Transcript The Rise of Nazi Germany

World War II
“Rise of Nazi Germany”
Rise of the Nazis
Why would a cultured German
people put people like Adolf Hitler
and the Nazi’s into power?
…when there’s a crisis, people appear who
claim to be the fount of all wisdom and
that they can bring salvation to everyone.
-Alois Pfaller
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of
Versailles
Treaty of
Versailles
1. Surrender of all German colonies
2. Return of Alsace-Lorraine
3. Demilitarization of Germany
4. Occupation of the Rhineland by French
troops.
5. German reparations of 6.6 billion pounds
6. Acceptance of German blame for causing
the war
7. War trials for Kaiser and other German
leaders
8. Limitation of German military
1. 100,000 men (no conscription)
2. No tanks, artillery, airplanes, airships,
or poison gas.
3. No naval vessels over 100,000 tons
and no submarines.
Meaning of “Reich”
Reich means “realm” or “nation”
First Reich=Holy Roman Empire (Successful
476-1512 A.D.)
2nd Reich=Germany from 1871 to 1919
(Failed)
3rd Reich=1000 years of Nazi Rule (Failed
1933-1945)
The Weimar Republic
► “Reich”
means rich or realm.
► Reichstag modeled after the U.S. Congress.
► Tried to create a democracy overnight.
► Weak government unable to withstand
outside political groups such as the
communists and Nazis.
Adolf Hitler
► Born
in 1889
► Became a school dropout at age 16
► Month-long visit to Vienna kindled an
interest in architecture and art (1906).
► Father died in 1905 and mother in 1907.
► Moved back to Vienna and applied to the
Academy of Architecture and was rejected.
Adolf Hitler (2)
► Hitler
moved to successively worse slums
surrounding Vienna.
► Sold painting and most of his clothes for
money.
► Eventually resorted to living in a homeless
shelter.
► Like fellow bums, Hitler blamed his
homelessness on the upper classes-especially the Jews.
Adolf Hitler (3)
► Moved
to Munich, Germany in 1913.
► A placard that hung over Hitler’s bed upon
leaving Vienna read:
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We look free and open
We look steadfastly,
We look joyously across
To the German Fatherland!
Heil!
Adolf Hitler (4)
► In
January, 1914 Hitler was ordered to
return to Austria-Hungary for military
service or be arrested.
► He was found unfit for military service.
► June 28, 1914: The assassination of
Archduke Ferdinand swept up Hitler in the
euphoria. (Next picture)
Adolf Hitler (4)
Hitler (5)
► Hitler
was accepted into the Germany Army:
First Bavarian Infantry Regiment
► His immediate problems were solved:
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Food
Clothing
Shelter
Companionship
Purpose in life
Hitler (5)
Hitler (6)
► After
the war, he returned to Munich embittered at
Germany’s loss and mired again in poverty.
► He became involved with a group of men: The
Deutsche Arbeiterpartei later renamed (NSDAP) or
Nazis.
► Hitler took the leadership role of the group and
increased the membership.
► His first speech was given in the Hofbrauhaus (a
beer hall) on October 16, 1919.
NAZI adaptation of the Swastika
► Madame
Helena Blavatsky
Madame Blavatsky
► Studied
the seven esoteric symbols from
Tibet.
► The most potent symbol was believed to the
Swastika. According to Tibetan mythology,
it is the symbol of sun/fire/creation. It is a
symbol of good fortune.
Madame Blavatsky
► Studied
the mythological 7 stages of human
evolution. Blavatsky referred to them as
“root races.”
► She believed the Aryan race’s symbol was
the Swastika. The Aryans are a race of
light, order, and spirit.
► She stared a society in the United States,
which then spread the ideology to Europe.
NAZI adaptation of the Swastika
► Guido
von List
► Specialized in
Germanic runes and
their meaning.
► Combined Madame
Helena Blavatsky’s
ideas with his own.
Nazi adaptation of the Swastika
► Guido
Von List helped bring about the
romanticism of ancient German paganism
and polytheistic religions.
► He viewed the Catholic church as a semitic
religion who continues the Roman
occupation of Pagan Germany.
► He did not know any NAZI’s or Hitler, but his
ideas had a major impact on them.
The Aryan State - von List
► Strict
hierarchy
► Patriarchal
► Citizenship reserved for only Aryans
► Laws passed to ensure the purity of the
Aryan race.
Germanic Rune Symbology in
Nazism
The SS Runes (Siegel Rune)
The “Sun” rune, or later, the “victory” rune.
NAZI Party Symbols
Fascist Symbolism Used Today
Roman Fasces
The Thule Society
► Made
up of
wealthy members:
Doctors, Lawyers,
and Merchants.
► Each
member had
to prove Aryan
ancestry and traits.
Random Picture
The Ruhr Crisis 1923
► Rich
coal reserves--more than the rest of
Europe put together.
