Podcasts
The Rise of Hitler 1929-1934 podcast
This revision podcast is relevant to both GCSE and IGCSE History students studying Nazi Germany. It is the second of two podcasts that present an explanation of the range of factors that contributed to the rise of Hitler. It goes into more detail than the briefer podcast that covers the entire 1919-1934 period. You could also download the Rise of Hitler Revision PowerPoint which complements the two podcasts.
The podcast is the second of two that explore how Hitler came to power. This episode covers the period from the Wall Street Crash to Hitler’s self-appointment of the Fuhrer of Germany in 1934. Specific attention is given to:
* The effects of the Great Depression on Germany
* The Presidential election campaign of 1932
* The appointment of Hitler as Chancellor in 1933
* The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act
* The Night of the Long Knives
* The death of President Hindenburg
The revision guide aims to give clear examples for each of these factors, and explains how you might approach a question on them in the exam.
The Rise of Hitler 1919-1934
For more detail on the rise of Hitler, please see these expanded podcasts:
The podcast begins in 1919 with an introduction to Hitler’s early attitudes and him taking control of the National Socialist German Workers Party (who became known as the Nazis). An overview is then given of the actions of the SA/Stormtroopers before describing how the hyperinflation of 1922-23 led Hitler to use his violent supporters to launch the Munich (or Beer Hall) Putsch, which resulting in Hitler’s imprisonment during which he wrote Mein Kampf. This coincided with the ‘Stresemann Period’ of German history, which is described in greater detail in the Weimar Germany revision podcast.
The episode then goes on to explain how, following his release from prison, Hitler changed his tactics to use legal means to gain political power. The period of the Great Depression led to increasing support for the now well-organised Nazi party which culminted with the appointment of Hitler to the position of Chancellor. An explanation of how Hitler consolidated his power is then given – the Reichstag Fire which led to the Enabling Act; the Night of the Long Knives through which Hitler removed opponents including Ernst Rohm; and finally Hitler taking the title of Fuhrer following the death of President Hindenburg.
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Why did Albert Einstein move to the USA in 1933?
Einstein, who was Jewish, was undertaking a visiting professorship at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena when Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor on 30 January 1933.
Overview of the Reichstag Fire and its consequences
On the 27th February 1933, the Reichstag building in Berlin was set on fire in an arson attack.
The Night of the Long Knives, 30th June 1934
The 30th June 1934 saw the Nazis carry out a purge of their own party, when Hitler ordered the SS to murder leading figures of the SA or Brownshirts along with critics of the Nazi regime such as former chancellor von Schleicher.
How Hitler became Führer after Hindenburg’s death
On the 2nd August 1934, the 86 year old German Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg died of lung cancer and Adolf Hitler became both the Führer and Reich Chancellor of the German People.
The Saar plebiscite and reunion with Germany, 1935
On the 13th January 1935, the Territory of the Saar Basin voted to reunite with Germany.
Hitler and the establishment of the Luftwaffe – a short overview
On 26th February 1935 Hitler formally established the Luftwaffe in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles.
Nazi Control of Germany 1933-1945 (podcast)
This podcast examines the three broad ways through which the Nazis secured control of Germany. These are categorised as ‘the stick’ (repression and force), ‘the carrot’ (positive social and economic effects), and propaganda.
The first method of control outlined in the podcast is repression, which began following the Reichstag Fire in 1933. The four key areas of repression are explained: Nazi control of the police and courts, the SS and the use of concentration camps, and the Gestapo.
Secondly, the episode explains how Nazi achievements were used to maintain support for the party. Particularly achievements that ensured support included such things as assistance to farming communities (e.g. the Reich Entailed Farm Law) and more jobs and improved working conditions for industrial workers. Middle-class support was secured through the removal of the threat of Communism. Big-business was also very supportive due to being able to secure large government contracts, and the fact that trade unions had been banned by the Nazis in 1933. Remilitarisation and large-scale public works projects also secured wide public support for the Nazis.
Thirdly, the podcast assesses the impact of propaganda on the German population. An explanation is given of the role of the Reich Chamber of Culture, before describing specific propaganda achievements such as the effect of the radio, the use of films, and the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
The podcast ends with some tips on how to answer a question about Nazi control in Germany by explaining how the three factors worked together to support each other.
