The document summarizes the political events in Germany between 1929-1933, as the country dealt with the economic crisis of the Great Depression. It describes how the Social Democratic government lost power as unemployment rose. Later governments struggled to govern as extremist parties like the Nazis gained support. By 1933, Hitler was appointed chancellor and used presidential decrees and the Reichstag fire to consolidate power, establishing a Nazi dictatorship and ending the Weimar Republic.

1. GERMANY: 1929 - 1933

2.  The Young Plan – lower reparations
 The Great Depression
 Germany depended on foreign loans – industry / reparations
 Loans withdrawn during crisis
 Investment dropped
 Unemployment grew rapidly
 SPD (Govt. ) lost power as they were unable to find a solution
to the economic crisis
 Government col lapsed
1929

3. 1930
 P re s i dent Hi nd e nburg ‘ re p l ac ed d emoc rac y wi t h au t h orit arian’
government
 Bruning (Centre Par ty) was given option to form government
without the suppor t of a majority in the Reichstag.
 July 1930 – Reichstag rejected Bruning budget (too severe on
unemployed)
 Bruning and Hindenburg used emergency powers under
ARTICLE 48 – dissolved the Reichstag

4. 1930
 Ar ticle 48 gave president these powers, but there had to be a
new election within sixty days
 P r e sid e nt also h ad t h e p owe r to r u le by ‘ d e c r ee’ an d over r id e
constitutional rights in an emergency – powers of a dictator
 In Sept. 1930 elections, moderates lost ground – extreme
par ties gained more suppor t – in par ticular Nazi Par ty – 2.6%
to 18.3%
 Bruning now had less suppor t in Reichstag

6. 1932
 Hindenburg was returned to Presidency in March elections,
but was chal lenged by Hitler who won 36.8% of the vote
 SA and SS were banned because of ongoing street violence
 Bruning forced to resign & Von Papen placed into power by
Hindenburg / Von Schleicher defence minister

8. 1932
 Reichstag elections – July 1932. Ban against SA & SS l if ted
and they lead violence against lef t wing par ties and
suppor ters.
 Nazis won 37.3% of the vote – made them the largest par ty in
the Reichstag – 230 seats / KPD had 89 seats – both anti -
republic
 Govt. unable to govern – new elections in Nov. (Nazi vote
dropped by 4%)
 Von Papen replaced by Von Scheilcher – Hindenburg decree

13.  Von Scheilcher also unable to govern
 30 January – Hindenburg invited Hitler to become chancellor
of right -wing coal ition government .
 One month later – Reichstag was severely damaged by fire –
communist blamed
1933

14.  Hindenburg – Ar ticle 48 – end civi l l iber ties under a ‘De c ree
fo r t h e P rotect io n o f Pe o pl e a n d S t a te’ . This al lowed for
imprisonment without trial and abol ition of freedom of press /
speech / assembly. KPD outlawed.
 This decree restricts campaigning of par ties opposing them
for March 1933 elections. Violence used against voters. Sti l l
only win 43.9% of vote.
 Na z i’ s fo rm c o a l i t io n wi t h DNV P & s to p p ed KPD f rom t a k i ng
seats that they won
1933

15. 1933
 21 March – ‘Mal iciou s P r ac t ic es L aw’ – banning criticism of
government
 23 March – ‘ E na b ling A c t ’ – gave Hitler dictatorial power for 4
years / make laws / change constitution – thus destroying
Weimar constitution.