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NAZISM- IX, , 1, , Nazism and Rise, of Hitler

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NAZISM- IX, , 1, , Birth of the Weimar Republic, 1.1., The First World War (1914-1918), ▪ It was fought because there were tensions between powerful imperial, nations as colonialism rose in Europe, ▪ All countries joined, expecting a short term war, hoping to gain from a quick, victory., ▪ But the war stretched on, eventually draining Europe of all its resources., ▪ Germany was a huge imperial power under Kaiser Wilhelm II. It made, initial gains by occupying France and Belgium., ▪ However the allies were strengthened by the entry of US in 1917 , defeating, Germany and the central powers in 1918., , 1.2. The Peace Treaty at Versailles, ▪ The League of Nations was formed to make a treaty (settlement) between, countries and assign reparation to the losing nations., ▪ The peace treaty at Versailles with the Allies was a harsh and humiliating, peace for Germany., ▪ Germany lost its overseas colonies, a tenth of its population, 13 per cent of, its territories, 75 per cent of its iron and 26 per cent of its coal to France,, Poland, Denmark and Lithuania., ▪ The Allied Powers demilitarised Germany to weaken its power., ▪ The War Guilt Clause held Germany responsible for the war and damages, the Allied countries suffered. Germany was forced to pay compensation, amounting to 6 billion., ▪ The Allied armies also occupied the resource-rich Rhineland for much of, the 1920s., , 2

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NAZISM- IX, , 1.3. Formation of Weimar Republic, ▪ The defeat of Imperial Germany and the abdication of the emperor gave an, opportunity to parliamentary parties to recast German polity., ▪ A National Assembly met at Weimar and established a democratic, constitution with a federal structure., ▪ Deputies were now elected to the German Parliament or Reichstag, on the, basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults including women., ▪ This republic, however, was not received well by its own people largely, because of the terms it was forced to accept after Germany’s defeat at the, end of the First World War., ▪ Many Germans held the new Weimar Republic responsible for not only the, defeat in the war but the disgrace at Versailles., , Important map points:, , Often asked in exam: Rhineland, Lorraine, Alsace, West Prussia, East Prussia, , 3

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NAZISM- IX, , 1.4., , Effects of the War, , The war had a devastating impact on the entire continent both psychologically and, financially. From a continent of creditors, Europe turned into one of debtors., , 1.4.1., , ON THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC AND ITS SUPPORTERS, ▪ Unfortunately, the infant Weimar Republic was being made to pay, for the sins of the old empire., ▪ The republic carried the burden of war guilt and national, humiliation and was financially crippled by being forced to pay, compensation., ▪ Those who supported the Weimar Republic, mainly Socialists,, Catholics and Democrats, became easy targets of attack in the, conservative nationalist circles., ▪ They were mockingly called the November criminals’., ▪ This mindset had a major impact on the politics., , 1.4.2., , ON EUROPEAN SOCIETY AND THEIR IDEA OF, DEMOCRACY AS A GOVERNMENT, ▪ The First World Was left a deep imprint on European society and, polity. Soldiers came to be placed above civilians., ▪ Politicians and publicists laid great stress on the need for men to, be aggressive, strong and masculine., ▪ The media glorified trench life. The truth was that soldiers lived, miserable lives in these trenches, trapped with rats feeding on, corpses, poisonous gas and enemy shelling. Their ranks reduced, rapidly., ▪ Aggressive war propaganda and national honour occupied centre, stage in the public sphere, while popular support grew for, conservative dictatorships that had recently come into being., ▪ Democracy was indeed a young and fragile idea, which could not, survive the instabilities of interwar Europe., , 4

