The Rise of the Nazi Party

World War I ends with over 37 million casualties

World War I German military and political leaders claim that Germany was “stabbed in the back” by left-wing politicians, Communists, and Jews

•Germany was never forced to surrender•This gave German leaders reason for future aggression

Adolph Hitler put much of the blame on the Jews

The Rise of the Nazi PartyWeimar Republic: the new German government following World War I

They took a more democratic course and created a liberal constitution which included:

•Equality for all

•Political power that rests in the hands of the people

•Representation of political minorities

•Separation of powers:

•Chancellor would be elected by the Reichstag (House of Reps.)

•President elected by the people

The Rise of the Nazi Party

Extremist left-wing and right-wing groups struggled to gain political power

There was much violence, and many murders by the Weimar Republic to try to maintain control

The Weimar leaders compromised and agreed to let Germany military leaders keep their rank and privileges

And in return, these military leaders said they would support the Weimar Republic

Germany After WWI

The Rise of the Nazi Party

Adolph Hitler in 1919:

He was a corporal in the army at Munich

•He was an informant against fellow soldiers who supported uprisings against the government

•These soldiers would be arrested and often executed

Hitler refers to those who signed the Treaty of Versailles as the November Criminals

Early Years

The Rise of the Nazi Party

In 1919, the German Workers’ Party is formed

•Extreme right wing ideology

•Made up of mostly demobilized soldiers

•Hitler joins this party

Hitler gains power in the party through his emotional, captivating speeches

He encourages national pride, militarism, and a commitment to a ‘racially pure Germany’

He publicly condemned the Jews

German Workers’ Party

The Early Nazi Party

The Rise of the Nazi Party

The party became known as the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NAZI)

By the end of 1920, the Nazi Party had about 3000 members

Because of Hitler’s oratory skills, by November of 1923, there are 55,000 Nazi’s in Germany

It becomes the largest and best organized opposition to the Weimar government

The Rise of the Nazi PartyMany Germans had lost their life savings because the country was forced to pay reparations

By 1923, Hitler had gained power in the NAZI Party

Hitler knew he had to do something to help the NAZI’s gain power or else risk losing leadership of the party

The Beer Hall Putsch

Hitler and other NAZI leaders found out about a large gathering of German businessmen at a beer hall in Munich

He made a plan to kidnap these prominent businessmen, and force them at gunpoint to accept Hitler as their leader

Then, the plan was for General Ludendorff to win over the German military for the NAZI’s and proclaim a nationwide revolt to bring down the Weimar Republic

The Rise of the Nazi PartyThe NAZI’s had a paramilitary group known as the SA, led by Hermann Goring

On November 8, 1923, Goring surrounded the beer hall and Hitler burst into it causing instant panic

Hitler fired a pistol into the ceiling and yelled “The National Revolution has begun!”

He fibbed that the government of the area had been taken over by the NAZIs

Hitler took the three highest ranking Bavarian officials into a back room and tried to persuade them to go to the microphone and declare Hitler as their new leader, but they refused

Hitler burst out of the room, went to the microphone, and told the stunned crowd that the three had given in to his demands

There was much wild cheering for Hitler

The Rise of the Nazi PartyGeneral Ludendorff then arrived, and was able to persuade the three leaders to go along with the NAZI revolution

Hitler then again took the mic:

“I am going to fulfill the vow I made to myself five years ago when I was a blind cripple in the military hospital—to know neither rest or peace until the November criminals have been overthrown”

Word then came that other NAZI attempts to take over government buildings had been unsuccessful

Hitler left the beer hall in an attempt to help convince German soldiers to give in to his revolution

When he left, the three Bavarian leaders revealed that they were forced to give allegiance to Hitler, and they recanted

The Rise of the Nazi PartyThe three Bavarian leaders slipped out of the beer hall, and the next day issued a strong public statement against Hitler and the NAZI’s failed takeover attempt

Ludendorff convinced Hitler to march into downtown Munich in another attempt to take over the Munich government

Hitler, Ludendorff, and 3,000 NAZI’s marched toward the center of town, but they came upon a police blockade

Hitler tried to convince the police officers to surrender, but they didn’t

In the confusion, a shot rang out, and many more followed for about a minute

The Rise of the Nazi PartySixteen NAZIs and 3 police officers were killed

Hitler’s body guard Ulrich Graf jumped onto Hitler to shield him and took many bullets, likely saving Hitler’s life

Hitler ran off, leaving his comrades behind

Three days later, he was arrested after hiding in a friend’s attic

Hitler expected to be shot, and was suicidal, but his spirits were lifted after being told he would get a public trial

The Rise of the Nazi PartyAt his trial, Hitler is actually able to gain support for what he did

