HISTORY CHAPTER – 3 = NAZISM AND THE RISE OF HILTER

Introduction
• What is Nazism? Who is Hitler? Why we are studying this all?
• Germany and whole issue.
• First world war Second world war
• Threat to world peace Problems? [Weimar republic]
And crime against humanity. [ Political conflict]
[Economic depression]
(Hitler rise to power)?
Spread of Nazism and issue related to it.
BACKGROUND
Story of Helmuth?
• What does it says about the situation of that time?
• Why the situation was like that?
• Hitler Nazis Their ideas to make Germany a mighty power But they were not successful. Why?
May 1945
- Germany surrender to Allies.
- International Military Tribunal, Nuremberg. Prosecuted Nazi war criminals for
- Tribunal sentenced only eleven leading [Crime against humanity]
Nazis to death. Killing of 6 million jews, 2000,000 Gypsies, 1 million polish
civilians, 70,000 Germans.
Because allies did not want to be as harsh on defeated Germany as they had been after First World War.
Whole story begin from here. How?
BIRTH OF WEIMAR REPUBLIC
Story of First World War [1914-18]

Winners
• After defeat of imperial Germany
• Abdiction of the emperor
• Parliamentary parties met at Weimar Formed National Assembly = Weimar Republic
• Established a democratic constitution with a federal structure.
Deputies were elected on equal basis and universal votes in the German parliament or Reichstag.
 However Weimar Republic was not received well by its own people?
• What do you think why Weimar Republic was not welcome by its own people?
 There were many inherent defect in it. - What was in that?
 But the main reason was that Weimar Republic accepted/signed - Why Weimar republic accepted?
the peace Treaty of Versailles. - Why treaty of Versailles?
 Many Germans held the new Weimar Republic responsible
for not only the defeat in the war but the disgrace at Versaillies.
TREATY OF VERSAILLES
• Harsh and humiliating peace treaty.
 Provisions in the treaty?
• Germany lost its overseas colonies.
• One tenth of the population.
• 13 % of its territories.
• 75 % of its iron and 26% of its coal to France, Poland and Denmark and Lithuania.
• Allied power Demilitarised Germany.
• Under War Guilt Clause – Germany was forced to pa7y 6 billion pounds.
• The Allied armies occupied the resource – rich Rhineland for a long time.
THE EFFECT OF THE WAR
• Devastating impact [Psychologically and financially].
• Europe Continent of creditors to continent of debtor.
• Weimar Republic and its supporters faced problems. November Criminals
 First World War Deep imprints on Europe Society.
 Trench life glorified. [However truth was different]
 Men = Aggressive, Strong and masculine.
 Aggressive war propaganda and national honor occupied centre stage in public.
 Democracy became a young and fragile idea.
 Support for conservatives grew.
What is Trench?
POLITICAL RADICALISM - Group on pattern of Bolshevik revolution
Weimar Republic V/S Spartacist League? In Russia.
- Demanding Soviet – Style Governance.
Weimar Republic opposed this.
[Crushed the uprising with help of free corps]
Wanted democratic Republic.
Clash between Socialists and Communist. Later founded communist party of Germany
Hitler took advantage of this irreconcilable
conflicts prevailing in the Germany at that time.
ECONOMIC CRISIS
Germany and War Reparations
1923, Germany refused to pay?
French occupied Ruhr region [Leading Industrial Area]
• Germany retaliated with printing paper currency recklessly.
What’s the problem in that?
Value of Germany mark fell
 Price of goods increased. In sympathy, U.S. helped Germany by Dawes Plan
 Situation of hyperinflation.
THE YEAR OF DEPRESSION – 1
• Stability during 1924 to 1928 was built in sand.
 Germany recovery Short term loan by U.S.A
• But, Wall Street Exchange crashed in 1929.
• People sold their share fearing the failing the price.
• National Income of U.S.A. fell by half. impact on Germany?
• Effect was felt worldwide.
24, October 13 million shared
were sold.
THE YEAR OF DEPRESSION – 2
 Economic crisis had a deep impact on German economy.
 Industrial production was reduced to 40 %. [1932]
 Workers lost their jobs or were paid reduce wages. [Unemployed 6 million]
 Criminal activity increased.
 Falling value Currency Income and saving of the people diminished.
 Business got ruined, Fall in the Agriculture price affected peasantry.
 Feeling of Proletarianisation? What was the result of all
To become impoverished to the level of the level of working class. this problem?
• Problems of Economic Depression had changed the political atmosphere of the Germany.
• Weimar Republic seemed to offer no solution to these problem.
 Because the Weimar constitution had some inherent defects.
 Proportional Representation No party can achieve majority. Therefore, always rule by coalition.
 Article 48 Gave president the power to impose Emergency, Suspend civil rights and rule by decree.
Therefore, We can say Vulnerability to Dictatorship.
 At the same time people lost confidence in democratic parliamentary system.
HITLER’S RISE TO POWER – 1
Background –
• Born in 1889 in Austria.
• Enrolled himself in Army during FWW. Patriot
• Became Corporal and earned medals for bravery.
• He was very disappointed with German defeat and treaty of Versailles.
• 1919, Joined German Workers Party Took over it and renamed it the
National Socialist German Workers Party Nazi Party
• He was a very powerful speaker and good orator.
• Focused to undo all the Injustice done with Germany, promises to build a strong nation, weed out all the foreign influences
and conspiracies against Germany.
• He had a plan and his own vision to achieve. How did he came in politics and power?
HITLER’S RISE TO POWER – 2
• In 1923 He planned to seize control of Bavaria March to Berlin and Capture power
Failed
• Arrested for treason. 1928 Election – Nazi party got 2.6 % votes in Reichstag.
• After release struggled for power.
1932 Election – Nazi party got37% votes in Reichstag.
• During Great Depression Nazism became a mass movement.
• Because of Nazi Propaganda and Promises which Hitler made.
Nazi Propaganda and promise made by Hitler gave him a chance to rise.
 New style of politics.
 Using ritual and spectacle for mass mobilization.
 Massive rallies and public meeting.
 Red banner swastika, Nazi salute, the ritualized rounds of applause.
 This all was done skillfully to project Hitler as a messiah, a savior.
 This captured the imagination of people whose sense of dignity and pride
had been shattered. Therefore, The crisis in the economy, polity
and society formed the background to
Hitler’s rise to power.
THE DESTRUCTION OF DEMOCRACY – 1
 30 January 1933, President Hindenburg offered chancellorship to Hitler.
 Hitler started Dismanting Democracy
- Mysterious fire in the German - Fire Decree of 28, February - Persecution of people at
Parliament building. 1933 concentration camps.
What was its result? Suspended civics rights such E.g. The Representation of
Freedom of speech, Press and Communist.
Assembly.

