How Hitler became Chancellor

In October 1929, the Wall Street Crash caused a financial collapse in the USA. American banks asked for their loans back, and German businesses could not cope. Factories closed, and millions lost their jobs.

By 1932, about 6 million Germans were unemployed.

The government could not agree what to do. From 1930, Chancellor Brüning governed using the President's emergency powers, Article 48, rather than the Reichstag.

Consequence: many Germans lost faith in democracy, and turned to extreme parties, both the Communists and the Nazis.

In July 1932, the Nazis became the largest party in the Reichstag, with about 37% of the vote.

The growth of Communist support frightened many middle-class Germans, businessmen and farmers. They saw the Nazis as the best defence against a communist revolution.

Causes:

• Hitler's appeal: he was a powerful speaker, and promised to make Germany strong again.
• Promises: work and bread for the unemployed; protection from communism; an end to Versailles.
• Propaganda: Goebbels used posters, rallies, newspapers and new methods such as flying Hitler around Germany to speak in many towns.
• The SA: it attacked opponents, but also seemed to show discipline and order.
• Blame: the Nazis blamed Germany's problems on the Weimar politicians, the communists and Jewish people.

Significance: the Nazis appealed to many different groups at once.

• Presidential election, 1932: Hitler stood against President Hindenburg. Hindenburg won, but Hitler came second, with over a third of the vote.
• July 1932: the Nazis became the largest party. Hitler demanded to be Chancellor, but Hindenburg refused, and appointed Franz von Papen.
• November 1932: the Nazis lost seats but were still the largest party. Kurt von Schleicher replaced Papen, but he too could not win the Reichstag's support.
• January 1933: Papen persuaded Hindenburg to make Hitler Chancellor, with Papen as Vice-Chancellor, believing they could control him.

On 30 January 1933, Hitler became Chancellor, legally.