Hitler and Nazi Germany (17-3)

Hitler’s Political Views and Ideas On April 20, 1889, Adolf Hitler was born in Austria. He was an extreme nationalist who believed in racism and anti-Semitism.

Continued… After serving four years on the Western front, Hitler continued living in Germany. Munich is one of the nationalist parties Hitler joined. Was later renamed National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazi).

Continued… While serving jail time after causing an uprising against the government, he wrote My Struggle, or Mein Kampf. The book was about Hitler’s ideas and his belief in a Social Darwinian theory of struggle.

Nazism Rises in Power The Nazi Party was expanded once Hitler was released. Eventually, it was the largest party in the German Parliament, or Reichstag. One factor that led to Nazi’s power was the Great Depression. 1 out of 4 people were unemployed and the economy had many difficulties.

Nazis Take Over On March 23, 1933, the Enabling Act was passed. This act gave the government the power to, for four years, ignore the constitution as it passed new laws. The Enabling Act was what allowed Hitler to become a dictator. A dictator is someone who exercises absolute power. All constitutions were now under Nazi control.

Continued… Concentration (prison) camps were set up and anyone who went against the Nazis were put in them and tortured to their death. Seven months later, Hitler created a totalitarian state and became the leader (Führer) of Germany in 1934.

Examples of what went on in concentration camps during this time in history.

Nazi State ( ) Hitler’s main goal was to establish an Aryan (racist) state to defeat Europe and later the entire world. It was misused by the Nazis for a racial designation w/ the ancient Romans and Greeks. To accomplish Hitler’s totalitarian state, the Nazis… 1. used terror freely, mostly towards women and Jews. 2. employed economic policies. 3. organizations.

State and Terror The SS (Guard Squadrons, or Schutzstaffelin) maintained order and balance. It also acted as a bodyguard for Hitler. It was led by Heinrich Himmler.

Continued… Was based on terror and ideology. Terror included murder, concentration camps, police forces, etc.

Spectacles and Economics Hitler did everything he could to get people out of a depression and back to work. Nazis used mass demonstrations to make Germans an instrument of Hitler’s policies. The new totalitarian state controlled all churches, schools, organizations, etc.

Nazism and Women Women were key to the Aryan state. Nazis prevented them from working in occupations that might hinder their ability to bear healthy children. “Get ahold of pots and pans and broom and you’ll sooner find a groom”.

Anti-Semitic Policies The Nuremberg laws, which identified who were Jews, was released in September of Each Jew had to have the Star of David attached to their clothing and carry ID cards.

Continued… On November 9, 1938, the “night of shattered glass”, or Kristallnacht, began. Synagogues were burned and over 100 Jews were killed. 30,000 men were shipped off to concentration camps. Public buildings were blocked off and transportation was shut down. All Jews were banned from working at any retail store and forced to clean up any damage that occurred, even if it wasn’t theirs.

The end