Life in nazi Germany

• Hitler’s Rise to Power

  • After World War I, Germany became a democracy called the Weimar Republic.
  • The Weimar government was blamed for signing the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed harsh conditions on Germany, leading to its nickname, the ‘November Criminals’.
  • The 1920s saw Germany in economic crisis with high unemployment and inflation.
• The Nazi Party

  • Founded in 1919 as the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), the Nazis were anti-communist and sought to reverse the Treaty of Versailles.
  • Adolf Hitler joined and quickly became the party leader due to his powerful oratory skills.
  • In 1923, the Nazis attempted the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich. Hitler was imprisoned and wrote Mein Kampf, outlining Nazi beliefs and future plans for Germany.
  • Hitler adopted methods from Mussolini, including the fascist salute, the Brownshirts (SA), and the swastika as the party emblem.
• The Rise of the Nazi Party

  • The Weimar government’s unpopularity, the Treaty of Versailles, and the Great Depression (triggered by the 1929 Wall Street Crash) contributed to the rise of the Nazis.
  • Hitler’s nationalism and promises to restore Germany’s greatness resonated with many.
• Creation of a Dictatorship

  • In February 1933, the Reichstag was set on fire, which Hitler blamed on Communists, allowing him to ban the Communist Party.
  • In March 1933, the Enabling Act was passed, allowing Hitler to rule by decree without parliament, and he became der Führer.
• Life in Hitler’s Germany

  Economic Policies

  • Independent trade unions were abolished, and strikes were made illegal.
  • Public work schemes built motorways (Autobahnen) and the Olympic Stadium.
  • Rearmament began, and the motor industry developed the Volkswagen.
  • Taxes were cut to encourage private industry.
• Education

  • Nazi youth groups like the Hitler Youth and the League of German Maidens were established.

  Schools rewrote textbooks to promote Nazi ideology, and Mein Kampf became a standard text. Teachers had to join the Nazi Party.
• Women’s Lives

  • Women were encouraged to focus on Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church).
  • Mothers with many children received medals, and women were expected to dress traditionally and avoid makeup and smoking.
• Propaganda

  • Joseph Goebbels, Minister for Propaganda, controlled the media, including the press, radio, and cinema.
  • Book burnings were common, and the People’s Radio made speeches accessible to all.
  • The Nazi salute and ‘Heil Hitler!’ became compulsory greetings.
  • The Nuremberg Rallies and the 1936 Berlin Olympics showcased Nazi Germany’s strength and unity.
• Terror

  • The Gestapo, led by Heinrich Himmler, was established as the secret police.
  • In 1934, the Night of the Long Knives saw the SS eliminate SA leaders and other threats.
  • Concentration camps imprisoned political opponents, Jews, and other marginalized groups.
• A Fascist Leader: Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)

  • Born in Austria, Hitler aimed to become an artist but joined the German army in World War I.
  • He joined the Nazi Party in 1919 and became its leader by 1921.
  • As Chancellor in 1933 and der Führer in 1934, he defied the Treaty of Versailles by remilitarizing the Rhineland and annexing Austria (Anschluss).
  • Hitler’s non-aggression pact with Stalin was broken in 1941 with Operation Barbarossa, leading to WWII and the Holocaust.
  • Hitler committed suicide on 30th April 1945 as the Allies closed in on Berlin.