Third Reich Germany - David Scott Gehring

From Depression to Repression: The Rise of
the Third Reich
Weimar Republic’s Difficulties (1919-33)
Hyperinflation & Debt
Lack of Clear & Consistent Leadership
Conservative Reaction
Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)
Experience in WWI; Aftermath
Early Ideas, Controversies
The Beer Hall Putsch (Revolt)
The National Socialist German Workers’ Party
Formation & Ideas; Hitler’s Nazi Party
Scapegoats: Minorities & Weimar Leaders
Silencing Dissent; Censorship & Conformity
Nationalism, Militarism, & A Simple Message
Building Bridges
Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy; Stalin’s U.S.S.R.
Marienplatz, Munich, during Hitler’s
Failed Coup of 1923

Weimar Republic’s Difficulties (1919-33)
Hyperinflation & Debt
Soaring Prices & Economic Instability; Printing $
War Reparations to Other Countries; Default, ‘22/3
Global Effects of Depression, post-’29
U.S. Credit Withheld; Shaky Recovery, ‘23-9
Lack of Clear & Consistent Leadership
Political Chaos of Coalition Gov’t (Many Parties)
Examples: SPD, DDP, DVP, KPD, DNVP
Democracy Required Proportional Representation
Inherent Chaotic Nature
Conservative Reaction
Versailles as Treason; National Mourning, Resentment
Kaiser’s Abdication; End of German Monarchy
Fear of Leftist Liberalism & Communism
Vs. Democratic Constitution (Representative)
Election Poster of 1932

Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)
Experience in WWI; Aftermath
Strong German Nationalist (Austrian-born)
Served as Messenger/Runner in Bavarian Infantry
Early Ideas, Controversies
Anti-Semitism – Blaming Jews for All Failures
Aryanism – Superior Race of Ancient Germany
Lebensraum or Living Space for Pure Germans
The Beer Hall Putsch (Revolt)
November, 1923, Munich; Revolt vs. Weimar Gov’t
To be a March on Berlin; Seizure of Political Power
Utter Failure; 5 Years in Jail (Served about 1)
Dictated Mein Kampf (My Struggle) while in Jail, ‘24
Respected Gustav Stresemann, Weimar Leader, late ‘20s
Nationalist; Regaining Respect for Germany
“The danger posed by Jewry for our
people today finds expression in the
undeniable aversion of wide
sections of our people. . . .
Antisemitism as a political
movement may not and cannot be
defined by emotional impulses, but
by recognition of the facts. The
facts are these: First, Jewry is
absolutely a race and not a religious
association. . . . Antisemitism based
on reason . . . must lead to
systematic legal combatting and
elimination of the privileges of the
Jews, that which distinguishes the
Jews from the other aliens who live
among us (an Aliens Law). The
ultimate objective [of such
legislation] must, however, be the
irrevocable removal of the Jews in
general.”
Adolf Hitler, Sept. 16, 1919

From Mein Kampf: Anti-Semitism & Propaganda
“Another thing that got on my nerves at this time was the way the big papers pursued an
obnoxious cult of France. You would have to be ashamed to be a German when these sweet
hymns of praise to the ‘great culture-nation’ came before your eyes. More than once, this
miserable truckling to the French caused me to drop these ‘world-papers.’ I then often picked
up the Volksblatt which, while it was certainly smaller, appeared nonetheless somewhat purer in
these matters. I was not in agreement with the sharply antisemitic tone, but once in awhile I
read arguments which gave me cause to think. . . . The relationship of Jewry to prostitution and
still more to the white-slave traffic could be especially well studied in Vienna, as in no other city
of Western Europe, with the possible exception of the ports of southern France. . . . Gradually,
I began to hate them. . . . From a weak cosmopolitan I had become a fanatical antisemite. . . .
Thus I believe today that I am acting according to the will of the almighty Creator: when I defend
myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.”
“All propaganda must be popular and its intellectual level must be adjusted to the most limited
intelligence among those it is addressed to. Consequently, the greater the mass it is intended to
reach, the lower its purely intellectual level will have to be. But if, as in propaganda for sticking
out a war, the aim is to influence a whole people, we must avoid excessive intellectual demands
on our public, and too much caution cannot be extended in this direction. . . . The function of
propaganda is . . . exclusively to emphasize the one right which it has set out to argue for. Its
task is not to make an objective study of the truth . . . and then set it before the masses with
academic fairness; its task is to serve our own right, always and unflinchingly.”