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NAZISM- IX, , 1.4.3., , POLITICAL RADICALISM, ▪ The birth of the Weimar Republic coincided with the revolutionary, uprising of the Spartacist League on the pattern of the communist, Bolshevik revolution in Russia., ▪ Soviets of workers and sailors were established in many cities. The, political atmosphere in Berlin was charged with demands for Sovietstyle governance., ▪ The Weimar Republic crushed the uprising with the help of a war, veterans organisation called Free Corps., ▪ The anguished Spartacists later founded the Communist Party of, Germany., ▪ Communists and Socialists henceforth became enemies. Both, wanted a radical solution., , 1.4.4., , THE GERMAN ECONOMIC CRISIS, 1923, ▪ Germany had fought the war largely on loans and had to pay war, reparations in gold. This depleted gold reserves., ▪ In 1923 Germany refused to pay, and the French occupied its leading, industrial area, Ruhr, to claim their coal., ▪ Germany retaliated with passive resistance and printed paper currency, recklessly., ▪ With too much printed money in circulation, the value of the, German mark fell as a result of overprinting., ▪ In April the US dollar was equal to 24,000 marks while by December,, the figure had run into trillions., ▪ As the value of the mark collapsed, prices of goods soared. This is, known as hyperinflation, a situation when prices rise phenomenally, high., ▪ The image of Germans carrying cartloads of currency notes to buy a, loaf of bread was widely publicised evoking worldwide sympathy., ▪ Eventually, the Americans helped Germany by introducing the, Dawes Plan, which reworked the terms of compensation to ease the, burden on Germans., , 5

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NAZISM- IX, , 1.4.5., THE GREAT ECONOMIC DEPRESSION, 1929, ▪ German investments and industrial recovery were totally dependent on, short-term loans, largely from the USA., ▪ This support was ended when the Wall Street Exchange crashed in 1929., Fearing a fall in prices, people sold their shares. This was the start of the, Great Economic Depression., ▪ Over the next three years, between 1929 and 1932, the national income of, the USA fell by half., ▪ Factories shut down, exports fell, farmers were badly hit and speculators, withdrew their money from the market., ▪ The effects of this recession in the US economy were felt worldwide., , 1.4.6., , EFFECT ON GERMANY’S ECONOMIC CLASSES, , The German economy was the worst hit by the economic depression., ▪ Workers: By 1932, industrial production was reduced to 40 per, cent of the 1929 level. Workers lost their jobs or were paid, reduced wages. Unemployment rose., ▪ Youths were either ‘Willing to do any works’ (carrying a placard, around their necks stating the same), playing cards in the streets or, engaged in criminal activities., ▪ The Working Class was becoming destitute (too poor to even, feed themselves). Their savings reduced rapidly when the currency, lost its value. People suffered., ▪ Businessmen developed proletarianization, (fear of being, reduced to working class). Businesses got ruined., ▪ Peasantry was affected by a sharp fall in agricultural prices and, women, unable to fill their children’s stomachs, were filled with a, sense of deep despair., , Wall Street Exchange — The name of, the world’s biggest stock exchange, located in the USA., , 6

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NAZISM- IX, , 1.4.7., , PROBLEMS WITHIN THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC, , ▪ Politically too the Weimar Republic was fragile. The Weimar constitution, had some inherent defects, which made it unstable and vulnerable to, dictatorship., (i), , Proportional representation - This made achieving a majority by, any one party a near impossible task, leading to a rule by coalitions., , (ii), , Article 48, which gave the President the powers to impose, emergency, suspend civil rights and rule by decree., , (iii), , Unstable Government - Weimar Republic saw twenty different, cabinets lasting on an average 239 days, and no one party was stable, enough to manage the economy., Thus People lost confidence in the democratic parliamentary, system, which seemed to offer no solutions., , 7

