Adolf Hitler

1. Adolf Hitler • He was born in 1889 • Dreamed of being an artist • Left school at 16 • At 18, went to Vienna to make his living • Failed to gain admission to Vienna Academy of Fine Arts • Next 5 years lived on charity

2. Years of Misery • Shaped his thoughts • Hitler became influenced by writings of Karl Laager, the Mayor of Vienna • Karl was anti-Semitic • Hitler developed a deep hatred for the Communists and the Jews

3. Honours in WW I • Hitler served a corporal in the German army • Hitler was honoured for his bravery • German surrender brought him pain • He cried!

4. His anguish • “So it had all been in vain. In vain all the sacrifices. In vain the hours in which, with mortal fear clutching at our hearts we did our duty. In vain the death of two millions. Had they died for this, so that a gang of wretched criminals could lay hands on the fatherland?” • Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler

5. Political Career • In 1920 he joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), better known as the Nazi Party • Hitler's political propaganda and promotions gave him mass support • He was especially with the urban bourgeoisie • In 1921, Hitler became the Party Chairman

6. Failure of Munich Putsch • When the Munich Putsch failed, Hitler was placed in jail • He used his trial to gain nationwide attention for his cause. • Hitler served nine months of his 5-year sentence in prison, where he wrote the famous Mein Kampf

7. Mein Kampf (My Struggle) • “Should the Jew, with the aid of his Marxist creed, triumph over the people of this world, his crown will be the funeral wreath of mankind, and this planet will orbit through space without any human life on its surface as it did millions of years ago.”

8. Rise in reputation • Failure of Putsch made Hitler realised that he had to obtain power through the polls • Re-organised the NSDAP • Nazi used moderate means to gain political support • Held meetings, rallies, marches • Used books, the newspapers, radio to spread their ideas (p. 106)

9. Depression hit Germany • Germany found herself in deep trouble • Weimar Republic was not up to the task • Even Weimar politicians began to show their lack of faith in democracy • Hindenburg, the President did not believe that the Reichstag could solve the problem of Germany

10. Failure of Weimar Govt • Hindenburg began to rule by presidential decree – a form of dictatorship • Between 1930 – 1932, there were 3 elections and several changes of government • 1n the 1930 elections, there was a shift in popularity to the extremist parties • The Communists secured 77 seats, up from 54 • Nazis, down to 12 seats before the election, secured 107 seats

11. Increasing popularity • In 1932, Hitler stood for presidential elections • He came in second only to Hindenburg • In the Reichstag elections of same year, Nazis increased their vote to 37% of votes cast • They obtained 230 seats • Became the biggest single party in the Reichstag

12. Hitler could have been stopped • If the other parties had united against him • But the Socialists and the Communists could not work together • 1933, Chancellor Franz von Paten, leader of a group of right-wing politicians made an alliance with Hitler • Persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor • Von Papen would be Vice-Chancellor

13. Von Papen’s naievity • He thought he could control Hitler • He failed • Feb 1933, Hitler called for new elections, to take place in March • Goering by now was in charge of two-thirds of the police forces in GERMANYHe recruited 50,000 ‘extras’ from SA • Opponents were beaten up, and their meetings disrupted • Feb 27th the Reichstag building burned down

14. 1933 Elections • The Nazis now had 233 seats • But that was still not an overall majority • To make changes to Constitution, Hitler needed a two-thirds majority • So the Nazis joined up with the Nationalists who secured 53 seats • With 286 out of 500 seats, Hitler had gained control of Germany at last