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Which reason is most important to why Hitler rose to power?
because in the 1920’s no one was listening and only when they were desperate did they listen.
Hitler used terror to keep his opponents quite. As well as sparking off violence he carried out a highly organized terror campaign. The SS (schutzstaffel/stormtroopers) became the main force for carrying out terror.
After the Reichstag fire SS set up concentration camps where they could keep prisoners. The most important of these camps was Dachau, near Munich.
Prisoners had to wear triangular pieces of cloth, which was colored on their uniforms. The colour showed hat sort of prisoner they were. The Naziz arrested anyone who opposed them. They jailed the Nobel Peace Prize winner Carl Von Ossietzky. A representative of the Red Cross who reported after visiting a concentration camp
‘He hardly seemed to be alive. He was shaking and deadly pale. He did not seem to feel anything. One eye was swollen his teeth had been knocked out and his leg was broken’
Estimated number of prisoners in concentration camps
Year No. Of prisoners Deaths
1933 50,000 6250
1934 56,250 7300
1935 65,850 7900
1936 71,150 8500
1937 76,850 9200
1938 83,050 33,200
1939 132,900 66,450
It should not be thought that the Nazis became a law-abiding party as a result of their new policy. They in fact gained quite a reputation in the late 1920’s for thuggery. Between 1225 and 1930 24 Nazis were killed in street fighting and hundreds were seriously injured. Most of these casualties occurred in clashes with German Communists and the Para-military force, the Red Fighting League. Clashes with the social democrats were also common. This violence was not mindless it was planned and encouraged by Nazi leaders. They welcomed the publicity which violence attracted. They also believed that violence helped to convince middle class voters that the nazis were the most toughest and determined anti communist.
Source 52 – New States man, British newspaper, 27 September 1930, on the 1930 election
‘The worst enemy the Socialists had to face was the Communists. Between the two parties there was no argument or debate, only hatred and physical violence. In the us of the latter the communists usually took the offensive. Socialists meetings could hardly be held at all unless there were stalwarts present to throw out Communist hecklers, interrupters, and even raiders armed with sticks and stones. The Nazis by the way were the most violent of all. Their attacks were directed against all parties…Fights between the Nazis and communists occurred almost daily’
Terror was a factor and people supported Hitler because they afraid but, terror always went on. It didn’t translate into seats until the Crash. Therefore it is [next page]