The NSDAP's 'lean years'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe how the NSDAP changed between 1924 and 1929.
Key learning points
- Hitler's ideology, outlined in 'Mein Kampf', reshaped the Nazi Party and later impacted Germany as a whole.
- The 1926 Bamberg Conference helped Hitler eliminate socialist elements and solidify his absolute control over the party.
- The Nazis had limited electoral success as political and economic stability weakened extremism.
- The Nazis gained rural support by appealing to struggling farmers, and shifting focus from urban workers to landowners.
- By 1928, the Nazi Party had a national structure, disciplined ideology and tailored propaganda, but lacked mass support.
Keywords
Ideological - related to a system of beliefs or ideas, often political or philosophical
Führer - meaning ‘leader’; a concept used by Hitler to establish himself as the absolute authority of the Nazi Party, promoting total control by a single leader as a solution to political instability
Common misconception
The 'lean years' meant the Nazis were completely unsuccessful and struggling in every way.
The ‘lean years’ mainly refers to the Nazis’ limited electoral success. While they weren’t winning many votes, they were strengthening their organisation, refining propaganda and gaining rural support. These years were crucial for their later rise.
Teacher tip
Pupils could create a visual map showing where the Nazis gained support in the 1920s. Include rural, urban and industrial areas, explaining why some groups were more receptive than others.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.How did General Erich Ludendorff’s support benefit the Nazi Party?
Q2.What happened when Hitler and his 2000 supporters marched toward the city centre, during the Munich Putsch?
Q3.What were the short-term consequences of the Munich Putsch?
Q4.Match the following terms with their correct definitions.
related to a state in southern Germany
a supporter of state control and banning political opposition
a book written by Hitler
Q5.Complete the sentence with the correct missing word: Hitler hoped that by seizing control of Munich, he would have control of the government, and from there, overthrow the Weimar Republic.
Q6.How did Hitler’s trial after the Munich Putsch help him in the long-term?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What strategy did Hitler adopt after 1924 to gain power?
Q2.What was a key outcome of the 1926 Bamberg Conference?
Q3.Which German word did Hitler use to emphasise his total control over the Nazi Party?
Q4.Starting with the earliest, sort these events into chronological order.
Q5.How did Gustav Stresemann help stabilise the German economy in the mid-1920s?
Q6.What happened to Nazi support during Germany’s economic recovery in the mid-1920s?
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: The NSDAP's 'lean years', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: The NSDAP's 'lean years', 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.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39 unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.