How did Hitler

How did Hitler

rise to power?

rise to power?

The Intelligence File

The Intelligence File

Choose 3 from Sources A

Choose 3 from Sources A

to P to P to help you investigate

to help you investigate

why Hitler rose to power.

why Hitler rose to power.

Source Z: SAMPLE

In Mein Kampf Hitler outlined his political philosophy. He argued that the German (he wrongly described them as the Aryan race) was superior to all others. Hitler believed that Aryan superiority was being threatened particularly by the Jewish race who, he argued, were lazy and had contributed little to world civilization. (Hitler ignored the fact that some of his favourite composers and musicians were Jewish). In Mein Kampf Hitler declared that: "The external security of a people in largely determined by the size of its territory." If he won power Hitler promised to occupy Russian land that would provide protection andlebensraum (living space) for the German people. This action would help to destroy the Jewish/Marxist attempt to control the world: "The Russian Empire in the East is ripe for collapse; and the end of the Jewish domination of Russia will also be the end of Russia as a state.”

Mein Kampf (English: My Struggle or My Battle) is a book by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler published between 1925 and 1926

A Nazi election poster from July 1932. The Nazis proclaim ‘We build!’ and promise to provide work, freedom and bread.

Riverside Secondary School 2010/SA1/ History /3E 

Source A

A Nazi propaganda poster drawn in the 1930s

Source D: http://www.wwii-collectibles.com/adolf-hitler-ex.html

Source B

This Nazi poster of 1932 says: ‘Hitler – our last hope’.

Source E: http://www.johndclare.net/Weimar7.htm

Source C

Hitler used his strong nationalistic convictions and oratory skills to the fullest. His message was simple: “Germany did not lose the war but was stabbed in the back by the Jewish traitors. The Versailles Treaty was the root of all evil. The Jewish Capitalists and the Communists are the mortal enemies of the German people. The Germans are a superior race destined to rule the World. Hitler was not capable of making mistakes in all matters of life and death, and the destiny of Germany was in his hands.” The message was well received. Hitler skillfully and convincingly told the Germans what they wanted to hear, and they voted for him and he was appointed Chancellor.

An extract from an article “Hitler’s Popularity”, written by a Jew who lived in Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

taken from “Hitler’s Popularity” by Alexander Kimal 

Source D

A description of one of Hitler’s rallies in 1931, taken from a book written by Albert Speer, a German architect and Nazi Minister.

Here it seemed to me was hope. The perils of communism could be checked; instead of hopeless unemployment, Germany could move towards economic recovery. He had mentioned the Jewish problem only in passing and his comments did not bother me. It was during these months that my mother saw a Stormtrooper parade. The sight of discipline in a time of chaos seems to have won her over.

as quoted in The 20th Century: As It Was Lived by Nigel Kelly 

Source E

• Hyperinflation refers to out of control or extremely rapid inflation, where prices increase very quickly that the concept of money becomes meaningless. 

• Perhaps the most well known example of hyperinflation occurred in Germany from 1922-1923 where the average price for all goods and services increased 20 Billion times. Prices doubled every 28 hours for 20 months! Some Germans were seen carrying cash in wheelbarrows to buy a loaf of bread.

Source F

An extract from an article on hyperinflation.

German children playing with stacks of money. The German currency had very little value in the 1920s.

http://www.usagold.com/germannightmare.html

Source G

German woman using money as fuel inher wood burning stove. During the 1923-1924 hyperinflation in Germany, it tookless paper money to generate the neededheat in the stove by burning the moneythan it did to use it to buy wood to burn.

Source H

Hitler’s private army, the Sturm-Abteilung or Stormtroopers, showing off the Nazis’ organizational effectiveness.

Source I

Source J

A profile of Adolf Hitler from a history textbook

Source K

Reports on the organisation of the Nazi party from a history textbook

Source L

A comic on Hitler’s path to becoming the Chancellor in 1933

By appointing Hitler Chancellor of the Reich, you have handed over our sacred German Fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all time. I prophesy to you that this evil man will plunge our Reich into the abyss and will inflict immeasurable woe on our nation. Future generations will curse you in your grave for this action

A telegram from an old army general to German President Hindenburg on the appointment of Hitler as Chancellor in 1933

Source M

Shortly after my arrival in the burning Reichstag, the Nazi elite had arrived. On a balcony jutting out of the chamber, Hitler and his trusty followers were assembled… Hitler turned to the assembled company. Now I saw that his face was purple with agitation and with the heat. He shouted uncontrollably, as I had never seen him do before, as if he was going to burst: "There will be no mercy now. Anyone who stands in our way will be cut down. The German people will not tolerate leniency. Every communist official will be shot where he is found. Everybody in league with the Communists must be arrested.”

The Reichstag fire (German: Der Reichstagsbrand) was an act of arson (setting fire) on the Reichstag building, place of meeting of the German Parliament, in Berlin on 27 February 1933. A Berlin fire station was called, and by the time the police and firefighters had arrived, most of the building was covered in flames. Inside the building, Marinus van der Lubbe was found. He was a Dutch communist. the Nazis used it as a proof that communists were beginning a plot against the German government.This is an account from an eyewitness (Rudolf Diels – the head of the German secret police or Gestapo)

Source N

The poster reads, “Bolshevism brings war, unemployment and famine.” This poster was published by the German Association for conquering Bolshevism in 1918.

Source O

On 4 January 1933, Hitler, von Papen, and other German leaders came to my house in Cologne. Hitler, von Papen and I went to my den where we were closeted in a discussion lasting about two hours. … Von Papen told Hitler that it seemed to him the best thing to have the conservatives and nationalists who had supported him join with the Nazis to form a government. He proposed that this new government should, if possible, be headed by Hitler as Chancellor. 

An account of a meeting between Hitler and von Papen in a friend’s house in Cologne (town in Germany), January 1933

Source P