Lesson video

Hello, welcome to History here at Oak National Academy.

My name's Mr. Newton, and I will be your teacher today guiding you through the entire lesson.

Right, let's get started.

In these lessons, we're trying to understand how Adolf Hitler rose to power, and we've been tracing his journey from the leader of a small political group to being appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933.

To understand that rise, we need to ask an important question.

What would make ordinary people feel desperate enough to support a leader or party demanding extreme change? Imagine you're living in a country where each day feels more uncertain than the last.

Millions are losing their jobs, prices keep rising.

People are angry and afraid.

The government argues endlessly, but solves nothing.

Would you still believe in democracy if it kept failing you? What if a strong leader stepped forward promising to unite the nation once more, promises jobs, order, and greatness.

Today, we'll explore how the Nazi Party went from the fringes of German politics to dominating it, not just through force, but by tapping into the genuine hopes and frustrations of the German people.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain why support for the Nazi Party increased in the years 1929 to 1932.

Before we begin, there are a few key words that we need to understand.

Propaganda is the information or ideas that are spread with the intention of influencing people's opinions.

This could be media that is designed to promote a particular political agenda.

And decadence is a state of moral or cultural decline, often associated with excessive indulgence, luxury, or a lack of discipline.

Today's lesson is split into two parts.

First, we'll explore what made Hitler such a compelling figure and how image, emotion, and messaging were used to win over millions of people through propaganda.

Then we'll move on to the second part of the lesson, the SA and the politics of fear.

And here we'll see how violence and intimidation were used to silence opposition and create a sense of strength and order.

Right, let's begin the lesson with Hitler's appeal and the power of propaganda.

As millions of people found themselves unemployed during the Great Depression, many Germans turned to the Nazi Party.

Let's take a closer look at this graph.

The pink bars show how many seats the Nazi Party held in the German parliament at different points between 1928 and 1932.

The green line shows the number of unemployed people in millions, and what this shows us is that as unemployment rises sharply, the number of Nazi seats in parliament also rises dramatically.

So here's a question.

Why do you think more and more people turned to the Nazis as times got harder? And this graph, in part, helps us understand how the Nazi Party didn't just rely on ideas or violence.

They gained support by presenting themselves as the solution to a national emergency.

The Weimar Republic seemed powerless to stop the crisis caused by the depression.

In early 1930, chancellor Bruning implemented severe spending cuts in an attempt to stabilise the economy.

And then in September, 1930, the chancellor called for new Reichstag elections, expecting the public to rally behind his economic measures.

Instead, the results sent shockwaves through Germany.

The Nazi Party, once a minor extremist group, surged to 107 seats, becoming the second largest party in the Reichstag.

Frustrated with the failures of democracy, many Germans turned to extreme political parties seeking a strong leader who could restore their dignity and bring stability.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Why did many Germans turn to the Nazi Party during the early 1930s? Was it, A, Chancellor Bruning's economic policies led to rapid economic recovery.

B, the Great Depression caused mass unemployment and people lost faith in democratic leaders, or C, the Nazi Party had always been one of Germany's largest and most influential political groups.

Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answer was B, the Great Depression caused mass unemployment and people lost faith in democratic leaders, meaning they were willing to turn to the Nazi Party.

Okay, let's continue.

The Nazi Party's rise from the political fringes to the national stage had been spectacular.

Once facing oblivion after the failed Munich Putsch, it had reorganised into a finely-tuned political machine.

At the heart of its appeal was its leader, Adolf Hitler.

Unlike conventional politicians, Hitler crisscrossed Germany delivering speeches to enormous crowds.

He travelled by aeroplane, and this was a revolutionary innovation at the time, and this made him appear dynamic and modern.

While other politicians droned on about boring policy, he electrified audiences with passionate speeches.

He did not speak of compromise or cautious reform.

He promised greatness, a revival of Germany's lost power.

Hitler tapped into widespread fears about the weakness of the Weimar Republic, the looming threat of Communist revolution and the supposed dangers of Jewish influence.

He presented himself as a man of the people, a leader who had suffered alongside ordinary Germans and understood their hardships.

His image carefully shaped by the Nazi propaganda machine was that of a strong, decisive leader, the only man capable of rescuing Germany from chaos.

Staged photographs showed him surrounded by children, smiling at workers or standing proudly before the masses.

Reinforcing his connection to all sections of society.

In April, 1932, he ran against Hindenberg in the presidential election, and despite losing, secured 37% of the vote.

