Hitler and National Socialist Party(slideshow) Flashcards
Hitler’s Background
Born in 1889 to poor family in Austria – abusive father, failed at school,
unhappy childhoold
1913 left Vienna for Munich and in 1914 joined Bavarian Infantry
Batallion– served WWI
Served four years on Western Front – was shot and returned to Munich
after war
Joined the German Workers’ Party in 1919 (DAP) – led by Anton Drexler
(mix of right/left wing)
Quickly rose through ranks to become leader – speaking, propaganda,
and support from within
Blamed Germany’s problems on November Criminals, The Treaty of
Versailles, Communists and Jews
1922 Party renamed National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP)
– developed Ideology
National Socialists
1919 - 1924
National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazis)
25 Point Program outlined Beliefs – Mixture of
Nationalism (Right) and Socialism (Left):
Repudiation of Treaty of Versailles
Unification of Austria and Germany
Citizenship for Germans (exclusion of Jews)
Land reform and prohibition of Land
Speculation
State Administration of Big Business
Nationalization of industry
Confiscation of war profits
Extension of workers benefits etc.
Initially appealed to broad base of middling peoples
and workers (mostly unskilled etc)
Also developed a paramilitary wing of party – Storm
Troopers (SA or Brown Shirts) – Enrst Rohm
SA became the chief instrument of terror and
administration – also provided place for ex soldiers
Attempted Coup – Munich Beer Hall Putsch –
arrested and placed in prison for brief time
The 25
Points of
Hitler’s Nazi
Party
- We demand the union of all Germans in a Great Germany on the basis of the principle of
self-determination of all peoples. - We demand that the German people have rights equal to those of other nations; and that the
Peace Treaties of Versailles and St. Germain shall be abrogated. - We demand land and territory (colonies) for the maintenance of our people and the settlement of
our surplus population. - Only those who are our fellow countrymen can become citizens. Only those who have German
blood, regardless of creed, can be our countrymen. Hence no Jew can be a countryman. - Those who are not citizens must live in Germany as foreigners and must be subject to the law of
aliens. - The right to choose the government and determine the laws of the State shall belong only to
citizens. We therefore demand that no public office, of whatever nature, whether in the central
government, the province, or the municipality, shall be held by anyone who is not a citizen.
We wage war against the corrupt parliamentary administration whereby men are appointed to posts
by favor of the party without regard to character and fitness.
- We demand that the State shall above all undertake to ensure that every citizen shall have the
possibility of living decently and earning a livelihood. If it should not be possible to feed the whole
population, then aliens (non-citizens) must be expelled from the Reich. - Any further immigration of non-Germans must be prevented. We demand that all non-Germans
who have entered Germany since August 2, 1914, shall be compelled to leave the Reich immediately. - All citizens must possess equal rights and duties.
- The first duty of every citizen must be to work mentally or physically. No individual shall do any
work that offends against the interest of the community to the benefit of all.
Therefore we demand:
- That all unearned income, and all income that does not arise from work, be abolished.
- Since every war imposes on the people fearful sacrifices in blood and treasure, all personal profit
arising from the war must be regarded as treason to the people. We therefore demand the total
confiscation of all war profits. - We demand the nationalization of all trusts.
- We demand profit-sharing in large industries.
- We demand a generous increase in old-age pensions.
- We demand the creation and maintenance of a sound middle-class, the immediate
communalization of large stores which will be rented cheaply to small tradespeople, and the strongest
consideration must be given to ensure that small traders shall deliver the supplies needed by the
State, the provinces and municipalities. - We demand an agrarian reform in accordance with our national requirements, and the enactment
of a law to expropriate the owners without compensation of any land needed for the common
purpose. The abolition of ground rents, and the prohibition of all speculation in land. - We demand that ruthless war be waged against those who work to the injury of the common
welfare. Traitors, usurers, profiteers, etc., are to be punished with death, regardless of creed or race. - We demand that Roman law, which serves a materialist ordering of the world, be replaced by
German common law. - In order to make it possible for every capable and industrious German to obtain higher education,
and thus the opportunity to reach into positions of leadership, the State must assume the
responsibility of organizing thoroughly the entire cultural system of the people. The curricula of all
educational establishments shall be adapted to practical life. The conception of the State Idea (science
of citizenship) must be taught in the schools from the very beginning. We demand that specially
talented children of poor parents, whatever their station or occupation, be educated at the expense
of the State. - The State has the duty to help raise the standard of national health by providing maternity welfare
centers, by prohibiting juvenile labor, by increasing physical fitness through the introduction of
compulsory games and gymnastics, and by the greatest possible encouragement of associations
concerned with the physical education of the young. - We demand the abolition of the regular army and the creation of a national (folk) army.
