Born in Austria in 1889 Lower middle-class

background Both parents died when he

was a teenager Mediocre student; loner Moved to Vienna at age 18

but was rejected by the Academy of Fine Arts

Made money as a street artist Lived in homeless shelters Introduced to extreme

German nationalism & anti-Semitism

Disgusted by Vienna’s cosmopolitanism & Jewish population

Illegally immigrates to Munich in 1913

Volunteers for German army when WW1 begins

During the warServes as bicycle

messengerPromoted to corporalEarns Iron Cross

Deeply disillusioned by German surrender in November 1918

Like many veterans, Hitler believed in the “stab in the back” myth

Many joined right-wing paramilitary gangs called freikorps

Spartacist Uprising (1919): communists tried to overthrow the govt in BerlinGovt asked freikorp units to

suppress itFreikorps gained respect and

popularity for opposing communists and rejecting Versailles

Hired by Army to spy on extremist political organizations

1920: attended a meeting of the German Workers Party and was attracted by its nationalism & anti-Semitism

Joined as its 55th member several weeks later

Quickly established personal leadership through charismatic speaking and solid organizing skills

Renamed National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP)

1923: NSDAP attempted to overthrow the Weimar govt

Stormed a govt meeting in Munich and forced leaders to join

Marched through the streets the following day

Police opened fire and dispersed or shot most Nazis

Hitler was arrested and put on trial

Hitler’s trial for sedition gave him a platform to preach his views to the whole nation

Sympathetic judge and jury gave him the minimum sentence10 months at Landsberg

PrisonWrote Mein Kampf (My

Struggle)LebensraumAnti-SemitismRejection of Versailles

1925-26: Hitler re-establishes personal leadership of the party

New emphasesPromoting fear of

communistsCreate SA paramilitary to

fight opponentsUse of militaristic imagery Cultivation of mass

propaganda techniquesStreamlining organizational

structure of the NSDAPLittle success due to Germany’s

economic prosperity 1925-29

Great Depression ends US loans to Germany

Unemployment climbs to 40% by 1932

High inflation wipes out savings for most

Communist agitation increases

Coalition govts fail to tackle economic problems or gain popular support

Nazi Brown Shirts terrorize communist opponents

Industrialists attracted by anti-communism

Nationalists attracted by militarism & revisionism

Lower middle-class attracted by anti-capitalism

Effective use of propaganda wows the public

Weak coalition govts cause people to lose faith in democracy

1932: Nazis become largest party in Reichstag

1932: Hitler loses Presidential election to Hindenburg

January 1933: Hitler appointed Chancellor

February 27: Dutch madman burns down the Reichstag Hitler blames Communists

(KPD) March 5: Nazis gain 44% of

vote in Reichstag and ban the KPD

March 23: Enabling Act gives Hitler emergency powers to pass laws by decree

Other political parties banned Gestapo (secret police)

established and given unlimited power

SA established concentration camps for political opponents

1934: Hindenburg died and Hitler declared himself Fuhrer (Leader)

SS (Schutzstaffeln): Guard Squadrons

Originally Hitler’s bodyguard Directed by Heinrich Himmler Racially pure and devoted to

Nazism Given power over secret

Gestapo, police & concentration camps

Targeted all political and racial enemies of the state

1934: attacked and eliminated the SA which threatened Hitler’s power

Ran extermination camps during WW2

Massively increased spending on public works in order to address unemployment and build up the infrastructure Autobahn

Major spending on rearmament began in 1935

Much money was spent on making Germany self-sufficient in coal, steel, oil, rubber and chemicals

Unemployment fell from 40% to 3% by 1937

Minister of Truth & Enlightenment Josef Goebbels

Nazi Party used mass demonstrations and torch light parades to feature German strength and unityNuremburg rallies

Aroused excitement, euphoria and devotion

Ubiquitous use of red swastika flag, Heil Hitler and other military imagery

Public book burnings

Churches brought under state control

Reich Church combined Christianity and paganism

Unsympathetic religious leaders sent to concentration camps

All schools and universities forced to conform to Nazi teachings Many leading scientists fled

abroad Created organizations for civil

servants, teachers, women, youth, farmers, doctors & lawyers in order to exert firm control and spread ideology

Role of women is to bear children and expand the Aryan race

Encouraged clear gender roles in the home and workplace

Largely excluded from heavy industry, and professions

Encouraged to enter social work and nursing

Women should focus on raising healthy children devoted to the Fatherland and Nazi ideology

Germans are members of the superior Aryan race

Social Darwinism Superior blood threatened

by Jewish blood Jews associated with

democracy, liberalism, communism, capitalism & modernism

Jews are genetically, culturally and morally degenerate presence threatens strength of the German people

Jew = 1 or more Jewish grandparent

Jews excluded from civil service and law denied citizenship Prohibited from marrying

Aryans Encouraged to immigrate Forced out of many jobs

Regime encouraged people to boycott Jewish businesses

Overlooked acts of violence against Jews and their property

Jewish literature, music, and art heavily censored

Required to wear Star of David and carry identity card

November 9, 1938: “Night of broken glass” Nazis burned synagogues Burned 7000 businesses Killed hundreds of Jewish

leaders 30,000 Jews sent to

concentration camps Jews forced to clean up the

debris Forced to pay for damage property confiscated and

distributed to Germans Banned from public transport Banned from schools & hospitals Banned from owning or working

in retail stores