It was now undeniable that millions of Germans saw him as a credible national leader.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Why did many Germans find Adolf Hitler appealing? Select three correct answers.

A, he delivered passionate speeches and used modern campaign tactics like air travel.

B, he focused only on detailed economic policies rather than emotional appeal.

C, he gained widespread support in the 1932 presidential election, proving his credibility as a national leader.

D, he presented himself as a strong leader who could restore Germany's greatness.

Pause the video, select your three correct answers, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answers were A, he delivered passionate speeches and used modern campaign tactics like air travel.

C, he gained widespread support in the 1932 presidential election, proving his credibility as a national leader, and D, he presented himself as a strong leader who could restore Germany's greatness.

So by 1932, it was clear that Hitler had vast appeal.

Millions of Germans now saw him as a potential leader.

Yet Hitler's charisma alone was not enough.

The Nazi needed a vast propaganda machine to spread its message and win over the masses.

The Nazi Party under the direction of Joseph Goebbels had perfected the art of political propaganda.

And we can see Goebbels in the photo standing next to Hitler and other Nazi leaders.

Goebbels turned his talent for propaganda towards winning the Nazis more support from the electorate.

No party had ever run a campaign quite like the Nazi Party.

Mass rallies, parades, and film screenings, all meticulously staged to captivate the public.

The Nazis utilised their vast national network of local branches to spread their message with relentless efficiency.

Simple striking slogans were repeated endlessly until they were ingrained in the national consciousness.

Okay, let's have another check for understanding.

What I want you to do here is complete the sentence with the correct missing word.

So the sentence is, blank refers to information or ideas that are spread with the intention of influencing people's opinions, media that is designed to promote a particular political agenda.

So pause the video, fill in the blank, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answer was propaganda refers to informational ideas that are spread with the intention of influencing people's opinions.

And this can be media that is designed to promote a particular political agenda.

So the Nazi propaganda campaign meant that streets were flooded with Nazi posters and pamphlets, each carefully tailored to appeal to a specific segment of society.

To workers they promised jobs and an end to class conflict.

In other words, an end to the rich versus poor, or the boss versus the worker.

Everyone should unite behind the nation.

To farmers they vowed to break the power of big business who were decimating rural industries.

To the middle class they offered protection from communism, which threatened to take their small businesses or properties.

And even wealthy industrialists, once wary of Hitler's radicalism, were drawn in, convinced that his fierce anti-communist stance would safeguard their interests.

The Nazi Party did not rely on just one type of supporter.

Its strength lay in its ability to appeal to multiple groups.

Election posters across Germany increasingly depicted a giant muscular worker, a powerful masculine figure, smashing enemies or sweeping away corrupt politicians.

And we can see an example of this on the left.

This is a German election postal from 1928 showing a muscular worker demolishing parliament.

The caption reads, "Shatter the enemy of the world, vote for the Nazis." This image wasn't just eye catching, it became a kind of symbol, almost like a political meme of the time.

The muscular figure represented strength, action, and the power of the ordinary man.

It sent a simple message.

The Nazis would sweep away weak, corrupt politicians and rebuild Germany with strength and pride.

In other words, it tapped into the feeling that Germany needed a strong leader to restore order.

Even the social Democrats, Communists and other conservative parties adopted variations of this imagery, but none matched the sheer scale and intensity of the Nazi propaganda machine.

This propaganda machine also targeted nationalist feeling in Germany.

To nationalists the Nazis promised to rebuild the army and tear up the hated Treaty of Versailles, which many viewed as a national humiliation.

Every speech, every slogan, every image was designed to stir deep emotion.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Who led the Nazi Party's propaganda efforts? A, Heinrich Himmler.

B, Joseph Goebbels.

C, Rudolph Hess.

Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back and well done if you knew the correct answer was B, Joseph Goebbels.

Another part of their political machine was the Nazi Party rallies, and these became theatrical spectacles.

They usually involved uniformed stormtroopers marching in precise formations, torch-like processions illuminating the night, and banners emblazoned with the swastika billowing in the wind.

Take a moment to look closely at this image.

This is a photo from a Nazi Party rally in 1934, and you can see the sheer scale.

I mean, there's thousands of Nazi supporters lined up in perfect formation.

And then you can see these gigantic swastika banners looming in a distance.

This kind of imagery became so iconic that it even inspired later film directors.

George Lucas, for example, drew on Nazi rally visuals when creating scenes for "Star Wars," particularly those involving the Empire.

