WWII
Hitler and Nazi Germany
I. Adolf Hitler
A. Young Hitler
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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
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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
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Commonly called “Nazi”
C. Nazi Party organized Militarily
– Hitler demanded absolute authority and total
allegiance
– Just like the Military Nazis had:
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Uniforms
Salutes
Emblems
Flags
III. Beer Hall Putsch
A. 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 View
A. 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