2O Democracy and Nazism: Germany, 1918–1945 – The Collapse of Democracy, 1928–1933 — AQA A-Level History
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2O Democracy and Nazism: Germany, 1918–1945 – The Collapse of Democracy, 1928–1933 explained
The Great Depression devastated Weimar Germany, triggering profound economic, social, and political crises.
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Economically, the withdrawal of US loans caused mass bankruptcies and unemployment, peaking at six million by 1932. Socially, this created widespread destitution and a psychological loss of faith in the Republic. Politically, the crisis shattered the Grand Coalition in 1930 over unemployment benefit policies. Subsequent governments under Brüning, Papen, and Schleicher relied on Article 48, ruling by presidential decree. Brüning’s deflationary policies, such as wage cuts, worsened the misery. Consequently, elections between 1930 and 1932 saw a dramatic polarisation, with voters abandoning moderate parties for extremists.
The appeal of Nazism and Communism; the tactics and fortunes of the extremist parties, including the role of propaganda
The Depression fuelled the fortunes of extremist parties, as the KPD and NSDAP offered radical solutions. The appeal of Communism lay in its promise of a workers' state, attracting millions of unemployed labourers. KPD tactics included street violence and rent strikes. Conversely, the appeal of Nazism spanned broader demographics, promising national renewal and anti-Marxism. Nazi tactics combined the SA's physical intimidation with sophisticated propaganda orchestrated by Goebbels. This propaganda utilised mass rallies, targeted posters, and modern technology to project Hitler as Germany's saviour, ultimately making the NSDAP the largest Reichstag party by 1932, contrasting with the KPD's more limited electoral ceiling.
Hindenburg, Papen, Schleicher and the 'backstairs intrigue' leading to Hitler’s appointment as chancellor
Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor on 30 January 1933 resulted from complex 'backstairs intrigue' among conservative elites rather than direct electoral victory. President Hindenburg, who initially despised Hitler, was persuaded by Franz von Papen to appoint him. Papen, seeking revenge after being ousted by Kurt von Schleicher, believed he could control Hitler within a conservative cabinet, famously claiming they would 'push him into a corner'. Schleicher’s own chancellorship had collapsed after he alienated both the left and right, failing to split the Nazi party. This fatal political manoeuvring by Hindenburg, Papen, and Schleicher handed power to the Nazis, demonstrating how traditional elites drastically underestimated Hitler.
Political developments: the Reichstag Fire; parties and elections; the Enabling Act and the end of democracy; the state of Germany by March 1933
Between January and March 1933, the Weimar Republic was rapidly dismantled. The Reichstag Fire on 27 February provided Hitler with a pretext to issue an emergency decree suspending civil liberties and suppressing communist opponents. In the March 1933 elections, despite widespread intimidation of rival parties, the Nazis failed to secure an absolute majority, winning 43.9 percent. To bypass parliament, Hitler secured the Enabling Act on 23 March, requiring a two-thirds majority. By intimidating the SPD and negotiating with the Centre Party, the Act passed, legally ending democracy. By late March 1933, the state of Germany had transformed into a legal dictatorship, with opposition neutralised and totalitarian foundations laid.
Your focus
- Describe the economic and social consequences of the Great Depression on different demographic groups in Germany.
- Explain how the economic crisis led to the collapse of parliamentary government and the rise of presidential decree.
- Analyse the relationship between government economic policies and the results of the Reichstag elections from 1930 to 1932.
Show all 12 objectives
- Identify the core ideological appeals of both the KPD and the NSDAP to the German electorate during the Depression.
- Analyse the methods and effectiveness of Nazi propaganda in mobilising mass support across different demographic groups.
- Evaluate how the tactics of street violence and intimidation contributed to the rising fortunes of extremist parties at the expense of the democratic centre.
- Analyse the specific roles of Hindenburg, Papen, and Schleicher in the political crisis of 1932 to 1933.
- Evaluate the motivations behind the 'backstairs intrigue' that led to the conservative alliance with the Nazi Party.
- Explain how the traditional German elites fatally miscalculated their ability to control Adolf Hitler.
- Explain the political impact of the Reichstag Fire on civil liberties and the suppression of political opposition.
- Analyse the results of the March 1933 elections and the tactics used by the Nazi party against other political parties.
- Evaluate how the Enabling Act facilitated the end of democracy and transformed the political state of Germany by March 1933.
2O Democracy and Nazism: Germany, 1918–1945 – The Collapse of Democracy, 1928–1933 exam tips
Marking Points
- Identify the economic consequences of the Wall Street Crash on Germany, specifically the recall of short-term American loans and the resulting surge in unemployment.
- Explain the social impact of the Depression, including the rise in poverty, the strain on the welfare system, and the radicalisation of the working and middle classes.
- Analyse the political paralysis caused by the collapse of Müller's Grand Coalition and the subsequent reliance on Hindenburg's presidential decrees under Article 48.
- Evaluate the failure of government policies, particularly Brüning's deflationary measures, in addressing the economic crisis and their role in alienating the electorate.
- Assess the significance of the 1930 and 1932 Reichstag elections in demonstrating the collapse of the moderate democratic centre and the surge in extremist support.
- Analyse the specific appeal of the KPD to the unemployed and working classes, focusing on their promise to overthrow capitalism and establish a Soviet-style state.
- Evaluate the broad-based appeal of the NSDAP, noting their ability to attract the Mittelstand, farmers, and nationalists through promises of economic recovery and anti-communism.
- Assess the tactics used by extremist parties, including the deliberate use of paramilitary violence by the SA and the Rotfrontkämpferbund to dominate the streets and project strength.
