Hitler Consolidates Power 11/21 & 11/22

1. Is ideology essential for political success?

2. Does a firm ideology always breed intolerance?

3. What is the main quality that defines an ideology? Is it revolutionary? Is it inspirational?

4. What ethical issues arise from Hitler’s racist theories? Are we likely to judge such ethnical consideration differently today from those living at the time?

Consolidation of Power-Warm UpIcebreaker:

1. Review: How did Hitler obtain power?

2. Review: How did Mussolini obtain power?

3. Review: How did Stalin consolidate power?

Consolidation of Power-Warm UpIcebreaker:

Review: How did Hitler obtain power?Believed that he been called by God to be dictator of Germany. Treaty of Versailles which forced Germany to sign, public angry over treaty because it was sign of humiliation & defeat. Weak Weimar Republic & Great Depression. Public looked for someone to blame. Hitler & Nazi party promised return to glory.

Review: How did Mussolini obtain power?

Italy was badly hit from WWI and gov’t in place lost popularity

Review: How did Stalin consolidate power?

Urged purges & violence to make people fear him. Also used propaganda & secret police

How did Hitler Consolidate Power?

Between March and July 1933—all political parties banned

KDP already banned

Many socialists imprisoned

Even supporting parties disbandedCatholic Central Party

Concordat w/ Vatican

Church recognized Hitler; Nazis left Church alone

Law Against the Establishment of Parties (July 14, 1933)

Länder

Reference to state government

Took over throughForced resignation

Seized buildings, docs, and supplies

Loyal Nazi commissioners were appointed

Law for the Restoration and Professional Civil Service (April 1933)

Trade Unions bannedreplaced w/German Labor Front

Single-Party State Made Legal

Law to Ensure the Unity of Party and State (Dec. 1933)

Structrualist Historians argue that Hitler set up parallel institutions to maintain power

Others argue Hitler did this because of disinterest and neglect

Gleichschaltung – making the same, bringing into line

Nazi party control over every aspect of life Starts with politicsSlowly took over every aspect of German life.

Period between 1933 – 1937

Systematic elimination of non-Nazi organizations (trade unions & political parties

Churches & education came under direct control

Hitler’s Storm Troopers

SA – Sturmabteilung – Brown Shirts – Original Parliamentary wing of the Nazi Party –

Used to maintain control @ speeches, parties & intimidating Jewish citizens

Led to problems w/ the military.

Rumors of a military coup; SA became disposable

PropagandaPropaganda was skillfully used by the NSDAP in the years leading up to and during Adolf Hitler's leadership of Germany (1933–1945). National Socialist propaganda provided a crucial instrument for acquiring and maintaining power, and for the implementation of their policies, including the pursuit of total war and the extermination of millions of people in the Holocaust.

Anti – Bolshevik Poster

Propaganda

Hitler believed masses could be won over easily

Censorship (Party controlled 2/3 of private newspapers)

Radio

Slogan (“Heil Hitler”)

Movies

Decorations on buildings

RepressionEven before Hitler became the official leader, his chancellorship had led to the death of 30,000 communist (arrest of 300,000)

SS: The Security ServiceRan concentration camps

Gestapo: State Secret Police force

Class DiscussionDo you consider propaganda or repression more important in the consolidation of power in a totalitarian state, such as Hitler’s?

Consolidation Complete in 1938

1934-Night of the Long Knives – Political purge between June 30th & July 2nd 1934 where Nazi regime carried out a series of political murders

Slowly began to transition the military into a Nazi force1935: Restoration of conscription—peacetime army of 500,000

Military didn’t like the SS suppose to be a domestic police force

Technically part of the “war time army”

Some didn’t like the expansionist policies (Lebensraum) of the pace of rearmament

War minister von Blomberg and Commander in Chief von Fritsch

both were dismissed

Hitler became war minister.

Exit Card

1) What were 3 FACTORS that contributed to Hitler rising to power?

2) What were 2 SPECIFIC things Hitler did to maintain control?