Exploitation of the fears of Communism + Reorganisation of the Nazi Party - Glennis

Exploitation of the fears of Communism


During the late 1920s, both the Nazi and Communist Party gained popularity as Germans looked for alternatives to the Weimar Government, convinced that it was in effective in solving their problems. In the 1928 elections, the Communist Party of Germany won four times the votes of the Nazi Party. It seemed that the communist had the upper hand, winning more votes than the Nazi Party.


In fact, many group feared that the communists would later take over the country. Example, like the owners of big industries and wealthy businessmen supported the Nazi because they were afraid that the communists would take away their businesses. Farmers were also feared the communists because the communists believed that the state should own all lands and assets.


Hitler exploited these fears by giving farmers and businessmen vague promises that he would help them if he got into power.


In 1930s, with Germany in economic hardship, the communists often fought with the police and caused much instability. Thus, the Nazi Party used military force to fight the communists and establish order.

Hence, this impressed the middle class who were convinced that the Nazi Party would be would be able to restore order and stability to Germany.


Reorganisation of the Nazi Party


In 1923 Hitler attempted to overthrow the Weimar Government in the Munich Putsch. He believed that the Nazi Party was strong enough to take over Germany.


He reorganized the Nazi Party through several methods:

• Increasing Party membership
  Hitler established local branches of the Nazi Party all over Germany and set up numerous Nazi Youth organisations. By doing this, he had turned the Nazi Party into a mass party with millions in membership.
• Establishing the ‘Sturmabteilung’ or Storm troopers (SA) and the ‘Schutzstaffel’ or Defense crops (SS)
  By setting up the SS and SA, it allows them to break up the Communist Party meetings and strikes which gained the support of the anti-communists and industrialists. The SS and SA were portrayed as militaristic and pro-German.
• Use of Nazi propaganda
  Under Joseph Goebbels, Nazi propaganda appealed to people’s emotions and portrayed the Nazis as a united and disciplined party behind one leader.