Rise and Rule of Single Party State in Germany 1918 – 1945: HITLER and the Nazis

1. Rise and Rule of Single Party State in Germany1918 – 1945:HITLER and the Nazis Paper 2 Review Everything you could ever want to know about Hitler for Paper 2, and then some!

2. Hitler Historical Issues • How and Why were the Nazi’s able to gain power? • Why was it possible to create and maintain a regime of such brutality? • What exactly is Nazism and what does it represent • Intentionalist School • Hitler Factor? The great man, albeit an evil one in this case, influences History through his actions • Holds to a Hitler centered interpretation of the 3rd Reich • Problem is it conveniently shifts all blame to the dead Hitler • Structuralist School • Hitler’s role is over-stated • Focus on the apparatus of the Party and the State • Decisions are complex • Fascist/Totalitarian Analysis (Political Scientist focus) • Germany is example of common mid-2oth Century political movement

3. Hitler Historical Issues • Fascist/Totalitarian Analysis con’t (Political Scientist focus) • Left-wing political analysis • Generic view of Fascism • Brought about by economic forces, and class issues in capitalist states • Nazism scene as a mere variety of Fascism • Roots are not Germanic or Hitlerian • Liberal Interpretation • Prefer a totalitarian analysis • Look for similarities of left and right • Compare Mussolini, Franco, Stalin (can’t be studied in isolation) • Problem • Confirmation bias, force Nazi’s into pre-determined model • Ignore particular circumstances in Germany • Racial/Foreign Policy Interpretation • Unique racial focus of Nazi’s used to justify expansion and brutality • Mass murder requires analysis and questions the nature of man

4. Hitler Historical Issues • The Question of the Third Reich as Revolutionary • Is it an abhorrent revolution that alters Germany’s path? • Is it a natural culmination of German development since the 1850’s? • Kaisereich is authoritatarian • Kaiser appoints Chancellor, controls army and foreign policy • William II unsuited to rule • Industrial revolution upsets class structure (Mittlestand and workers) • Army props up Monarchy • Weimar a product of defeat and democratic parties blamed for it • Preserve traditional interests but implements democracy • Stable Period 1924-29 is a façade • Hinderburg (President) is anti-democratic • Article 48 allows semi dictatorship • Is the Third Reich based on continuity of military state structure of 1871 or a break with the Past???

5. Germany Preconditions • Germany as a single, unified state was created in 1871 • Prussia had been its largest state • Power was wielded by the Kaiser (emperor) • There was an elected Parliament (Reichstag), but the country was authoritarian • Kaiser appoints PM, Bundesrat (Prus. Has 17 of 58 B-rat votes) approves all laws • Germany underwent rapid industrialization in the late 1800s (even surpassing GB) • Germany had Europe’s largest and best army • Kaiser Wilhelm II (1888-1918) pursued an aggressive foreign policy • Food and fuel crisis 1916-17, Inflation 100%, Spanish Flu

6. Germany Preconditions cont • WWI • Germany was certainly partially to blame for the militarism, alliance system, imperialism and other causes of WWI • Germany thought WWI would be short by using Schlieffen Plan to defeat France and Russia • But WWI became a war of attrition on all sides • By Sept 1918, German military commanders Ludendorf and Hindenburg realize they cant win after Spring 1918 offensive • accepted that Germany could not escape defeat • Try to shift blame for defeat to new gov’t • Germany’s citizens were unable to accept the defeat and turned on the government • Von Baden (Liberal) new Chancellor tries to preserve monarchy • Military control to Reichstag, Chancellor reports to R-stag • Strikes, riots (King Louis deposed in Bavaria, 6 Soviets set up in Berlin etc…), and mutinies (Navy rejects suicide mission) broke out • Angry over wasted sacrifices

7. Germany Preconditions cont • Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate on Nov 9, 1918 • Germany was declared a republic, and led by center-left (SPD) Coalition: • Pres.: Friedrich Ebert, Scheidemann Chancellor (Fear extreme left) • Problem is left is Split: SPD wants Socialist Parlimentary Democracy, USPD want Soviets with Parliament, Sparticists want Soviets only • Germany signed a ceasefire to end WWI • Provisional Gov’t until elections • Ebert-Groener gets Army support for Gov’t and to maintain order • Stinnes-Legien Agreement- Unions promise not to attack private property and get legalization, 8-hour day, workers committees • Germany held elections in January 1919 • The main political parties that supported democracy (Social Democratic Party (SPD), Democratic Party (DDP), Centre Party (ZP) ) received over 76% votes

