Transcript Adolf Hitler, Der Fuhrer

Adolf Hitler, Der Fuhrer
A Bit of Background
 Born in Braunau am Inn, Austria on April
20th, 189l
 His family was working-peasant class
 His father dies in 1903 (leaving Hitler as
head of the household) and his mother 1907
(of very painful cancer)
Background Continued
 Hitler dreamed of being an artist, but is rejected
twice by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts.
 Hitler attempts to join the Army in Austria and is
declared “unfit”.
 Hitler volunteers for a Bavarian unit in Germany.
Hitler is shot in the leg and blinded by mustard
gas.
 In a military hospital and after the defeat of WWI,
Hitler begins to place the blame with the Jews.
Hitler’s Political Life
 In 1919, Hitler joins the German Workers’ Party
and is placed in charge of propaganda.
 Hitler becomes a featured speaker at political meetingshe railed against the Treaty of Versailles and blames
Germany’s problems again on the Jews.
 The swastika becomes the symbol of the party.
 In 1921, Hitler rises to become leader of the
Workers’ Party and renames it the Nazi Party.
 He takes advantage of the terrible economic
situation and social unrest in Germany after WWI.
Hitler’s Political Life cont….
 Attempts to lead a revolt (Beer Hall Putsch, 1923)
and is imprisoned where he writes Mein Kampf.
 Propaganda (lead by Joseph Goebbels) helps
convert many Germans to the Nazi Party and
many elections take place.
 With Nazi power dramatically rising, President
von Hindenburg appoints Hitler as Chancellor on
Jan. 30th, 1933.
Hitler as he is appointed Chancellor
Hitler Gains Power
 In an attempt to pass an “Enabling Act”, a
vote is forced in the Reichstag.
 By a vote of 441 to 84, the act was passed
and this officially ended democracy in
Germany.
 By March of 1933, Hitler had become
dictator of Germany, legally, through the
democratic process.
Hitler In Power
 Under Hitler, the state, not the individual was
supreme.
 From birth, one existed to serve the state and obey
the dictator. Those who disagreed were disposed
of. Many intellectuals spoke out against Hitler or
left Germany.
 Rallies, parades and propaganda continue and
there is a mixture of fear and optimism.
 Hitler as dictator, can focus on the issue that got
him into politics-hatred of Jews. The first boycott
was April 1, 1933.
 The following extracts are taken from the Nazi Party Organization
Book (1940) and illustrate the duties of party members, as well as the
National Socialist concept of the State:
 6. Duties of the Party Comrade
 The National Socialist commandments:
 The Führer is always right!
 Never go against discipline!
 Don't waste your time in idle chatter or in self-satisfying criticism, but
take hold and do your work!
 Be proud but not arrogant!
 Let the program be your dogma. It demands of you the greatest
devotion to the movement.
 You are a representative of the party; control your bearing and your
manner accordingly!
 Let loyalty and unselfishness be your highest precepts!
Commandments continued..
 Practice true comradeship and you will be a true socialist!
 Treat your racial comrades as you wish to be treated by
them!
 In battle be hard and silent!
 Spirit is not unruliness!
 That which promotes the movement, Germany, and your
people, is right!
 If you act according to these commandments, you are a
true soldier of your Führer.
Krystallnacht
 Crystal Night or the Night of Broken Glass,
1938
 An organized campaign of mob violence
against synagogues and Jewish-owned
businesses.
 Jews were forced to wear a yellow star of
David
 Was a prelude the events to come during the
Holocaust
Economic Policies
 Economy served the interests of the state.
 Reduced unemployment by creating public
works projects (the autobahn)
 Established a Four Year Plan with the
purpose of promoting economic selfsufficiency and mobilizing the economy for
war.
Foreign Policy
 Revision of the Treaty of Versailles
 Conquest of additional living-space
 To these ends, Hitler would invade lost territories
such as the Rhineland, Sudetenland, Austria and
WWII would begin over the invasion of Poland.
 Hitler would also support Franco in the Spanish
Civil War. This was used as a practice for Nazi
weaponry, especially blitzkrieg tactics.
 Alliance with other Axis powers: Italy and Japan