Hitler's Rise to Power and Nazi State Formation
Hitler's Rise to Power
- Birth of the Weimar Republic:
- Coincided with the revolutionary uprising of the Spartacist League, modeled on the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.
- Soviets of workers and sailors were established in many cities.
- The political atmosphere in Berlin was charged with demands for Soviet-style governance.
- Opponents of this movement (Socialists, Democrats, Catholics):
- Met in Weimar to establish a democratic republic.
- Crushed the uprising with the help of the Free Corps (a war veterans organization).
- The Spartacists, after the uprising, founded the Communist Party of Germany.
- Communists and Socialists became irreconcilable enemies, weakening opposition to Hitler.
- Impact of the Treaty of Versailles:
- A harsh and humiliating peace for Germany:
- Lost:
- Overseas colonies
- 10% of its population
- 13% of its territories
- 75% of its iron
- 26% of its coal
- The Allied Powers:
- Demilitarized Germany to weaken its power.
- Imposed the War Guilt Clause, holding Germany responsible for the war and damages.
- Forced Germany to pay £6 billion in reparations.
- Occupied the resource-rich Rhineland during the 1920s.
Territorial losses of Germany after World War II, a consequence of defeat and the terms imposed by Allied forces.
- Lost:
- Many Germans blamed the Weimar Republic for:
- The defeat in the war
- The humiliation at Versailles
- A harsh and humiliating peace for Germany:
- Economic Crisis of 1923:
- Germany fought the war largely on loans and had to pay reparations in gold.
- This depleted gold reserves while resources were scarce.
- In 1923, Germany refused to pay reparations, leading to:
- The French occupation of Ruhr to claim coal.
- Germany's retaliation with passive resistance.
- Reckless printing of paper currency, causing:
- A collapse in the value of the German mark.
- A hyperinflation crisis, where:
- April: 1 USD = 24,000 marks
- July: 1 USD = 353,000 marks
- August: 1 USD = 4,621,000 marks
- December: 1 USD = 98,860,000 marks
Hyperinflation in Germany during the Weimar Republic devastated the economy, making the German mark nearly worthless and fueling discontent.
- Prices of goods soared, with people using cartloads of currency for basic purchases.
- The Dawes Plan (introduced by the USA) reworked reparation terms and eased the financial burden.
- The Years of Depression (1929–1932):
- Initial stability (1924-1928) was dependent on short-term loans from the USA.
- The Wall Street Exchange crash in 1929 led to:
- The Great Economic Depression.
- Massive unemployment and economic collapse worldwide.
Homeless citizens in Nazi Germany, reflecting the widespread economic hardship and societal struggles of the era. - Impact on Germany:
- Industrial production fell to 40% of 1929 levels.
- Unemployment rose to 6 million.
- People resorted to:
- Desperation (e.g., placards reading "Willing to do any work").
- Queuing at employment exchanges.
- Criminal activities due to lack of opportunities.
- Middle classes and small businesses:
- Faced anxiety of proletarianization (becoming part of the working or unemployed classes).
- Peasants were affected by:
- A sharp fall in agricultural prices.
- Women faced despair, unable to provide for their families.
- Political Instability of the Weimar Republic:
- Inherent defects in the Weimar Constitution:
- Proportional representation made it difficult to achieve a majority, leading to weak coalitions.
- Article 48 allowed the President to:
- Impose emergencies.
- Suspend civil rights.
- Rule by decree.
- The Republic saw 20 different cabinets in a short period, lasting on average 239 days each.
- People lost confidence in democracy, which failed to address the crisis.
- Inherent defects in the Weimar Constitution:
