The Fall of Weimar and Hitlers Path to Power

In looking at Hitler's rise to power, we must examine how exactly the Weimar government managed to lose so much popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Below, we will dive into some of the key reasons why the Weimar government fell and detail how Hitler used his power early on to create a dictatorship.

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The Fall of the Weimar Government

There are several reasons behind the Weimar government's failure, here are some of them:

Economic Instability

• The fall of the Weimar Government was precipitated by severe economic instability. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 triggered the Great Depression, leading to massive unemployment and poverty in Germany. By 1932, six million Germans were unemployed. The economic crisis eroded public confidence in the Weimar Republic and fuelled discontent.

Political Fragmentation

• The Weimar Government was marked by political fragmentation and weak coalitions. The proportional representation system led to numerous parties in the Reichstag, making it difficult to form stable governments.
• Frequent changes in government and ineffective leadership undermined political stability.

Rise of Extremist Parties

• Economic hardship and political instability contributed to the rise of extremist parties. The Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, and the Communist Party gained significant support, capitalising on public frustration.
• The Nazis promised to restore national pride, provide jobs, and reject the Treaty of Versailles, appealing to a broad spectrum of the population.

Weak Leadership

• Chancellors like Heinrich Brüning (you learned about him in the previous notes), known as the "Hunger Chancellor" for his austerity policies, failed to address the economic crisis effectively. Brüning's policies, which included wage cuts and tax increases, deepened the depression. President Paul von Hindenburg's use of Article 48 to bypass the Reichstag and rule by decree further weakened democratic processes.

Political Manoeuvring

• Political manoeuvring and backroom deals also contributed to the Weimar Republic's downfall. In January 1933, Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor, believing he could be controlled within a coalition government.
• However, Hitler quickly consolidated power, exploiting the Reichstag Fire in February 1933 to push through the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and allowed for the arrest of political opponents.

Enabling Act

• The passing of the Enabling Act in March 1933 marked the final blow to the Weimar Republic. The act gave Hitler dictatorial powers, allowing him to enact laws without Reichstag approval. This effectively dismantled the democratic framework of the Weimar Republic and paved the way for the establishment of a totalitarian Nazi regime.

Hitler's Consolidation of Power

From Chancellor to Führer

• Immediately after becoming Chancellor in March 1933, Hitler began to establish his dictatorship through largely democratic means. He called another election, using widespread propaganda and intimidation to strengthen Nazi control of the Reichstag. Just before the election, the Reichstag building was destroyed by fire on February 27. The Nazis blamed the fire on a young Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, claiming 'it was part of a wider Communist plot to overthrow the government. This provided the pretext for a crackdown on the Communist Party (KPD), leading to the arrest of many KPD leaders and the suppression of their press.
• The Nazis secured 43.9% of the vote in the March 1933 elections, winning 288 seats, but this was not enough for an overall majority. To solidify his position, Hitler introduced the Enabling Act on March 23, 1933, arguing that Germany was in a state of crisis and that the Chancellor needed the power to make decisions by decree. The Reichstag deputies voted on the act while being surrounded by the SA, with 81 KPD members excluded from voting. The Enabling Act passed with 441 votes to 94, effectively allowing Hitler to dismantle the democratic system.
• By the end of July 1933, Germany had become a one-party state under Nazi rule. However, several barriers remained for Hitler in his quest to consolidate power as a dictator:
  • President Paul von Hindenburg remained in office.
  • Ernst Röhm, the leader of the SA, proposed replacing the German Army (Wehrmacht) with the SA. This idea angered the army's leadership, who insisted on the SA's dissolution for their continued support of Hitler's government.
  • There were vocal critics of Hitler within the Nazi Party, the army, and the press, all of whom posed potential threats to his leadership.

The Night of the Long Knives

• To secure his position, Hitler needed to eliminate his rivals. On the night of June 30 to July 1, 1933, members of Hitler's personal bodyguard, the Schutzstaffel (SS), murdered around 400 individuals, including SA members, KPD, SPD members, Nazi Party members, journalists, and army generals.
• This purge, known as the Night of the Long Knives, targeted key figures like Ernst Röhm, Gregor Strasser, and General von Schleicher.
• The elimination of Röhm and the SA's leadership solidified Hitler's control and secured the loyalty of the Wehrmacht.

Führer

• In August 1934, President Hindenburg died, allowing Hitler to merge the positions of Chancellor and President.

  • This combination of roles was endorsed by 88% of the electorate in a referendum marked by widespread SS and police intimidation and extensive electoral fraud. Hitler thus became the unquestioned dictator of Germany, assuming the title of Führer.

• All military personnel were required to take a personal oath of loyalty to him, ensuring their allegiance to his rule.

Key People/Terms

• Marinus van der Lubbe: A young Dutch communist accused of setting the Reichstag fire in 1933, which the Nazis used as a pretext to suppress communist opposition.
• Enabling Act: Legislation passed in March 1933 that gave Hitler the power to enact laws without the Reichstag's approval, effectively allowing him to establish a dictatorship.
• Paul von Hindenburg: The President of the Weimar Republic who appointed Hitler as Chancellor in 1933 and remained in office until his death in 1934.
• Ernst Röhm: The leader of the SA (Sturmabteilung or Brownshirts), who was executed during the Night of the Long Knives due to his power threat to Hitler.
• Wehrmacht: The unified armed forces of Nazi Germany, comprising the army, navy, and air force, which supported Hitler after the SA's power was curtailed.
• Night of the Long Knives: A purge in June 1934 during which Hitler ordered the SS to execute around 400 SA leaders and other political opponents to consolidate his power.
• Schutzstaffel (SS): An elite paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, responsible for many of the regime's most heinous crimes, including the Holocaust.
• Gregor Strasser: A prominent member of the Nazi Party and a key rival to Hitler, who was murdered during the Night of the Long Knives.
• Führer: A title assumed by Hitler after Hindenberg's death, combining the roles of Chancellor and President, making him the supreme leader of Germany