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NAZISM- IX, , 2, , Hitler’s Rise to Power, 2., 2.1., ▪, ▪, ▪, ▪, , 2.2., , Formation of Nazi Party, Born in 1889 in Austria, Hitler spent his youth in poverty., When the First World War broke out, he enrolled for the army, acted as a, messenger in the front, became a corporal, and earned medals for bravery., The German defeat horrified him. The humiliating Treaty of Versailles, imposed on Germany made him angry., In 1919, he joined the German Workers’ Party, took over the organisation, and renamed it the National Socialist German Workers’ Party. This party, came to be known as the Nazi Party., The Nazi political propaganda, , 2.2.1., The Struggle for Public Support, ▪ In 1923, Hitler planned to seize control of Bavaria, march to Berlin and, capture power. He failed, was arrested, tried for treason, and later released., ▪ The Nazis could not effectively mobilise popular support till the early 1930s., It was during the Great Depression that Nazism became a mass, movement., ▪ After 1929, banks collapsed and businesses shut down. Workers lost their, jobs and the middle classes were threatened with destitution., ▪ In such a situation Nazi propaganda stirred hopes of a better future., ▪ In 1928, the Nazi Party got no more than 2. 6 per cent votes in the, Reichstag — the German parliament. By 1932, it had become the largest, party with 37 per cent votes., , 8

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NAZISM- IX, , 2.2.2., , Hitler’s Speech tactics, Hitler was a powerful speaker. His passion and his words moved people., He promised to –, (i), Build a strong nation, undo the injustice of the Versailles Treaty and, restore the dignity of the German people., (ii), Provide employment for those looking for work, and a secure future, for the youth., (iii) Weed out all foreign influences and resist all foreign ‘conspiracies’, against Germany., , 2.2.3., , Mass Mobilisation- The Nazi Style of Politics, ▪ Hitler devised a new style of politics. He understood the, significance of rituals and spectacle in mass mobilisation., ▪ Nazis held massive rallies and public meetings to demonstrate, the support for Hitler and instil a sense of unity among the, people., ▪ The Red banners with the Swastika, the Nazi salute, and the, ritualised rounds of applause after the speeches were all part of, this spectacle of power., ▪ Nazi propaganda skilfully projected Hitler as a messiah, a saviour, ▪ It is an image that captured the imagination of a people whose, sense of dignity and pride had been shattered in a time of, economic and political crisis., , Note: in a question asking ‘explain Hitler’s rise to power’, use the above facts to, summarise the events in five points, on the lines of –, 1234-, , Born, joined army, took over German Worker’s party, The becoming of Nazism as a mass movement during depression, Hitler’s powerful speech and making of three promises, Huge rallies and demonstrations to project Hitler as a powerful figure, a, messiah., 5- Nazi Party getting 37% votes in 1932 out of popular support, and Hitler, becoming the chancellor and soon the Dictator in March 1933 with the, Enabling act., , 9

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NAZISM- IX, , 2.2.4., , Destruction of Democracy, , 2.2.4.1., , CHANCELLORSHIP, , On 30 January 1933, President Hindenburg offered the Chancellorship, the highest, position in the cabinet of ministers, to Hitler., 2.2.4.2. THE FIRE DECREE, A mysterious fire broke out in the German Parliament building in February. The, Fire Decree of 28 February 1933 indefinitely suspended civic rights like freedom, of speech, press and assembly that had been guaranteed by the Weimar, constitution., , 2.2.4.3. ENABLING ACT, i), On 3 March 1933, the Enabling Act was passed. This Act established, dictatorship in Germany., ii), It gave Hitler all powers to dismiss Parliament and rule by decree. All, political parties and trade unions were banned except for the Nazi Party, and its affiliates., iii), The state established complete control over the economy, media, army,, and judiciary., , 2.2.4.4. THE SECRET POLICE (GESTAPO), • Special surveillance and security forces were created to control and order, society in ways that the Nazis wanted., • Apart from the already existing regular police, these included the, Gestapo (secret state police), the SS (the protection squads), criminal, police and the Security Service (SD)., • It was the extra-constitutional powers of these newly organised forces, that gave the Nazi state its reputation as the most dreaded criminal, state., • People could now be detained in Gestapo torture chambers, rounded up, and sent to concentration camps, deported at will or arrested without any, legal procedures., , 10

