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Explore the life and political rise of Adolf Hitler, from his early struggles to his imprisonment, and his controversial book "Mein Kampf." Reflect on the impact of his ideology, the Treaty of Versailles, and the election that led to his rise as Chancellor of Germany. Discover the reasons behind his popularity and the consequences of his leadership.
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Adolf Hitler • Born: April 20, 1889 Braunau, Austria Early Life • son of an extremely strong-willed Austrian customs official, allows did whatever is father wanted until his death • rebellious and began failing at school • In 1907, his mother died and he moved to Vienna in an attempt to enroll in the famed Academy of Fine Arts. His failure to gain admission that year and the next led him into a period of deep depression as he drifted away from his friends.
impressed by the successes of the anti-Semitic, or anti-Jewish, nationalist Christian-Socialist party of Vienna Mayor Karl Lueger. • He was homeless for some years and sold his artworks to earn a little wherewithal for sustenance. The prevalent racial and religious prejudice in Vienna at the time is said to have sown the seeds of anti-Semitism in him. • May 1913, Hitler returned to Munich, and after the outbreak of World War I (1914–18) a year later, he volunteered for action in the German army in which he proved to be a courageous, able soldier and was awarded his first Iron Cross for bravery.
Hitler’s powerful oratory talent was discovered and he was made the chief speaker of the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party. He also gave the group its new symbol—the ‘swastika’, a Hindu symbol for prosperity. His fervent conviction, boisterousness and theatrical quality of speeches, established him as the ‘Fuhrer’ (leader in German) of the movement, with over 3,000 members in the party as compared to the initial membership of 40. • He decided to organize his party on the basis of powerful squads such as the storm-troopers called, the ‘Sturmabteilung’ (SA) and Hitler’s black-shirted bodyguards, the ‘Schutzstaffel’ (SS).
Hitler goes to prison • By 1923, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse and Hitler sought to overthrow the Bavarian government in Munich, by bursting into a beer hall in the city. This eventually grew to become the infamous, ‘Beer Hall Putsch’, where 3,000 of Hitler’s men attempted to ‘putsch’ (or overthrow) the existing Munich government. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJzZshcB8TY • He was arrested and tried on February 26, 1924 and was sentenced to five years of prison. However, he was released after nine months of prison term and dedicated his only major work, ‘Mein Kampf’, to his loyalist, Rudolf Hess.
Mein Kampf • Mein Kampf ("My Struggle") is an autobiography by Adolf Hitler, in which Hitler outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926. • In the chapter "Eastern Orientation or Eastern Policy", Hitler argued that the Germans needed Lebensraum (“living space”) in the East, a "historic destiny" that would properly nurture the German people • The Nazis plan for the East stated that the natives were to be killed, deported, or enslaved, such as the Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, and other Slavic populations, whom they considered inferior, and to repopulate the land with Germanic people
Republishing Mein Kampf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7WVwMm85Vw What do you think about this? Is it a good idea? Do you think that students in high schools should read this? What could the benefits be? What could be the downfall?
Election time! • We have three candidates running for the election to be Germany’s Chancellor. • Listen to the three candidates speeches and reflect on what they have to offer you • Remember, you are a German citizen who may be unemployed, poor, and in desperate need for new hope. • And the end, you will vote for the person you think would fix your life and make Germany great again!
Treaty of Versailles Harsh terms intended to make Germany powerless: • accept total blame for WW1 • reduced military • reparations of $33 billion • loss of territory • In reality the treaty had the opposite effect. It gave German’s grievances that Hitler would attempt to solve, such as restoring national pride
Hitler runs in the election • In the 1928 elections, owing to the onset of the Great Depression and the consequent threat to the German economy, people chose not to vote for Hitler’s Nazi Party and he won a mere 12 seats. • In the 1930 elections, the Nazis won majority votes, winning a whopping 107 seats at the Reichstag. The same year, he officially acquired German citizenship and ran for presidency on April 10, 1931, but was defeated by von Hindenburg. • In 1932, after the Nazis emerged as the largest political party in Germany with nearly fourteen million votes to their credit, he was appointed as Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933.
