‘Nazi Consolidation of Power in 1933 Was Primarily Due to the Use of Terror and Violence.’ How Far Do You Agree with This Judgement?

“The main threat to the stability of the Weimar Republic in the period of 1919 to 1923 came from the political violence of the extreme right.” How far do you agree with this judgement?

Throughout the course of the early 1930's, the Nazi political party began to really rally support in the town of Northeim. At the end of the 1920's the Nazi party only received 123 votes but in 1932 the numbers had climbed to 4200 votes. The Nazi party was great at focusing in on those who were feeling that the Socialist Democratic parties were not reaching them. These citizens of the lower class and the middle class seem to drift more towards the Nazi party because of what they had to offer. The citizens seem to feel that with this

‘Fear of Communism best explains Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor in January 1933’. To what extent do you agree with this opinion?

Throughout the years 1933-1939, the Nazis consolidated and strengthened their power over the German people in a number of ways. The debate as to whether they depended on their broad popularity or on terror has been argued by historians ever since. The view given by Gellately in Source 4 strongly agrees with that in the question, whereas Evans, in Source 5 combines the terror and popularity aspects of the regime and says that the German people perceived terror as being popular. Johnson presents the view that the selective nature of Nazi terror created a sense of security for German citizens who should have nothing to worry about. However, on any level it

There are many Historians who would agree on a balanced judgement to which suggests that both popularity and the use of terror were essential in order for the regime to have survived. It can be argued that the measures take by the Nazi Regime would not have been as effective, or effective at all for that matter, if they did not have popularity or use terror. It is therefore without a doubt that both helped to ensure that the regime had the power and support to rule without question. In source six, historian E.A. Johnson provides a mixed view on the statement as, to some extent, agrees and disagrees. The source gives the impression that the Nazi Regime was able to gain popularity due to the fact of its ‘two-way treatment of different sections of the German population’, thus the use of terror appeared to be a justifiable cause in which was benefitting society. In support of this argument, source four demonstrates how there was wide consensus for the expanding of the work camps in which the state would place all political criminals as well as the various defined socials. However,

On January 30, 1933, Hitler gained chancellorship and the German Reich was born. To ensure he was successful Hitler incorporated what made other political parties powerful into his own plan for Germany, creation of a mass movement, master the art of propaganda, and to implement “spiritual and physical terror” (Mein Kampf).

ding to M Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust, Party) (Rise of the NaziHeafner 2 The Nazi Party began building a mass movement, From 27,000 members in 1925, the Party grew to 8,000 in 1929 Hitler was able to gain 8 thousand people in less than 5 years, A you can see, it wasn't hard for Hitler to receive what he wanted. He was able to work his way through every little problem Hence achieving what he set out for Dominance, Germany's government remained on the brink of collapse. The SA brownshirts, about 400,000 strong, were a part of daily street violence. The economy was still in crisis. In the election of July 1932, the Nazi Party won 37% of the Reichstag seats, thanks to a massive propaganda campaign. For the next six months, the most powerful German leaders were embroiled in a series of desperate political maneuverings. Ultimately, these major players severely underestimated Hitlers political abilities, (Rise of the Nazi Party) Soon after they received 37%, president Paul died. Germany was now in Hitlers palm. Hitler mainly started with Germanys youth, at this time many looked at Hitler as if he were a

Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party saw their acquisition of power in 1933 as more than simply a change of government. To the Nazis it represented the start of a transformation of German society in accordance with their ideology of National Socialism. This focused on all Germans, regardless of class or income, working for the national good as part of the Volksgemeinschaft, the People’s Community. In the period from 1933 to 1939, the Nazis ultimately achieved consensus in creating the Volksgemeinschaft through both propaganda and coercion. Propaganda and coercion ultimately underpinned the creation and the subsequent maintenance of the Nazi state with propaganda serving to popularize the regime and coercion suppressing any opposition.