8. Germany Preconditions cont • Weimar Government opened in February – not in Berlin because of the chaos and riots there • The assembly voted in July 1919 to accept the new constitution (Weimar Constitution) • President 7-years • Can dissolve R-Stag, appoints chancellor (doesn’t have to be largest party), commands army, Article 48 rule by decree in emergency • Reichstag 4 years, proportional representation, Reichsrat upper house only initiate or delay legislation • Supreme Court • Scheidemann, from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), was the Chancellor

9. Germany Preconditions cont • Extremist right and left wing movements opposed democracy and were committed to overthrowing the new Republic • Civil Service, Courts, Army unreformed and right-wing • DNVP (Nationalists), and DVP (Const. Monarchy under Stresemann) get 15% of votes • Key Problems • Proportional Representation • Splinter parties, no majorities, instability but what alternative • President v. Reichstag: Article 48 overcompensates for fear of R-Stag tyranny? • G Craig argues the Article 48 Anomaly lets Hitler rise (however it does work well in 1923) • Civil institutions anti-democratic • Even universities are rightist • Is the constitution bad or is it the political environment???? Fatally Flawed????

10. Germany Preconditions cont • Weimar government faced serious problems from the beginning: • Anger and resentment over the Versailles Treaty • Diktat, Weimar Gov’t blamed for Treaty “Stab in the Back” Theory • Germans assumed fair peace, true terms shocking • Loss of territory, no Self Determination • War Guilt Article 231 • Reparations 6,600 million pounds (Ger. Ultimately chooses to monetize debt) • Saar to Lof N, Rheinland demilitarized • Restricted military, no Anschluss • Germany banned from Lof N • Revisionist view : Of course allies protect empires • USSR threat, multiple states involved not just Germany • Clemenceau gives up extreme demands • Many lost areas are ethnically mixed, Austria, Sudeten Land never Ger. • Much less punitive than Brest-Litovsk

11. Germany Preconditions cont • Was Versailles that big a deal? • Economic problems of Weimar not purely from Versailles • Dawes and Young Plans gives Germany more loans than the amount of reparations they pay • Germany not destroyed like A/H, Russian or Ottoman Empires • Does create power vacuum Germany can exploit in Central Europe • Public opinion does blame Versailles however • Creates Stab in the back myth • Wartime nationalism expands • Weimar blamed for WWI results even though olg Gov’t started the war

12. Germany Preconditions cont • Political Problems of Weimar • Threats from the LEFT: • Background: • Extreme left-wing socialist movement known as the Sparticists set up the German Communist Party (KPD) • KPD wanted a Bolshevik-style government • KPD contested many elections in the 1920s and consistently received 10-15% of the vote • The KPD and the SPD would not work together (except in the case of the German October, 1923) and made it easier for Hitler to come to power in 1933

13. Germany Background cont • The Sparticist Uprising – January 1919 • Staged in Berlin by the Sparticists (left wing Socialists) • Occupy public buildings, 100 killed • Leaders Rosa Luxembourg and Liebknecht murdered in Police custody • Put down by the freikorps (extreme right-wing ex-soldiers) • March 1919 Bavaria declared Soviet Republic crushed by Freikorps • Communist Uprising in the Ruhr – March 1920 • Set up their own gov’t at Essen and in April briefly took over Munich • German army intervened and killed hundreds of communists • 50,000 Workers Army (Crushed by Army and Freikorps) • March 1921 Merseburg/Holle KPD strikes crushed by Police • “German October” – 1923 • The German Communist Party (KPD) organized strikes and demonstrations, and joined with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) to win control of local governments • Berlin used the army to arrest KPD ministers and dissolve the disturbances

14. Germany Background cont • Threats from the RIGHT: • Background: • Anti-Marxist, Anti-Democratic, Nationalist • Stab in the Back, November Criminals (pacifists, Socialists, democrats, Jews part of Weimar conspiracy) • Many German nationalists never accepted the Weimar Republic because it had accepted the Treaty of Versailles • Many conservative elites (large landowners, big industrialists, senior army officers, judges and civil servants) only sort of, kind of supported the new gov’t – often they were actually hostile • Many wanted restoration of the monarchy or some authoritarian alternative