- Examine the role of Nazi propaganda, directed by Joseph Goebbels, in tailoring specific messages to different social groups while maintaining a unifying cult of the Führer.
- Compare the electoral fortunes of the KPD and NSDAP between 1928 and 1932, explaining why the Nazis achieved a mass breakthrough while the KPD's support remained concentrated.
- Explain Papen's motivation to ally with Hitler to regain power and exact revenge on Schleicher.
- Analyse Schleicher's failure to maintain a stable government, specifically his unsuccessful attempt to split the Nazi party using Gregor Strasser.
- Evaluate Hindenburg's role and his transition from refusing Hitler the chancellorship in August 1932 to conceding in January 1933.
- Assess the miscalculation of the conservative elites who believed they could 'tame' Hitler by limiting Nazi cabinet positions to just three.
- Analyse how the Reichstag Fire Decree legally suspended civil liberties and allowed the Nazis to decimate the KPD before the March elections.
- Evaluate the significance of the March 1933 election results, noting that the Nazis still required nationalist coalition partners to form a majority.
- Explain the political manoeuvring and intimidation tactics used to secure the two-thirds majority required to pass the Enabling Act.
- Assess the state of Germany by the end of March 1933, focusing on the transition from a fragile democracy to a legalised dictatorship.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Link economic statistics directly to political shifts; use the unemployment figure of six million in 1932 to explain the electoral breakthroughs of the KPD and NSDAP.
- 💡When discussing government policies, contrast the inaction or deflationary measures of Brüning with the desperate need for state intervention demanded by the electorate.
- 💡Use the collapse of Müller's government in 1930 as the definitive turning point marking the end of parliamentary democracy and the beginning of presidential rule.
- 💡Contrast the rigid, class-based appeal of the KPD with the flexible, catch-all nature of Nazi propaganda to explain the difference in their ultimate electoral fortunes.
- 💡Use specific examples of Nazi propaganda techniques, such as the 'Hitler over Germany' flight campaign of 1932, to demonstrate their modern and dynamic tactics.
- 💡Discuss how the fear of Communism (the 'Red Threat') directly boosted the appeal of Nazism among middle-class and elite voters who sought a strong bulwark against a Bolshevik revolution.
- 💡Use the phrase 'backstairs intrigue' to explicitly address the role of elite political manoeuvring in the collapse of Weimar democracy.
- 💡Contrast the electoral decline of the Nazis in November 1932 with their political triumph in January 1933 to highlight the importance of elite collusion.
- 💡When evaluating the reasons for Hitler's appointment, weigh the importance of conservative miscalculations against the broader context of the Great Depression.
- 💡Link the Reichstag Fire directly to the March election results to demonstrate how crisis was manipulated for electoral advantage.
- 💡Highlight the role of the Centre Party in passing the Enabling Act to show how non-Nazi parties contributed to the end of democracy.
- 💡Use the phrase 'pseudo-legal revolution' to describe the state of Germany by March 1933, emphasising how Hitler used the constitution to destroy it.
Common Mistakes
- Error: Claiming the Wall Street Crash was the sole cause of Germany's economic problems. Correction: Acknowledge that the German economy was already stagnating before 1929 and was structurally dependent on short-term foreign loans.
- Error: Stating that Brüning deliberately caused the Depression to end reparations. Correction: Explain that while Brüning used the crisis to argue against reparations, his deflationary policies were primarily driven by a fear of repeating the hyperinflation of 1923.
- Error: Assuming the working class universally abandoned the SPD for the Nazis. Correction: Note that the unemployed working class largely shifted towards the KPD, while the Nazis drew heavily from the lower-middle class and rural voters.
- Error: Stating that Nazi propaganda was the sole reason for their electoral success. Correction: Emphasise that propaganda was effective because it exploited existing underlying grievances caused by the Depression and the failures of the Weimar Republic.
- Error: Treating the KPD and SPD as a united left-wing front against fascism. Correction: Highlight the bitter division between the KPD and SPD, noting that the KPD labelled the SPD as 'social fascists', which fatally divided the working-class resistance to Nazism.
- Error: Assuming the Nazis hid their anti-Semitism entirely during elections. Correction: Clarify that while anti-Semitism was downplayed in favour of economic messages in some areas, it remained a core component of their propaganda, particularly when scapegoating minorities for Germany's crises.
- Error: Claiming Hitler was elected Chancellor by a popular vote. Correction: Clarify that Hitler was appointed by President Hindenburg under Article 53 of the Weimar Constitution, following backroom deals, not a direct public election.
- Error: Stating Hindenburg eagerly supported Hitler's appointment. Correction: Emphasise that Hindenburg disliked Hitler, calling him the 'Bohemian corporal', and only appointed him when other options were exhausted.
- Error: Confusing the chronological order of Chancellors. Correction: Ensure the correct sequence is maintained: Heinrich Brüning, Franz von Papen, Kurt von Schleicher, then Adolf Hitler.
- Error: Stating the Nazis won a majority in the March 1933 election. Correction: Specify that the Nazis won 43.9 percent of the vote and relied on the DNVP to achieve a working majority.
- Error: Confusing the Reichstag Fire Decree with the Enabling Act. Correction: Distinguish that the Decree suspended civil liberties, whereas the Enabling Act allowed Hitler to pass laws without the Reichstag.
- Error: Claiming the Enabling Act was passed illegally. Correction: Explain that the Act was passed using constitutional mechanisms, albeit under severe intimidation and the exclusion of Communist deputies.