The Rise Of German Fascism

15 October 2004 (Lecture #21)

• Fascism – stick together and you can do more

o Suppress individuals and act in favor of the unit

o In practice, these governments are nationalistic and totalitarian

• Post WWII Germany: few resources à cannot pay reparations à awful economy

Hitler – son of an Austrian bureaucrat; starving artist before the war

• Very charismatic
• Rails against the democracy which is not working well (hated by all Germans)
• Forms SA (Storm Troopers) to control dissent and opposition
• Tries to overthrow the government but fails

o Put in jail for a year (not more because the government did not want to make him a martyr)

US Dawes Plan – loans $200M to Germany; US buys German products

• Stimulates the German economy – Nazi party remains minor (2.3%)
• When the US economy crashes, Germany’s collapses even worse – over 50% unemployment

o Drives people to the Nazi party (radical solution)

o Nazi party gains 28% of the population (biggest of Germany’s five parties)

1932 Elections

• Nazis when Reichstag majority but Hitler loses the race for President to Hindenburg

o Hindenburg sees that Hitler is needed or the Nazis in the Reichstag would block any of his actions

o Hindenburg has Hitler made Prime Minister

o Reichstag burns and Hitler tells its members that they need to give him their power (they vote to do so)

• Hitler is now a dictator

o Forms the SS and purges the SA; begins to persecute minorities

Conclusions

• Hitler gains power because people are willing to subordinate their interests and pursue radical solutions in times of economic difficulty