born in austria in 1889 lower middle-class background both parents died when he was a teenager...
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Born in Austria in 1889 Lower middle-class
background Both parents died when he
was a teenager Mediocre student; loner Moved to Vienna at age 18
but was rejected by the Academy of Fine Arts
Made money as a street artist Lived in homeless shelters Introduced to extreme
German nationalism & anti-Semitism
Disgusted by Vienna’s cosmopolitanism & Jewish population
Illegally immigrates to Munich in 1913
Volunteers for German army when WW1 begins
During the warServes as bicycle
messengerPromoted to corporalEarns Iron Cross
Deeply disillusioned by German surrender in November 1918
Like many veterans, Hitler believed in the “stab in the back” myth
Many joined right-wing paramilitary gangs called freikorps
Spartacist Uprising (1919): communists tried to overthrow the govt in BerlinGovt asked freikorp units to
suppress itFreikorps gained respect and
popularity for opposing communists and rejecting Versailles
Hired by Army to spy on extremist political organizations
1920: attended a meeting of the German Workers Party and was attracted by its nationalism & anti-Semitism
Joined as its 55th member several weeks later
Quickly established personal leadership through charismatic speaking and solid organizing skills
Renamed National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP)
1923: NSDAP attempted to overthrow the Weimar govt
Stormed a govt meeting in Munich and forced leaders to join
Marched through the streets the following day
Police opened fire and dispersed or shot most Nazis
Hitler was arrested and put on trial
Hitler’s trial for sedition gave him a platform to preach his views to the whole nation
Sympathetic judge and jury gave him the minimum sentence10 months at Landsberg
PrisonWrote Mein Kampf (My
Struggle)LebensraumAnti-SemitismRejection of Versailles
1925-26: Hitler re-establishes personal leadership of the party
New emphasesPromoting fear of
communistsCreate SA paramilitary to
fight opponentsUse of militaristic imagery Cultivation of mass
propaganda techniquesStreamlining organizational
structure of the NSDAPLittle success due to Germany’s
economic prosperity 1925-29
Great Depression ends US loans to Germany
Unemployment climbs to 40% by 1932
High inflation wipes out savings for most
Communist agitation increases
Coalition govts fail to tackle economic problems or gain popular support
Nazi Brown Shirts terrorize communist opponents
Industrialists attracted by anti-communism
Nationalists attracted by militarism & revisionism
Lower middle-class attracted by anti-capitalism
Effective use of propaganda wows the public
Weak coalition govts cause people to lose faith in democracy
1932: Nazis become largest party in Reichstag
1932: Hitler loses Presidential election to Hindenburg
January 1933: Hitler appointed Chancellor
February 27: Dutch madman burns down the Reichstag Hitler blames Communists
(KPD) March 5: Nazis gain 44% of
vote in Reichstag and ban the KPD
March 23: Enabling Act gives Hitler emergency powers to pass laws by decree
Other political parties banned Gestapo (secret police)
established and given unlimited power
SA established concentration camps for political opponents
1934: Hindenburg died and Hitler declared himself Fuhrer (Leader)
SS (Schutzstaffeln): Guard Squadrons
Originally Hitler’s bodyguard Directed by Heinrich Himmler Racially pure and devoted to
Nazism Given power over secret
Gestapo, police & concentration camps
Targeted all political and racial enemies of the state
1934: attacked and eliminated the SA which threatened Hitler’s power
Ran extermination camps during WW2
Massively increased spending on public works in order to address unemployment and build up the infrastructure Autobahn
Major spending on rearmament began in 1935
Much money was spent on making Germany self-sufficient in coal, steel, oil, rubber and chemicals
Unemployment fell from 40% to 3% by 1937
Minister of Truth & Enlightenment Josef Goebbels
Nazi Party used mass demonstrations and torch light parades to feature German strength and unityNuremburg rallies
Aroused excitement, euphoria and devotion
Ubiquitous use of red swastika flag, Heil Hitler and other military imagery
Public book burnings
Churches brought under state control
Reich Church combined Christianity and paganism
Unsympathetic religious leaders sent to concentration camps
All schools and universities forced to conform to Nazi teachings Many leading scientists fled
abroad Created organizations for civil
servants, teachers, women, youth, farmers, doctors & lawyers in order to exert firm control and spread ideology
Role of women is to bear children and expand the Aryan race
Encouraged clear gender roles in the home and workplace
Largely excluded from heavy industry, and professions
Encouraged to enter social work and nursing
Women should focus on raising healthy children devoted to the Fatherland and Nazi ideology
Germans are members of the superior Aryan race
Social Darwinism Superior blood threatened
by Jewish blood Jews associated with
democracy, liberalism, communism, capitalism & modernism
Jews are genetically, culturally and morally degenerate presence threatens strength of the German people
Jew = 1 or more Jewish grandparent
Jews excluded from civil service and law denied citizenship Prohibited from marrying
Aryans Encouraged to immigrate Forced out of many jobs
Regime encouraged people to boycott Jewish businesses
Overlooked acts of violence against Jews and their property
Jewish literature, music, and art heavily censored
Required to wear Star of David and carry identity card
November 9, 1938: “Night of broken glass” Nazis burned synagogues Burned 7000 businesses Killed hundreds of Jewish
leaders 30,000 Jews sent to
concentration camps Jews forced to clean up the
debris Forced to pay for damage property confiscated and
distributed to Germans Banned from public transport Banned from schools & hospitals Banned from owning or working
in retail stores