In particular, the Social Democrats and Communists – the two largest antipathetic organizations – “undertook extensive underground resistance against Nazism,” ( UOF). By being motivated by factors such as the mass judicial slaughter of Jews and Hitler’s fascist nature, these groups were “not merely a party like any other; all [of the]…minds were attuned,” (Peter Hoffmann). After Hitler gained constitutional power, all parties were forced to disband. Consequently, the Socialists radically established an underground organization that focused on the notions of exiled leadership, party activists, anti-Nazi pamphlets and newspapers such as The Red Shock Troop which suggested revolutionary events. This idea of revolution also played a major role in the Communist resistance. Additionally, the Communist supported the Socialists and believed “[that] the Hitler gang and their root, the monopoly capitalist mob, bear the sole guilt for and are the beneficiaries of the war,” (J. Noakes, G. Pridham, Nazism 1919-1945, Volume 4: The German Home Front in World War II, Exeter, 1988, p. 587). Acting upon this belief, the burning of the Reichstag on 27 February 1933 allowed for the totalitarian state to persecute Communists under this ideal excuse. Hence, the fear that had once been instilled in

Nazi Party was the National Socialist German Workers’ Party. This party ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945, until Germany defeated in World War II. Nazis had high German pride and anti-Semitism, prejudice and hatred towards Jews, which led to the Holocaust. Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazis, was responsible for millions of deaths of Jews. He was able to rise to power because of the Great Depression in Germany.

“Hitler became chancellor in January 1933 because he was the leader of the most popular party in Germany” – How far do you agree with this opinion.

But it also shows that the party’s success was not overnight. It was struggling at the beginning before the party made progress with its voting result. Moreover, even in 1932 when the popularity of the NSDAP was at its peak, there was almost 63 percent of the German electorate who did not cast their vote for the Nazis. Thus, even though Hitler won the election, he did not win it overwhelmingly. The support the Nazis received was never from the majority of the German population one might assume, but rather a part of the people who could not represent the will of all. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that when investigating the factors behind Hitler’s success, one should take into account not only the specific timing of Nazi success but also who supported Nazism and what they stood for. The NSDAP had fought an uphill battle through intense propaganda, endless campaigns and effective coordination from the party centre to the local branches. However, the measures the Nazis had sought were only potent to particular groups of people and without the hardship the postwar Germany had endured, the party would have little chance of climbing to the dominant position in Weimar politics. The victory of the fringe party was less of a political miracle but more of a complicated result under multiple social

Other parties were forced to disband and on July 15th, 1933 al law was passed to ban all parties except the Nazis. Later the SA grew and became a threat to rival the army, and they began to rebel against Hitler. Hitler then had 80 leaders of the SA executed by the German army. These consequences were caused by Hitler becoming Chancellor of Germany because all decisions that were made by Hitler in order to cause these consequences to happen were carried out using the authority he had gained as the Chancellor of Germany.

He became attractive to the modern day worker and the middle classes as he promised secure employment at a time when people were distrusting of their own current government. Hitler also promised that he would act legally and with order. Another appeal which gave peace to the German people. However, the elections of 1932 saw the Nazi's lose two million votes at the expense of the communists, the KPD. The country was showing signs of splitting into two. But the one thing that both groups had in common was that they wanted to change the system of government. This did not sit well with the Weimar republic. By now it was clear that the country was going to go one way and the republic was doomed. There was a great fear of civil war amongst the people, and they had to choose who they wanted to prevent this, and unite the country once again. By March 1933 it was clear that more people had turned to the Nazis, who gained 92 more seats, and the communists lost 19. The Nazi revolution was beginning. By this time, the Reichstag saw a Nazi majority and was headed by a Nazi Chancellor. Key Nazi points were soon introduced as law. Point 25 of the Nazi 25 points, Centralisation, was evident when Hitler subordinated the local governments. By May, trade unions were banned, the S.D.P was dissolved, and by June, the Nazi party was the only legal party. When Hindenburg died a year later, Hitler appointed himself Fuhrer,

Hitler was stirred by the nationalistic, fascist principles of the DAP and saw it as an opportunity to cultivate many of his own fatefully infamous ideals. The DAP’s name was changed under Hitler’s authority, and it is well known now that Adolf Hitler’s charisma was fundamental to the rise of the Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP), later to be known as the Nazi Party. Hitler’s ability to disguise his prospects of systematic Anti-Semitism and a German Aryan race as much less sinister hopes for a strong and Nationalistic Germany was essentially what allowed the NSDAP to effectively become such an influential political force. When in 1932 Hitler ran against Paul von Hindenburg in the German presidential elections, he lost. Though not without leaving an impression on the German people and securing himself as an influential political figure and later the position of Chancellor under President Hindenburg. It was the very next year that Hitler would utilize both the 1933 Enabling Act and Article 48 following the death of Hindenburg to take control of Germany essentially turning the Reichstag into a Dictatorship at the mercy of Hitler himself. The 24th of March 1933, the day that the Enabling Act came to pass having been signed off by President