Chapter - 3 Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

 Chapter - 3 Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

1. Birth of the Weimar Republic (1918–1933)

• After Germany's defeat in WWI, the monarchy ended, and a democratic government called the Weimar Republic was established in 1919.
• The Treaty of Versailles (1919) blamed Germany for the war, leading to heavy reparations, loss of territory, and economic hardship.
• Germans saw the Weimar government as weak and humiliating for accepting the treaty.

• Germany lost its colonies and 13% of its land.

1.1 The Effect of the War

Effects on Germany:

Defeat and Humiliation

• Germany lost the war and had to accept the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
• The treaty blamed Germany for the war and punished it harshly.

War Guilt and Reparations

• Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war.
• It had to pay heavy reparations (money) to the Allied countries.

This caused a major economic crisis.

• Economic Collapse
• Prices rose rapidly (inflation), and the German currency lost value.
• Unemployment and poverty increased.

Political Instability

• The Weimar Republic (Germany’s democratic government) was blamed for accepting the treaty.
• People lost trust in democracy and were attracted to extreme ideologies, like Nazism.
• "November Criminals":- Who support Socialist, Chatolics, Democratcs become easy target of Conservatives. They have been called mockingly "November Criminal". 

1.2 - Poltical Radicalism and Economic Crisis

• Weimar Republic concided with spartacist league.
• Soviet of workers set-up many cities.
• Demand for soviet style governance
• Weimar Republic crushed with the help of veterans organization (Free Corps).

Economic Crisis:

Treaty of Versailles Reparations

• Germany had to pay huge amounts of money to the Allies.
• This led to debt and borrowing.

Hyperinflation (1923)

• Germany printed more money to pay reparations → money lost value.
• Prices skyrocketed – people needed wheelbarrows full of money to buy bread.
• Middle class lost all their savings.
• Dawes Plan:- To recover from that sitiutation introduced"Dawes Plan".

1.3 The Great Depression (1929)

• The U.S. stock market crash led to global economic collapse.
• Germany was badly affected because it relied on U.S. loans.
• Factories closed, millions lost jobs, poverty rose sharply.

2: Hitler's Rise to Power

Political unstability and Poor economic condition of Germany help Hitler to rise.

Who was Adolf Hitler?

• Born in Austria in 1889.
• 1919 joined German worker party.
• Renamed Nationalist Socialist German worker.
• Party to be known as 'Nazi Party'.
• In 1923, planned to seize control of Barvaria.
• 1929 Nazi propoganda.
• 1928 Party got 26% votes and 1932 become largest party got 37% votes.

2.1 The Destruction of Democracy

After Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, he quickly moved to end democracy and establish a dictatorship.

1. Reichstag Fire (February 1933)

• The German Parliament building (Reichstag) was set on fire.
• Nazis blamed the Communists for the fire.
• Used it as an excuse to arrest thousands of political opponents.

2. The Enabling Act (March 1933)

• This law gave Hitler full powers to make laws without the Reichstag (parliament).
• It marked the end of democracy in Germany.
• Hitler could now rule by decree (without elections or discussion).

Establishing a Dictatorship:

Banning Political Parties

• All parties except the Nazi Party were banned.
• Germany became a one-party state.

Control Over Media and Education

• Press, radio, and schools were strictly controlled.
• Only Nazi ideas were promoted.

Secret Police – Gestapo

• The Gestapo arrested and tortured anyone who criticized Hitler.
• Fear and surveillance kept people silent.

Removal of Opponents

• Trade unions were banned.
• Opposition leaders, communists, and Jews were jailed, exiled, or killed.

2.2 – Reconstruction

• Hjalmar Schacht got the responsibility of economic recovery.
• Employement through a state funded work creation programme.
• Pulled out of the League of Nations in Germany in  1933.
• Reoccupied the Rhineland in 1936 and integrated Austria & Germany in  1938 under the sloga "One people, one empire, one leader".
• 1939 Germany invaded Polland. and Started a war with France  & England.
• Tripartite Pact Signed between Germany, Italy, & Japan In September 1940.
• Hitler moved to achieve conquering Eastern Europe & 1941 attacked the Soviet Union.
• USA involvement in the war.
• hitler attacke US base at Pearl Harbor.
• Then Us entered the Second world war anddropping atombomb on "Hiroshima in Japan" in 1945.

 The Nazi Worldview 

A worldview means the way a person or group sees and understands the world.

The Nazi worldview was extreme, racist, anti-democratic, and militaristic.

Main Ideas of the Nazi Worldview:

1. Racial Purity

• Nazis believed in a "racial hierarchy".
• Aryans (pure Germans) were seen as the master race – strong, pure, and destined to rule the world.
• Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, Blacks, and disabled people were seen as inferior or "undesirable".