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NAZISM- IX, , 2.2.5., Economic Reconstruction, ▪ Hitler assigned the responsibility of economic recovery to the economist, Hjalmar Schacht, ▪ Schacht aimed at full production and full employment through a statefunded work-creation programme., ▪ This project produced the famous German superhighways and the people’s, car, the Volkswagen., , 2.2.6., , Political Restoration and Expanding Territories, , In foreign policy also Hitler acquired quick successes., I., , He pulled out of the League of Nations in 1933, reoccupied the Rhineland, in 1936, and integrated Austria and Germany in 1938 under the slogan, One, people, One empire, and One leader., , II., III., , He then went on to take over Czechoslovakia and Poland., Schacht had advised Hitler against investing hugely in rearmament (this, means buying weapons) as the state still ran on deficit financing., , IV., , Hitler chose war as the way out of the approaching economic crisis., Resources were to be accumulated through expansion of territory., , V., , VI., , By the end of 1940, Hitler was at the pinnacle of his power., , THE TRIPARTITE PACT, In September 1940, a Tripartite Pact was signed between Germany, Italy, and Japan, strengthening Hitler’s claim to international power., , 11

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NAZISM- IX, , 2.3., , THE SECOND WORLD WAR, , (i), , Adolf Hitler’s political propaganda to create a strong German nation, through expansion of territories gave rise to tensions with France and, UK. This resulted in the second world war., , (ii), , After taking over Poland, Hitler moved to conquering Eastern Europe., He wanted to ensure food supplies and living space for Germans. He, attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941., , (iii), , However, Hitler exposed the German western front to British aerial, bombing and the eastern front to the powerful Soviet armies. The Soviet, Red Army inflicted a humiliating defeat on Germany, , (iv), , USA had resisted involvement in the war due to economic risk. When, Japan extended its support to Hitler and bombed the US base at Pearl, Harbor, the US entered the Second World War., , (v), , Hitler committed suicide in Berlin in April 1945. The war ended in May, 1945 with Hitler’s defeat and the US dropping of the atom bomb on, Hiroshima in Japan., , 12

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NAZISM- IX, , 3, , The Nazi Worldview, The Nazi ideology was synonymous with Hitlers World view., (i), (ii), , (iii), , (iv), , (v), , According to Nazi ideology there was no equality between people,, but only a racial hierarchy., In this view, blond, blue eyed Nordic German Aryans were at the, top, while Jews were located at the lowest rung and regarded as, the arch enemies of the Aryans., Hitler’s racism borrowed ideas from thinkers like Charles Darwin, and Herbert Spencer who gave the idea of the survival of the, fittest. HOWEVER, they never advocated human intervention., They said this is entirely ‘Natural’ selection., The Nazis created their false sense of racism using their, pseudoscience and argued that the strongest race would survive, and the weak ones would perish., The Aryan race was the finest, or ‘superior’. It had to retain its, purity, become stronger and dominate the world., , 13

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NAZISM- IX, , 3. THE DARK HISTORY OF JEWISH HATE AND GENOCIDE, Once in power, the Nazis began to implement their dream of creating an exclusive, racial community of pure Germans by physically eliminating all those who were, seen as ‘undesirable’, Nazis wanted only a society of ‘pure and healthy Nordic Aryans’. They alone were, considered ‘desirable’, or worthy of prospering and multiplying., This meant that even those Germans who were seen as impure or abnormal had, no right to exist. Under the Euthanasia Programme, Nazi officials had, condemned to death many Germans who were considered mentally or physically, unfit., , 3.1., , The oppression of racially ‘imferiors’, ▪ Jews were not the only community classified as ‘undesirable’. Many, Gypsies and blacks living in Nazi Germany were considered as racial, ‘inferiors’ who threatened the biological purity of the ‘superior, Aryan’ race., ▪ They were widely persecuted. Even Russians and Poles were, considered subhuman, and hence undeserving of any humanity., ▪ When Germany occupied Poland and parts of Russia, captured, civilians were forced to work as slave labour. Many of them died, simply through hard work and starvation., , 3.2., , LEBENSRAUM, ▪ Hitler believed in the concept of Lebensraum or living space for the, German people. Therefore, he believed that new territories should be, acquired for the settlement of German people., ▪ It would also enhance the material resources and power of the, German State., ▪ Under the shadow of war, the Nazis proceeded to realise their, murderous, racial ideal. Genocide and war became two sides of the, same coin., ▪ Occupied Poland was divided up. Much of north-western Poland was, annexed to Germany. Poles were forced to leave their homes and, properties behind to be occupied by ethnic Germans brought in from, occupied Europe., , 14

