Reasons the Nazis gained power - Mistakes and weaknesses of opponents

Reasons the Nazis gained power - Mistakes and weaknesses of opponents

1. Reasons the Nazis gained power Weaknesses and m istakes of opponents

2. President Hindenburg From the first time that Hindenburg met Hitler the two men were said to dislike one another. Hindenburg often called Hitler simply the “upstart corporal” . Reasons the Nazis gained power

3. President Hindenburg Paul von Hindenburg was in his 80s by 1933 ; some historians believe he was senile by this time. In 1932 he stood in the Presidential election , largely to stop Hitler being elected. Reasons the Nazis gained power

4. Arguments for influence By 1932 , Hindenburg was too ill to effectively run Germany. If Hindenburg had stepped aside in favour of a younger, stronger candidate , this person may have found it easie r to stop Hitler. Reasons the Nazis gained power

5. Arguments against influence Hitler managed to win 37% of the national vote in the 1932 Presidential election. Hitler might have been elected President if he was up against a candidate other than the popular Hindenburg. Reasons the Nazis gained power

6. Arguments for influence Hindenburg and many of his supporters underestimated Hitler, giving him the chance to be appointed as Chancellor . Franz von Papen, a former Chancellor, even said “we’ve hired him” after this. Reasons the Nazis gained power

7. Article 48 Weimar’s Constitution included Article 48, which gave strong powers to the President . This let the President pass laws in the event of national emergency, even without Reichstag approval. Reasons the Nazis gained power

8. Article 48 Hindenburg made regular use of Article 48 to pass laws which were not supported in the Reichstag. In 1932 alone, he used Article 48 on 60 occasions . Reasons the Nazis gained power

9. Arguments for importance Many people considered that giving the President these powers was undemocratic , costing faith in the system. This established a precedent which Hitler would later use. Reasons the Nazis gained power

10. Arguments for importance Article 48 was used because political parties did not work together effectively . If Hindenburg had not used the law, there would have been less government action, possibly causing more anger . Reasons the Nazis gained power

11. President Hindenburg Hindenburg also allowed elections to be held to the Reichstag when it was not required by the Weimar Constitution. Between 1928 and 1933 , there were five Reichstag elections. Reasons the Nazis gained power

12. Arguments for influence Regular elections cost public support for democracy, pushing some Germans towards the Nazis. Holding elections during times of crisis (such as the Depression) also greatly helped Hitler win support. Reasons the Nazis gained power

13. Arguments against influence However Hindenburg’s actions were again forced upon him. Rival parties refused to work together, and this forced the President to pass laws or get new politicians elected. Reasons the Nazis gained power

14. SPD/KPD divide The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and German Communist Party (KPD) were both considered left-wing parties - but would not work together. This was due to a dispute going back to the Spartacist Revolt . Reasons the Nazis gained power

15. SPD/KPD divide The SPD government had used the German Army and Freikorps to stop the Spartacist Revolt. KPD members were killed during this. The KPD pledged never again to trust or work with the SPD. Reasons the Nazis gained power

16. SPD/KPD divide In November 1932 , the Nazis were biggest party in Germany’s Reichstag (with 33% of the votes). However the Social Democrats and Communists had a combined 36% of the votes. Reasons the Nazis gained power

17. Arguments for influence If the two parties had been prepared to work together, they might have been able to stop the influence of the Hitler. Instead they allowed personal rivalry to stop this unity. Reasons the Nazis gained power

18. Arguments against influence It is unlikely that a government including Communists would have received support from other parties. Therefore this left-wing coalition would still have failed to get laws passed, and collapsed . Reasons the Nazis gained power

19. SPD/KPD divide During the 1925 Presidential election, the Communists stood a candidate against the SPD’s choice, Wilhelm Marx . This split the Left and Centre vote and helped Paul von Hindenburg win. Reasons the Nazis gained power

20. SPD/KPD divide Without dividing the Left and Centre vote, Hindenburg may not have been elected. This might have stopped Hitler becoming Chancellor because it was Hindenburg who appointed him. Reasons the Nazis gained power

21. SPD/KPD divide However large numbers of Germans – especially richer ones – wanted Hitler to be leader of Germany. Whoever was President, they would have been pressured to appoint Hitler as Chancellor. Reasons the Nazis gained power