1 / 16

Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany. Postwar Germany. With the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II on Nov. 9 th , 1918, Germany became a republic under the leadership of the Social Democrats. This came as a shock to most, since they believed Germany was winning the war.

selena
Download Presentation

Nazi Germany

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Nazi Germany

  2. Postwar Germany • With the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II on Nov. 9th, 1918, Germany became a republic under the leadership of the Social Democrats. • This came as a shock to most, since they believed Germany was winning the war. • The republic faced its first challenge with the Spartacist Revolt in Jan. 1919.

  3. Weimar Republic • German voters chose democracy as the National Assembly met in Weimar to draft a constitution. • It created a two house parliament (elected by proportional representation) and a president. • Despite this, many conservative nationalists remained in positions of power and resented the republic.

  4. Economic Problems • The reparations debt of 132 billion marks ($33 billion) crippled Germany. • Default allowed the French to occupy the industrial Ruhr Valley in 1923. • The industrial workers there refused to work for the French. • To support them, Germany printed money, causing rapid inflation.

  5. Economic Recovery • Gustav Stresemann, replaced the old mark with a new one, stabilizing the currency. • Passive resistance was ended in the Ruhr and the reparations issue was addressed. • The Dawes Plan had Germany pay variably depending on economic strength • In 1925, the Ruhr occupation ended. • The infusion of foreign loans and investment led to recovery in the late 1920s.

  6. The Depression and 1930 Elections • President Hindenburg faced economic crisis with the depression in 1930. • In the 1930 election, the Nazis increased their seats to 107 with the support of the lower middle class and peasants. • The Social Democrats continued to be the largest party with 143 seats and the communists held 77. Hindenburg

  7. Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) • Born in Austria, he was a poor student who unsuccessfully attempted to become an artist in Vienna. • Moving to Munich, he began to absorb right-wing ideas. • He enlisted in the German army and won the Iron Cross.

  8. The Nazi Party • In Munich after the war, Hitler joined then reorganized a small nationalist group soon to be called the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) or Nazis. • He gained followers by speaking of Germany’s ills and the disgrace of the Versailles Treaty. • He formed a paramilitary wing, the SA, or Brown Shirts.

  9. The Nazi Party • In the Munich Beer Hall Putsch of Nov. 1923, Hitler and the Nazis unsuccessfully attempted to seize power. • Hitler was imprisoned for nine months. • While in jail, he wrote Mein Kampf, which expounded his views on race, politics and German expansion (lebensraum).

  10. Rise of Hitler • Following the 1930 elections, Hindenburg and Chancellor Bruning ruled by decree, but had no success with the economy. • In spring 1932, Hitler challenged Hindenburg for the presidency. Hindenberg was relected and appointed Franz von Papen as chancellor. • He failed to gain wide support and he called for new elections. In July the Nazis emerged with 209 seats, in November, 196).

  11. Rise of Hitler • Papen resigned and was replaced by Kurt von Schleicher. • Papen then worked with Hitler to return to power. • On Jan. 30, 1933, they convinced Hindenburg to appoint Hitler chancellor and Papen vice chancellor. • Papen believed he could control Hitler and be the true leader of the government.

  12. Creation of the Nazi Dictatorship • New elections scheduled for March 1933 were preceded by the Reichstag fire of Feb. 27. • Hitler blamed the Communists and convinced Hindenburg to curtail liberties. • In the March 5 election, the Nazis won 288 seats (44%) and with their nationalist allies controlled the government (88 communists were banned).

  13. Creation of the Nazi Dictatorship • March 23, 1933 – the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, giving Hitler dictatorial powers for 4 years. • The Nazis then consolidated power by ending the federal system, abolishing labor unions, outlawing all other political parties. • The SS and Gestapo were created and with the death of Hindenburg in 1934, Hitler assumed his powers and control of the military.

  14. Nazi Anti-Semitism • Germany’s Jews number about 600,000. • Nazi persecutions began immediately, but intensified with the passage of the Nuremberg Laws of 1935. • It defined Jews as anyone with one Jewish grandparent (increasing the number to 2.5 million) and deprived them of citizenship. • On Nov. 9th, 1938, Kristallnacht had mobs destroying synagogues and business and the required wearing of the Star of David on clothing.

  15. Nazis and the Churches • The Lutheran church was made to accept a Nazi appointed bishop. • Dissenters following Pastor Martin Neimoeller were imprisoned in concentration camps. • In July 1933, the Vatican signed a concordat with Germany which protected the rights of Catholics. Increasing persecutions brought condemnation from Pope Pius XI in 1937. Pope Pius XI

  16. Nazi Economic Policy • “Socialist” in Nazi party terms meant subordination to the needs of the state. • Capitalists were allowed to keep their businesses and profits if they cooperated. • Unemployment was drastically reduced through public works projects such as the autobahns and the Four Year Plans of 1936 which focused on the increase in military production.

More Related