Given this spectacle of a Nazi rally, we can imagine that to a long suffering and divided Germany, these rallies offered not just excitement, but a seductive sense of belonging, of being part of a victorious future.

As nights fell, bonfires were lit along the horizon, and vast searchlights swept the sky, creating the illusion that Hitler stood within a towering temple made of light.

Those who attended confessed it felt like a sacred ceremony in a vast cathedral.

As Hitler walked down a central aisle, thousands saluted in near religious ecstasy.

Furthermore, throughout Germany, loudspeakers blasted Hitler's speeches into town squares, newspapers and radio broadcasts carried his voice into homes across the country.

The Nazis projected themselves as a movement of energy, youth, and strength, a stark contrast to the ageing politicians of Weimar.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

What were key tactics of Nazi propaganda under Joseph Goebbels.

Select three correct answers.

A, avoiding modern technology like radio and film in their campaigns.

B, organising large theatrical rallies with uniformed supporters and dramatic visuals.

C, repeating simple and striking slogans to reinforce Nazi messages.

And D, using parades, posters, and film screenings to target different social groups.

Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew that the key tactics of Nazi propaganda usually involved, B, organising large theatrical rallies with uniformed supporters and dramatic visuals, C, repeating simple and striking slogans to reinforce Nazi messages, and D, using parades, posters, and film screenings to target different social groups.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to Task A.

What I want you to do here is describe two reasons why the Nazi Party grew in popularity between 1929 and 1932.

So what you need to do is first identify two of the reasons and then use your knowledge from today's lesson to offer a sentence or two describing why that reason meant the Nazi Party grew in popularity.

Pause the video, have a go at the task, and then come right back.

Okay, great.

Welcome back.

So there's many reasons that you may have come up with, but compare your answers with the ones I have here.

So you could have said that "One reason for the Nazi Party's growth in popularity was the economic crisis caused by the Great Depression." So you can immediately see there I've identified the reason, and now the rest of my answer will describe that reason.

So "One reason for the Nazi Party's growing popularity was the economic crisis caused by the Great Depression, which left millions of Germans unemployed and struggling to survive.

The Weimar government, particularly under Chancellor Bruning, responded with severe spending cuts, which only worsened the situation.

Many Germans lost faith in democracy and turned to extreme parties like the Nazis who promised to restore stability and economic prosperity." Let's look at another reason here.

"Another reason was that Adolf Hitler also played a crucial role in attracting support for the Nazi Party." So this answer places Adolf Hitler as the reason for Nazi growth.

And then the description goes on, "Unlike traditional politicians, he flew across Germany delivering passionate speeches that captivated large audiences.

His ability to connect with ordinary Germans and his promise of national revival made him an appealing leader to those seeking strong leadership." Let's look at an alternative answer.

So you could have put, "One reason was that the Nazi Party led by Joseph Goebbels mastered the use of propaganda to spread their message.

They used posters, radio broadcasts, films, and mass rallies to appeal to different social groups.

Their simple but powerful slogans combined with staged photographs and imagery of strength and unity made their movements seem dynamic and modern.

Nazis projected themselves as energetic, youthful, and powerful in stark contrast to the ageing and ineffective politicians of the Weimar Republic." And my last example here.

"Another reason was that the Nazis tailored their promises to attract a wide range of supporters.

Workers were promised jobs, farmers were assured that their interests would be protected, and the middle class was offered protection from communism.

Even wealthy industrialists were convinced that Hitler's strong anti-communist stance would benefit them.

This ability to appeal to multiple social groups gave the Nazi Party a broad base of support and contributed to their rapid rising in popularity." Okay, great.

Now that we've established Hitler's personal appeal and the role of propaganda carefully targeting people's hopes and frustrations, we can now move on to the second part of the lesson, the SA and the politics of fear.

Here we'll see how violence and intimidation were used to silence opposition and create a sense of strength and order.

While propaganda had won them millions of votes, the Nazi Party had another weapon, the SA or the stormtroopers.

Once a ragtag group of street fighters, the SA had grown into a vast paramilitary force of more than 400,000 men patrolling the streets in their distinctive brown uniforms. And we can see the brown shirt uniforms in this Nazi Party propaganda painting.

The SA intimidated opponents, disrupted rival meetings, and engaged in brutal street battles with the Communist Red Front Fighters League.

In cities like Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich, political violence became a daily occurrence with fists, clubs and even gunfire deciding the outcome.

By 1932, hundreds of political activists had been killed.

The Weimar government, weak and divided, seemed powerless to stop them.

To many Germans the SA's violence was not a sign of lawlessness, but of strength.

