A summary of the events that led tot he rise of the Nazi party in the interwar years - for Holocaust Studies class

1. The Rise of the Nazi
Party
1918-1934

2. The Beginning
• 1918 Anton Drexler forms nationalist
group in Munich – German Workers
Party (DAP)
• He recruited Hitler who helped him
make the party a viable political voice

3. 1919 Hitler joins the
DAP
• Captain Karl Mayr orders his
subordinate Adolf Hitler to join the
German Workers' Party in order to
investigate it – technically illegal, he
obeyed orders
• While investigating the DAP, Hitler
became attracted to Drexler’s anti-
Semitic, nationalist, anti-capitalist, and
anti-Marxist views

4. DAP Becomes the
Nazi Party
• When Hitler joined the DAP it had
fewer than 40 members
• His fiery speeches and charisma as a
public speaker drew thousands of
followers
• February 1920 the DAP becomes the
National Socialist German Workers
Party (NSDAP)(Nazi)

5. Sturmabteilung Is
Formed
• Also called the SA or Brownshirts
• Were the paramilitary (or militia) for
the Nazi Party
• provided protection at Nazi rallies
and disrupted rallies by other parties
• the group existed before the Nazi
party was formed, but when its
leadership joined the NSDAP, much of
the SA followed

6. The Beer Hall Putsch
November 8-9, 1923
• also known as the Munich Putsch
• failed coup (take over of government)
by the Nazi’s and the SA
• a political speech was being given by
dictatorial government leadership
• the Nazis took over the beer hall but
lacked further direction

7. The Beer Hall Putsch
November 8-9, 1923
• the 2000 Nazis left to march on to the
Munich Defense ministry where they
met 130 soldiers
• once the shooting had stopped, 4
soldiers, 16 Nazis were dead with
many injured, including Hitler
• Hitler was arrested 2 days later and
after a 24-day trial where he was able
to draw publicity for his nationalist
ideas, was convicted to 5 years in
prison

8. May 1924 Election Results
(Hitler in Prison)
20.5
19.5
13.4
12.6
9.2
6.5
5.7
3.2
2
1.7
1.1
1.1
0.8
0.7
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.2 0.2
0.20.10.10.10.1000000
% of votes
100
95
65
62
45
32
28
16
10
7 4 5
0
3
0000000000000000
Seats in the Reichstag

9. Hitler in Prison
• because of the attempt to overthrow the
German government, the Beer Hall Putsch
and trials gained much media coverage
• utilizing the free media coverage, Hitler used
his trial as an opportunity to give speeches
about his nationalist ideas
• Hitler was convicted to 5 years in Landsburg
jail where he practiced his oratory skills and
wrote his memoir, Mein Kampf, or “My
Struggle.”
• after almost 9 months, he was released due
to political pressure and for good behavior

10. December 1924 Election Results
(Hitler Released from Prison)
26
20.5
13.6
10.1
9
6.3
3.7
3
1.6
2.3 1
0.9
0.5
0.3
0.3
0.3
0000.10.10.10.100000
% of votes
131
103
69
51
45
32
19
14
8 12 5 4
0000000000000000
Seats in the Reichstag

11. Mein Kampf
• it becomes a manifesto for Hitler’s nationalist
vision
• his views on antisemitism and Lebensraum
(“living room” for the German People) became
widespread
• his book became a best seller in Germany during
the 1930s
• it had sold 5.2 million copies in 11 languages by
1939 – the beginning of WWII

12. May 1928 Election Results
29.8
14.2
12.1
10.6
8.7
4.8
4.5
3.1
2.6
1.9
1.7
1.6
0.9
0.7
0.6
0.4 0.4
0.3
0.2
0.2 0.2
0.20.10.10.10000000000000000
% of votes
153
73
61
54
45
32
23
17
12
9
2
8
0
3 4
20000000000000000000000000
Seats in the Reichstag

13. Schutzstaffel
• Hitler’s SS
• formed in 1925 as his personal
bodyguard - a small branch of the SA -
280 personnel
• in 1929, Hitler appointed Heinrich
Himmler as its leader
• it would become its own entity of
209,000 in 1933

14. Rise of the Nazi Party
• Hitler changes the direction of the
party – instead of planning a military
take over, they chose to gain power
by legal means
• the once fanatical mass movement
became an organized political party
slowly gaining seats in the Reichstag
• in July, 1932, the Nazi Party gained a
plurality in the Reichstag – they were
the biggest party in the legislature

