1926

1926

1926

1926

1926 Job interview

1926

You need to appoint someone to look after Nazi affairs in Berlin. You need someone who

is middle-class and will not offend some of the respectable politicians in the Weimar

Republic. A person with key media based skills and a head for figures will be ideal.

You have the CVs for a range of candidates.

1926 OPTION A

Name Rudolf Hess

Occupation Private secretary to Hitler

Skills Commanded battalion in the Munich Putsch. Degree in political science and economics

Miscellaneous Edited Mein Kampf

1926 OPTION B

Name Ernst Rohm

Occupation Military advisor in Bolivia

Skills Good organiser, strong fighter

Miscellaneous Became good friends with Hitler whilst in prison. Originally formed the SA

1926 OPTION C

Name Joseph Goebbels

Occupation Bank clerk

Skills Adept at ‘spinning’. Appeals to feelings rather than rational argument

Miscellaneous Interest in films and radio

1926

Hess wasn’t a bad choice. His undoubted loyalty to you and his political and

economic expertise would make him an ideal

candidate for the job –- but not the best one!

Gain 3 points

1926

Rohm was a great general but you have had too many recent fallings out with him to make this decision and give him such a prominent

position in the party.

Lose 5 points

1926

Choosing Goebbels is an inspired choice Adolf! He has

all the necessary administrative skills, and the role helps him flourish with

his eye for propaganda!

Well done!

Gain 10 points to your health.

1926 what happened?

Hitler initially appointed Goebbels to look after Nazi affairs in Berlin. However it soon became apparent that he was to play a much wider role in Nazi affairs. Goebbels

was highly efficient at spreading the Nazi message so Hitler put him in charge of

propaganda. He and Hitler believed the best way to

target to the ‘masses’ was by appealing to their feelings

rather than rational argument.

1927

Choosing Goebbels was a master-stroke by yourself. He quickly assumes control of propaganda with his love of film and imagery. He comes to you with a suggestion regarding a rally to be held in 1927. How do you respond?

A) Agree to his demands but suggest it takes place in Nuremberg

B) Agree to his demands and go along with his idea to hold it in Berlin

C) Tell him the party coffers cannot afford such a lavish event

1927

A) Agree to his demands but suggest it takes place in Nuremberg

A smart move on your behalf. It may have been too risky to hold it in Berlin as it may have been disrupted. The event is a tremendous success although it does little to affect the electoral fortunes of the party – it certainly offers a blue print for future Nazi Party rallies.

Add 10 points to your health

1927

B) Agree to his demands and go along with his idea to hold it in Berlin

The rally goes off quite well although there is a large group of Communists who protest outside the building in Berlin. This results in a bloody battle with many from the SA which gains the Nazis unnecessary bad press. What should have been a positive night for the party disintegrates into chaos.

Lose 10 points from your total

1927

(c) Tell him the party coffers cannot afford such a lavish event

Although you’re saving money , in the long-term this rally would have laid the foundations for much of Goebbels’ work when you [hopefully!] gain power,

Lose 10 points from your total.

1927:what happened?

The Nazis published a 62-page booklet to commemorate the 1927 rally, which was a milestone in Nazi history. The Nazis had recovered from Hitler's imprisonment after the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, and though still an insignificant movement nationally were able to bring tens of thousands of their followers to Nuremberg to put on a show that impressed Nazis from the provinces at least as much as it impressed the citizens of Nuremberg.

1927:what happened?

Rally footage

1928

The situation for the party is not going particularly well. The Weimar Republic has

recovered from the period of instability caused by the 1923 hyper-inflation. Some of

your leading figures meet with you to discuss what tactics you should adopt next.

A) Pick a scapegoat : target them with racist advertising and speeches.

B) Publish posters attacking the Weimar Government’s reliance on the money from the Dawes Plan - it’s a dangerous game they’re playing.

C) Just bide our time. There is no need to change our direction. Fate will play a part.

1928

A) Pick a scapegoat : target them with racist advertising and speeches.

Good idea, Goebbels follows up his brilliance in terms of propaganda with a series of speeches attacking the Jewish community. You particularly like this as you failed to get into Art school as they choose some Jew over you – even though he couldn’t paint his toenail!

Add 5 points to your health

1928

B) Publish posters attacking the Weimar Government’s reliance on the money from the Dawes Plan - it’s a dangerous game they’re playing

Although at the time you fail to make little headway -–

particularly in the 1928 election where you receive only 12 seats in the Reichstag this does you, and the party, no harm in the long run. It is only a matter of

time before an economic collapse as the Weimar Government relies

too much on the American $!

Add 5 to your score

1928

C) Just bide our time. There is no need to change our direction. Fate will play a part.

Maybe this is the case however the party is in fact going backwards and although in the short term you may not be able to make any gains the people of Germany will not remember the Nazis if you have not been consistent with your policies.

