Emergence of an authoritarian state - Hitler's rise to power

1. Weimar constitution

1.1. President's position + option of ruling by president decree Art. 48

1.1.1. power to dissolve parliament

1.2. no barring clause

2. depression

2.1. september/october 1929

2.2. drastic rise in unemployment

2.2.1. 1929 - 2milliion

2.2.2. 1931 - 6million

2.3. lost of trust in democracy

2.4. loss of US loans

3. extremism & radicalism

3.1. spartacus league 1919, violent clashes

3.2. Freikorps activities

3.3. attacks on politicians

3.3.1. Walther Rathenau, June 1922

3.3.2. Matthias Erzberger, August 1921

3.4. "March on Berlin"/ Hitler-Putsch 9th of november 1923

3.4.1. public attention -> creating a myth

3.4.2. "Mein Kampf"

3.4.2.1. "Lebensraum" idea

3.4.2.2. Germany needs to fight communism -> Jews are responsible for it

3.4.3. change of strategy

3.4.3.1. from violent to "legal" opposition

3.4.4. expansion of party organisation

3.4.4.1. 1921 Storm Troopers

3.4.4.2. 1925 SS

3.4.5. Führerprinzip -> hierarchy

4. economy

4.1. hyperinflation '21 - '23

4.2. inflation

5. anti democratic attitude

5.1. military leadership, Hindenburg/Schleider

5.2. sever restrictions on the military -> unemployment (1918/1919)

5.3. state officials to a large extent conservative

6. Treaty of Versailles

6.1. reparations 6,6 billion pounds, 226 billion Mark

6.2. loss of 13% of territory

6.3. demilitarized Rhur-Area

6.4. War Guilt Clause Art 23

6.5. Germany not allowed to join League of Nation