to was to control political, economic and social aspects of life
(Here, we are looking at methods of control – political, social and economic polices – how the Nazis gained power/control and also the success and failure of their policies/ methods)
Political Policies
One –Party State, Jul 1933
– Pre-event – could be Enabling law – explain
– all parties except Nazi Party banned
– no right to operate and express themselves
Causal Link => removed all possible legal opposition to the Nazis
Success
– Nazis secured enormous power, face little challenge to policies and rule
Failure
– destroyed democracy, alternative views/ constructive debate in the parliament
– with no opposition, there was no check on the abuses of the Nazi Party
Police State
– Police helped by the SS and the Gestapo prevented all open opposition to state
– Gestapo could arrest & imprison those suspected of opposing the state and were sent to concentration camps without fair trial
– SS, the bodyguards for Hitler, were responsible for all opposition in Germany.
Causal Link => removed all possible real and potential opposition to the Nazis
Success
– Nazis remained unchallenged in power
– carried out their policies through terror and force
Failure
– people lived in fear of terror unleashed by force
Economic Policies
– 2 main aims of economic polices were to achieve autarky/ self-sufficiency and removal of unemployment
Four Year Plan (1936)
– the Four Year Plan was introduced to strengthen economy, bring prosperity and prepare for war
– The state controlled the economy by telling industrialists what to produce
– Agriculture was boosted by incentives and farmers encouraged to produce more
– Reich Food Estate was set up to regulate production and distribution of farming. This would allow state to introduce rationing during crisis
– Job Creation Schemes were set up. Millions were spent. A massive public works programme carried out such as to build motorways and drainage.
– Arms industry was expanded. The army and navy were modernized. A new airforce developed
Causal Link => Nazis solved problems of unemployment, improving living standards and gaining people’s support.
Success
– Solved the problem of unemployment, improving the living standards of people and removing poverty. Thus gained people’s support.
– German military power was strengthened in preparation for war
Failure
– Germany was unable to achieve total self-sufficiency. It lacked major resources such as iron, tin, rubber and oil and still had to rely on foreign imports. The shortages of these vital resources led to its eventual defeat.
– Women had to stay home for childbirth and discouraged to work. Denied of career opportunities and advancements
Control of Trade Unions
– Trade unions which were a likely source of resistance were abolished
– Their funds were confiscated, leaders arrested and strikes banned
– They were replaced with the state controlled German Labour Front.
– It set up Strength through Joy which improved leisure time of workers by sponsoring concerts, theatre visits, sporting events, holidays and museum visits.
– It set up Beauty of Work to improve working conditions and welfare. Canteens, swimming pools and sports facilities were built and better lightings at work were provided
Casual Link=> Nazis secured power over workers oppositional elements in trade unions and pre-empted potential uprisings
Success
– Nazis gained power by controlling labour relations. Threat of communist revolution was removed. Industrialists felt safe.
– German Labour Front improved living standards as leisure activities were provided a lower cost
– Gained support of workers by improving the care given to them. There was some improvement to their lifestyle and living standards through the benefits given through Beauty of work and Strength through Joy
Failure
– Basic workers’ rights removed. Banning of trade unions and strikes meant workers could not negotiate for better pay and conditions.
– Caused worker’s resentment, had to work in their spare time without pay
Social Policies
Control of education
– saw youth as the future of the Third Reich and so aimed at social indoctrination of Nazi ideas
– teachers had to swear an oath of loyalty and promote Nazi ideals
– textbook rewritten to fit idea of racial purity and to instill loyalty and Nazi values
– Hitler Youth drilled young Germans to accept concepts of race, discipline and loyalty. It improved physical fitness to build strong Germans for war
– Girls joined the League of German Maidens to obey Hitler
Causal Link => With social indoctrination, Nazis were able to build generation of loyal, supportive population
Success
– The younger generation supported Hitler and his polices. They were unlikely to oppose due to indoctrination at a young age. This allowed Hitler to be popular.
Failure
– It led to blind, fanatical support the racist and aggressive policies of Hitler
Media Control, Censorship and Propaganda
– there was total control over media
– Examples ( Give 2/ or 3)
1. Radio under Nazi control, placed in factories and streets to spread pro Nazi ideas
2. Propaganda posters slogans– instill Nazi ideas, showcase success of Nazi rule
3. Cinema – films to glorify Hitler and Germany, publicise Nazi achievements
4. Jokes – forbid telling anti-Nazi Jokes and stories, penalties & prison terms for culprits
5. Books, plays and all other media were censored & controlled to put Nazi message across. For eg, 4000 books of the Jews, Communist and others were burnt.
6. Intellectuals/ artists who were seen to be anti-Nazis were harshly treated
Causal Link =>With media control and propaganda, Nazis were able to control the thoughts and behaviour of people. People either genuinely supported Nazis due to successful propaganda or due to fear.
The opposition had no platform to challenge the government as media was controlled
Success
– same as above – success in securing power for the government
Failure
– Basic freedom of thought, speech and press denied. People had to live in fear and in a controlled environment
– Intellectual activity and developments in the arts was stunted as freedom of thought not allowed
Control of Religion
– Majority Germans were Protestants and the Nazis tried to organize them into a ‘Reich Church’. Many pastors protested and were arrested and the rest forced to take an oath of allegiance
– As for the Catholics, they were seen as supporting the Catholic church and pope first not Hitler
– So the Catholic church signed treaty to keep church out of politics but Hitler broke agreement
– Priests were harassed and arrested, sent to concentrations camps. Catholic schools and monasteries were closed
Causal Link => Catholic Church brought under state control to pre-empt political opposition
Success
– Eliminated the religion and the church as potential opposition that could overthrow the state
Failure
– Harsh treatment of priests was violation of basic rights and this caused great suffering
Anti-Jewish/ Semitic Policy
– Jews were made scapegoats for everything, all of their problems. They were discriminated and persecuted
– The Nuremburg laws deprived them of citizenship, forbade inter-marriages and jobs in civil service
– There was boycott of shops, attacks on shops, homes, property and places of worship
Causal Link => Nazis were able to gain the support of the Germans as more opportunities became available to them when the Jews were discriminated at work and businesses
Success
– same as above
– was attempt to create a racially pure German/ Ayran state
Failure
– Policy of racial discrimination led to great suffering and deaths of Jews. These were unethical crimes against humanity.
Role of Women
– Had to stay home and bear children to bring up the declining birth rates and incentives were given
– They were to do housekeeping and denied of working rights and professional ambitions
Causal Link => Control over women was away in which government could increase population of the German race so as to create a racially pure state.
Success
– since there was a forced policy, government had control and women had no choice but to stay home
Failure
– from the women’s perspective, there was gender inequality. They were denied of their chances to pursue their careers and denied of professional advancement