The National Socialist German Workers’ Party
Formation & Ideas
Evolved from German Worker’s Party
Anti-Capitalist; Nationalist-Centered
Strong Anti-Semitic Tone
Munich, 1919; Conservative Bavaria
Strengthened Resolve in Economic Chaos
Hitler’s Nazi Party
Joined DAP, Sept. ‘19; Major Speaker by ’21
Recognized as Führer of the Party, ‘21
Charismatic Leadership; Simple Rhetoric
Attacked Jews & Immigrants, Capitalists &
Communists, Weimar Republicans & Social
Democrats
Importance of the State, Military, & Nation
Similar to Mussolini’s Fascism
Hitler’s Forged Membership Card
(To make him look like a Founding
Member of the Party)

The Party Program, 1920
1. We demand the union of all Germans in a Great Germany on the basis of the principle
of self-determination of all peoples.
2. We demand that the German people have rights equal to those of other nations; and that
the Peace Treaties of Versailles and St. Germain shall be abrogated.
3. We demand land and territory (colonies) for the maintenance of our people and the
settlement of our surplus population.
4. Only . . . fellow countrymen can become citizens. Only those who have German blood,
regardless of creed, can be our countrymen. Hence no Jew can be a countryman.
5. Those who are not citizens must live in Germany as foreigners . . . subject to the law of
aliens.
8. Any further immigration of non-Germans must be prevented. We demand that all non-
Germans who have entered Germany since August 2, 1914, shall . . . leave the Reich
immediately.
22. We demand the abolition of the regular army and the creation of a national (folk) army.
24. We demand freedom for all religious faiths in the state, insofar as they do not endanger
its existence or offend the moral and ethical sense of the Germanic race. The party as such
represents . . . a positive Christianity without binding itself to any one particular confession.
It fights against the Jewish materialist spirit within and without, and is convinced that a
lasting recovery of our folk can only come about from within on the principle:
COMMON GOOD BEFORE INDIVIDUAL GOOD.

The National Socialist German Workers’ Party, Cont.
Scapegoats: Minorities & Weimar Leaders
Economic, Political Difficulties
National Pride Tarnished
Pursuit through Legal Means, ’25 on
Rise in Electoral Status
’28 – 2.6%; ‘30 – 18.3%; ‘32 – 37.4%
Silencing Dissent
Hitler Named Chancellor, Jan. ‘33
For a Coalition Government
Nazi Party’s Hierarchy of Command
Anti-Democratic Power Structure
Reichstag Fire, Feb. ’33
Rights Suspended; Communists Targeted
Enabling Act, March ‘33
Gov’t Decrees w/o Reichstag Participation
End of Representative Gov’t in Germany
Consolidation of All Power in the Führer
Hitler after becoming Chancellor

Law to Remove the Distress of the People and the
State (The Enabling Act)
The Reichstag has passed the following law, which is, with the approval of the Reichsrat,
herewith promulgated, after it has been established that it meets the requirements for
legislation altering the Constitution.
Article 1. National laws can be enacted by the Reich Cabinet as well as in accordance with
the procedure established in the Constitution. This also applies to the laws referred to in
Article 85, Paragraph 2, and in Article 87 of the Constitution.
Article 2. The national laws enacted by the Reich Cabinet may deviate from the
Constitution as long as they do not affect the position of the Reichstag and the Reichsrat.
The powers of the President remain undisturbed.
Article 3. The national laws enacted by the Reich Cabinet shall be prepared by the
Chancellor and published in the Reichsgesetzblatt. They come into effect, unless otherwise
specified, the day after their publication. Articles 68-77 of the Constitution do not apply to
the laws enacted by the Reich Cabinet.
Article 4. Treaties of the Reich with foreign states which concern matters of national
legislation do not require the consent of the bodies participating in legislation. The Reich
Cabinet is empowered to issue the necessary provisions for the implementation of these
treaties.
Article 5. This law becomes effective on the day of its publication. It becomes invalid on
April 1, 1937; it also becomes invalid if the present Reich Cabinet is replaced by another.

Censorship & Conformity
Nazi Propaganda of the 1930s
News Media Heavily Controlled
Outsiders Shunned, Pressured to Obey
Creating Ex- & Internal Enemies; Hate
Posters, Speeches, Movies, Books, Radio
Permeating Every Part of the Day & Society
Hitler Youth for all 10-Year Old Aryans
Nationalism, Militarism, & A Simple Message
Using Pride to Unite Germans Outside Germany
Using Prejudice to Expel “Inferior” Peoples
Government Spending to Restart Economy
“Priming the Pump” with Credit
Building Infrastructure & Consumer Goods
(Re)building Military Forces, Illegally
Message of Purity, Unity, Strength, Honor
“Long Live Germany!”

• d

Building Bridges
Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy
Similar Styles of Governance
Totalitarian, All-Encompassing
Expansionist Visions: Empire & Lebensraum
Rome-Berlin Axis, November, ’36
Alliance of Dictators
Followed by Pact with Japan
Pact of Steel, May ’39
Agree to Aid in Event of War
Germany the Stronger
Italy key to Deflect & Distract
Stalin’s U.S.S.R.
Communism not Tolerated by Hitler
Autocratic Rule Endorsed by Hitler
Non-Aggression Pact with Stalin
Partition of Poland, West & East