2. Anti-Semitism (Hatred of Jews)

• Jews were blamed for:
• Germany’s defeat in World War I
• The economic crisis
• The rise of communism
• Nazis spread false propaganda about Jews to turn people against them.

3. Against Democracy

• Nazis saw democracy as weak and divisive.
• Believed in one strong leader – Hitler – who should have total control.

4. Expansionism (Lebensraum)

• Nazis believed Germany needed "Lebensraum" (living space) to grow.
• Planned to conquer Eastern Europe and Russia to settle Aryans and use others as slaves.

5. Role of Women

• Nazi ideal woman = homemaker and mother of pure Aryan children.
• Women were encouraged to leave jobs, marry early, and have many children.
• Medals were given to mothers with many Aryan children.

6. Youth Indoctrination

• Children were trained to love Hitler, hate Jews, and be loyal Nazis.
• Boys joined Hitler Youth, and girls joined League of German Girls.
• Education focused on obedience, nationalism, and racial purity.

3.1 – Establishment of the Racial Society

A racial society is one where people are treated differently based on their race or ethnicity.

The Nazis believed that only "pure Aryans" (Germans) were superior, and all other races were inferior or dangerous.

Nazi Beliefs About Race:

• Aryans = Master Race
• Strong, pure, intelligent.
• Meant to rule the world.
• "Undesirable" People
• Jews, Gypsies, Poles, Russians, Black people, the disabled, and others were seen as "unfit to live".
• Nazis believed these groups weakened Germany.

Steps to Build a Racial State:

1. Exclusion Laws

• Jews were excluded from civil services, schools, universities, and the army.
• Nuremberg Laws (1935):
• Jews lost German citizenship.
• Jews and Germans were banned from marrying.

2. Segregation and Labeling

• Jews had to wear a yellow Star of David.
• Jewish shops were boycotted and destroyed.
• Public spaces like parks, cinemas, and buses were "Aryans only".

3. Propaganda and Indoctrination

• Nazi media portrayed Jews and other groups as evil and dirty.
• Children were taught racist ideas in schools.
• Posters, films, and speeches spread hatred.

4. Forced Sterilization and Euthanasia

• People with mental or physical disabilities were sterilized or killed.
• The Nazis believed this would keep the Aryan race pure.

3.2 – The Racial Utopia

• The Nazis wanted to create a "racial utopia" where only "pure Aryans" lived, and all others were removed or destroyed.
• Genocide = mass killing of a large group of people, especially based on race or religion.
• Poles were force to leave their homes.
• Polish children who looked like Aryans were forcibly snacthed from their mother and examined by "race experts".

Youth in Nazi Germany

School:-

 All school were 'cleansed' and purified. 

Jews teahcer or seen as 'politically unreliable' were dismissed.

Undeisrable and Jews students thrown out from school.

In 1940s, thery were taken to the gas chambers.

Education System

• Books, subjects, and teachers were controlled by Nazis.
• Schools taught:
• Nazi version of history
• Science to support racial theories
• Loyalty to Hitler
• Hatred of Jews and non-Aryans

Jung Wolk,

• At the Age of 10 – Join Jungwolk.
• At age 14, all German boys were required by law to join theNazi Youth Organization.
• By 18, he is considered a trained Nazi soldier.
• Youth League of Nazis was founded in 1922
• Renamed after four years - "Hitler Youth".

Nazi Cult of Mother

The Nazi cult of motherhood was the ideal image of women promoted by Hitler’s regime.

Nazis believed that a woman’s main duty was to:

Goals of Nazi Policy for Women:

• Increase the Aryan population
• Make women obedient, loyal mothers and wives
• Those who were maintained contact with Jews, poles and Russians were punished (Praded, Shaved heads, Blackened faces.)

4.2 The Art of Propaganda

Code Language

• Mass killing or Murder:- Special Treatment, Final Solution.(For Jews)
• Euthanasia :- Selection and Disinfection. (For Disabled)
• Gas Chamber:- Disinfection area.
• Nazi idea spread through:- 

Tool                         How It Was Used

Posters             Showed Hitler as strong, heroic, god-like

Radio             Broadcast speeches, patriotic songs, Nazi messages

Films             Made to show Jews as evil, Hitler as great (e.g. Triumph of the Will)

Newspapers     Only published Nazi-approved news

Ordinary People and Crimes Against Humanity

Labeling and Identification:

• Jews were often marked or identified.
• Many homes, businesses, and individuals were labeled (e.g., "Jews live here" or the house marked for persecution).

Knowledge about the Holocaust

• The Holocaust killed 6 million Jews.
• Other victims: Gypsies, Poles, disabled people, political prisoners.
• These were crimes against humanity.
• These acts were not just war crimes—they were planned mass murders.

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