Hitler and the Rise of Nazi Germany

Objective 1: Identify the reasons for Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. Objective 2: Explain how Hitler made Germany a totalitarian state.

Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)

• Born in Austria-Hungary, moved to Munich in 1913 (art school)

• Served in German Army during WWI, wounded late in the war and never understood why Germany surrendered

• After the war joined the German workers party and by 1921 was its leading spokesman

Hitler’s Rise to Power

• Weimar Government was attacked from both the Left (too much authority) and the Right (too weak)– From 1919-1924 Nazi’s had tried to create a social and

political revolution out of economic hardship (based on resentment)• Used the SA under Ernst Roehm (Brown Shirts) to intimidate

– 1922 party membership way up (10x) so he decided it was time to try and seize power

The Beer Hall Putsch November 1923

• Inspired by Mussolini’s success Hitler and Eric Ludendorf attempted to overthrow the Bavarian government (Munich)– Hitler was tried for treason and sentenced to 5

years in jail (served less than 1)– The trial was great PR for his message– While in jail wrote Mein Kampf• Blamed WW1 loss on Jews, Marxists, corrupt

politicians , and business leaders • Idea of Lebensraum “living space”

Good Times, Bad Times…

• The economic recovery of the Dawes Plan led to a down time for the Nazi Party, but…

• World wide depression– 6 million unemployed in Germany by 1932 (43% of

workforce)– “Hitler Time”: Nazi promises of national recovery,

exciting change and personal advancement were now very enticing

• Rise of Nazi Party to National Power (Reichstag elections-parliamentary)

– 1926 0% no seats in parliament – 1928 2.6% 12 out of 489 seats – 1930 19.6% 107 out of 547 seats – 1932 33.5% 196 out of 585 seats

What event made this possible?

Nazi Party Growth

• By 1932 the Nazi party is the strongest in the Reichstag but do not yet have a majority– Hitler was appointed chancellor by Hindenburg

in January of 1933 by industrialists who thought they could control him and were fearful of communism

Hitler Seizes Total Control• Feb 1933: Reichstag building was mysteriously burned

down– Hitler issues an emergency decree suspending civil liberties

• March 1933: New election returns only 43.9% Nazi’s to the Reichstag– Hitler arrested Communists which gave him the majority,

he wanted to control the Reichstag– He then issued the Enabling Act which allowed him to rule

by decree– By late June he has outlawed all other parties and controls

all aspects of German society• Propaganda minister Joseph Goebels

The Night of the Long Knives• June 30-July 2 1934: Hitler purges the SA and

their leader Ernst Rohm– They had become too powerful (1 mil active and 2 mil

reserves) and posed a threat to the regular army– 1,000 people murdered without trials (Carried out by

Heinrich Himmler and the SS (Schutzstaffel)• August 2,1934 Hindenburg dies and Hitler

combines the positions of Chancellor and President

The SA “Brown Shirts”

The SA Leadership (Including Rohm)

German Army – supports Hitler following the Night of the Long Knives

The Third Reich • Third Reich utilized ideas of

German nationalism • Totalitarian state, with

Gestapo as secret police• Hitler Youth – indoctrination

of children• Creation of a state church• Nazi Rally

The Police State and Anti-Semitism• Anti-Semitic laws– 1933: Jews excluded from civil service and Jewish shops are

boycotted– 1935: The Nuremberg Laws took away citizenship (legal exclusion,

i.e. can’t marry non-Jews, attend German schools, hold government jobs or practice law)

– 1938: Kristallnacht The beginning of state sanctioned violence against the Jews. Synagogues and shops burned