Hitler and the Rise of the Nazi Party – Part I

Chapter 13.5

Weimar Republic

After WWI, German leaders set up a democratic government known as the Weimar Republic

Weimar constitution established a parliamentary system led by a chancellor

Constitution gave women the right to vote and included a bill of rights

New German republic faced severe economic problems

Economic Crisis

When Germany could not make its war reparations, France seized the coal-rich Ruhr Valley

Government actions led to inflation and skyrocketing consumer prices

The German deutschmark was virtually worthless Many middle-class families lost their life savings The German government was weak and

ineffective to solve the economic crisis to stabilize the German mark

Worthless German Mark

The value of the German mark plummeted. It often took shoppers wheelbarrows of money to go shopping for milk or bread.

An item that cost 100 marks in 1922 cost 944,000 marks in 1923 – one year later!

Hyperinflation When associated with depressions,

hyperinflation often occurs when there is a large increase in the money supply not supported by gross domestic product (GDP) growth, resulting in an imbalance in the supply and demand for the money. Left unchecked this causes prices to increase, as the currency loses its value.

When associated with wars, hyperinflation often occurs when there is a loss of confidence in a currency's ability to maintain its value in the aftermath. Because of this, sellers demand a risk premium to accept the currency, and they do this by raising their prices.

One of the most famous examples of hyperinflation occurred in Germany between January 1922 and November 1923. By some estimates, the average price level increased by a factor of 20 billion, doubling every 28 hours.

Source: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hyperinflation.asp#ixzz2M3fUBYh0

Brief Video Watch this video to learn about monetary

inflation: http://www.investopedia.com/video/play/

monetary-inflation/#axzz2M3eXOU1r

Dawes Plan 1924 – USA convinced France to lower German

war reparation payments France withdrew French forces from the Ruhr

Valley USA lent money to Germany to help the

German economy recover German inflation was brought under control

with Western assistance

Adolf Hitler Born in 1889 in Austria Moved to Vienna at age 18 Developed anti-semitic

attitude (hatred/prejudice) against Jews while in Vienna

Fought with German army in WWI

After WWI, Hitler hated the weak Weimar government that accepted the terms of the Treaty of Versailles

He became leader of the National Socialists, or Nazi Party

Austria

Mein Kampf

1923: Hitler was arrested and imprisoned for treason

While in prison, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”)

Mein Kampf explained Nazi goals, beliefs, and prejudices

Mein Kampf represented Hitler’s obsessions: 1) extreme nationalism, 2) racism, and 3) anti-semitism

Hitler blamed Jews, Marxists, corrupt politicians and crooked business leaders for Germany’s defeat in WWI

Mein Kampf

Aryans

Hitler believed in a master race called Aryans

Aryans were light-skinned Europeans

Hitler felt Aryans were the enemies of the Jews, long persecuted by Christians in history

Hitler branded Judaism as a separate race, not a religion

Hitler defined a Jewish person if they had at least one Jewish grandparent

Aryan Race Propaganda

Lebensraum

Hitler dreamed that all German-speaking people would unite into one nation

Germany needed lebensraum – living space to expand in order to accommodate all the new people that would live inside the new Germany

Inferior races (dark-skinned) and Slavs would have to vacate to make room for the German empire

Hitler takes on the title Fuhrer (leader)

Lebensraum Propaganda

The German invasion of Russia in 1941 was the first step of Hitler's attempt to acquire more land (lebensraum) for the German people to populate.

Powerpoint Questions – Part I

15 points

1. What was the name of the German government established after WWI?

2. Identify the leader of the new German republic.3. What did France do when Germany refused to

make war reparations?4. Describe what happened to the value of the

German deutschmark (currency).5. What is the term called when there is a loss of

confidence in a currency's ability to maintain its value following a war?

Powerpoint Questions – Part I6. What was the name of the American plan that helped

the German economy recover?7. What was the name of the book that Hitler authored?8. Identify the three obsessions represented in Hitler’s

book. 9. The “master race” were known as ________.10. How did Hitler define a Jew?11. Name Hitler’s program for expanding the German

empire.12. What title does Hitler give himself? What does it mean?

(2 points)