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Essay Revision Notes for Nazis in Power How Far Was (Isolated Factor) Responsible for the Survival of the Nazi State Between 1933 and 1939?

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Essay Revision Notes for Nazis in Power How Far Was (Isolated Factor) Responsible for the Survival of the Nazi State Between 1933 and 1939? ESSAY REVISION NOTES FOR NAZIS IN POWER HOW FAR WAS (ISOLATED FACTOR) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE NAZI STATE BETWEEN 1933 AND 1939? IN OTHER WORDS WHY WAS HITLER ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL IN GERMANY? Hitler aimed to create a genuine Volksgemeinschaft to help win support and targeted all areas in Nazi Germany. However, he would not have been in a position to do this if he had not consolidated him power when he became Chancellor in 1933 DICTATORSHIP AND CONSOLIDATION OF POWER 1933 – January 30th Hitler became Chancellor with only 37% of the vote, the fact that the Nazis did not have a majority highlight that his grip on Germany was not yet secure. Hitler was one of only three Nazis in a Cabinet of twelve, and President Hindenburgh had the power to dismiss Hitler at any time. Yet, Hitler managed to destroy German democracy and set up a dictatorship and consolidate his power. How did he do this? Seizure of power begins: The Reichstag Fire 27th February the Reichstag burned to the ground, Dutch communists, Marinus Van Der Lubbe was found at the scene and accused of arson. Goring ordered the mass arrest of Communist Reichstag deputies and party officials. Overnight 4000 Communist Party officials were arrested. The March Elections and the Enabling Law 28th February Due to the Reichstag Fire President Hindenberg was persuaded to issue an Emergency Decree suspending civil freedoms and allowing the government to imprison political opponents indefinitely. The Nazis exploited the new law in the final days before the Reichstag elections and made it next to impossible for their opponents to campaign freely. The Nazis increased their share of the vote from 33.1% in November 1932 to 43.9%. This was because many Germans, especially those in the middle classes, admired the tough action the Nazis were taking against the communists. The Enabling Act (23rd March) destroyed parliamentary democracy. It gave Hitler the right to make his own laws without needing the approval of the Reichstag. Other political parties instantly lost their significance. CONSOLIDATION OF POWER CONTINUED… NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES 1934 The army were concerned about the demands of the SA feared they would launch a violent coup to seize power. Goring and Himmler also disliked the SA for personal reasons. Goring wanted be Germany’s Commander-in-Chief and regarded Rohm as a rival. Himmler was leader of the SS but under the control of Rohm; this he wanted to change. Together this allowed Hitler the excuse to act and once and for all remove any possible opposition to the position of Hitler. By June 1934 it was obvious that Hindenberg had not long to live. Hitler realised that Rohm would have to be dealt with quickly if the army and the conservatives were to allow him to become President when the old man died. On the early hours of 30th June 1934 the SS swooped on all leading SA members and any others who had opposed Hitler. After one minute ‘trials’ they were shot. Rohm Karl Ernst and other leading SA officers were executed, much to the delight of the army. The purge included a number of people who had nothing to do with the SA as the Nazi leaders took the opportunity to settle old scores. This included General Von Schleicher (former Chancellor), General Von Bredow (leading army officer), Gregor Strasser (leading Nazi who had fallen out with Hitler) and many others. Estimates of the number of dead vary from 17 to over 400. The army leaders, who had provided the weapons and transport for the purge, were delighted. When Hindenberg died on 2nd August, Hitler combined the offices of Chancellor and President and the army agreed to a new oath of loyalty to Hitler personally as ‘Fuhrer of the German Reich and people’. It was Himmler and the SS that benefited most. The SS was now free to be Germany’s police force free from a legal system. In future, Germans could expect the Party’s police agencies to enforce the law – and there was no appeal against their decisions. Conclusion Hitler had now secured his dictatorship. Without the above factors the Nazis could not have implemented their policies. The dictatorship was created very quickly. Within 18 months Hitler was Fuhrer of a one-party state. Without the creation of a political dictatorship, none of the other Nazi policies would have been possible. The Enabling Act, in particular, gave the Nazis the power to change German law and society unopposed. Nazi policies were not subject to parliamentary scrutiny. There was no President after August 1934, so