15. Germany Background cont • Threats from the RIGHT: • Background: • Organizations • DNVP- German Nat’l Proples Party • Old conservatives, racists, extremists • Volkisch Nationalism • 70 splinter parties DAP later NSDAP (NAZI) is one • Freikorps • Consul Organization • Right wing assassins (of 376 Weimar political murders 354 are committed by the right)

16. Germany Background cont • The Kapp Putsch – March 1920 • Wolfgang Kapp and General von Luttwitz attempted to overthrow the gov’t • Thousands of unemployed soldiers joined the Freikorps units to seize control of Berlin • Regular army (Reichswehr) was ordered to attack the former soldiers, but they refused • “Troops don’t shoot at troops” • Trade unions in Berlin went on strike paralyzing the city • After 4 days, Kapp realized he could not succeed and he fled the country • Not really a Weimar success • Army is unreliable “state within a state” • Kapp dies before trial, only 1 0f 705 found guilty

17. Germany Background cont • The “White Terror’ – 1920-22 • Many political murders and high level assassinations • Freikorps was mainly responsible • Erzeberger (ZP) and Rathenau (ZP) killed • Only 24 of 354 right wing assassins found guilty no death penalties • 10 of 22 left wing assassins guilty all executed • The Beerhall Putsch – November 8, 1923 • Hitler and his SA took over a govt meeting in Bavaria • The local leader (Kahr) escaped and warned the police and army • Nov 9 the Nazis marched on Munich, but the army was ready and arrested many Nazis • Hitler was tried, convicted and sentenced to 5 years, but only spent 9 months in jail – used trial as a bully pulpit and won over many new supporters • In jail he wrote Mein Kampf and decided to work from within the system rather than against it

18. Germany Background cont • Outcome of Political Instability of Weimar • Success v. left and right disguises weaknesses • 1920 Elections Democratic vote (SPD, DDP, ZP) drops to 48% from 76% • DNVP up to 15% • KPD up to 20% from 7%

19. What was wrong with the Weimar Constitution? • Background: • All men and women over 20 could vote • Reichstag had great power • Ministers were accountable to Reichstag rather than the President • Weaknesses: • Voting system was proportional representation • Small parties could get seats in govt – factionalism slows govt – no party could get a majority • 1919-23 saw 8 different coalition governments • Very instable

20. What was wrong with the Weimar Constitution? • Weaknesses cont: • Article 48 of Constitution gave President extensive emergency powers • Could suspend civil liberties in emergencies • Hindenburg used this frequently to bypass the stalemates in the Reichstag 1930-32 • Hindenburg also used it in 1933 after the Reichstag Fire: • Hitler was then able to arrest many communist and socialist opponents and close down their newspapers • This was an important step toward his creation of a single party state

21. Economic Problems 1919-23 • High unemployment and low industrial output • WWI soldiers couldn’t find work • Destruction from WWI • Germany lost valuable resources from TofV • Poland and France both received mineral rich land from Germany for 15 years • Exports collapse as other countries rebuild • Inflation was serious since start of WWI • War bonds debt massive as short war had been anticipated • Debt 5 bi. 1915, 144bi. 1919 84% of war borrowed • Erzeberger decides on deficit spending • Maintain demand, solve demobilization, pay for welfare state • Deficit and inflation will lower real rate of debt (Reparations hurt, but not the real cause) • Government continued to print more money to make it even worse • Reparations added to the situation • 1914: 20 marks = 1 £ 1923: 16,000,000,000,000 = 1 £

22. Hyper-Inflation of 1923 • January 1923 Germany failed to pay reparations ask for third Holiday on Reparations and declared in default • France and Belgium sent 60,000 troops into the Ruhr • German workers in the region strike – passive resistance • Clashes killed about 150 Germans • French seal Ruhr off from the rest of Germany • Ruhr produced 80% of Germany’s steel and 70% of its coal • No taxes collected and finances collapse • Devastating impact on Germany’s economy • German unemployment went from 2% to 23% • Consequences • Traditional: Middle class destroyed • Revisionist: Winners: Debtors (mortgages, loans, homes paid off, borrow cheaply, buy land/factories), exporters, The State (pays off debts) • Losers: savers, investors, bond holders, fixed incomes, pensioners, landlords, welfare

