Transcript Hitler and the Rise of the Nazi Party – Part I

Hitler and the Rise of the Nazi
Party – Part I
Chapter 13.5
Weimar Republic
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After WWI, German leaders set up
a democratic government known
as the Weimar Republic
Weimar constitution established a
parliamentary system led by a
chancellor
Constitution gave women the right
to vote and included a bill of rights
New German republic faced severe
economic problems
Economic Crisis
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When Germany could not make its war reparations,
France seized the coal-rich Ruhr Valley
Government actions led to inflation and skyrocketing
consumer prices
The German deutschmark was virtually worthless
Many middle-class families lost their life savings
The German government was weak and ineffective to
solve the economic crisis to stabilize the German
mark
Worthless German Mark
The value of the German
mark plummeted. It often
took shoppers
wheelbarrows of money
to go shopping for milk or
bread.
An item that cost 100
marks in 1922 cost
944,000 marks in 1923 –
one year later!
Hyperinflation
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When associated with depressions, hyperinflation
often occurs when there is a large increase in the
money supply not supported by gross domestic
product (GDP) growth, resulting in an imbalance in
the supply and demand for the money. Left
unchecked this causes prices to increase, as the
currency loses its value.
When associated with wars, hyperinflation often
occurs when there is a loss of
confidence in a currency's ability to maintain
its value in the aftermath. Because of this, sellers
demand a risk premium to accept the currency, and
they do this by raising their prices.
One of the most famous examples of hyperinflation
occurred in Germany between January 1922 and
November 1923. By some estimates, the average
price level increased by a factor of 20 billion,
doubling every 28 hours.
Source:
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hyperinflatio
n.asp#ixzz2M3fUBYh0
Brief Video
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Watch this video to learn about monetary inflation:
http://www.investopedia.com/video/play/monetaryinflation/#axzz2M3eXOU1r
Dawes Plan
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1924 – USA convinced France to lower German war
reparation payments
France withdrew French forces from the Ruhr Valley
USA lent money to Germany to help the German
economy recover
German inflation was brought under control with
Western assistance
Adolf Hitler
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Born in 1889 in Austria
Moved to Vienna at age 18
Developed anti-semitic attitude
(hatred/prejudice) against Jews
while in Vienna
Fought with German army in
WWI
After WWI, Hitler hated the
weak Weimar government that
accepted the terms of the Treaty
of Versailles
He became leader of the
National Socialists, or Nazi Party
Austria
Mein Kampf
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1923: Hitler was arrested and imprisoned
for treason
While in prison, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf
(“My Struggle”)
Mein Kampf explained Nazi goals, beliefs,
and prejudices
Mein Kampf represented Hitler’s
obsessions: 1) extreme nationalism, 2)
racism, and 3) anti-semitism
Hitler blamed Jews, Marxists, corrupt
politicians and crooked business leaders for
Germany’s defeat in WWI
Mein Kampf
Aryans
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Hitler believed in a master race
called Aryans
Aryans were light-skinned Europeans
Hitler felt Aryans were the enemies
of the Jews, long persecuted by
Christians in history
Hitler branded Judaism as a separate
race, not a religion
Hitler defined a Jewish person if they
had at least one Jewish grandparent
Aryan Race Propaganda
Lebensraum
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Hitler dreamed that all German-speaking
people would unite into one nation
Germany needed lebensraum – living
space to expand in order to
accommodate all the new people that
would live inside the new Germany
Inferior races (dark-skinned) and Slavs
would have to vacate to make room for
the German empire
Hitler takes on the title Fuhrer (leader)
Lebensraum Propaganda
The German invasion of Russia in 1941 was the first step of Hitler's attempt to acquire
more land (lebensraum) for the German people to populate.
Powerpoint Questions – Part I
15 points
1. What was the name of the German government
established after WWI?
2. Identify the leader of the new German republic.
3. What did France do when Germany refused to make
war reparations?
4. Describe what happened to the value of the German
deutschmark (currency).
5. What is the term called when there is a loss of
confidence in a currency's ability to maintain its value
following a war?
Powerpoint Questions – Part I
6. What was the name of the American plan that helped the
German economy recover?
7. What was the name of the book that Hitler authored?
8. Identify the three obsessions represented in Hitler’s book.
9. The “master race” were known as ________.
10. How did Hitler define a Jew?
11. Name Hitler’s program for expanding the German empire.
12. What title does Hitler give himself? What does it mean? (2
points)