History · Year 11 · The Weimar Republic 1918–1929 · Autumn Term

Hitler Becomes Chancellor

Examining the final steps that led to Hitler's appointment as Chancellor in January 1933.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• GCSE: History - Weimar and Nazi Germany

About This Topic

Adolf Hitler's appointment as Chancellor on 30 January 1933 marked the decisive shift from Weimar democracy to Nazi dictatorship. The Nazi Party had become the largest in the Reichstag after the July and November 1932 elections, gaining 37 percent of the vote amid economic despair from the Great Depression. Yet, without a majority, Hitler relied on conservative intrigue. Franz von Papen, seeking to reclaim power, assured President Paul von Hindenburg that Hitler could be 'tamed' in a coalition cabinet where Nazis held only a few posts.

Students analyze causation through key factors: Weimar's structural weaknesses, Nazi propaganda and violence, rival parties' divisions, and elites' underestimation of Hitler. They evaluate von Papen's persuasion tactics and debate if the outcome reflected popular will or political opportunism. This aligns with GCSE demands for explaining change over time and assessing interpretations of historical significance.

Active learning suits this topic perfectly. Role-plays of backroom negotiations and structured debates on causation make elusive political deals vivid and analytical, helping students connect sources to arguments while building skills in evidence evaluation and perspective-taking.

Key Questions

1. Analyze the key factors that ultimately led to Hitler's appointment as Chancellor.
2. Explain how von Papen convinced Hindenburg that Hitler could be 'tamed'.
3. Assess whether Hitler's rise to power was primarily a result of popular will or political opportunism.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the key factors contributing to Hitler's appointment as Chancellor in January 1933.
• Evaluate the arguments Franz von Papen used to persuade President Hindenburg that Hitler could be controlled.
• Assess the relative importance of popular support versus political maneuvering in Hitler's rise to power.
• Explain the significance of the Nazi Party's electoral gains in the July and November 1932 elections.
• Compare the motivations of conservative elites like von Papen and Hindenburg in their dealings with Hitler.

Before You Start

The Weimar Republic: Early Challenges (1919-1923)

Why: Students need to understand the initial political and economic instability of the Weimar Republic to appreciate the context of its later decline.

The Weimar Republic: Golden Years and Growing Instability (1924-1929)

Why: Familiarity with the relative stability and subsequent economic challenges of the later Weimar period provides a foundation for understanding the impact of the Great Depression.

Rise of Political Extremism in Germany

Why: Students must have a basic understanding of the Nazi Party's ideology and methods before analyzing their path to power.

Key Vocabulary

Chancellor	The head of government in Germany, appointed by the President. Hitler's appointment as Chancellor was a crucial step in his consolidation of power.
Reichstag	The German parliament. The Nazi Party's increasing representation in the Reichstag, though not a majority, was a key factor in political negotiations.
Coalition Cabinet	A government formed by a combination of political parties. Von Papen proposed a coalition to limit Hitler's power, believing he could be controlled.
Political Intrigue	Secretive and cunning plotting or scheming, especially in politics. This describes the backroom deals and negotiations among conservative elites that led to Hitler's appointment.
Popular Will	The desires or opinions of the general population. This refers to the extent to which Hitler's appointment reflected the wishes of the German people as expressed through elections.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Hitler became Chancellor through a direct popular election majority.

What to Teach Instead

The Nazis won 37 percent in 1932, the largest share but no majority; Hindenburg appointed him via elite deals. Sorting causation cards helps students distinguish electoral gains from executive power grabs, clarifying democratic processes.

Common Misconception

Hindenburg willingly supported Hitler as Chancellor.

What to Teach Instead

Hindenburg distrusted Hitler and called him names like 'Bohemian corporal'; von Papen pressured him with coalition promises. Role-plays of audiences reveal personal motivations and persuasion, countering oversimplified views of elite unity.

Common Misconception

Hitler's rise was inevitable after 1930 Nazi gains.

What to Teach Instead

Contingent events like Schleicher’s failure and Papen’s scheming tipped the balance in early 1933. Debates on factor significance show students how alternatives existed, emphasizing historical agency over determinism.

Active Learning Ideas

Role-Play: Hindenburg's Audience

Assign roles to Hindenburg, Hitler, von Papen, and von Schleicher. Provide scripted arguments based on historical accounts. Groups perform 5-minute scenes, then switch roles and discuss outcomes. Conclude with a class vote on appointment decision.

50 min·Small Groups

Causation Card Sort: Key Factors

Prepare cards listing factors like Depression, Nazi votes, Papen's deals, and Weimar flaws. In pairs, students sort into 'most/least significant' piles with justifications from sources. Share rankings in plenary and refine based on peer challenge.

35 min·Pairs

Source Stations: Backroom Intrigue

Set up stations with excerpts from diaries, letters, and newspapers on 1932-33 events. Small groups rotate, noting evidence for popular will versus opportunism. Each group presents one key source to class for debate.

45 min·Small Groups

Formal Debate: Votes or Deals?

Divide class into two teams: one argues popular support drove appointment, other political maneuvering. Provide evidence packs. Teams prepare 3-minute openings, rebuttals, then whole class votes with justifications.

40 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Historians specializing in 20th-century European history at institutions like the University of Oxford analyze primary source documents, such as letters and diaries from the period, to reconstruct the events leading to Hitler's chancellorship.
• Political analysts today study historical examples of coalition governments and the rise of populist leaders to understand contemporary political dynamics and potential pitfalls in democratic systems.
• Journalists writing historical features for publications like The Guardian or BBC History Magazine often examine the role of media and propaganda, similar to Nazi propaganda, in shaping public opinion during times of political crisis.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Was Hitler's appointment as Chancellor more a victory for the Nazi Party's popular appeal or a triumph of conservative political maneuvering?' Facilitate a class debate, asking students to cite specific evidence from the period to support their arguments.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write down two key individuals involved in the final negotiations for Hitler's chancellorship and one specific reason why each person supported his appointment. Collect these to check for understanding of key players and their motivations.

Quick Check

Present students with three short statements about the events of January 1933, for example: 'The Nazis won an outright majority in the November 1932 election.' Ask students to label each statement as True or False and provide a one-sentence correction for any false statements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What key events led to Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor in 1933?

After Nazis topped 1932 polls without majority, Chancellor von Schleicher failed to form a stable government. Von Papen plotted a conservative-Nazi coalition to marginalize Hitler. On 30 January, Hindenburg reluctantly swore in Hitler as Chancellor with Papen as Vice-Chancellor, expecting control. This rested on Depression-era instability and Weimar paralysis.

How did von Papen convince Hindenburg to appoint Hitler?

Von Papen argued Hitler could be contained in a minority cabinet dominated by conservatives, promising stability amid Reichstag gridlock. He exploited Hindenburg’s fear of civil war and Schleicher’s collapse. Papen assured 'We hired him' control, downplaying Nazi threat. Students unpack this via source analysis of memoirs and letters.

Was Hitler’s chancellorship due to popular support or backroom deals?

Both intertwined: strong Nazi votes pressured elites, but appointment stemmed from opportunism. Von Papen and industrialists bypassed democracy for anti-socialist alliance. GCSE tasks require weighing vote share against intrigue; debates reveal neither factor alone sufficed, fostering nuanced causation skills.

How can active learning help teach Hitler becoming Chancellor?

Role-plays recreate Hindenburg-Papen talks, letting students embody arguments and grasp persuasion dynamics firsthand. Card sorts and debates on factors build analytical depth, as groups justify rankings from evidence. These methods make abstract 1933 politics tangible, boost retention through interaction, and mirror GCSE exam skills like evaluation under time pressure.