23. Hyper-Inflation of 1923 • Stresemann became chancellor in Aug 1923: • Led a brief coalition in government of DVP, DDP ZP, SPD • Brought in Schacht (banker) to help with currency crisis • Cuts spending, 700,000 Gov’t workers fired • Ordered Ruhr workers to cooperate with the French • Resumed reparations payments • Introduced new currency (Rentenmark) • 1 rentenmark = 10,000,000,000,000 marks • Leads to Dawes Plan • Left and Right threats recede • 1924 Rentenmark was replaced with Reichsmark which continued until 1945

24. Hyper-Inflation of 1923 • Why doesn’t Weimar collapse??? • People more angry at France than Weimar • Inflation doesn’t hurt workers and helps many businesses • Employers choose not to lay off workers • No real alternative • Strengths of Weimar economy • Heavy industry back to 1913 levels by 1928 • Huge banks, cartels • Exports up 40% wages up 5-10% • Social welfare: unemployment, sick pay, education, sports • Weaknesses • Growth uneven and declines after 1926 • Trade deficit every year • Average 2 mi. unemployed, world conditions stop exports • Agri, income down 50% • Inflation discourages savings and investment • Welfare state requires more and more debt

25. Long-term effects of Hyper-Inflation • Many in the middle class who lost their savings in hyper-inflation were permanently alienated from Weimar Republic • Germany had a shortage of domestic business investment – needed for future increases in GDP • Germany was increasingly dependent on loans from USA (Dawes Plan). The Dawes Plan helped the situation in 1924-28, but when the economy in US tumbled in 1929, the US called back many of its loans compounding the bad situation in Germany

26. The Good Years 1924-29 • Some historians believe the prosperity would not have lasted in Germany even without the Great Depression • Some historians believe the issues in the US really caused the collapse of the German economy in 1929

27. Evidence of Progress 1924-29 • Economic • Dawes Plan inserted needed $ into economy • By 1928, industry exceeded its 1913 numbers • Foreign exports increased 40% from 1925-29 • Social • Workers’ wages rose 21% in 1927-28 alone, making them the highest paid in Europe • Government spending on health, education and social services was huge • 1913 – 37% of govt spending • 1932 – 68% of govt spending • New universities in Hamburg and Cologne • Unemployment insurance issued for 17 million workers in 1927

28. Evidence of Progress 1924-29 • Cultural • Germany (esp. Berlin) became a vibrant cultural center • Architecture – Bauhaus design movement • Literature – Thomas Mann, Nobel Prize 1929 • Political • There were no further attempts to seize power by the extreme Left or Right • 1928 elections – both KPD (Communists) and DNVP (Nationalists) lost seats (KPD 62 to 54 seats, DNVP 95 to 73). Nazis only have 12 seats

29. Evidence of Progress 1924-29 • Political cont • Moderate parties made huge gains – Social Democrats (SPD) from 100 to 153 seats • 1928 – 1930, Grand Coalition of SPD (Social Democrats) DDP (Democratic Party) DVP (People’s Party) and ZP (Center Party) have over 60% of seats in Reichstag • KPD and DNVP (Nat’l Conservatives) decline • Hindenburg’s election in 1925 as President was a stabilizing factor as he was seen as a “Kaiser-substitute”

30. Evidence of Progress 1924-29 • Germany’s International Situation • Gustav Stresemann(leader of German People’s Party) • Originally Opposed Weimar moves to Center after Rathanau, Erzberger assassinations • Wants to accept parts of Versailles to end its effects • He was briefly Chancellor in 1923 • Then became Foreign Minister until his death in 1929 • Plan • Acknowledge French security issues • Use trade to cultivate US/GB • Cooperate with allies but keep ties to USSR • Policies were unpopular with the Nationalists but he made Germany accepted again diplomatically and even won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926 along with Aristide Briand (French Foreign Minister) for trying to improve Franco-German relations)

31. Stresemann’s Achievements • Actions: • Negotiated the withdrawal of French and Belgians from Ruhr in 1924 • Helped negotiate Dawes Plan in 1924 • Stresemann’s suggestion of recognizing and guaranteeing Western Europe’s frontiers was finalized into Locarno Pact of 1925 • Germany was allowed in League of Nations 1926 • Negotiated a partial withdrawal of the Rhineland by the Allies in 1928 • Negotiated the Young Plan in 1929 which reduced the total reparations bill by almost two-thirds • When he died he was negotiating the final withdrawal of the Allied troops from Rhineland which happened earlier than scheduled in 1930 • Leave early in exchage for final reparations settlement only 25% of original size