Lose 5 points from your total.

1928 : what happened?

The Nazis did target the Dawes’ Plan as part of their 1928 election campaign - and they only polled 12 seats. However this critical moment is important as it showed consistency to the German people post 1929.

Goebbels also spoke out against the Jews,

Above is an example of one of his sarcastic speeches from the time….

“Why? Because the Jew sells cheap, but shoddy merchandise, whereas the German sets a proper price for good merchandise. Because the Jew cheats you, whereas the German treats you fairly and honestly. Because you can buy all sorts of trash from the Jew, but the German sells mostly only quality goods.”

1929 October

1929 October

1929 October

1929 October

1929 October

It’s October 1929. Panic strikes as the Wall St stock markets crash in America. What do you

do?

A) Reaffirm your 25 point plan : ideas such as kicking out the Treaty of Versailles, and letting the unemployed join the army are realistic now

B) Bide your time, and go into hiding. The government will fall eventually and you’ll be able to come in like a knight on shining armour

C) Offer your services to the Weimar Government. After all this is a time of national crisis. Political differences should not matter now.

1929 October

It’s October 1929. Panic strikes as the Wall St stock markets crash in America. What do you

do?

A) Reaffirm your 25 point plan : ideas such as kicking out the Treaty of Versailles, and letting the unemployed join the army are realistic now

B) Bide your time, and go into hiding. The government will fall eventually and you’ll be able to come in like a knight on shining armour

C) Offer your services to the Weimar Government. After all this is a time of national crisis. Political differences should not matter now.

1929 October

A) Reaffirm your 25 point plan : ideas such as kicking out the Treaty of Versailles and letting the unemployed join the army are realistic now/

Excellent work Adolf! Nazi ideas now have a special relevance. From electoral also-rans, you now have a chance to become a realistic alternative.

Add 25 to your health rating

1929 October

B) Bide your time, and go into hiding. The government will fall eventually and you’ll be able to come in like a knight on shining armour

You’ve missed out on a golden opportunity here Adolf! This was the moment you’ve been waiting for as you have been telling the people since 1924 this was a disaster waiting to happen. People quickly forget about you and the party.

Lose 15 from your health.

1929 October

C) Offer your services to the Weimar Government. After all this is a time of national crisis. Political differences should not matter now.

A generous offer which gains you much credibility with the President. However much of the other politicians are suspicious of your motives (and your SA for that matter!) and do not want to involve you in high-level talks.

Gain 3 points.

1929 October :– what really happened?

Hitler’s ideas now had a special relevance:

Is the Weimar government indecisive? Then Germany needs a strong leader!

Are reparations adding to Germany’s problems? Then kick out the Treaty of Versailles!

Is unemployment a problem? Let the unemployed join the army, build Germany’s armaments and be used for public works like road building!

The Nazis were very attractive to those most vulnerable to the depression: unemployed, elderly and middle classes.

1930

1930

Fritz Thyssen is a prominent businessman who has been supporting your party for a

few years now. He invites you to his mansion in the Bavarian Hills for a chat. He asks you for your policy on big-business. How do you

respond?

A) We should actively encourage big business support for the Party - it may well help us take the crucial next step to government

B) It is dangerous to go all out for big business support. We should concentrate on small businesses and our members for financial backing.

C) We’re better off looking abroad for backers.

1930

A) We should actively encourage big business support for the Party - it may well help us take the crucial next step to government

This may well be the case Adolf. However many in big business are not like Thyssen and do not share his enthusiasm for National Socialism. The latter word being the key! You have found it difficult to garner support in this area in the past and probably better to target small business.

Lose 5 points

1930

B) It is dangerous to go all out for big business support. We should concentrate on small businesses and our members for financial backing.

A sensible move. Big business is traditionally hostile to you and your brand of ‘socialism’. It is a much better policy for the party to become self financing. Thyssen is a one-off and it is just best to put up with his awful jokes as a way of securing a bit of funding!

Add 5 to your total.

1930

C) We’re better off looking abroad for backers.

That is a dangerous game. Yes, countries like Italy have fascist support but you need to gain some kind of cash from people in Germany -– even if it is just party members.

Lose 10 from your health

1930 : Historiography?

1930 : what happened?

It has sometimes been asserted that the Nazi party was financed by big business. Certainly individual businessmen did give donations, the industrialist Fritz Thyssen for instance. Yet Thyssen was not typical. We now know that, on the whole, small businesses were more likely to support the party than big businesses. It is also important to note that the Nazi party was largely self-financing, being paid for by its members. Many businessmen were hostile to the Weimar Republic, but most would have preferred a non-Nazi successor

[ Professor Geary, History Today, 1998 ]

1930 - 1932In the 1930 elections the Nazis got 107 seats, In November 1932 they got nearly 200. They did not have an overall majority, but they were the biggest single party. What was to happen next?