Hitler and the Rise of Nazi Germany World History

Goals

Weimar Republic In 1919 German leaders wrote a constitution creating a government known as the Weimar Republic The constitution established a parliamentary system run by a chancellor and allowed women to vote while creating a bill of rights The Weimar government was extremely weak with no political party able to establish a majority

Inflation After WWI the German Mark became almost worthless Germany continued to print more money without regulating how much money was available to the people Inflation was so bad that for an item purchased for 100 marks in July 1922, it costs 944,000 marks in August of 1923

Recovery and Collapse With the help of the Western powers Germany was able to bring inflation under control Reparation payments were lowered and the U.S. loaned Germany money When the Great Depression started it affected both the U.S. and Europe With this crisis the Germans turned to Hitler to as a person who could fix their economic issues

Fall In November of 1923, Hitler lead an army into Germany trying to stage a coup Hitler’s coup failed and he was put in jail While in jail Hitler wrote Mein Kampf, aka “My Struggle” In this book Hitler describes his hatred for Jews and for Communists Within a decade of his release Hitler was able to gain widespread political support He was able to use this support to turn Germany from a republic into a totalitarian dictatorship

Release After less than a year in prison, Hitler was released As leader of the Nazi party, Hitler was able to appeal to veterans, workers, the lower middle classes, small town Germans, and businesses people with his fiery speeches and grandiose promises In 1933 Hitler was appointed chancellor over the Weimar republic Hitler was supported by conservative politicians because they feared the communists and believed they could control Hitler He declared himself dictator within a year

Third Reich Hitler appealed to nationalism as a way to get people to support him Under Hitler, the Third Reich, would be a master race that would dominate Europe In order to combat the Great Depression, Hitler launched large public works programs This work programs helped build massive infrastructure like highways, house projects, and replanting of forests

Totalitarianism Hitler ran an extremely oppressive and brutal totalitarian regime Nazi’s controlled the schools, the government, and the religion of the people The Gestapo, Hitler’s secrete police, were used to stop an opposition to the regime Those who tried to stop Hitler were either killed/jailed or quickly silenced themselves to avoid trouble

Terror Against Jews In 1935 Nazis passed the Nuremberg Laws These laws deprived Jews of German citizenship and placed them under severe restrictions They were not allowed to marry non-Jews, attend or teach German schools, hold government jobs, practice law or medicine, or publish books On November 7, 1938 “The Night of Broken Glass” took place It was on this day that Hitler and his followers staged an attack on Jewish businesses through Germany and Austria They were also able to annex portions of Czechoslovakia

German Culture In order to build their party for the future, the Nazis indoctrinated young people with their ideology Hitler urged young Germans, through the Hitler Youth program, to destroy their enemies without mercy Hitler also started physical fitness programs to prepare children for war Hitler also limited women’s roles This was designed to raise the birth rate so that the world could be populated by “pure-blooded Aryans” The Germans also wanted to purify German culture This was done by rejecting modern art, jazz and Christianity