32. Evidence of continuing problems under Stresemann? Illusion of Stability??? • Political • Coalitions unstable: • SPD and DNVP never join coalitions 1923-1928 and KPD is isolated • Center-right ZP, DVP, DNVP agree on domestic but not foreign policy • Broad coalition SPD, DDP, DVP, ZP agree on foreign policy but not domestic • Minority Centrist Coalitions DDP, DVP, ZP need help from left or right • 7 Govt’s 1923-30 • SPD never joins til 1928, ZP moves right DDP,DVP (Liberals) support collapses

33. Evidence of continuing problems under Stresemann? • Political • German Nationalist Party (DNVP) • Hates Wemar but joins gov’ts to have influence after 1925 • 1928 becomes radical right under Alfred Hugenberg • Reverts to total opposition and works with Nazis • opposed the Young Plan because it implied Germany still accepted war guilt. • 1928 Ebert dies and Hinderburg is President • Surprises all by being loyal to constitution he dislikes • Functions as a quasi-Kaiser • Prefers DNVP and tries to exclude SPD • Center Party also moved to the right

34. Evidence of continuing problems under Stresemann? • Political • Overall the government doesn’t get stronger over time!!! • One gov’t falls over which flag to fly • Another over creating religious schools • “Grand Coalition” was unstable as it tried to negotiate with a range of parties from right of center to left. • In 1930 it collapsed after the SPD argued with its Center Party coalition partners over how to respond to the Great Depression • Overall Stresemann accomplishes a lot considering what he has to work with but… • … Fails to generate real support for Weimar

35. Evidence of continuing problems under Stresemann? • Economic • Germany was heavily reliant on US loans • Unemployment never went below 1.3 million and was up to 1.9 million by 1929 Crash • Agriculture was way behind industrial recovery in 1920s (tough competition from American and Canadian efficiency) • Social • Farm workers’ wages were only just over half the national average in 1929

36. Rise and Rule of Single Party State in Germany1918 – 1945:HITLER Rise to Power Paper 2 Review Everything you could ever want to know about Hitler for Paper 2, and then some!

37. The Nazi Party and Hitler • Hitler born 1889 in Austria • Poor student moves to Vienna 1907 • Wanted to be an architect but applications to school were rejected by fine Arts Academy in Vienna • 6 years in Vienna, Sold scenic paintings to earn a living • Became interested in writings of racist authors (like Lanz von Liebenfels) • Began to believe that Germans were superior to other nationalities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (mainly Slavs) and the rest of the world • Finds Purpose in WWI • Joins Bavarian Regt., fights bravely (Iron Cross) gassed at the end of the war • Forms core Ideas: Nationalis; anti democratic and anti-socialist, ati-semitic • Racial view of society with German Volk as master race

38. The Nazi Party and Hitler • Psychological interpretations of Hitler are weak • One argues Hitler noted that many leading Socialists and Communists were Jews (Stab in the Back Theory) • Another that a Jewish prostitute gave him syphilis • He was a loner with no real friends so no one truly knows his motivations

39. The Nazi Party and Hitler • Post-war he is a gov’t spy for the Army in Bavaria tracking left wing groups • January 1919 Anton Drexler set up German Workers’ Party (DAP) to join working class and nationalists • Sounds like a leftist party so Hitler investigates • Actually nationalist, anti-semitic, anti-capitalist • Hitler joins and immediately put on its Committee • Hitler was put in charge of recruitment and propaganda in September 1919 • Helps produce the 25 Point Program • (combined nationalist and socialist demands, a “guide book” for Nazis) • 1. Pan-Germanism, end Versailles, Lebensraum, expel Jews, People’s army, deport non-citizens to help employment, community over individual, profit sharing, Political war

40. The Nazi Party and Hitler • Mid 1921 is clear driving force of Party • 1921 Hitler set up the Sturmabteilung (storm-troopers, or SA) • Rousing speeches, swastika, salute, uniforms are his idea • Drexler tries to limit Hitler’s power • For first time Hitler shows his skill as a politician and his willingness to gamble everything to win • He resigns from Nazi Party • Nazi’s realize he is their best speaker and demand his return forcing Drexler to Resign Hitler is now Fuhrer of the DAP • SA was originally used to protect party meetings, and made up of former Freikorps • Fights pitched battles with communists in streets (Win the streets!) • People’s Observer Newspaper set up • 1922 Brings in Streicher form N. Bavaria adds his newspaper • Goering joins in 1922, war hero, landowner = Social Contacts • Party was renamed National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) in 1921 • Hitler and Nazis aimed to seize power by force, modeled on Mussolini’s March on Rome in Oct 1922 • Led to the Munich Putsch (Beer Hall Putsch) which failed and Hitler sentenced to jail