there were no Presidential checks on Nazi policy. Hitler has removed possible opposition. HOW FAR DID THE NAZIS ECONOMIC POLICY HELP MAINTAIN CONTROL? THE ECONOMY: When Hitler was elected Chancellor in January 1933 unemployment peaked at 6 million near enough 50% of the nation’s working population. Hitler promised ‘work and bread’ and constantly played on the economic miracle Nazi Germany achieved. This "economic miracle" was based on unemployment all but disappearing by 1939. HITLER’S ECONOMIC AIMS Tackle the Depression and restore Germany to full employment and create a defence economy, geared to the needs of future war. Make Germany an “autarchy” – self sufficient and get rid of Jewish industrialists and give their businesses to “Aryans” EVIDENCE TO SAY ECONOMIC POLICY WAS SUCCESSFUL AND HELPED HITLER MAINTAIN CONTROL? Unemployment had fallen from 6 million in 1933 to 300,000, by 1939 Industrial production in 1939 was above the figure for Weimar Germany before the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Public work schemes for men who worked in the National Labour Service ( RAD). Their work would have included digging ditches on farms to assist irrigation, building the new autobahns, planting new forests etc. Compared to the lack of success of the Weimar government and the chronic misery of 1931 to 1932, these men felt that at least the Nazi government was making the effort to improve their lot. The average factory worker was earning 10 times more than those on dole money and few complained. Government income had been 10 billion Reichsmarks in 1928 and rose to 15 billion by 1939. EVIDENCE TO SAY ECONOMIC POLICY WAS NOT AS SUCCESSFUL Unemployment figures were reduced due to women being excluded in the statistics. The unemployed were given a very simple choice: do whatever work is given to you by the government or be classed as "work-shy" and put in a concentration camp. Jews were not included in unemployment figures as well as young men who were conscripted to the army (1935). Trade Unions and strikes were banned. Real earnings in 1938 were all but the same as the 1928 figure, with a slight decline in some areas. Annual food consumption in 1937 had fallen compared to the 1927 figures. Government spending had increased from 12 billion Reichsmarks in 1928 to over 30 billion in 1939 - a difference of 15 billion Reichsmarks. By 1939, Germany still imported 33% of its required raw materials. From 1933 to 1939, the Nazi government always spent more than it earned so that by 1939, government debt stood at over 40 billion Resichsmarks. CONCLUSION Economic policies were very popular. Hitler appeared to be fulfilling policy promises and rebuilding German national pride but the Nazis came to power just as the worst of the depression was over and were able to take the credit for an economic up-turn. That would have occurred naturally whoever had been in control at the time. However the people of Germany were unable to know that and to them Hitler had produced an Economic Miracle. HOW FAR DID DOMESTIC POLICIES HELP HITLER MAINTAIN CONTROL?NAZI FAMILY POLICY – KINDER, KIRCHE KUECHE, ( Children, Church, Kitchen) WORKERS AND LEISURE The leisure time of the workers was also taken care of. An organisation called “Kraft durch Freude” (KdF) took care of this. Ley and the KdF worked out that each worker had 3,740 hours per year free for pursuing leisure activities,– which the state would provide. Cheap holidays were offered, a cruise to the Canary Islands cost 62 marks, easily affordable to many but most cruises were taken up by Nazi Party officials. The KdF introduced a scheme whereby the workers could get a car. The Volkswagen - People's Car - was designed so that most could afford it. The Beetle, designed by Ferdinand Porsche, cost 990 marks. This was about 35 weeks wages for the average worker. To pay for one, workers went on a hire purchase scheme. They paid 5 marks a week into an account. Theoretically, when the account had reached 750 marks the worker would be given an order number which would lead to them receiving a car. No-one received a car and the millions of marks invested into the scheme were re-directed into the rapidly expanding weapons factories NAZIS AND WOMEN Nazi ideology believed women should be confined to a purely domestic role in society all German women would marry at a young age to a proper German. Their task was to keep a decent home for her working husband and to have children. POLICIES INTRODUCED 10th May 1933: The 230 women’s organisations in Germany were to expel their Jewish members and integrate into the Women’s Front. Organisations supported the Nazis as they viewed their ideology on the traditional role of women. THE ATTACK ON WOMEN AT WORK The initial policy was to ease women out of the top levels of the civil service, law, medicine and politics. Women were induced to stay at home by new ‘marriage credits’ and child bonuses.
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