Proof that Hitler and his followers could impose order where democracy had failed.

The police, far from being neutral, often turned a blind eye or even sided with the Nazis, seeing them as a necessary safeguard against the far greater threat of communism.

In courtrooms across the country Communist rioters received harsh sentences while Nazi stormtroopers were often let off with little more than a warning.

At Nazi rallies, the SA's presence added to the spectacle, their marching, their discipline, their sheer numbers.

This was a force to be reckoned with.

For those desperate for stability, the stormtroopers represented more than just street fighters.

They embodied the returns of order and national pride, and this was symbolised by their smart brown uniforms, hence they're sometimes referred to as the brownshirts.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

What role did the SA play in the Nazi Party's appeal? Select three correct answers.

A, their disciplined marches and uniforms created an image of strength and order.

B, they clashed with communist groups reinforcing the Nazis' anti-communist stance.

C, they focused only on peaceful political debates and negotiations.

And D, they used violence and intimidation to silence political opponents.

Pause the video, select your three correct answers, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back and well done if you knew the correct answers were, A, their disciplined marches in uniforms created an image of strength and order.

B, they clashed with communist groups reinforcing the Nazis' anti-communist stance, and D, they used violence and intimidation to silence political opponents.

Okay, let's have another check for understanding.

I want you to discuss with your partner the following question.

Why did some Germans view the SA's violence as a sign of strength rather than lawlessness? So have a quick discussion or jot down a few points on a piece of paper answering that question.

Pause the video, have a discussion, then come right back.

Okay, great.

Welcome back.

So there's many things you may have discussed or written down on a piece of paper, but hopefully you'd said something like, that "The Weimar government appeared weak and unable to control political unrest, making the Nazis seem like the only force capable of restoring order." So in these times it looked more like strength rather than lawlessness.

You might have said that, "the SA's clashes with Communist groups reassured conservatives and business owners who feared a communist uprising much more than Nazi violence." And you might have said something like, "The courts and police often sided with the Nazis reinforcing the idea that they were a necessary force against instability." Even the enforcement authorities were siding with the Nazis, so that helped them not to be seen as lawless.

So you're probably picking up on the fact that there's a great fear of communism at this time, and the fear of communism had long been one of the Nazi's most potent weapons.

And we can see this in this Nazi propaganda poster showing a Nazi soldier defending a city against a communist Jewish attacker.

And you can see I've highlighted the poster there, who we can identify by his Soviet red star on his hat.

So what was happening here was that because there was a fear of Communist revolution, the Nazi Party positioned itself as the saviour of Germany.

Many people feared communism because they'd heard about the events of the Russian Revolution in 1917.

Therefore, Germany's middle class had lived in terror of a similar uprising.

Every factory strike, every leftist demonstration or violent clash with police and the rise in support for the Nazi Party in Germany all contributed to a deepened fear of communism.

Furthermore, the Reichstag now contained 100 communist deputies, an alarming development for business owners, land owners, and the clergy.

So this is what we mean by the politics of fear.

The Nazis tapped into the fears of the German public and presented themselves as the solution.

But it was not just the threat of communism that alarmed many Germans.

There were rapid changes which have caused other fears and concerns.

Many Germans feared the cultural changes of the Weimar era, seeing them as corrupt and decadent.

The cultural shifts of the Weimar era were seen as symptoms of moral decay, a sign that traditional German values were being eroded.

For example, modernist arts were seen as strange and abstract.

Cabaret performances were seen as provocative and racy, and the daring urban nightlife revealed scenes of crime and prostitution.

And we can see some of this reflected in the modernist painting on the left.

It captures the decadence and tension of Weimar-era nightlife.

The painting shows the increasing presence of the new woman in Germany's entertainment and nightlife industry.

For the 1920s, German society was more traditional, religious and conservative.

Women were expected to focus on family and domestic roles.

So it might have been shocking to see women smoking, drinking, and wearing bold makeup and revealing clothing when they were previously more commonly seen in modest dresses, dedicated to homemaking and childcare.

So the rise of the new woman marked a dramatic cultural shift, challenging traditional expectations.

Therefore, many Germans believed that the identity of Germany was slipping away, drowned in decadence and foreign influences.

So again, this highlights another way in which the politics of fear works.

The Nazis exploited these anxieties, presenting themselves as the defenders of German culture.

They warned that unless they were given power, Germany would soon be in flames, ruled by communists and corrupted by the moral filth of Weimar decadence.