41. What did Hitler learn from the failed Beer Hall Putsch? • He changed his tactics – used legal method rather than revolution • Party needed to broaden appeal beyond working-class. He moved away from socialist ideas in the 25 Points toward more nationalist elements of the middle-class • Successfully reorganized the fractured Nazi Party after his stay in prison • SA were reorganized and given greater responsibility over propaganda • Founded SS (Shutzstaffel – bodyguards) and the Hitler youth in 1926 • Party membership remained low – 35,000 in 1926 and only 12 seats in Reichstag in 1928 (3% of vote)

42. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 • Effect on German Economy: • US investors withdrew money from Germany • German businesses went bankrupt and banks collapsed • Unemployment soared • Late 1920s – just under 2 million • 1930 – 3.5 million • 1931 – 4.4 million • 1932 – 6 million • Prices fell – lower profit margins forced more businesses to go bankrupt • Value of German exports fell more than 50%

43. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 • Impact on German Politics: • Revived violent and unstable politics of 1918-23 • Large-scale street violence • Each political party had its own paramilitary • Nazi SA • Communist Red Front • Extremists grew in number and power • Chancellor Brüning (1930-32) was traditional and cautious • Kept government spending and taxes down • Waited for economy to improve • The unemployed were furious and turned to extremist political parties • 1930 - Nazis won 107 seats, Communists won 89

44. Nazis Membership Grows • Hitler was looked to as a ‘messiah’ to ‘save’ Germany • As unemployment skyrockets, so does Nazi party membership (Nazis promised job creation) • Weak leadership in government made Hitler look even better (Hitler even got 13 million votes to Hindenburg’s 18 million in April 1932 showing how strong a following he had) • Many were worried about a communist revolution and the 700,000 strong SA seemed to be able to provide security • Appealed to small farmers and peasants struggling under debt and falling food prices (they were promised subsidies)

45. Nazi Membership Grows • Nazis got support from lower middle-class (teachers, civil servants, etc) fearing they would become unemployed • SA was predominantly working-class, but Nazis had little support from this group overall • Nazis received financial backing from some leading industrialists who were worried about the socialists • Presented an image of dynamism and youth • Campaign tactics were more modern • Mass rallies created sense of belonging

46. Nazi Membership Grows • Nazi Propaganda (Goebbels) used different messages for different groups • Subsidies to peasants • Law and order and return to traditional values to middle class • Jobs for unemployed • Defense against communist revolution and revival of Germany as great power to conservative nationalists • At the same time promised to unite all Germans • Jews, democratic system, Communists, and WWI victors were provided as scapegoats for Germany’s problems

47. Nazi Membership Grows • None of this was new, so why were these messages more effective in the 1930s than in the 1920s? • Widespread disillusionment with the Weimar Republic and democratic parties was far greater, as was the scale of Germany’s economic problems • Hitler had created a more respectable image for the Nazis after his release from prison and was therefore able to win more middle class support

48. Breakdown of Democratic Government (1930-32) • No political party could command a majority in Reichstag • Article 48 of Weimar constitution gave president authority to declare state of emergency and govern by decree without consulting parliament • Hindenburg (President) • Didn’t like the Weimar Republic • Was a Nationalist • Thought the Nazis were thugs, but hated Social Democrats and Communists even more

49. Breakdown of Democratic Government (1930-32) • 1930 Hindenburg dismissed Chancellor Müller’s government and appointed Brüning (Center Party) to Chancellor • Brüning had little support in Reichstag but was able to rule because of Hindenburg’s use of emergency powers to pass laws • Hindenburg grew tired of having to support Brüning so he replaced him with conservative von Papen (but he had even less support) • Hindenburg agreed to call a general election in July 1932 • Nazis triumphantly won 230 seats in Parliament (largest single party in Parliament, but not yet a majority – still needed to form a coalition)

50. Breakdown of Democratic Government (1930-32) • Hindenburg asked Hitler to join a coalition, but Hitler refused unless he could be Chancellor • Hindenburg refused (hated Hitler and feared SA) and called a second general election in November 1932 • Nazis lost seats (down to 196) but was still largest single party • Hindenburg fired von Papen for not being able to form a coalition and replaced him with General Kurt von Schleicher