The Rise of Hitler

Hitler’s Beginnings

Adolf Hitler was born in a small town in Austria in 1889.

He dropped out of high school and wasn’t accepted into art school.

He served in World War I and won metals for bravery.

Political Beginnings

Like many people Hitler was very unhappy with the outcome of the Treaty of Versailles. He felt that Germany was being unfairly punished.

In 1920 he joined a small radical group called the Nazis who supported fascist and totalitarian policies, believed in racial superiority and wanted to have state controlled industry in Germany.

Nazism

Nazi stands for the National Socialist German Workers’ Party.

The Nazis were very against communism and the Treaty of Versailles. They worried that the conditions created by the treaty would lead to the rise of communism.

The Nazis adopted the swastika as their symbol.

When Hitler joined the party he was a very successful organizer, and a good public speaker, so this led him to be chosen as der Führer, or the leader.

Inspiration and Frustration

When Mussolini came to power in Italy (1922) the Nazi party was inspired to try to form their own fascist government in Germany.

In 1923 the leader of the Weimar Republic announced that due to the high levels of inflation Germany had no choice but to work with France.

This greatly angered the Nazis and their members (~35,000, up from 40 in 1920).

Hitler gathered the Nazi army (the Brownshirts also known as storm troopers) to try to take over the government.

First Failure

In 1923 the Nazis attempted to takeover the government (this was known as the Beer Hall Putsch) by overthrowing the local government in Munich.

They failed and Hitler was sentenced to prison.

Mein Kampf

While Hitler was in jail he wrote a book called Mein Kampf meaning My Struggle. In this book he outlines his main ideas and beliefs.

One of Hitler’s key beliefs was that people who were of pure German heritage were the “Aryans” or master race.

Hitler claimed that people who were non – Aryans (such as Jewish people, and Slavic people who he thought were another race) were subhuman.

He also expressed his outrage at the Treaty of Versailles, and said Germans must try to get that land back.

He felt Germans needed more lebensraum or living space to build an empire, and they would get it by conquering Europe and Russia.

After Prison

After Hitler was released in 1924 he began working to make the Nazi party strong again.

The Nazis attempt to overthrow the government made them more well known.

Germans didn’t feel confident in the leadership of the Weimar Republic and began turning to Hitler for strong leadership and security.

Hitler Becomes Chancellor

By 1932 the Nazis were the largest political party.

In January 1933 the President named Hitler Chancellor of Germany.

He hoped by appointing Hitler to this position he would gain support of Hitler’s followers, and he’d be able to control them as well as Hitler.

Hitler Seizes Power

Once Hitler was in office he was able to call for an election which gave him all the power. He played on people’s fears of a communist take over to win support.

Hitler has parliament pass a bill that essentially made him a dictator. He banned political opponents and had them arrested.

In 1934 Hitler created a secret police unit (Schutzstaffel or SS) that was only loyal to him.

Nazis Command the Economy

The Nazis first act of controlling the economy was creating laws that gave the government control over businesses and got rid of unions.

Hitler created jobs that put millions of Germans to work doing things such as constructing factories, building highway, manufacturing weapons, and serving in the military.

Unemployment dropped from 6 million to 1.5 million.

Complete Control

Hitler censored the press, radio, literature, paintings, and films and used them as propaganda.

Books that went against the Nazi beliefs were burned.

The church was not allowed to openly criticize Nazis.

Children were forced to join the Hitler Youth or the League of German Girls.

Hitler and Social Darwinism

Hitler believed in Social Darwinism and that the Germans/Aryans were the superior race.

The Jewish people in Germany (who made up less than 1% of the population) did not have a strong enough voice to object to the restrictions that were being put on them. Many Germans also had anti-Semitic beliefs and didn’t stand up for the Jewish people.

He convinced the German people that they would rise up to glory again.

Many German liked the strength and national pride that the Nazi party offered them so they supported Hitler’s fascist regime.