IMPORTANT CONCEPTS ON DEPTH STUDY GERMANY

Important concepts on Depth Study : Germany

The Munich Putsch, 1923

Hitler hijacked a local government meeting and announced he was taking over the government of Bavaria, he was joined by the old war  hero Ludendorff.

Nazi troopers began taking over official buildings , but on the next day the Weimar Government forces hit back, the rebellion broke up in chaos and Hitler escaped in a car, he and other Nazi Leaders were arrested and charged with treason.

However, Hitler gained enormous publicity for himself and his ideas and his every word was reported in the newspapers.

In the end, he only served nine months of the sentence in the great comfort of a castle.

Goebbels

Nazis tried to appeal to German workers ,and Hitler appointed Joseph Goebbels to take charge of Nazi propaganda.

Goebbels was highly efficient at spreading the Nazi message, he and Hitler believed that the best way to reach  what they called “the masses” was by appealing to their feelings rather than by rational argument.

Goebbels produced posters, leaflets , films and radio broadcasts, he organized rallies too.

propaganda chief Goebbels created his own version of the events stating that it was Hitler’s destiny to become Germany’s leader and the German people finally came to recognize this.

Goebbels’ campaign methods were modern and effective, their posters could be found everywhere , their rallies impressed people with their energy, and sheer size.

The Nazis also organized soup kitchens and provided shelter in hostels for the unemployed.

The Reichstag Fire

Hitler took steps to complete a Nazi takeover of Germany. He  called another election for March 1933 to try to get an overall Nazi majority in the Reichstag.

Then on 27 February there was a dramatic development , the Reichstag building burnt down.

Hitler blamed the Communists and declared that the fire was the beginning of a communist uprising.

The night of the long knives

Hitler was still not entirely secure of his power, the leading officers in the army were not impressed by him , and were suspicious of  Hitler’s SA and its leader Rohm.

Hitler had to choose between the army and the SA and so he acted ruthlessly.

SS men broke into the house of Rohm and other leading figures of the SA and arrested them.

Hitler accused Rohm of plotting to overthrow and  murder him and over the weekend Rohm and 400 others were executed.