Once in the saddle, Hitler moved swiftly, wiping out rivals, ousting free trade unions and the Jews from any role whatsoever in the political and social workings of the country. He even won a majority at the last ‘democratic’ elections in Germany on March 5, 1933 with the help of nationalists and a generous use of intimidation, terror and persuasion. • Hitler was considered the undisputed dictator of the Third Reich and by the beginning of August 1934, and after the death of von Hindenburg, he had all the powers of the state in his hands. • In 1935, he abandoned the Treaty of Versailles and began building his army by recruiting five times its permitted number. He built the ‘Luftwaffe’ and supplied military aid to forces in Spain, which brought about the Spanish victory in 1939.
Luftwaffe Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It was also the official name for the Nazi air force founded in 1935. Led by Hermann Goering, it became the largest and most powerful in Europe by the start of World War Two.
The Reichstag Fire It was an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933. Marinus van der Lubbe, a young Dutch council communist, was caught at the scene of the fire and arrested for the crime. Van der Lubbe was an unemployed bricklayer who had recently arrived in Germany. He declared that he had started the fire and was tried and sentenced to death. The fire was used as evidence by the Nazi Party that communists were plotting against the German government. The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany.
The Enabling act • The Enabling Act was a 1933 Weimar Constitution amendment that gave the German Cabinet – in effect, Chancellor Adolf Hitler – the power to enact laws without the involvement of the Reichstag.
Banning all political parties • Now that Hitler has absolute power, he banned all other political parties from the government. • SPD- Social DemocratsKPD- CommunistsDDP- German DemocraticZentrum- German Centre Party (Catholic)
Black Tuesday 1929- stock market crashes Treaty of Versailles Great Depressionduring 1930s Totalitarianism Increasing influence of new political parties that emphasize state control-For example: Communism, Nazism, Fascism Total Controlof State by aDictator
Political prisoners were put in concentration camps run by the S.S.
The Night of the Long Knives Now I have got rid of opposition political groups, I can now deal with opposition in my party. Ernst Rohm (an old friend), head of the S.A. is very unpopular with the German army leaders. They have the power to overthrow me.I’ve been worried about Rohm for a while, so this is a good excuse. June 1934
The Night of the Long Knives • Hitler had to get rid of Rohm. He was too much of a threat. • On the night of 30th June 1934 Hitler’s S.S. killed over 1000 SA members including Rohm. • The army were pleased. • Hitler had gained the support of the army.
The death of President Hindenburg A final note PRESIDENT HINDENBURG’S DEATH GAVE HITLER THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE THE ROLE OF CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT. HE CALLED HIMSELF ‘DER FUHRER’. August 1934
Oath of loyalty to Adolf Hitler Every soldier swore a personal oath of loyalty to ADOLF HITLER.
So, how did he become a dictator legally?
HITLER BECAME CHANCELLOR THE REICHSTAG FIRE THE ENABLING ACT Der Fuhrer OATH OF LOYALTY TO HITLER THE NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES DEATH OF PRESIDENT HINDENBURG
Nazi Military State • GESTAPO: the Secret State Police • SS(Schutzstaffel): Defense Corps “black shirts”, an elite guard unit formed out of the SA • SA (Sturmabteilung): Stormtroopers "brown-shirts" early private Nazi army that protected leaders and opposed rival political parties • Lebensraum (living space): concept that emphasized need for territorial expansion of Germany into east • Wehrmacht: German army • HJ (Hitler Jugend): Hitler Youth • Einstazgruppen: Nazi Death Squad; mobile killing units • Volk:all inclusive concept of nation, people and race, implying the superiority of German culture and race; led to policy of Volksgemeinschaft (idea of a harmonized racial Nazi community in government policies and programs)
Book burnings
“The Eternal Jew”Depiction of a Jew holding gold coins in one hand and a whip in the other. Under his arm is a map of the world, with the imprint of the hammer and sickle. Posters like this promoted a sharp rise in anti-Semitic feelings, and in some cases violenceagainst the Jewish community. This Nazi propaganda poster reads, ‘Behind the enemy powers: the Jew.
