Hitler and Nazi Germany

WWII

I. Adolf HitlerA. Young Hitler– Born April 20, 1889 in Austria– Was a poor student in secondary school– Dropped out of school to pursue art– Was Rejected twice by the Vienna Academy of Art– Earned money by painting postcards

B. Hitler in WWI– Volunteered in the German Army– Found Battle exhilarating– Received the Iron Cross twice

II. Forming the Nazi Party

A. German Workers Party– In 1919 Hitler joined the German Worker’s Party• Small right-wing group

B. Hitler Becomes Leader– Soon after joining the GWP Hitler becomes the

leader– Party changes it’s name to National Socialist

German Workers Party• Commonly called “Nazi”

C. Nazi Party organized Militarily– Hitler demanded absolute authority and total

allegiance– Just like the Military Nazis had:• Uniforms• Salutes• Emblems• Flags

III. Beer Hall PutschA. Nazis try to take power– 1923 Hitler has the idea to try and take over the

German government– Nazis meet in a beer hall in Munich

– Attempt to Riot and take over Germany– Police open fire on the Nazis and they scatter– Hitler is arrested and sent to jail

IV. Hitler’s World ViewA. Mein Kampf– While in jail Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (My

Struggle)– Wrote about his plans for Germany and his views

about the world

B. Nationalism– Fanatic Nationalism = extreme view of German

exceptionalism– The nation is the most important thing– All laws and actions are to better the nation

C. Religion– Rejected Judeo-Christian Religion– Religion is a distraction from the Nation– Need only to worship your German Heritage

D. Race– Hitler divided races into “inferior” and “great

races”– Aryan (German) race was the Superior Race– Jews, Gypsies, Slavs were all inferior– Hitler believed they should be exterminated

E. Future of Germany– Overturn of the Versailles Treaty– Bringing all Germans of Central and Eastern

Europe together– Taking large parts of Eastern Europe for Germany

V. Hitler Comes to Power

A. After Jail– Hitler organizes the party more efficiently– Membership of the party increases greatly

B. Nazis in Parliament– 1932: Nazis receive 37% of the seats in the

Parliament– Nazi Party is the majority Party

C. Hitler Takes Over– President of Germany decides parliament will no

longer have real power

– Hitler persuades the President to make him Chancellor

– Enabling Act (1933) gives the Chancellor all of the power

– Hitler is now the Dictator of Germany