The Nazi Voter This page intentionally left blank The Nazi Voter The Social Foundations of Fascism in Germany, 1919-1933 Thomas Childers The University of North Carolina Press Chapel Hill and London © 1983 The University of North Carolina Press All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America II 10 09 08 07 10 9 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Childers, Thomas, 1946- The Nazi voter. Bibliography: p. Includes index. Includes index. I. Elections — Germany — History. 2. Germany - Politics and government —1918-1933. 3. Social classes — Germany — Political activity — History. 4. National socialism — History. I. Title. JN3838.C44 1983 324.943'o85 83-592.4 ISBN 978-0-8078-1 57O-O ISBN 978-0-8078-4147-1 (pbk.) THIS BOOK WAS DIGITALLY PRINTED. To my parents This page intentionally left blank Contents Abbreviations xi Acknowledgments xv Introduction 3 Chapter I The Sociology of German Electoral Politics, 1871-1924 15 Political and Social Conflict during the War 26 Electoral Change in the Early Weimar Republic 34 The NSDAP in the Weimar Party System, 1919-192.3 43 Chapter II Inflation and Stabilization: The Elections of 1924 50 The Old Middle Class 64 The Rentnermittelstand 80 The New Middle Class 87 The Working Class 102 Religion 112 Chapter HI Disintegration and Crisis: The Elections of 1928 and 1930 119 The Old Middle Class 142 The Rentnermittelstand 159 viii • Contents The New Middle Class 166 The Working Class 178 Religion 188 Chapter IV Polarization and Collapse: The Elections of 1932 192. The Old Middle Class 211 The Rentnermittelstand 224 The New Middle Class 228 The Working Class 243 Religion 258 Conclusion 262 Appendix I Methodology 271 Appendix II Summary Tables 279 Appendix III Weimar Electoral Leaflets 283 Notes 291 Bibliography 339 Index 363 Tables 1.1 The Elections of the Bismarckian Era 17 1.2 The Elections of the Wilhelmine Era 24 1.3 The Elections of the Early Weimar Era 38 2.1 The Election of 4 May 1924 58 2.2 The Election of 7 December 1924 61 2.3 Party Vote and the Old Middle Class, 1920—1924 70—71 2.4 Party Vote and the Rentnermittelstand, 1920—1924 87 2.5 Party Vote and the New Middle Class, 1920—1924 92—93 2.6 Party Vote and the Blue-Collar Working Class, 1920—1924 108—9 2.7 Party Vote and Religious Confession, 1920—1924 113 3.1 The Election of 2 May 1928 125 3.2 The Election of 14 September 1930 141 3.3 Party Vote and the Old Middle Class, 1928—1930 156—57 3.4 Party Vote and the Rentnermittelstand, 1928—1930 165 3.5 Party Vote and the New Middle Class, 1928-1930 170-71 3.6 Party Vote and Unemployment, 1930 184 3.7 Party Vote and the Blue-Collar Working Class, 1928—1930 186—87