Rise to Power Adolf Hitler

Birth Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau, Austria. Adolf was 1 of 6 children - 3 of who died at early ages

Parents Alois Schickelgruber Hitler was a customs official who was illegitimate by birth. His father, Adolf’s grandfather, may have been Jewish. He died when Adolf was 14 and left him a small inheritance. Klara Hitler was very young when she married the older Alois. She showered young Adolf with love and affection. Adolf carried a picture of his mom until the day he died. She died of breast cancer when Adolf was 18 years old.

Education Attended a Benedictine monastery school where he took part in the choir. When it was time to choose a secondary school, Adolf wanted to become an artist. His father wanted him to become a civil servant, but after his father died, he dropped out of high school and attempted to get into the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts - he failed.

Years in Vienna After his mother died, Adolf (age 18) decided to move to Austria to pursue his dream of becoming a great artist but again he failed entrance into the Academy. He eventually sold all his possessions and became a homeless drifter who slept on park benches and ate at soup kitchens. Adolf did manage to sell some paintings and postcards, but remained impoverished. Significance of time in Vienna: extreme political and racial ideas originated. Influenced by the racist and anti-Semitic mayor of Vienna, Karl Lueger Became interested in the idea of German nationalism. First taste of politics

Military Service Adolf left Austria and moved to Munich at the age of 24 to avoid mandatory military service that was required of all men. But he did sign up for military service at the start of WWI. He joined a Bavarian unit of the German Army. This is a picture of Hitler listening to an enlistment speech.

World War I Excited to fight for Germany; found a home fighting for the Fatherland. Was a regimental messenger - not an easy job. Highest rank held was corporal. Was awarded the Iron Cross twice. Highest military honor in German Army.(5 medals overall) Single handedly captured 4 French soldiers.

German Loss in WW I Hitler was devastated when he heard the news of the German surrender and appalled at the anti-war sentiment among the German civilians. Believed there was an anti-war conspiracy that involved the Jews and Marxists and felt that the German military did not lose the war, but that the politicians and bankers (mostly Jews) at home were responsible for the defeat. Depressed, and still in the army, he became an undercover agent whose job was to root out Marxists. Also lectured about the dangers of Communism and Jews.

German Worker’s Party Hitler was sent to investigate this group in Munich in 1919. He went to a meeting, gave a speech and became a member. Hitler began to think big for the German Worker’s Party and placing ads for meetings in anti-Semitic newspapers. Hitler changed the name to National Socialist German Worker’s Party or the NAZIS.

Hitler drafted a platform of 25 points Revoke Versailles Treaty Revoke civil rights of Jews Confiscate war profits Besides changing the party name, the red flag with the SWASTIKA was adopted as the party symbol

Beer Hall Putsch October 30, 1923 Hitler held a rally in a Munich beer hall and declared revolution Led 2000 men in take over of Bavarian Government It failed and Hitler was imprisoned

Trial and Jail At his trial, (Hitler was charged with treason,) he used the opportunity to speak about the NAZI platform and spread his popularity. The nation suddenly knew who Adolf Hitler was and what he stood for. He was sentenced to five years, but actually only served about 9 months. When he left prison, he was ready to go into action again.

Mein Kampf Wrote his book “My Struggle” while in jail Sold 5 million copies and made him rich. Topics included: Jews are evil Extreme nationalism (A right to rule the world by waging war) Unification of all German people Aryan race is the master or superior race destined to rule over the inferior races. National expansion or Lebensraum: living space (breathing room) Dislike of Communism and Democracy and the need to conquer Russia.

Legal Rise to Power Nazi Party Reichstag representation: 1928 = 2.6% of vote 1930 = 18% of vote 1932 = 37% of vote Hitler appointed Chancellor in 1933 by von Hindenburg. He outlaws the Communist Party after accusing them of burning down the Reichstag The responsibility for the Reichstag fire remains an ongoing topic of debate and research. Other candidates were attacked/harassed Election to confirm his appointment results in 44% of Reichstag votes to Nazis and 3 days later the Enabling Act (“Law to Remedy the Distress of the People and the State”) is passed, effectively removing the parliamentary system and giving Hitler total power to rule by decree.