► France seized coal and iron industries
because Germany was in default on
reparation payments.
► Germany cancelled all reparations and Ruhr
workers stopped working.
Hyperinflation
► Government
tried to print more and more money
driving up inflation.
► By 1929, a factor worker was making 30% less
than in 1913.
► November 1923, one dollar=4.2 trillion marks.
► Old rags were more valuable than paper money.
► Working and middle classes suffered most.
► A select few benefited from hyperinflation.
The Role of the Army
► Treaty
of Versailles limited Germany to a
100,000 man army.
► General Hans von Seeckt created an “army
of leaders” instead.
► The army became a large military school.
► This was found to be very effective when
WWII started.
The Beer Hall Putsch
► The
SA “Sturmabteiling” “Storm Troopers”
“Brownshirts”
► The SA were paramilitary street thugs made up of
impoverished youth. They grew up in violent
families and were violent themselves.
► November 8, 1923: Hitler arrives at the
Burgerbrauhaus, pulled out a pistol and fired it at
the ceiling and exclaimed, “The national revolution
has begun!”
► 3,000 SA and Hitler marched to “Soldiers Hall” in
Munich where they met police resistance. 14 SA
were killed, more wounded, and Hitler fled the
scene.
Hitler in Jail
►A
few hours after the shooting, three
Munich police officers found Hitler sitting in
a room of the Hanfstangl residence and
arrested him.
► Hitler was sentenced to a year in prison.
► Landsberg Prison was a very comfortable
place. (pg. 107 for description)
Mein Kampf (My Struggle)
► Written
while Hitler was in prison.
► Mix of Nazi history, theoretical doctrine, and
street-smarts.
► Blamed Jews for Germany’s problems.
► German people need to re-establish their
supremacy.
► They needed to acquire lebensraum (living
space) in the East.
After Jail
► Hitler
regains control of Nazi Party
► Josef Goebbels joins Hitler’s team
► Hitler rented or purchased a theatre in
which to give political speeches.
► Jail taught Hitler the virtue of patience.
Josef Goebbels
Hitler’s Problems
► The
SA were evicted from Berlin after
attacking Nazi political opponents.
► The Nazi party was not succeeding in
gaining the support of businessmen,
workers, and professionals outside Bavaria.
The Rise to Power
► Hitler’s
first success in gaining an audience
outside of Bavaria was the farmers of
Schleswig-Holstein Farmers.
► Nazi strategy was to now court rural voters
to gain seats in the Reichstag.
For Freedom and Bread
► Stock
Market collapse in the United States
made the rest of the difference for Nazi
gains.
► Germany was the hardest hit economically.
► High unemployment was rampant.
► New Nazi slogan: For Freedom and Bread
Reichstag Elections
► 1931
elections: Nazis gained 18.3% of
seats in Reichstag. (2nd largest majority)
► This proved the Nazis were no longer just a
country party.
Nazi Wars: The Stormtroopers
Rebel
► The
stormtroopers came to resent the lavish
lifestyle of many Nazi leaders. (Hitler lived
modestly though)
► Hitler reassigned Ernst Rohm to take over the SA.
► After Nazis became a legitimate political party,
Hitler ordered the SA to stand down their violent
tactics.
► Many of the SA then converted to the Communist
Party.
Nazi Wars: The Stormtroopers
Rebel (2)
► Herman
Goring purged SA dissidents.
► Hitler temporarily dissolved the SA
► He cut the budget and refused new
recruitment.
► He replaced the SA with the SS
(Schutzstaffel) or (Defense Echelon)
► Heinrich Himmler was placed in charge of
the SS.
Heinrich Himmler
Reichstag Elections (2)
► July
1932-Nazis have more Reichstag seats than
any other party. (37.1%)
► Hitler offered vice-chancellorship but refuses.
► No coalition govt. could form so new elections
were held Nov. 1932. Nazis lost seats (33.1%)
► Disturbing: Nazis lost 2 million votes; Communists
gained 6 million votes.
Industrialists Save The Day
► Big
were alarmed at Communism’s
popularity.
► They wanted to crush the Unions and
believed Hitler could do it.
► President Hindenburg was forced to appoint
Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. (Jan 30,
1933)
Immediate Abuse of Power
► Hitler
got Hindenburg to call for new elections on
March 5, 1933.
► Before elections: Hitler suppressed communist
press and meetings.
► The Reichstag just happened to catch fire.
► Hitler blamed the communists and spread fear
about communist threat.
► March 5, 1933 elections: Nazis have 44% of seats
in Reichstag.
Reichstag Fire
Immediate Abuse of Power (2)
► After
winning the majority of the seats,
Hitler started throwing communists and
social democrats in jail.
► Remaining members of Reichstag voted for
the “Enabling Bill” turning all Reichstag
functions over to Hitler.