How did the Nazis form a consensus dictatorship?
B aim – to explain how the Nazis kept support and analyse whether they were
successful. To understand and give evidence to support it being a consensus
dictatorship.
A/A* aim – to judge whether Hitler founded a consensus dictatorship or achieved
genuine popularity, or a bit of both!
Starter – How do these
pictures suggest that the
Nazis were popular?
Ext – What do we mean
by a ‘consensus
dictatorship’?
New divider!
• Was Hitler’s Germany an authoritarian
dictatorship?
– Themes – popularity, consensus, resistance, terror,
repression, structure, efficiency, polycracy, tyrant,
authoritarian.
– Content – Germany 1933-1939, women, youth,
church, SS, Nazi political structure.
Basic Nazi timeline!
•Highlight 5 important points
•Test each other
•Annotate this timeline with how each event may
have helped their popularity
Paul von Hindenburg dies and Adolf Hitler becomes president as well as chancellor.
The German Army enters the Rhineland.
Adolf Hitler introduces a compulsory two-year period of military conscription.
Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini agree to form a military alliance.
Germany and Japan sign an anti-Comintern pact.
France decides to extend the Maginot Line along the border with Germany.
Guernica in Spain is bombed by the Luftwaffe.
Pro-German riots take place in the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia.
Italy joins the Germany and Japan in the Anti-Comintern Pact.
Walther Funk replaces Hjalmar Schacht as German minister of economics.
Adolf Hitler replaces Werner von Blomberg as commander of the German Army.
Adolf Hitler orders the release of imprisoned Austrian Nazis.
Adolf Hitler orders the German Army into Austria.
Austria is declared part of the German Reich.
Francisco Franco, ruler of Spain, signs the Anti-Comintern Pact.
Adolf Hitler orders the mobilization of the German Army.
Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler sign the Munich Agreement.
German Army occupies the Sudetenland.
Herschel Grynzspan mortally wounds Herr von Rath, a German embassy official, in Paris.
Joseph Goebbels organizes Crystal Night ( 7,500 Jewish shops destroyed and 400
synagogues burnt down).
Adolf Hitler dismisses Hjalmar Schacht as president of the Reichsbank.
The German Army invades Czechoslovakia.
Adolf Hitler demands the free city of Danzig in Poland.
Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
The German Army invades Poland and annexes the free city of Danzig.
Britain and France declare war on Nazi Germany.
2nd August, 1934
7th March, 1936
24th August, 1936
1st November, 1936
25th November, 1936
27th February, 1937
26th April, 1937
17th October, 1937
6th November, 1937
24th November, 1937
4th February, 1938
16th February, 1938
12th March, 1938
13th March, 1938
7th April, 1938
12th August, 1938
29th September, 1938
1st October, 1938
9th November, 1938
9th November, 1938
21st January, 1939
15th March, 1939
21st March, 1939
23rd August, 1939
1st September, 1939
3rd September, 1939
• Add to your Night of the Long Knives notes...
– In June 1934 Catholic Conservatives supported
von Papen in giving a speech in Marberg. This
Marberg speech praised some of Hitler’s
achievements but also warned that s ‘Second
Revolution’ might come. It called on the army to
act and stop the SA from holding a second
revolution. They wanted to replace Hindenburg
which would in turn have replaced Hitler, to
reduce the liklihood of this Second Revolution.
Debate
•
Popular
•
Great speaker, depression of 1929 gave him an
advantage as it helped him to excel, public started to
like extremist groups, propaganda with Goebbels
helped a lot, helped him to spread his messages, von
Papen helped him to be Chancellor, Hitler Youth
supported the regime. Charisma. Lots of people came
to listen to his speeches so must have been good!
Anti-Kaiser (German people saw him as opposite to the
Kaiser as Hitler prioritised the needs of the people
ahead of his own, unlike the Kaiser, and Hitler
prioritised domestic issue over foreign policies). Blood
and Soil prioritised domestic issues over international
issues. Bachelor made him admired by women. He
didn’t marginalise women – he made them an integral
part of German Society. Young Germans idealised him
as they had never had a strong leader in their lifetime.
Night of the Long Knives praise shows he was popular.
Support of the army showed he was popular. His defeat
of the SA showed he was defeating the enemy. NOLK
stopped polarisation of the Nazi party. Right liked it
that he murdered the left. Conservative elite liked it
that he removed the SA. Attacks on Communism
reassured small business owners who were worried
about the attacks on Marxism. Work and Bread
campaign targeted the working class. Felt he would be
proactive.
Lots of votes
•
•
•
•
Unpopular
•
Mein Kampf is very muddled and flawed. They
were forced to listen to speeches by the SA and
SS.
•
After NOLK people feared Hitler even more – especially
Communists
Suppressed opposition in civilian, church and military.
Church disagreed with anti-Semitic propaganda. It was
only a view of Hitler as bringing prosperity. 1933-1936
most industrial workers didn’t salute Hitler as not
benefiting from Hitler (repression, intimidation, long
hours, low wages). Against protestants – 1934 tried to
abolish protestant bishops and crucifixes. Defence
against enemies of the party. People afraid to stand up
for themselves – it wasn’t that they actually supported
him. Teachers replaced by pro-Nazi teachers. Worried
about children informing – couldn’t speak freely at
home. Gestapo scared people.
SA intimidated voters – threatened and beat people.
Hitler became Chancellor through Von Papen – due Von
Papen’s relationship with the right wing rather than
Hitler’s own popularity with the right wing.
Democracy in Weimar Germany was popular,
Opposition from Catholics, anti-Nazi leaflets,
communist opposition, protestant church groups.
Church very influential. White Rose Group – went to
extent of anti-Nazi leaflets which would have spread
word.
Low-level resistance of jokes – shows the Nazis were
unpopular. Trying to pick holes rather than just
accepting it. Trying to spread the word.
•
•
•
•
Was the Nazi regime a consensus dictatorship or
something else?
Youth
• Genuine Popularity
• Consensus Dictatorship
Women
• Genuine Popularity
• Consensus Dictatorship
Economy
• Genuine Popularity
• Consensus Dictatorship
Lebensraum
• Genuine Popularity
• Consensus Dictatorship
Propaganda
• Genuine Popularity
• Consensus Dictatorship
Communism
• Genuine Popularity
• Consensus Dictatorship
Gleichschaltung
• Genuine Popularity
• Consensus Dictatorship
How did the Nazis form a consensus dictatorship?
B aim – to explain how the Nazis kept support and analyse whether they were
successful. To understand and give evidence to support it being a consensus
dictatorship.
A/A* aim – to judge whether Hitler founded a consensus dictatorship or achieved
genuine popularity, or a bit of both!
• Collect in sheets and photocopy for students.
• In pairs answer
– How did the Nazis gain support?
– Were the Nazis successful in getting this support?
– What facts can you use to support that Nazi Germany was a consensus
dictatorship?
• Charis – How would you describe Hitler’s rule when
considering the degree of consensus and popularity? Give
facts to support your answer.
Homework – Due Monday
1.
2.
Imagine you are a journalist who has travelled to Germany in 1939. Write
an article explaining how popular the Nazi regime was. Include
information from today’s lesson. (Charis, Whelan, Deborah)
Make a mind map showing how the Nazis made themselves popular.
Make sure there is explanation on it and links of the branches together.
(Reginald, Kausar, Agonita)
• You must include something about....
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Youth
Women
Economy
Lebensraum
Propaganda
Communism
Gleichschaltung