Key people in the Germany in Transition unit…

- Kaiser Wilhelm - Rohm

- Ruler of Germany before / during WWI. - Founder member of the German Workers’ Party in 1919. - forced to abdicate as part of plans for armistice at end of WWI (Nov 1918). - Supported Hitler when he became leader of the GWP in 1920. - replaced by Weimar Government = much more democratic system of government. - Set up and ran the S.A. for Hitler in 1921. - Loyal supporter of Hitler: the SA were - The German Constitution gave him great fundamental in Hitler’s rise to power. power, and while he should have consulted people like the Chancellor, he only appointed - Hitler accused Rohm of plotting to overthrow people to those roles who would do as he him (unlikely to have been the case) and wanted anyway. declared him an enemy of Germany.

- He was very ambitious for Germany and very - Rohm was murdered on the Night of Long keen for them to build up a strong military. Knives, 30th .

- Stresemann - Hindenburg

- Was Foreign Secretary from 1923 until his - President of the Weimar Republic, 1925 – death in 1929 (just a few weeks before the Wall 1934. Street Crash that prompted the Great

Depression). - Former army leader (chief of general staff in

1916), mainly advised by army leaders and other - Was Chancellor of Germany from 1923. conservative people while he was President. - Key agreements under his rule: Dawes Plan, the Retenmark, the Locarno Pact, membership - put forward the ‘Dolchstoss’ theory (that the of the League of Nations, Kellogg-Briand Pact, army had been ‘stabbed in the back’ by the Young Plan. ‘November Criminals’).

- awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1926 for improving relations between France and - hated Hitler and resisted him becoming Germany. Chancellor as long as he was able to.

- played a crucial part in Germany’s recovery in - Died on 2nd . Following this, Hitler the 1920s. his work re-established the declared himself President, but then combined international position of Germany. He was the roles of Chancellor and President to create therefore a very popular leader of the Weimar the position of Fuhrer. Government.

Josef Goebbels Heinrich Himmler - Leader of the SS from 1929. Built up - In charge of Nazi propaganda and control of the SS to give it a clear identity (all mass media in elections. Ensure the Nazi wore black) and ensure complete message was simple / straightforward and loyalty to Hitler. The SS were frequently repeated. responsible for removing all - Head of the Propaganda Ministry (Nazi opposition to Hitler and the Nazis.

Minister of Propaganda and National Enlightenment). - Organised the Night of Long Knives.

- Set up the Reich Radio Company to control - Became the head of all police all local radio stations. Ordered 2 Nazi propaganda films. agencies in 1936, e.g. the SD.

- Controlled propaganda during WW2. - Supervised the Final Solution.

- Committed suicide on 1st May 1945 with his - Committed suicide after capture (23rd wife. They had also given poison to their 6 May 1945), before being put on trial. children.

Rosa Leaders of the Spartacist Uprising, 1919. Luxemburg / Murdered during uprising. Hermann Goering Karl Liebknecht Wolfgang Leader of the Kapp Putsch, 1920. - Set up the Gestapo in 1933 Kapp (taken over by Heydrich in 1936). Friedrich First Chancellor of Germany under the Ebert new Weimar Government from 1918. - Head of the German Airforce He accepted the armistice that ended (Luftwaffe) WWI. Von Chancellor of Germany at the end of - Created the Four Year Plan to Schleicher 1932. Part of the ‘political scheming’ prepare Germany for war. This stage of Hitler’s rise to power. aimed to make Germany self- Murdered on the Night of Long Knives, June 1934 sufficient (Autarky)

Von Papen Chancellor from , resigned and replaced by Von Schleicher. Schemed with Hindenburg / Hitler as - Was convicted at the Nuremberg believed Hitler / Nazis could be Trials, but committed suicide manipulated. Was vice-Chancellor before he was executed. under Hitler.

Marinus van Communist student, blamed by the der Lubbe Nazis for the Reichstag Fire. Put on trial and executed. Mussolini Leader of Italy. Fascist dictator

Stalin Leader of the USSR. Communist dictator.