Hitler and Nazi Germany WWII

I. Adolf Hitler A. Young Hitler – Born April 20, 1889 in Austria – Was a poor student in secondary school – Dropped out of school to pursue art – Was Rejected twice by the Vienna Academy of Art – Earned money by painting postcards

B. Hitler in WWI – Volunteered in the German Army – Found Battle exhilarating – Received the Iron Cross twice

II. Forming the Nazi Party A. German Workers Party – In 1919 Hitler joined the German Worker’s Party Small right-wing group B. Hitler Becomes Leader – Soon after joining the GWP Hitler becomes the leader – Party changes it’s name to National Socialist German Workers Party Commonly called “Nazi”

C. Nazi Party organized Militarily – Hitler demanded absolute authority and total allegiance – Just like the Military Nazis had: Uniforms Salutes Emblems Flags

III. Beer Hall Putsch A. Nazis try to take power – 1923 Hitler has the idea to try and take over the German government – Nazis meet in a beer hall in Munich

– Attempt to Riot and take over Germany – Police open fire on the Nazis and they scatter – Hitler is arrested and sent to jail

IV. Hitler’s World View A. Mein Kampf – While in jail Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle) – Wrote about his plans for Germany and his views about the world B. Nationalism – Fanatic Nationalism = extreme view of German exceptionalism – The nation is the most important thing – All laws and actions are to better the nation

C. Religion – Rejected Judeo-Christian Religion – Religion is a distraction from the Nation – Need only to worship your German Heritage D. Race – Hitler divided races into “inferior” and “great races” – Aryan (German) race was the Superior Race – Jews, Gypsies, Slavs were all inferior – Hitler believed they should be exterminated

E. Future of Germany – Overturn of the Versailles Treaty – Bringing all Germans of Central and Eastern Europe together – Taking large parts of Eastern Europe for Germany

V. Hitler Comes to Power A. After Jail – Hitler organizes the party more efficiently – Membership of the party increases greatly B. Nazis in Parliament – 1932: Nazis receive 37% of the seats in the Parliament – Nazi Party is the majority Party

C. Hitler Takes Over – President of Germany decides parliament will no longer have real power

– Hitler persuades the President to make him Chancellor – Enabling Act (1933) gives the Chancellor all of the power – Hitler is now the Dictator of Germany