Hitler’s Rise To Power

Introduction
- The central issue to be explained is how the Nazi party managed to transform
themselves from a marginalised party that received just 2.6% of the vote in the 1928,
into the largest political party in Germany in July 1932, when 37% of the German
people voted for them.
- The Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels created a powerful propaganda
myth in the 1930s that explained Hitler’s rise to power as providential - i.e. that it was
Hitler’s destiny to rule Germany and between 1929 and 1933 the German people
came to understand this and put their faith in Hitler.
- However, most modern Historians recognise that there are a number of factors that
need to be considered beyond Hitler himself in order to understand this chain of
events, in particular the set of circumstances created by the impact of the Great
Depression in Germany, and the role this played in exacerbating the weaknesses of
the Weimar Republic. One final point to observe is that Hitler did not gain the support
of the majority of the Germany people in a democratic election: he was appointed as
Chancellor in January 1933 via the “backstairs political intrigue” of the German Right
who wished to user Hitler and the Nazi’s popular support to collapse the Weimar
democracy in their interests.

Long Term Factors

Political Problems of the Weimar Republic

- Throught article 48, the president of the Weimar Republic could suspend parliament
and rule by decree.
- Hitler later used this fundamental weakness of the constitution to establish a right
wing dictatorship in conjunction with the Reichstag Fire.
- Proportional representation system led to a weak coalition government, which
undermined the credibility of the Weimar Republic. The coalition consisted of a range
of parties and they had a hard time agreeing on anything. For example, there were
six coalition governments between 1924-1929.
- Legacy of the Treaty of Versailles and defeat in WW1:
- The new Weimar Republic had to take on the blame of the defeat in WW1 +
blame of the humiliating TOV because the Republic was set up right after the
war.
- Right wing and nationalistic elements in Germany resented the fact that the
Weimar Republic accepted the TOV and forced German troops to quit the war
in 1918. Many felt that the republic had stabbed Germany in the back.

Economic Weakness of the Weimar Republic

- First economic crisis occurred at the beginning of the 1920s. The TOV denied
Germany access to many of her key resources and she was forced to pay large
reparations. Moreover, the French invaded the Ruhr and industrial strikes were
called. To combat this, Weimar printed more money, which caused hyperinflation.
 This was resolved by the Dawes and later the Young Plan, but ironically, these loans
from the US were to worsen the effects of the great depression on Germany in 1929.
- The economic weakness contributed to widespread resentment towards the
Republic. People were more eager to support radical parties like the Nazis.

Nazi Exploitation of the Stab in the Back myth

- Right wing nationalists in Germany believed that Germany had been defeated in
WW1 not because of military weakness but because of the Socialists, Catholics and
Jews stabbing Germany in the back by their revolution in 1918.
- Hitler exploited this and asserts that these groups had stabbed Germany in the back
during his election campaigns.
- Thus he gained support from the right.

Mid Term Factors

Impact of the Great Depression: how did this worsen the economic and political
problems of the Weimar regime, and favour Hitler and the Nazis?
- In 1928, the flow of foreign capital into Germany dried up as the US economy went
into a depression.
- Germany banks were forced to close and by 1932 there were 6 million unemployed.
- The coalition was deeply divided and failed to agree on what measures to take to
deal with this.
- In the beginning of the 1930s, the government agreed to cut government spending to
cope with the falling tax revenue.
- Bruning set up public work schemes to counter the high unemployment rates, but it
was too little too late.
- The public was deeply discontented with the handling of the economic depression
and began to look to more radical parties such as the Nazis for a solution.

Hitler’s Use of Effective Propaganda

- In response to the crisis, Hitler made use of propaganda.
- The Nazi party put much effort into education some of its key members to hold
speeches to ensure the quality of party campaigns.
- The Nazis also used new technology such as the radio and Cinema to attract
support. Hitler also flew to different cities to deliver lots of speeches.

Immediate Causes

Hitler appointed as Chancellor in January 1933

- In 1932, General Von Schleicher replaced Von Papen as Chancellor as Von Papen
had fallen out of favour with the people of the Weimar Republic.
- Von Schleicher's land reform worried President Hindenburg. In Jan 1933 he decided
to get rid of von Schleicher and bring in the Nazis to stabilize German politics.
- Von Papen had suggested this idea to Hindenburg, with him to be made Vice
Chancellor with the intent to control Hitler. It turns out he could not control Hitler
however.
 - In 1933 Hitler was appointed Chancellor by Hindenburg. Hindenburg and his
conservative allies thought they could control Hitler and the Nazi party but they were
wrong.
- When Hitler was chancellor, he called for fresh elections in March.
- The SA began to attack their political opponents - offices were raided, meetings were
attacked and members were beaten up.
- To ensure that the Military did not intervene, Hitler promised to tear up the Treaty of
Versailles.

The Reichstag Fire

- In February, a communist named Van Der Lubbe set fire to the Reichstag building.
Hitler took advantage and announced that the communists were a threat and
planning to revolt.
- An emergency law was passed allowing Hitler to suspend parliament.

The Enabling Act

- The elections held in March saw the Nazis and their allies receive 52% of the vote.
- Hitler now passed the emergency law “the enabling act”. SA mobs surrounded the
parliament and threatened politicians into voting in favour of the enabling act.
- The law was passed and allowed Hitler to pass law without seeking the approval of
Parliament.
- It formed the legal basis for Nazi dictatorship.
- Hitler began banning all other political parties and arresting political opponents.
- He had risen to power

Historiography

- G. Ritter - The Weimar Republic collapsed in 1933 due to its inability to win the
confidence of the general public. The popular resentment towards the Weimar
Republic was a major factor in helping Hitler’s triumph in 1933.
- I Kershaw - chance, luck and tragic miscalculations were a major factor in bringing
Hitler to power, and causing the downfall of the Weimar republic. There was nothing
inevitable about Hitler’s triumph in 1933.
- E Anderson - A major factor contributing to the collapse of the Weimar republic was
the shrewdness of the political leaders in the Nazi party. The government believed
they could control Hitler in his new position as chancellor in 1933. However, they
were wrong and Hitler managed to outmanoeuvre the government and establish a
single party state thanks to his position as chancellor.