1. Hitler’s Rise to Power in Germany
Swastika
Word: Sanskrit word “svastika” meaning “Creating well-being”
History: An ancient Aryan symbol of the sun
Hitler’s Nazi Party adopted the swastika as its symbol with the aim of making a connection between the ancient Aryans and the modern German people. The Nazis tried to support their claim that the modern German people were a “master race.”

3. Background
Germany’s defeat in WW1 left the German people demoralized and without a strong government.

4. Contributing Factors Political Problems:
The Weimar Republic Gvt. Was seen as weak and ineffective
The 1919 Communist uprising broke out in several German cities
Right-wing critics fear Social Democrats would take over industry and break up large estates.
Nationalist and militarists wanted to rebuild Germany’s army—forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles

5. Economic Crisis
1923- inflation drove German to near Economic collapse.
Worldwide economic depression that began in 1929 led to banks and businesses failure.
Unemployment soared in Germany

6. Anti-Semitic Policy
Hitler and the Nazi Party blamed Germany’s problems on the Jews
Claimed Germans were superior
Racist ideas led to extreme nationalism
1938- Kristallnacht (“Night of broken glass”)—Nazis attacked Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses.

7. The Gestapo Secret Police- Led by Heinrich Himmler Collected data on
anti-Hitler/anti-state
Anti-Jewish force
Arrested political opponents
Concentration camps –over 150,000 sent by 1933.

8. Major Events
1923 – Beer Hall Putsch – Hitler Jailed and wrote “Mein Kampf”
1933—Hitler became German chancellor.
Third Reich created.
Germany became a totalitarian state.

9. Germany expansion
1936 – Hitler sent troops to the Rhineland “demilitarized region Policy of Appeasement – giving in to other’s demand to avoid conflict.

10. Anschluss “Union”
Austria annexed into the German Third Reich on 12 March 1938 Czechoslovakia (15 millions people—3 millions German speakers resided in the “Sudentenland”) 9/1938 – Primier Edouard Daladier of France & Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain of Britain met Hitler in Munich “Munich Agreement”—Gave Hitler Sudentenland with a promise that he would not seek additional territory.

11. March 1939 – Hitler demanded Polish Corridor August 1939 – Nazi –Soviet Pact Sept. 3, 1939 – Nazi Germany invaded Poland. WW2 began!