Hitler and the Rise of Nazism
The Great Depression: The Main Ingredient
- Unemployment high
- Many angry workers
- Hitler, like Roosevelt provided jobs and helped the economy recover through make work projects (eg. Autobahn)
- Fascist's build armies
Brown Shirts
- Hitler's henchman
- used through the late 20's and early 30's to harass opposition parties unmercifully
- Led by Ernst Rohm
- After Hitler is elected many are appointed auxiliary police
The burning of the Reichstag
- February 1933
- Dutch communist "convicted of the crime"
- Hitler bullies (with the help of the brownshirts) the Reichstag into passing the enabling act to face the coming "communist revolution"
The enabling Acts
- Agreed to by the Reichstag in 1933 under threats from the brownshirts (S.A.)
- Only 93 Social Democrats voted against it
- Allowed Hitler to pass laws without consulting the Reichstag
- Despite the lack of freedom of speech or press Hitler only won 288 seats, barely a majority
- By July 1933 all other political parties were outlawed
Hitler and Nazism Steps to power
- 1928 - 12 members of Nazi party Elected to Reichstag
- 1930 - 107 seats out of 647
- 1932 - 230 seats out of 647 which made them the largest party
- President Hindenburg refused to give Hitler Chancellorship
- 1932 (second election) Nazi's fall to 198 seats
- Hitler becomes chancellor
- 1933 February (Reichstag fire election) Nazis have 288 seats
- 1933 March Enabling Act
- Forms the Gestapo (secret police)
The night of the Long Knives
- 30 june 1934 those killed were:
- Any would in internal challengers were murdered
- Ernst Rohm leader of S.A.
- All "socialists" whom he'd only adopted for electoral reasons
- He declared the Shutzstaffel S.S. had conducted the murders proudly and was congratulated by Hindenburg
- A month later Hindenburg dies and an "election" was held which voted Hitler in as President
Any alliance whose purpose is not the intention to wage war is senseless and useless.
- Hitler
- Hitler
FUN FACT: Hitlers father was a bee keeper
Subjunctive Question
What would germany be like if Hitler had been a communist instead of a facist?
Summary
Hitler was a fascist leader who is responsible for the Holocaust and the treatment of Jews. Before WWII started he was taking advantage of appeasement and had already claimed many surrounding countries. He came into power through force and blaming the Reichstag burning on communists. He did hold an election but his brownshirts forced people into voting for him.