15. September 1930 Election Results
(After the Financial Crisis – Great Depression)
24.53
18.25
13.13
11.81
7.03
4.51
3.78
3.9
3.17
3.03
2.48
0.97
0.83
0.78
0.55
0.41
0.230.210.080.070.060.030.030.030.020.020.020.010.0100000000
% of votes
143
107
77
68
32
30
20
23
19
19
14 6 4
0
3
3
000000000000000000000
Seats in the Reichstag

16. July 1932 Election Results
(Hitler Failed Run for President)
37.27
21.58
14.32
12.44
5.91
3.23
1.18
1.01
0.99
0.4 0.37
0.260.250.20.130.110.090.040.040.030.030.020.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010000000000000000000000000000000
% of votes
230
133
89
75
32
22
7 4
3
2 2 2
1 001000000000000000000000
Seats in the Reichstag

17. November 1932 Election Results
33.09
20.43
16.86
11.93
8.34
3.09
1.86
1.14
0.95
0.42
0.3
0.31
0.180.170.170.130.130.130.090.080.040.030.030.020.010.010.010.010.010.01000000000000000000000
% of votes
196
121
100
70
32
20
11 5
2
3 21
101000000000000000000000000000000000000
Seats in the Reichstag

18. Hitler Becomes
Chancellor
• President von Hindenburg believed
he could appease Hitler by making
him part of his cabinet and appointed
him Chancellor on January 30, 1933
• Hitler used his position to work
against parties that opposed the Nazi
party from forming a majority
government

19. Reichstag Fire & the
Enabling Act
• Communists were blamed for the fire
set to the Reichstag building on
February 27, 1933
• the next day, Hitler urged Hindenburg
to pass the Reichstag Fire Act which
suspended basic rights – this was
allowed by Article 48 of the Weimar
Constitution

20. Reichstag Fire & the
Enabling Act
• using the Reichstag Fire Act, Hitler
had all Communist Reichstag
members arrested
• without the presence of the
Communists and despite the protests
of the public, Hitler was able to pass
the Enabling Act
• Enabling Act – Hitler’s cabinet could
pass laws without the consent of the
Reichstag for 4 years

21. March 1933 Election Results
(Hitler Is Chancellor)
43.91
18.25
12.32
11.25
7.97
2.73
1.1
0.98
0.85
0.29
0.21 0.12 0.01
0
% of votes
288
120
81
73
52
19
2
4 5
2
1
0 0
0
Seats in the Reichstag

22. Nazi Party Election Results
Date Votes % Seats
in Reichstag
Background
May 1924 1,918,300 6.5 32 Hitler in prison
Dec 1924 907,300 3.0 14 Hitler is released from
prison
May 1928 810,100 2.6 12
Sept 1930 6,409,600 18.3 107 After the financial crisis
July 1932 13,745,800 37.4 230 After Hitler was candidate
for presidency
Nov1932 11,737,000 33.1 196
Mar 1933 17,277,000 43.9 288 During Hitler's term as
Chancellor of Germany

23. Results Over Time
6.5
3 2.6
18.25
37.27
33.09
43.91
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
May 1924 December
1924
May 1928 September
1930
July 1932 November
1932
March 1933
% Votes Over Time
32
14 12
107
230
196
288
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
May 1924 December
1924
May 1928 September
1930
July 1932 November
1932
March 1933
Seats Over Time

24. Hitler Becomes
Dictator
• having control of the legislative and
executive branches, Hitler suppressed
and intimidated other political parties
forcing them to disband
• ”Night of Long Knives” (June 30 – July
2, 1934) Hitler purges the SA of his
opponents
• August 2, 1934, Hindenburg dies, the
Reichstag abolishes the position of
President and combines the President
and Chancellor’s roles into one

26. How Hitler gained so much power:
• 1/30/1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor
• 2/27/1933 – Reichstag Fire
• 3/23/1933 – Enabling Act Signed
• Hitler was authorized to legislate without the consent of the Reichstag
• Article 48 of Weimar Constitution
• 6/30-7/2/1934 – Night of Long Knives (SA Purge) (Operation
Hummingbird)
• 8/2/1934 – Hindenburg dies and Hitler becomes Dictator