Furthermore, the fact there was a 25 point programme with views of anti-Marxism and anti-Capitalism but also internal divide demonstrated that the Nazi ideas lacked coherence and were superficial and simplistic; the origins of the party ultimately lay in fringe mentality ideas. The internal divide in 1924-25 also stood as a stammer in how influential and strong the party became. Hitler was constantly trying to keep the two sides of his party, the nationalists and socialists who were constantly in disagreement over policy, on course.
The momentum and significance of the Nazi Party was also halted by the “Golden Years” of the Weimar Republic. During this period extremist parties lost support. Germany accepted the Dawes Plan which meant that American loans were being handed over to the Weimar Republic and there was a consequent boom of the economy. The Weimar Republic under Stresemann therefore appeared to be politically and economically stable; people were not looking for a radical party. This affected the NSDAP as it hindered the rise of the party to a national level. Subsequently, in 1928, the Nazi party performed poorly in the national elections, receiving only 2.6% of the vote. This was miniscule in comparison to the SPD who won 29.8% of the vote and the Centre Party who won 12.1% of the vote. This serves as evidence of the fact that even in 1928, the Nazi Party was not nationally successful and could therefore still be described as a ‘fringe irritant’.
However, although the momentum of the party may not have picked up until 1929, the failure of the Munich Putsch in 1923 did have some advantages for Hitler. He turned his trial into a great propaganda success both for himself and for the Nazi cause as he won respect from right-wing nationalists. He played on all his rhetorical skills and evoked admiration for patriotism, thus making himself a national figure for the first time. Hitler’s time in prison, which was reduced to 9 months due to bias of the judiciary, gave him time to write Mein Kampf, formulate his political ideas (although they were still unclear), as well as to accept that the party would need to take power through legal means. Thus, it can be seen that following his release from prison, Hitler worked to make sure that his Party would be in a position to exploit the political situation once circumstances changed in his favour. Hitler re-established the party in 1925 with a new organisational structure and waits for the moment when they can exploit the situation and discontent within.
There is therefore undoubtedly evidence to support the insignificance of the party in the early years, however, there are also a number of developments prompted by Hitler in the latter half of the decade which served to recreate the party. The Bamberg Conference in 1926 was of great significance as it witnessed Hitler take control of the party. Decisions made during this time were undoubtedly crucial in securing later Nazi success as the party structure was completely overhauled in the hope of being able to enter the Reichstag. The country was divided into Gaue (regions), each of which was controlled by a Gauleiter who was responsible for promoting enthusiasm for Nazi politics. These divisions gave the party a sound nationwide structure and allowed it to be well run at both a national and local level. The structure and creation of sub-organisations such as the German Nazi Lawyers league, Hitler Youth and the Order of German Women set a basis for national expansion and penetrated different sections of society, thus building a framework which would be able to exploit circumstances. All of this served to increase the strength of the party nationally and theoretically move it away from a fringe irritant party towards a more mainstream route.
Hitler also used his skills and strategy to rejuvenate the party. The ban on Hitler’s involvement in political activities was lifted in 1927 and he held the first rally in Nuremberg to spread propaganda. Goebbels was very effective at appreciating the power of propaganda and joined Hitler in his methods. The Nazis targeted key individuals in local communities and a great effort was put into training speakers; over 6000 had passed through their training school by 1933. The Nazis, unlike other extremist parties at the time, used the latest technology such as loudspeakers to portray their message. The SA was also formed in order to protect Nazi speakers. Despite the violence and disorder they caused, their disciplined marches created the impression that the Nazis would offer a firm government to restore Germany to law and order. Furthermore, fear of an SA seizure of power persuaded some in the elite to favour Hitler playing a role in government, since they thought he was the only one who could control the SA.
A final key factor in transforming the Nazi Party from being a mere fringe irritant was gaining the rural vote. The German economy was in serious trouble prior to the Wall Street Crash. Agriculture was particularly struggling; grain prices fell after 1927 and there was serious distress. Rural suffering was keenly felt because farmers and labourers were not included in the national insurance scheme of 1927. This demonstrated how the Weimar Republic was not caring for these people. The Nazi Party therefore appealed those in rural areas by promoting their economic policies of ‘bread and work’. Thus the 1929 regional state elections showed Nazis doing well in rural areas thus suggesting that the Nazis could exploit the difficult times. The increase in rural support along with the fact that Hitler joined the Anti-Young Plan helped to distance himself from the Weimar Republic as well as granting himself and his party respectability and legitimacy.
In conclusion, it is undoubtedly true that by 1929 it seemed that Nazism had not taken root and there was no real sign that it could flourish in Germany. The party had few seats in the Reichstag, the Munich Putsch was a failure in terms of taking control, the “Golden Years” decreased the support for extremist parties and the Nazi Party was very much constrained to Bavaria. However, it is also clear that the onset of the Great Depression provided the circumstances which the Nazi Party, having re-established itself and invested in modern and effective technological propaganda techniques, could exploit in their favour. Thus in 1929, as the party shifted its emphasis to target the depressed agricultural sector; its membership began to rapidly increase again. The Nazi Party may therefore have been not more than a ‘fringe irritant’ by 1929 but as soon as the Depression was to take effect, the party had constructed an effective party machine with a leader of tremendous political skill and charisma to take advantage of the crisis. From 1929 onwards the Nazi party went from strength to strength, and Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor in 1933 represented the collapse of Weimar politics.
by
jgreen0708hotmailcouk (student)
