THE RISE OF HITLER

WEIMAR REPUBLIC At the end of World War I and under the

threat of a communist revolution, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated

In 1919, German leaders drafted a constitution in the city of WeimarSet up a democratic government known as

the Weimar RepublicCreated a parliamentary system led

by a chancellor, or prime minister

WEIMAR REPUBLIC The republic faced severe

problems from the start: It was weak politically and the Weimar Republic

was blamed for signing the despised Versailles Treaty

Germany fell behind on its reparations payments

France occupied the Ruhr Valley Plagued with extremely high inflation

An item that cost 100 marks in July 1922 cost 944,000 marks by August 1923

The Dawes plan of 1924 Helped lower Germany’s reparations payment

ADOLF HITLER Hitler was born in Austria in 1899

While living in Vienna, Hitler developed the fanatical anti-Semitism

Hitler later moved to Germany and fought in the German army during World War I

By 1920, he was the leader of the National Socialist German Workers (Nazi) party

Organized his supporters into fighting squads called “Storm Troopers”

MEIN KAMPF In 1923, Hitler made a failed attempt to seize power

in Munich by starting a revolution at a beer hall He was arrested and found guilty of treason

While in prison, he wrote Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”) that would become the book for Nazi goals and ideology Reflected extreme nationalism, racism and anti-

Semitism Argued that Germans belonged to a superior “master

race” of Aryans, or light-skinned Europeans, whose greatest enemies were the Jews

Claimed that Germany did not lose the war but had been betrayed by a conspiracy of Marxists, Jews, corrupt politicians and business leaders

Hitler urged Germans to unite and expand to gain Lebensraum or living space

HITLER’S RISE TO POWER Found enthusiastic followers during the

Great Depression Promised an end to reparations, create jobs, and

defy the Versailles treaty by rearming Germany With the government paralyzed, both Nazis

and Communists won more seats in the Reichstag

Fearing the growth of communism, conservative politicians turned to Hitler President Paul von Hindenburg and his

government thought they could control him Hitler was elected Chancellor in 1933

HITLER’S THIRD REICH Once in power, he suspended civil rights,

destroyed the socialists and Communists and disbanded other political parties Demanded unquestioning obedience to the Nazi

party and the Fuhrer Under Hitler’s new Third Reich, he said the

German master race would dominate Europe Used terror, repression, and totalitarian rule Elite black-uniformed SS troops enforced the

Fuhrer’s will His secret police, the Gestapo, rooted out opposition

Like Mussolini, preserved capitalism but brought big business and labor under government control

HITLER’S THIRD REICH The “Hitler Youth” was formed to pledge absolute

loyalty to Germany and undertook physical fitness programs to prepare for war

Hitler saw women’s role as mothers They were given rewards for having “pure-blooded

Aryan” children Used education as a propaganda tool Nazis sought to purge, or purify, German

culture Condemned modern art, jazz, and new literature

Hitler sought to replace religion with his racial creed Despised Christianity as “weak” and sought to control

the churches

CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE JEWS On September 15, 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were

passed Jews were prohibited from marrying non-Jews Prohibited from attending or teaching at German schools

or universities Prohibited from holding government jobs Prohibited from practicing law or medicine Prohibited from publishing books

On November 7, 1938, a young Jew shot and wounded a German diplomat in Paris Hitler saw an excuse to stage an attack on all Jews

Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass” took place on November 9-10 Nazi-led mobs attacked Jewish communities

all over Germany