How Hitler became Chancellor of Germany
I can explain why Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933.
How Hitler became Chancellor of Germany
I can explain why Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Reichstag was in deadlock, forcing leaders to rule by emergency decree under Article 48 of the constitution.
- Conservative elites removed Brüning and signalled a willingness to work with the Nazis to restore order.
- By July 1932, the Nazis were the largest party, but Hindenburg refused to make Hitler Chancellor, fearing extremism.
- Hindenburg turned to conservative allies Papen and Schleicher, but both failed as Nazis refused to cooperate.
- Hindenburg and Papen made Hitler Chancellor, thinking they could control him through a conservative-dominant cabinet.
Keywords
Deadlock - in politics, a deadlock happens when no party or group has a clear majority, so nothing can get passed or decided
Authoritarian - authoritarian governments give most power to one leader or a small group, this can bring stability and quick decisions, but offers few rights or choices for ordinary people
Conservative - someone who values tradition, social order, and gradual change; in 1930s Germany, conservatives wanted to protect the old institutions and were often opposed to democracy or radical movements
Franz von Papen - a wealthy aristocrat and former army officer; he had little popular support but moved easily in elite political and military circles
Kurt von Schleicher - a senior army officer and political schemer who worked behind the scenes to influence government decisions and shape power from the shadows
Common misconception
People “should have known” what Hitler would do once in power.
In reality, many elites and citizens saw the Nazis as a lesser evil amid crisis — not as future dictators. The horror of what was to come wasn’t yet clear to them.
To help you plan your year 11 history lesson on: How Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 history lesson on: How Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Germany 1890–1945, Democracy and dictatorship unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why did many Germans turn to the Nazi Party during the early 1930s?
Q2.How did fear of communism and cultural decline influence Nazi support?
Q3.Many Germans found Adolf Hitler appealing because of his ...
Q4.What was a key tactic of Nazi propaganda under Joseph Goebbels?
Q5.How did the SA help the Nazi Party rise to power?
Q6.Match each Nazi promise to the group it was aimed at.
"we will break the power of big business"
"we will protect you from communism"
"we will create jobs and end class conflict"