- We demand that there be a legal campaign against those who propagate deliberate political lies
and disseminate them through the press. In order to make possible the creation of a German press,
we demand:
(a) All editors and their assistants on newspapers published in the German language shall be
German citizens.
(b) Non-German newspapers shall only be published with the express permission of the State.
They must not be published in the German language.
- We demand freedom for all religious faiths in the state, insofar as
they do not endanger its existence or offend the moral and ethical
sense of the Germanic race.
The party as such represents the point of view of a positive
Christianity without binding itself to any one particular confession. It
fights against the Jewish materialist spirit within and without, and is
convinced that a lasting recovery of our folk can only come about
from within on the pinciple:
COMMON GOOD BEFORE INDIVIDUAL GOOD
- In order to carry out this program we demand: the creation of a
strong central authority in the State, the unconditional authority by the
political central parliament of the whole State and all its organizations.
The formation of professional committees and of committees
representing the several estates of the realm, to ensure that the laws
promulgated by the central authority shall be carried out by the
federal states.
The leaders of the party undertake to promote the execution of the
foregoing points at all costs, if necessary at the sacrifice of their own
lives.
National Socialists
1924 - 1929
November 1923 (Ruhr Crisis) – Hitler and Nazis attempt coup in Munich – Beer Hall Putsch
Members discovered and arrested by government – Hitler imprisoned
In prison wrote Mein Kempf (My Struggle) – outlining beliefs and direction of party
Unshakable belief in Germany as a great Aryan nation – Ein Volk (unite one people)
Need to destroy Jewry (anti-Semitic – scapegoats) and Communists
Need to destroy Slavs and take Slavic lands of east – Lebensraum (living space)
Overturn the Treaty of Versailles (rebuild military, make Germany strong again)
Unite with Austria (Anschluss)
Belief in power of the state as central social organization – strong leader
Belief that women were subordinate to men and should not be in politics
After Hitler came back from jail, his ideas were different what were his new ideas.
Once released from prison decided on new
direction:
Would pursue the parliamentary road to
power (become respectable party)
Reduced the number of Storm Troopers – SA –
and replaced with SS (loyal to him)
Set up network of local parties to gain support
Set up Hitler Youth to attract young to party
Assigned Joseph Goebbels to Propaganda –
Campaign of posters, leaflets, radio, rallies
Cultivated support of wealthy businessmen
(dropped socialist platform)
Impact of the great depression
Workers laid off
Shops and businesses closed
Foreign loans called in
Banks collapsed
Government proved incapable of handling
Government resorted to emergency decree/coalitions (Bruning, Papen, von Schliecher)
Lower middle classes began to lend support to Nazis – fear of losing savings
Intense nationalism of Nazi party made it appealing to voterts
Nazi party represented broad appeal – socialist, nationalist, anti-coumminist
Landowning class increasingly supported the Nazis – protect from communists
Industrialists also lent support to the Nazi party
The Rise of National Socialists(Nazi’s)
1924 – 1929 – Lean Years for the Nazis – Stressemann Years, Golden Years – Loans/Economy
1929 – Stock Market Crash in US – signaled end of loans to Germany and repayment
Decline in industries, rise in unemployment, bankruptcies, shops closed, etc….-Depression
Increasingly riots, civil disturbance, strikes, and rise in paramilitary groups
Individuals increasingly came to be attracted to political parties who offered simple solutions
Communists and Nazis benefited at this time and slowly began to grow in number
Nazis were increasingly popular – offered scapegoat to problems, make Germany great, SA order
Nazi populist campaigns appealed to many -Middle Class, workers, industrialists etc
Business increasingly financed campaigns from 1930 – 1932
May 1928 – had 12 seats in Reichstag (Parliament)
September 1930 – had 107 seats in Reichstag
July 1932 – had 230 seats in Reichstag – the largest
Believing he could form government Hindenburg invited him to form… - could be controlled
In January 1933 he became Chancellor of the new government
How Hitler obtained the Creation of Single Party State
Hitler appointed Chancellor – January 1933
Reichstag Fire – February 1933 – blamed on Communists
(Communists arrested and banned)
Enabling Acts – March 1933 – gave Hitler ability to rule by
Presidential Decree for 4 years (not by Reichstag)
Extension of Power – April 1933 – Nazis took over local government,
police, and civil servant
Creation of Gestapo – April 1933 – Secret Police and SS
Trade Unions Banned – May 1933 – Union leaders replaced by
German Labour Front
Political Parties Banned – July 1933 – Law Against the Formation of
Parties – leaders in prison
Night of Long Knives – June 1934 – execution and imprisonment of
SA (Rohm)
Fuhrer – August 1934 – Hindenburg dies-Hitler takes over
Presidency and leader of Army
How Hitler used the stick
The Stick
Hitler and Nazis ruled Germany on one hand through fear and
terror
After Reichstag Fire and Night of Long Knives – round up
opponents – killed and removed
Used Gestapo and SS as system of fear – encouraged individuals to
report on others
See Heinrich Himmler’s control over both Gestapo and SS (latter in
particular) to create fear
SS was elite body only answerable to Hitler
Gestapo – dedicated to removing enemies of the state
Had Propaganda to reinforce beliefs and ideals – removed and
banned all other thoughts
Phones were tapped, individuals spied on one another, and police
and courts had to be Nazi
Concentration camps created….
