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 the Chancellorship
- 1932 (Second election) Nazis fall to 198 seats
- Hindenburg chooses Hitler as Chancellor as a tool against the Communists
- 1933 Feb. (Reichstag fire election) 288 seats (majority due to imprisonment of Communist members)
- 1933 March Enabling Act
- Forms the Gestapo (secret police)
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 (Autobahn)
- Fascist's build armies
Brownshirts (S.A)
- Hitler's henchman
- Used through the late 20's and early 30's to harrass 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 Brownshirts) the Reichstag into passing the enabling act to face the coming 'communist revolution'
The Enabling Act
- 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 or press Hitler won 288 seats, barely a majority
- By July, 1933 all other parties are outlawed
The Night of the Long Knives
- 30 June 1934 those killed were:
- Any would be 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
Summary
Hitler's rise to power was similar to Mussolini, and required the same amount of manipulation and cunningness. Hitler is refused the position of Chancellor, but is eventually elected in due to Hindenburg wanting to use Hitler as Chancellor as a tool against the Communists. During the Great Depression, Hitler offered people jobs, and hope. Hitler formed his paramilitary army called the Brownshirts. In 1933, the Enabling Act was agreed to by the Reichstag under threats from the Brownshirts. Hitler won 288 seats and outlawed all other parties. Hindenburg, mysteriously dies, therefore calling for an election, and Hitler is voted in as President.