Germany - Hitler’s Germany, 1929–1945

Hindenburg elected as leader in 1926.

Hitler's Nazis gained less than 3% of votes in the 1928 election.

Nazis gained 12 seats

In 1929, the American stock market crashed and sent the USA into a disastrous economic depression - Germany especially felt the effect of this.

Nazis gained 107 seats.

In 1930, Bruning pursued a tough economic policy - he raised taxes and implemented wage cuts and spending reductions. They were rejected by Reichstag - he was backed by President Hindenburg to rule by emergency decree.

Hitler ran for President against Hindeburg - Hindenburg won with 49% of the vote but Hitler still achieved 30%

Nazis gained 230 seats - the largest party in the Reichstag.

Von Papen called another election in November 1932. Although the Nazis came out on top, they has lost 2 million votes and 38 seats - also started to run out of funds.

In December 1932, Hindenburg elected Von Speicher (his advisor) to the chancellorship, in the hope that he could form a working coalition wth the Nazis.

On 30 January 1933, Hindenburg offered Hitler the position of Chancellor - they believed that he wouldn't be able to make major decisions due Nazis being a majority in the Cabinet, but that he would be able to gain support in the Reichstag and control the Communists.

On the 27 February 1933, a destructive fire occurred at the Reichstag and destroyed it within 2 hours. Police arrested Marinus van der Lubbe for the crime and blamed it on the Communists. 4000 Communists and opponents were arrested.

Hitler seized upon the Reichstag fire as a means of extending his power - he asked Hindenburg to invoke Article 48 - effectively allowed the Nazis to define their own legal rights.

Nazis gained 44.5% of the vote - few people thought Hitler's power would last long. Hindenburg allowed Hitler dictatorial powers - KPD candidates arrested and vows to 'exterminate German Communists' - the Nazis had their largest evert share of 288 seats.

Nazis introduced the Enabling Act - Hitler could pass decrees without the President - made him a legal dictator.

Hitler saw trade unions as exercising more power over the workers than he could - they also supported socialism/Communism. On the 2nd May 1933, police units occupied all trade union Has, arrested leaders/officials and confiscated their funds - this lessened the threat of the working class movement.

Declared that the Nazis were the only political party in Germany - all other parties were banned and the leaders arrested.

In July 1933, Roman Catholic Church signed the Concordat with Hitler - Church agreed not to oppose political and social aims of Nazi Party - Pope had hoped the Church could operate without interference.

The SA, who had played an important role in Hitler's elevation to power, were badly-disciplined and leader Röhm talked of making it into a second German army. On the weekend of the 29-30 June, SS squads broke into Rohm and other leading figures' homes, accusing them of plotting to overthrow and murder Hitler - Röhm and 400 others were executed.

Hindenburg died of lung cancer in 1934 - clearing the way for Hitler's political supremacy. Shortly after, Hitler decreed the presidency and chancellorship were to be combined into a new office; the Fuhrer would act as head of state, head of government and commander of the armed forces.

At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, no expense was spared and visitors were amazed by the scale and efficiency - but appalled by the fanatical devotion of people to Hitler. To the majority of German people, the Games presented a grand vision: efficiency, power, strength and achievement.

In November 1938, a young Jew shot a German diplomat in Paris - Goebbels urged a wide-scale brutal retaliation in Germany in which 91 Jews were murdered, 200 synagogues were burnt and down and 20,000 Jews were taken to concentration camps.

Rationing began shortly after war broke out in September 1939 (food) and November (clothing)

In the summer of 1941, Goering ordered Himmler (head of the SS) and Heydrich (SS general) to carry out the 'final solution' - they met again in January 1942 to discuss the most efficient method of destroying a race of people and began building 'death camps.'

In March 1942, the RAF started major bombing raids - by 1943, 43 German cities were repeatedly bombed especially in the Rhineland and Ruhr areas.

The July Bomb Plot of 1944 was an attempt by senior German army officers to kill Hitler and end WWII - although the bomb exploded, Hitler miraculously survived and 5000 were executed.

An association of youth movements across Germany, the Edelweiss Pirates were primarily working-class youths opposed to the way Hitler Youth had taken over young people's lives. However, attitudes changed to them in WWII when authorities believed they were spreading anti-Nazi propaganda -during December 1942, over 700 pirates were arrested and sent to 're-education camps.' In November 1944, 12 Pirates were publicly hanged in Cologne.