How Hitler used the Carrot
In many ways there existed little opposition to Hitler
Under him many were given extensive benefits and
privileges – see youth, women, etc
Many saw support for Hitler as way to advance or to
keep their positions – self interest
Farmers did not have their land taken away if they
did not pay debts
See Strength through Joy – movies, earned days off,
benefits
Also ensured full employment for individuals, great
public works and ability to be proud in Nation
what were Hitlers goals economicly
Economic Policies
The goal of the economic policies was to:
Make Germany self-sufficient once
again (Autarky)
Eliminate effects of Great Depression
on nation
Revive the industrial and military
power of Germany
Hitler’s Economic Minister – Hjalamar
Schacht
Minister of Armaments and War
Production – Albert Speer
Economic Policies
This was going to be achieved through: New Plan
Series of public works projects to men employed
Bringing inflation under control
Creation of Germany Labour Front – conscripting all to work
Series of 4 year plans aimed at rearmament
Strengthening the German currency
Placing the economy back on war production
Encouraged domestic expansion – halt to imports
Industry subsidized by government
Hitlers social policy’s(Gleishchaltung and
The Workforce)
Gleishchaltung
Brought parliaments in all individual German states under Nazi control
Outlawed all other political parties
Subordinated legal system to Nazi control
Began process of removing Jews from public offices
Coerced Church into accepting the Nazi regime
All social sectors, organizations and professions were created under Nazi party
The Workforce
Hitler banned all trade unions in 1933
German Labour Front created – all workers organized
National Labour Service – sent men on various public works projects (see Autobahn)
Strength Through Joy Movement – offered workers picnics, free trips, earned days off
Prosperity and financial security for most (also employment at time when Depression still on)
Hitlers social policy’s(women and youth)
Women
Viewed as child bearer and creator of family (enforce
ideology in home) – done for greater good
Asked to return to home and give up careers for men
Law for Encouragement of Marriage – gave young couples
loans and gave money for kids
Mothers who had more than 8 children given medal
Fewer women were given places within universities
Professions for women were restricted – see law, higher
education
Civil service no longer accepted women
Birth control clinics closed and abortion made illegal
The Youth
Were seen as the backbone of Nazi culture and
society
Children were viewed as belonging to state – state
and Hitler the Father/Parent
Indoctrination of youth through education and
youth programs done
Hitler Youth for boys included activities, war
games, and indoctrination
For young girls the BDM – to lean to be good
mothers, and strong Nazis
Young people had power never before seen – see
state parent, could turn in to Gestapo
Hitlers social policy’s(Minoritys)
The Minorities
Nazis despised all groups not considered part of Aryan race – racially and
socially superior
Black people sterilized or killed
Euthanasia programs common for those deemed defectives of state
Jews were persecuted and eventually sent to concentration camps (see
Holocaust, Nuremberg Laws, Ghettos)
Romani were killed and treated as harshly as Jews – 85% killed
Physically and Mentally disabled were either executed or sent away
Beggars, homosexuals, prostitutes, alcoholic and other less “desirables”
were put in camps
Hitlers cultural policy’s
All culture had to be German
Music had to be Beethoven or Wagner or German folk music - conformity
Glorification of the past in arts, sculpture and myth all done
All actors had to be members of the Nazi party
Only books by approved authors could be read
Newspapers and films were all censored – brought under control of Nazi party
All teachers and professors had to be part of Nazi party
Curriculum would enforce racial ideals and indoctrination of Nazi ideology
Joseph Goebbels – Minister of Enlightenment and Propaganda in new state
Radios provided to homes of Germans – propagated Hitler and ideology
Hitler signed Concordat with Pope – left Church alone if he stayed out of politics
Promotion of athleticism and strength – see Olympics Berlin in 1936
Propaganda, posters, rallies, etc meant to glorify the state and Hitler as leader
Propaganda promoted German nation as supreme and encourage Aryan race
Sport was also used effectively as propaganda – see Berlin Olympics 1936