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NAZISM- IX, , ▪ Poles were then herded like cattle in the other part called the General, Government, the destination of all ‘undesirables’ of the empire., ▪ Polish children who looked like Aryans were forcibly snatched from, their mothers and examined by ‘race experts’., ▪ With some of the largest ghettos and gas chambers, the General, Government also served as the killing fields for the Jews., , 3.3. Why did Catholics hate the Jews?, ▪ There was a traditional Christian hostility towards Jews. They had been, stereotyped as killers of Christ and usurers., ▪ Until medieval times Jews were barred from owning land., ▪ They lived in separately marked areas called ghettos., ▪ They were often persecuted through periodic organised violence, and, expulsion from the land., ▪ They survived mainly through trade and moneylending., , 3.4., , Why did the Nazis hate jews?, , Hitler’s hatred of Jews was based on pseudoscientific theories of race, which held, that conversion was no solution to ‘the Jewish problem’. It could be solved only, through their total elimination., According to them the Jews were ‘foreigners’ with intentions to make the superior, Aryan race impure by multiplying with them., The Nazis sought to weed out the ‘conspiracies’ of the Jews and to purify the, society again, through their ‘final solution’, ‘euthanisation’ or ‘disinfection’ from, the society., From 1933 to 1938 the Nazis terrorised, pauperised and segregated the Jews,, compelling them to leave the country., The next phase, 1939-1945, aimed at concentrating them in certain areas and, eventually killing them in gas chambers in Poland., , 15

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NAZISM- IX, , 3.5. STEPS TO DEATH, 3.5.1., , Exclusion [1933-39], , The Nuremberg Laws of citizenship, stated that only those of German or, related blood would be called, German citizens enjoying the, protection of the German empire., ▪ Marriages or Extramarital affairs, between Jews and Germans were, forbidden., , 3.5.2., , ▪ Jews were forbidden to fly the, national flag., ▪ Jewish businesses were boycotted, ▪ Jews were not given government, jobs and were forced to sell, everything they had., ▪ Jewish properties were vandalised ,, houses were attacked and, synogogues were burnt., , Ghettoisation [1940-44], , From September 1941, all Jews had to wear a yellow Star of David on their breasts., This identity mark was stamped on their passport, all legal documents and houses., The ghettos where jews were forced to live became sites of extreme misery and, poverty. Jews had to surrender all their wealth before they entered a ghetto. Soon, the ghettos were brimming with hunger, starvation and disease., , 3.5.3., , Annihilation [1941 onwards], , Jews from Jewish houses, concentration camps and ghettos from different parts of, Europe were brought to death factories by goods trains., In Poland and elsewhere in the east, most notably Belzek, Auschwitz, Sobibor,, Treblinka, Chelmno and Majdanek, they were charred in gas chambers., Mass killings took place within minutes with scientific precision., , 16

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NAZISM- IX, , 4, , Youth in Nazi Germany, 4. Hitler was greatly interested in the youth., 4.1. YOUTH, ▪ He felt a strong Nazi society could be established only by teaching the, children Nazi ideology., ▪ All schools were ‘cleansed’ and purified which means that teachers who were, Jews or seen as ‘politically unreliable’ were dismissed., ▪ Children were first segregated and German and Jewish children could not sit, together or play together., ▪ The Jews and undesirable children were thrown out of schools and later on, killed in gas chambers in the 1940s., ▪ Good German children were subjected to a process of Nazi schooling, a, period of ideological training., ▪ School text books were rewritten and Racial Science introduced to justify Nazi, ideas of race., ▪ Even the function of sports was to nurture a spirit of violence and aggression, among children. Hitler believed that boxing could make children iron hearted,, strong and masculine., , 4.1.1., Youth Organisations, I. Youth organisations promoted the spirit of National Socialism among the, youth., II. Ten year old children had to join ‘Jungvolk’ and at 14 years of age all, children had to join the Nazi youth organisation ‘Hitler Youth’. were taught, to be loyal and submissive, hate Jews and worship Hitler, III. As members of Hitler Youth after 14 they learnt to worship war. glorify, aggression and violence, condemn democracy, and hate Jews and other, undesirables. It was also known as the ‘Youth League’., IV. The youth around the age of 18 had to serve in the armed forces and enter, one of the Nazi organisations., , 17

