Adolf Hitler

Key Stage 4 History

Who?

Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) was an Autrian born man who fought for the Germans in the First World War, became the leader of the Nazi Party, was elected to German Chancellor then became Fuhrer of Nazi Germany leading them into and through the Second World War.

About Hitler

Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) was the Chancellor (from 1933) and later Fuhrer (from 1934) of Germany. He was leader of the Nazi Party and led Germany through the Second World War, which he initiated by invading Poland on 1 September 1939.

Hitlers role in the Holocaust makes him widely regarded as one of the most brutal genocidal dictators of modern history, similar to Joseph Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung.

Hitlers far-right nationalist and anti-semitic ideas were spread throughout Germany and Europe as leader of the Nazi Party.

Hitler before the Nazi Party

Born in Austria, Hitler moved to Germany in 1913, and served as a soldier in World War One, even being decorated for his efforts. After World War One, he was one of a large group of Germans who believed the Treaty of Versailles had stabbed the German people in the back, the idea of Dolchstoss. In 1919, a year after the end of the war, Hitler joined the German Workers Party (DAP - Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), which in 1921 became the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) in 1921, of which Hitler was leader. At this time, the NSDAP was a very small, populist right-wing political party based around the idea of reclaiming power in Germany from the Weimar Government, taking revenge for the Dolchstoss.

Hitler's Role in The Munich Putsch

In 1923, Adolf Hitler, alongside approximately 2,000 NSDAP members and former high ranking German officers such as Eric Ludendorff (the leader of the Ludendorff Offensive), stormed the Feldherrnhalle in Munich, in southern Germany on 8 November 1923. Known as the Munich or Beer Hall Putsch, the aim was to seize power in Munich, one of Germany's largest cities and was key in raising Hitler's profile across Germany. The coup was unsuccessful, but can be seen as planting the seed which would see the NSDAP, or Nazi Party, grow across Germany. It is considered by many to be a success for Hitler, as although he failed to seize power, his following widely publicised, 24-day trial for treason saw him able to widely spread his nationalist ideas throughout the nation.

Hitler in Prison

Having been sentenced to 5 years in prison for treason, Hitler began writing Mein Kampf, or My Struggle, describing Hitler's reasoning for his beliefs and outlines his political ideology and plans for the future after his release. Volume One of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume Two a year later, selling slowly before his future rise to power in Germany in 1933. Hitler was released from prison just 9 months later in 1924.

Hitler as Leader of the Nazi Party

After Hitler was released from prison, his main aim was to legitimise the Nazi Party and gain power in Germany through legitimate, democratic political means, instead of a coup like the Munich Putsch. The first German election the Nazi Party were involved in was May 1924. In this they gained 32 seats in the Reichstag and 6.5% of the vote, before their vote subsequently declined in elections in December 1924 and 1928. However, by 1930 the Nazi Party began to gain a legitimate following across Germany, as the Great Depression hit in 1929, the German economy was in ruins and unemployment in particular was at a high. Hitler promised to restore the economy, bring back jobs and also defy the widely unpopular Treaty of Versailles. This was perfect timing for Hitler's Nazi Party to take advantage of the political climate in Germany; people wanted a big change from their lives and the Nazis offered it. As a result of this, in 1930 the Nazis gained 107 seats and 18.3% of the vote. Two years later, when Hitler was President Hindenburg's main opposition for the German Presidency, the Nazi Party became the largest in Germany, with 230 seats. Hitler's run for the presidency was unsuccessful, gaining 36.8% of the vote to Hindenburg's 53%.

Hitler as Chancellor

With the Nazis as the largest party in the Reichstag, Hitler was the Chancellor, but this meant he worked alongside the President, Hindenburg. Hitler wanted complete control of Germany; he wanted to remove democracy and choice from the German people and make Germany a totally National Socialist nation. Within the German Cabinet were three Nazi members: Hitler was named chancellor, Wilhelm Frick Minister of the Interior, and Hermann Göring Minister of the Interior for Prussia. However, this wasn't enough for Hitler. On 27 Februrary 1933, the Reichstag burned down under suspicious circumstances. Dutch Communist Marinus van der Lubbe was found near the building and is blamed for the fire, however some historians today still argue that it was in fact the Nazis who burned down the Reichstag. Under encouragment from Hitler, Hindenburg passed with the Reichstag Fire Decree of 28 February, which suspended basic rights and allowed detention without trial in Germany. The decree was allowed by Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution, which gave the president the ability in emergencies to protect public safety and order. The German Communist Party (KPD) was heavily supressed, and some 4,000 KPD members were arrested in the following months. Hitler's next step was the killer blow; passing the Enabling Act, which would allow him to pass laws in Germany, even ones which defied the constitution, for 4 years - without the permission of the Reichstag. This bill would effectively give Hitler singular control of Germany. The Enabling Act needed 2/3 of the Reichstag to vote for it to pass, and Hitler was helped by the 81 Communist (KPD) members of the Reichstag being arrested, under the provisions of the Reichstag Fire Decree. On 23 March 1933, the day of the vote for the Enabling Act, the Kroll Opera House where the vote was taking place was filled with SA soldiers, heavily intimidating all non-Nazi politicians, likely to the point of forcing many to vote for the bill. The Enabling Act passed by an overwhelming majority of 441-84 and Hitler, for the first time, held true power over Germany.

Hitler as Fuhrer

Now Hitler controlled two key branches of government, the executive and the legislative, the Nazi Party began solidifying their own power. The Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Nazi's largest opposition, was banned and its assets seized. On 2 May 1933, all Trade Unions were forced to dissolve in Germany and many Union leaders were sent to the first Concentration Camps. On 14th July 1933, the Nazi Party was confirmed as the only legal political party in Germany, completely removing all legitimate opposition to the party. Nearly a year later, 30 June 1934, the Night of the Long Knives saw Hitler completely change the leadership of the SA, with former allies such as Ernst Rohm and Gregor Strasser being murdered. The final step to total power over Germany for Hitler was the death of President Hindenburg on 2 August 1934. The day before, with Hindenburg's death clearly imminent, the Nazi cabinet had passed the "Law Concerning the Highest State Office of the Reich". This said that when Hindenburg died, the office of president would be abolished and its powers combined with the chancellor. This made Adolf Hitler the German head of state as well as head of government, and with this role he adopted the name Fuhrer, meaning leader. For Hitler, this removed the last legal method by which he could lose power.