1. Hitler’s Rise to Power
January 29, 2013

2. Defeat in WWI Germany defeated in WWI Caused economic hardship
1919: Weimar Republic set up
Germans not prepared for democratic government
Previously always had authoritarian leaders or emperors
No elected majority, disliked by many sides
Seen as an interim government

3. Treaty of Versailles Weimar government signed treaty after WWI
Treaty fostered feelings of injustice
Many Germans wanted revenge
Germany was found responsible for starting the war; therefore, responsible for Allied nation losses
Germany forced to give up land and pay reparations
Germans found this excessive and unfair

4. Inflation in Germany After defeat, German mark became almost worthless
1914: 1 dollar = 4 marks
1921: 1 dollar = 191 marks
1923: 1 dollar = 17,792 marks
Hitler benefited from the economic problems,
Economic uncertainty + fear of communism = environment for fascism
fascism: a form of radical authoritarian nationalism.

5. Hitler Born April 20, 1889 in Austria
Applied for Academy of Art, but rejected because lacked talent
Joined Bavarian army, fought in WWI
Wartime experiences reinforced ideals he would pursue later: heroic virtues of war, instance that German army had never been defeated, belief in inequality of races and people.

6. Nazi Party formed
1919 Hitler returns to Munich where soldiers formed associations
Groups blamed Jews for Germany’s defeat
Hitler joined German socialist Worker’s Party and within a year transformed it to the National Socialist German Worker’s party, or Nazi party.

7. Nazi party grows By 1922, Hitler well known in Munich.
Rented beer halls, gave speeches that repeated his basic themes:
Hatred of Communism and Jews
Injustice of Treaty of Versailles
Betrayal of German army by Jews and pacifists
Need to acquire large amounts of land for German settlement

8. Mein Kamph
Nov. 8, 1923 Hitler and followers attempted to take over the government of Munich
5 year jail sentence for Hitler
Served 9 months due to judge decision
Wrote the first of two volumes of Mein Kamph while in prison
Spelled out Hitler’s program:
Manipulate masses with propaganda, forecasted a worldwide battle for racial superiority, promised to free Germany from Treaty of Versailles

9. Support Hitler found support among all classes
Early supporters were lower middle class.
Young Protestant men favored the Party, while women, older socialists, and Catholics opposed it.
Most Germans were attracted to aspects about the party that were not anti-Semite: return of German to glory, German race as saviors of the war
Anti-Semites found Hitler’s look at the Jew as the common enemy and racial war as a way of life appealing

10. German Depression
Early 1930’s German desperate, most people blamed the Weimar government
Six million people (1/3 workforce) was out of work
Hitler’s program appealed to these people, as it was seen as a German issue rather than a world wide issue

11. Nazi Government
1930 Nazi party wins 107 seats in German parliament (Reichstag)
1932 gained control of 230 seats and became strongest party
Jan President Paul von Hindenburg persuaded to appoint Hitler as Chancellor, believing he could be controlled
Once in power, Hitler ended democracy by calling a new election, the Parliament passed the Emergency Decree
All civil rights- free speech, freedom of press, right to assemble, privacy of mail – suspended.

12. Enabling Act The Emergency Decree allowed Hitler the power to rule
When Parliament (Nazi controlled) cam back in session passed the Enabling Act
Provided legal backing for Nazi dictatorship
No charges had to be filed to lock people up
Warrants not needed for arrest
“enemies of the state” sent to concentration camps
Parliament adjorned, and never met again under Hitler’s rule

13. Third Reich to Power President von Hindenburg died August 1934
Hitler combined Chancellor and President into the Supreme Head of State and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces.
Officially killed the democratic state with this move and placed Germany into dictatorship