Hitler’s wanted to get his Nazi party into power. He was determined to undermine the Weimar in order to do so. Hitler felt that the Weimar had betrayed the people of Germany. The crises of 1923 further proved to Hitler that the Weimar Republic had to be removed from power. He was desperate to promote his Nazi party and make them a force in Germany. The 25 points of the NSDAP are the basis of Nazi teachings and beliefs. To what extent these points are a direct reflection of Hitler’s hatred towards the Weimar Republic will now be explained. Hitler’s reference to the formation of a greater German with more living space for German citizens is indirectly related to the Republic. Germany had lost a vast amount of land in the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Most of Germany, including Hitler blamed the Weimar for losing the war and signing the Treaty. Therefore, Hitler was criticising the Weimar Republic as well as trying to gain support from Germans by seeking to regain land lost and giving Germans more lebensraum. The fourth of the NSDAP’s 25 points explains how the Nazis only believed that those of German blood should be allowed to be members of the State. This is a direct disapproval of the Weimar Republic for allowing people of all religions and races to vote. Point 6 of the 25 points is linked to point 4 in that Hitler is saying that only pure ethnic Germans are to be members of the State and have the right to vote. Hitler is also condoning the actions of the Weimar Republic by having a proportional representation system in which coalition governments are formed that will lead Germany. He doesn’t agree with having coalition governments in power.
Hitler further criticises the Republic (in point 11) for not forcing the unemployed to find jobs and for paying them unemployment benefits. He proposes that unemployment benefits should be scrapped and that everyone should work towards helping the State and not themselves. Hitler is against Capitalism in Germany (but changes this proposal slightly later on to prevent problems with large businesses). Hitler also condemns the WR for not nationalising all businesses, so that everyone works for the State and so finance capitalism will be erased in Germany.
In point 18, Hitler attacks both Jewish citizens and the Weimar Republic for not punishing those who profit from the war and are not sentenced to death. He feels that they are benefiting from a war in which Germans suffered and were exploited by the Allies. He is once again criticising those that put themselves ahead of the State.
Hitler’s demand for the abolition of the Roman Law and the creation of a Germanic Common Law is an indirect criticism of the Weimar Republic. He is blaming the Republic for maintaining the Roman Law which has been kept since Napoleon’s time and not reverting to a German Law that would be appreciated by all Germans.
Both points 20 and 21 of the Nazis’ ideology condone the Weimar Republic. Hitler is attacking the WR for not promoting education for the ‘capable and diligent Germans.’ He wants to see the German curricula changed with more emphasis on citizenship. He also demands that the brightest children of the poorer families should be supported by the State. Hitler further criticises the Weimar Republic for not providing enough support to mothers and children and not banning child labour. He also wants to see more emphasis put on physical activity and sport. These points are all criticising the Republic for not putting more stress on education, sport and welfare.
Point 24 is an explicit criticism of Weimar. He feels that the Weimar Republic have been to free with people in allowing them the freedom of their religion. He feels that certain religions are destroying Germany and taking away the power of the President. Hitler is worried that certain sects of Christianity will influence people into following the teachings of Jesus rather than the teachings of parties such as the Nazis.
Finally, the final point of Nazi ideology condemns the Weimar Republic for making Germany democratic. He wants Germany to be autocratic with absolute power going to the Fuhrer.
So far only those points of Nazi ideology that have criticised the Weimar Republic have been mentioned. However, although most points criticise the Weimar (directly or indirectly), not every point of the NSDAP’s beliefs does.
I will explain the points that are not related the Republic.
Hitler demands that all citizens should have equal rights and duties. This point is Hitler’s way of trying to gain support. He knows that all German citizens want to have equal rights and so he is promising them this if the Nazis come to power. The 25 points of the NSDAP may be seen to be Nazi propaganda by some.
Point 14 states that the Nazis believe that profit should be shared in the great industries. The Nazis are once again trying to promote themselves by appealing to workers to support them in their bid to gain power. Hitler knows that both the poorer and middle classes will want to see profit in industries shared as it means that they will make more money. In statement 15, the NSDAP this time appeals to the older people. Hitler is demanding that pensions are increased in accordance with the increase in inflation.
In point 17, Hitler once again appeals to the middle and poorer classes by stating that he believes that land should be shared out, rather than it all be left with the aristocracy. This will not please the aristocracy, who will not support the Nazis.
Finally, point 22 is saying that the Nazis want to remove the army away from Prussian aristocracy and be controlled by the Nazis instead. This is Hitler’s only personal aim that he wants to achieve, should he get into power.
In conclusion, I believe that the majority of the NSDAP’s 25 points are linked to the Weimar Republic and the Nazis’ criticism of the Weimar. However, some of these points are indirectly linked to the Weimar Republic. For example, Hitler’s proposal to form a greater Germany may not be criticising the Republic directly, but he is subtly blaming them for the land lost in the First World War. However, it is also fair to say that not all of Hitler’s 25 points criticised the Weimar Republic, be it directly or indirectly. Some of his points were his own beliefs about how to stabilise Germany and once again make it a superpower. These 25 points can be seen as Nazi propaganda by promising people some of the things they want.