Their message resonated, especially among the conservative elite who saw Hitler as a necessary evil, someone they could use to crush communism, and those they viewed as a threat to traditional morals and cultural values.

Okay, let's have another check for understanding.

True or false.

Many Germans saw Hitler as a necessary protector against perceived threats.

Is that true or false? Pause the video, have a think and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back and well done if you knew the correct answer was true.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to the first part of task B.

What I want you to do here is list reasons how the SA, fear of communism, and concerns about Weimar culture increased support for the Nazis.

So pause the video, write your list, and then come right back.

Okay, great.

Welcome back, and well done having a go at that task.

So there's many items that you may have on your list, but compare your list with the one I have here.

So you might have put that 'The SA were 400,000 strong and that they intimidated political opponents, making it dangerous for people to oppose the Nazis." You might have put that "Many Germans saw the persistent street battles between the SA and the Communists as proof that Weimar democracy was failing, and they turned to the Nazis to restore order." Might have also put "That the police often ignored SA violence or even sided with them because they viewed the Communists as the greater threat.

Courts also treated Communist rioters more harshly than Nazi stormtroopers, making it easier for the Nazis to act without consequences." Continuing the list you might have put, "Many Germans saw the SA's military-style discipline and large presence at Nazi rallies as proof that Hitler could restore law and order." And that "Many Germans, especially the middle class and elites, feared a Communist revolution making the Nazis' anti-communist stance more appealing." And finally, that "Many Germans saw Weimar-era modernist art, cabarets and urban nightlife as signs of moral decay and decadence, whereas the Nazis presented themselves as protectors of traditional German values." Okay, great.

Let's move on to the second part of task B.

And I've got a statement here for you.

"The most important reason for the Nazi Party's rise to power was the fear of Communism." And the question is, how far do you agree with this statement? And any time you see that "how far" question.

This usually means that you can agree to the statement to a certain extent, but you might not agree fully with the statements.

Therefore, you need to structure your answer by writing one paragraph which agrees with this statement and one paragraph which disagrees.

So use all the knowledge from today's lesson to write me two detailed paragraphs.

Pause the video, have a go at the task, and then come right back.

Okay, great.

Welcome back.

So there's many ways that you could answer that question.

Check your answers with the ones I have here.

So for your agree paragraph, you could have written that "The fear of communism was a significant reason for the Nazi Party's rise to power." Starting off with the clear points there.

"Many Germans, especially the middle class and wealthy business owners, feared a Communist revolution similar to the one in Russia in 1917." Got some evidence to add.

Now we can go onto some explanation.

"The Nazis used this fear effectively in their propaganda presenting themselves as the only party capable of stopping a Communist takeover.

The SA's violent attacks on Communist groups further reinforced the idea that the Nazis were strong enough to maintain order." And for your disagree paragraph, it may have included something like this.

"However, other factors were also crucial.

Hitler's personal appeal made him a popular figure across different sections of society.

His speeches were passionate and made people believe in his vision for Germany's future.

Additionally, the Nazi Party's use of propaganda helped spread their message on a massive scale with posters, radio broadcasts and rallies making their promises and slogans widely known.

Furthermore, the economic crisis caused by the Great Depression made people desperate for change.

The Weimar government's failure to deal with mass unemployment and poverty led many to look for a strong leader who could restore stability.

The Nazis took advantage of this situation by promising jobs, economic recovery, and a return to national pride." Okay, great, let's summarise today's lesson, The Growth in Support for the Nazi Party.

The Great Depression left millions unemployed, and many Germans lost faith in democracy and turned to extreme parties like the Nazis.

Hitler's passionate speeches and modern campaigning made him appear strong and dynamic.

Goebbel's propaganda machine used posters, radio and rallies to target different social groups, portraying the Nazis as youthful and energetic, in contrast to Weimar politicians.

The SA attacked political opponents, while the police and courts often favoured them.

Many feared a Communist revolution and saw Weimar culture as a sign of moral decay and decadence.

The Nazis exploited this by presenting themselves as defenders of traditional German values, gaining support from conservatives, anti-communists, and the middle class.

Well done on a brilliant lesson.

Today we've seen that Hitler didn't rise to power through force alone.

His growing support was built on something much more complex, a combination of desperation, powerful messaging, and the careful construction of an image that millions found convincing.

In times of crisis people often look for strong leadership and restoration of order.

The Nazis understood that and they used propaganda and fear to offer both.

See you next time when we'll continue to discover how that growing Nazi support would eventually lead to Adolf Hitler becoming Chancellor of Germany.