The Rise of Hitler

Vocabulary1. Nazism: German brand of fascism2. Der Fuhrer: leader of the Nazi party3. Swastika: symbol of the Nazi party4. “Mein Kampf” : book written by

Hitler5. Lebensraum: living space that would

be conquered from Eastern Europe and Russia

6. Gestapo: Nazi secret police

Born in Austria – April 20, 1889Not a good studentTried to become an artist in Vienna◦Painted post cards by the river

Served in WWI◦Western Front for 4 years

Adolf Hitler

1919 – Joins German Workers’ Party◦Right wing, extremist nationalists

Early Politics

Summer of 1921◦Gains control of NSDAP, or Nazi PartyNational Socialist German Workers’ Party

◦55,000 members by 192315,000 in militiaSA, Storm Troops, Brownshirts

Beer Hall PutschHitler attempted to seize power in 1923.

Arrested and tried for treason Sentenced to 5 years in prison◦Served 9 months

Site of the Beer Hall Putsch

Main gathering place of Nazi Party

Attempted assassination 1939

The Bürgerbräukeller

The Feldherrnhalle

Memorial Plaques

Dodger’s Alley

Hofbräu München

Hofbräu München

Wrote Mein Kampf while in jail◦My StruggleCalled Germans “Aryans” Incorrect

Non-Aryans were inferiorTreaty of Versailles was an outrage

Called for lebensraum

Nothing to something…

Ignored until Great Depression caused panic and resentment

Nazis were the biggest political party by 1932

Hitler appointed chancellor in 1933

!!!Hitler came to power legally!!!

Feb 27, 1933◦Building where parliament met◦Blamed Communists◦Nazis win parliamentary majority

Fire at the Reichstag

March 23Gave gov’t power to ignore constitution for four years

Gov’t would issue laws to deal with problems◦Provided legal basis for Holocaust

Enabling Act of 1933

Uses new power to create totalitarian state◦Banned other political parties◦Arrested opponents

Controlled the economy◦Banned strikes◦Dissolved unions◦Gov’t authority over business and labor

◦Put Germans to workBuilt highways, weapons, military service

Unemployment dropped severely

Women played crucial role◦Give birth to children that would become good little NazisBring about the triumph of the Aryan Race

◦Raise men to be warriors and political leaders

◦Women that would be wives and mothers

Women and Nazism

Berlin, Germany

1936 Summer Olympics

Created as Hitler’s bodyguardLed by Heinrich HimmlerControlled Secret Police – Gestapo – and regular police force

Ran concentration and death camps

Execution squads◦Einsatzgruppen

The Schutzstaffeln – The SS

Anti-Semitic Policies1. Anti-Semitism: hatred of Jewish people Jewish used as scapegoats for Germany’s

problems Kristallnacht: “Night of the Broken

Glass” – November 9, 1938 signaled the start of eliminating Jewish people from Germany

Belief in a “master race”- everyone else is inferior