He uses his oratory skills, talking about German pride and nationalism

He is able to gain sympathy from the right-wing judges at the trial

•Instead of being shot, Hitler receives a five year prison term

•He was paroled after serving one year in Landsberg Prison

The Rise of the Nazi PartyWhile in prison, Hitler dictated the first volume of his book entitled Mein Kampf (My Struggle) to Rudolph Hess

•Detailed his ideas of German nationalism and anti-Semitism

•Became the ideology of the NAZI Party

(Mein Kampf reading)

After being released from prison, Hitler resurrected the Nazi Party

•His goal was to gain absolute power

Imprisonment and Mein Kampft

The Rise of the Nazi PartyIn 1925, Hindenburg is elected president of Germany

•He is able to stabilize the country

Hindenburg enjoyed a long if undistinguished career in the Prussian army, eventually retiring in 1913. He was recalled at the outbreak of the First World War, and first came to national attention, at the age of sixty-six, as the victor at the Tannenberg. Over the next four years he and his chief of staff, Erich Ludendorff, rose in the German public's esteem until Hindenburg came to eclipse the Kaiser himself. Hindenburg retired again in 1919, but returned to public life one more time in 1925 as the second President of Germany, and the last president before the Third Reich period.—from Wikipedia

The Rise of the Nazi PartyIn the meantime, Nazi Party members begin to swear loyalty unto death to Hitler

Hitler makes plans to get NAZIs into German government positions

By 1929, there are 108,000 NAZI Party members

The Rise of the Nazi PartySA: the paramilitary unit of the NAZI Party

(doesn’t count as government military)

•The SA instilled terror into the German streets

•They often publicly beat up those who were known to speak out against the NAZI Party

•Many were also beaten for not doing enough to support the NAZIs

SS: an elite group within the SA, led by Heinrich Himmler

The Rise of the Nazi PartyIn 1928, the NAZIs get 3% of the Reichstag vote

NAZIs begin to focus on the rural areas of Germany

•They create much anti-Semitism in the rural areas, where there are very few Jewish people

In 1929, the Great Depression begins and creates worldwide economic, social, and psychological consequences

The Rise of the Nazi Party

This depression causes German unemployment to reach 6 million people by 1932

•Germany is in economic chaos

Hindenburg uses emergency powers to bypass the Weimar democratic process

People are getting more and more frustrated with the Weimar government

In 1930, the NAZIs get 18% of the Reichstag vote

The Rise of the Nazi PartyDuring the following two years, things worsened in Germany

In 1932, Hindenburg was re-elected as president (84-years old)

•Hitler received 37% of the vote, which gave the NAZIs 37% of the Reichstag seats

This made the NAZI Party the largest party in the Reichstag (multi-party system)

The Rise of the Nazi PartyThe following slide shows Hitler’s first speech to the Reichstag, and it is an example of his excellent oratory skills

He performed dozens of these speeches throughout Germany up to this point

The previous speeches were ‘rehearsals’ in preparation for gaining power

These speeches were scripted and he starts off timid and shy (purposeful)

See what happens after just about 2 ½ minutes of the speech (great orator)

1933—Hitler First Speech

The Rise of the Nazi PartyReview #1:

Who did Hitler believe “stabbed” Germany in the back during WWI:

A)left-wing politicians

B) Communists

C) Jews

D)All of the above

Review #2:

Name of the new German government following WWI:

A) Treaty of Versailles

B) Weimar Republic

C) German Workers Party

D) Soviet Union

Review #3:

The German Workers Party encouraged which of the following:

A) Militarism

B) ‘racially pure Germany’

C) National pride

D) All of these

Review #4:

Hitler’s book:

A) One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest

B) Of Mice and Men

C) The Eternal Jew

D) Mein Kampft

Review #5:Elite paramilitary group within the Nazi Party

led by Heinrich Himmler, wore skull and crossbones:

A) SAB) SSC) GestapoD) Weimar Republic

Review #6:

Forerunner of the Nazi Party:

A) Reichstag

B) German Workers Party

C) German Communist Party

D) German Democratic Party

Review #7:Which of the following would best describe the

Nazi Party on the political spectrum:A) Radical (far left)B) Liberal (left)C) Moderate D) Conservative (right)E) Reactionary (far right)

Review #8:

Ideology of the Nazi Party based on:

A) Paul von Hindenberg

B) Treaty of Versailles

C) Mein Kampft

D) League of Nations

Review #9:

German unemployment reached _____ million at its height in 1932.

A) 20 million

B) 6 million

C) 2 million

D) 1 million

Review Answers:1. D2. B3. D4. C5. B6. B7. E8. C9. B