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NAZISM- IX, , 4.2., , The Nazi Cult of Motherhood, , In 1933, Hitler said ‘In my state the mother is the most important citizen.’, ▪ Girls were told that they had to become good mothers and rear pure, blooded Aryan children., ▪ Girls had to maintain purity of race, distance themselves from Jews and, teach their children Nazi values., ▪ All mothers were not treated equally; women who bore racially undesirable, children were punished while those who produced racially desirable children, were awarded and given concessions., ▪ To encourage women to produce many children, Honour Crosses were, awarded. A bronze cross for four children, silver Cross for six children and, a gold Cross for eight or more children., ▪ All ‘Aryan’ women who deviated from the prescribed code of conduct were, publicly condemned and severely punished., ▪ Those who maintained contacts with Jews, Poles and Russians were paraded, through the town with shaved heads and blackened faces., ▪ Many received jail sentences and even lost civic honour, their husbands and, families for this criminal offence., , 4.3., (i), , (ii), , (iii), (iv), (v), , The Art of Propaganda, The Nazi regime used language and media with care and often to great, effect. Nazis never used the words ‘kill’ or ‘murder’ in their official, communications. Mass killings were termed special treatment, final, solution (for the Jews), euthanasia (for the disabled), selection and, disinfections., Media was used to win support for the regime and popularise the world, view. Nazi ideas were spread through images, films, radio, posters, catchy, slogans and leaflets., Socialists and liberals were shown as weak and degenerate and attacked, as foreign agents., Propaganda films created hatred for the Jews and referred to them as, vermin, rats and pests. (e.g. The Eternal Jew), Nazi stereotypes were created: hooked nose, flowing beards, rat-like, movements and kaftans on heads. The media projected that Nazis could, solve all the problems, , 18

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NAZISM- IX, , 5, , Ordinary People and Crimes against, Humanity, SUPPORTERS OF THE NAZI, 1- Many saw the world through Nazi eyes and spoke their mind in, Nazi language., 2- As they were influenced by Nazism they felt hatred and anger, when they saw someone who looked like a Jew., 3- They marked the houses of the Jews and reported suspicious, neighbours to the Police., 4- They really believed that Nazism would bring prosperity and, improve general well being., , PASSIVE ONLOOKERS, 1- Not all Germans supported Nazism., 2- Many Germans were afraid to oppose Nazism because they would, be put to death for opposing the Nazis., 3- A large majority of Germans were thus apathetic witnesses to the, horrible acts of oppression., JEWS, 1- Because of Nazi propaganda the Jews themselves began believing, in Nazi stereotypes about themselves like having hooked noses,, black hair and eyes, Jewish looks and body movements., 2- They began having dreams about these things. This induced a, great amount of mental trauma on part of the Jews., 3- Jews died many psychological deaths even before they reached the, gas chambers., , 19

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NAZISM- IX, , Knowledge about the Holocaust, Information about Nazi practices and atrocities had trickled out of Germany, during the last years of the regime., , (i) Only after Germany was defeated in the Second World War, the world, came to see and realise the horrors of what had happened to the, undesirables in Germany., (ii) Jews wanted the world to remember the atrocities and sufferings they, had endured during the Nazi killing operations., (iii)Many inhabitants wrote diaries, kept note books and created archives, about the Nazi atrocities., (iv)When the war seemed lost, the Nazi leadership distributed petrol to its, functionaries to destroy all incriminating evidence in offices., (v) The memory of the holocaust lives on in memories, fiction, memorials, and museums in parts of the world today., , 20