 Enabling Act of 3 March 1933.

• Establish Dictatorship in Germany.
• Hitler can sideline Parliament and rule by Decree.
• Political parties and trade unions were banned except Nazi party and its affiliates.
• Economy, Media, Army, and Judiciary was under the control of state.
THE DESTRUCTION OF DEMOCRACY – 2
• Were people happy with this? No Then how they were controlled.
 Special Surveillance and Security Forces. To control and order Society in the way Nazi wanted.
• Regular Police and SA [Storm Troopers]
• Gestapo [Secret State Police], The SS [Protection Squad], Criminal Police and the Security Service (SD).
• Organised Forces with extra constitutional powers made Nazi state dreaded criminal state.
• Torture, Arrest without any legal procedure.
ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION
• Powers comes with money. [But Germany had no money]?
Therefore Hitler assigned the responsibility of economic recovery to the economist Hjalmar Schacht
 What was done by him?
 He aimed at full production and full employment through a state funded work – creation programme.
 Produced German Superhighways and people’s car, the Volkswagen.
POLITICAL RECONSTRUCTION
 Hitler acquired quick successes in his foreign policy.
• Pulled Germany out of league of nations [1933].
• Reoccupied the Rhineland in [1936].
• Integrated Austria and Germany [1938] “one people, can Empire and one Leader”.
• He captured German speaking Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.
 Why England and other powers were allowing all this?
• Indirect support by not speaking anything against Hitler because the considered Versailles verdict too harsh.
SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE DOWNFALL OF HITLER – 1
• Hitler choose war as the way to overcome Economic crisis.
• What was Hjalmar Schacht was doing? For Resources Expansion of territory
He advised Hitler not to invest heavily Therefore, In September 1939, Germany invaded, Poland.
rearmament.
Because their Economy was running - This started the Second World War.
on deficit Financing.
But Hitler ignored him. How?
 Germany Invaded Poland
France and England started Tripartite pact of September 1840.
war against Germany. WAR Germany + Italy + Japan
Why? By the end of 1940, Hitler was at the Pinnacle
of his power.
• To ensure food supplies and living space for Germans.
 Hitler attack the Soviet Union in June 1941.
 From here the downfall of Nazi period began.
SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE DOWNFALL OF HITLER – 2
• German attack on Soviet Union Historic blunder by Hitler

War on two fronts

• On western front Aerial Bombing by British.
• On eastern front full fight with Soviet Red Army.
 Unwilling to enter, but U.S.A. also entered into war due to Japan.
 Japan bombed Pearl Harbour [U.S. Naval Base].
USA retaliate by dropping atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 With the Second World War ended.