Appeal of Hitler Germany was in the midst of an economic depression with 40% unemployment and hyper-inflation. Blamed the politicians and bankers for WWI and Versailles, (not the military or leadership.) Hitler was a WWI hero who talked about bringing glory back to the “Fatherland” Preached the need for lebensraum – “living space” for Germans to settle and have access to commodities needed to grow industry and produce food. He promised the rich industrialists that he would end any communist threat in Germany. Constantly blamed Jews for Germany’s problems, (not the German people.) Tremendous public speaker who preached the rise of a new Germany. Triumph of the Will – 1934 film by German actress Leni Riefenstahl that chronicles a the Nazi Party Congress at Nuremburg – attended by 700K Nazis

Strong Arm Tactics The Sturmabteilung or SA (also known as storm troopers or brown shirts) were instructed to disrupt the meetings of political opponents and to protect Hitler from attacks. The SA were mostly former members of the Freikorps (paramilitary volunteers) and had much experience using gang-like intimidation and violence against their enemies. Numbered almost 400,000 by 1932

Consolidation of Power Night of the Long Knives: June 30 – July 2, 1934. Purge of the SA and its leaders, anti-Nazis, conservatives. Hitler moved against the SA and its leader, Ernst Röhm because he saw the independence of the SA as a direct threat to his newly gained political power. Removed all internal debate about the future direction of the Nazi Party. German courts demonstrate loyalty by overlooking the murders as necessary to prevent a coup. By 1938 he has wrestled control of the German army from the conservative nobility and at that point there was no part of Germany that was not under total Nazi control, and his foreign policy would continue to challenge the Paris Peace.

Absolute Power The Nazi regime restored economic prosperity and ended mass unemployment using heavy military spending while suppressing labor unions and strikes. The return of prosperity gave the regime enormous popularity and made Hitler's rule mostly unchallenged Enabling Act that allowed him to be dictator for 5 years * Abolished all other political parties * Abolished all labor unions * Replaces all government officials with Nazis * Abolished freedom of speech, increased censorship * Hitler begins building plans: the Autobahn is begun. * First mass demonstrations (rallies) of "Fuhrer Worship" It is clear from Mein Kampf that he intended to create a Racial Utopia. His domestic and his foreign policy are simply two sides of the same coin. One people, one reich, one fuhrer! The Nazi regime restored economic prosperity and ended mass unemployment using heavy military spending while suppressing labor unions and strikes. The return of prosperity gave the regime enormous popularity and made Hitler's rule mostly unchallenged One people, one reich, one fuhrer

The Nuremberg Laws “At the annual party rally held in Nuremberg in 1935, the Nazis announced new laws which institutionalized many of the racial theories prevalent in Nazi ideology. The laws excluded German Jews from Reich citizenship and prohibited them from marrying or having sexual relations with persons of "German or related blood." Ancillary ordinances to the laws disenfranchised Jews and deprived them of most political rights. The Nuremberg Laws, as they became known, did not define a "Jew" as someone with particular religious beliefs. Instead, anyone who had three or four Jewish grandparents was defined as a Jew, regardless of whether that individual identified himself or herself as a Jew or belonged to the Jewish religious community. Many Germans who had not practiced Judaism for years found themselves caught in the grip of Nazi terror. Even people with Jewish grandparents who had converted to Christianity were defined as Jews.” (USHMM.org) The legal framework is laid to strip Jews of their property and freedom before taking their lives.

Kristallnacht “Night of Broken Glass”: 91 Jews were killed, 26,000 sent to concentration camps, and 7500 Jewish businesses destroyed. Hitler blamed the Jews for the pogrom, and assessed the Jewish community RM 1,000,000,000 in damages. On November 12, 1938, a decree was passed which prohibited Jews from attending theaters, cinemas, concerts, and public exhibitions. Jewish children were forbidden to attend public schools.

Absolute Power * Marriage Loans instigated: repayment by reproduction of Aryan children * Compulsive sterilization of Mental "Defectives" * Laws established excluding Jews from Civil Service, Academics, Arts and other areas * Rearmament of Germany begun. * March 22: Dachau established * Over the next 10 years, there were over 1000 camps.