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Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler. “I shall go down in history as the greatest German” – Adolf Hitler. Weimar Republic. Born out of crisis and defeat WWI Oct. 1918 situation was desperate Not going to win war of attrition vs. U.S. Gov’t in deep debt Allied blockade & poor management left food shortages

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Adolf Hitler

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  1. Adolf Hitler “I shall go down in history as the greatest German” – Adolf Hitler

  2. Weimar Republic • Born out of crisis and defeat • WWI • Oct. 1918 situation was desperate • Not going to win war of attrition vs. U.S. • Gov’t in deep debt • Allied blockade & poor management left food shortages • Strikes & gov’t criticism met with extreme violence • Military leaders tried to ease the Kaiser toward an armistice & setting up a civilian gov’t • Naval chiefs wanted to undermine gov’t, sent fleet out to sea to fight the British, sailors mutinied

  3. Weimar Republic • Unleashed a wave of protests; order collapses • Armies mutiny in other places in Germany • Kaiser abdicates throne • Disassociate the Germany the Allies would deal with from the war Germany • A republic was proclaimed • To prevent a Bolshevik revolution in Germany, former soldiers created Freikorps (like the Blackshirts) • Put down a few attempted revolts

  4. Weimar Republic • After elections in Jan. decided to draw up a constitution • Very liberal in nature • Electoral system based on proportional representation • Friedrich Ebert first president • Start to lose creditability after WWI – Treaty of Versailles • War guilt clause • Legend of the “November Criminals” grows • Jews, Communists, Liberals

  5. Weimar Republic • Political assassinations • The Monetary Crisis • 1919 – almost bankrupt b/c of the war • 132 billion gold marks (war reparations) • 2 billion per year + 26% of Germany’s exports • French get exasperated when • U.S. stays out of the League, signs own treaty with Germany • Marks Germans were paying were losing their value • August 1921 Germanys asks for a break to allow economy to recover

  6. Weimar Republic • France refused the request • France seizes land in the Ruhr in lieu of payment • Government ordered passive resistance • Strikes in the factories • Pay the workers during the strikes, print more money • Hyperinflation • 4,200,000,000,000 marks equals $1 • 2,000 printing presses worked 24/7

  7. Weimar Republic • Hyperinflation • Some people paid twice daily • Spend their morning money before exchange rates posted • Wages collected in wheelbarrows • When price of coal went up, many burned their pay • Consequences of hyperinflation • Lost life savings; worthless overnight • Some made a profit out of it • Farmers – selling food • Large industrialists – paid in foreign money, bought up smaller businesses going bankrupt • Some say they caused this crisis with this in mind…

  8. Birth • Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau, Austria. • Adolf was 1 of 6 children - 3 died at early ages

  9. Parents Alois Schickelgruber Hitler was a customs official who was illegitimate by birth. His father, Adolf’s grandfather, may have been Jewish. He died when Adolf was 14 and left him a small inheritance. Klara Hitler was very young when she married the older Alois. She showered young Adolf with love and affection. Adolf carried a picture of his mom until the day he died. She died of breast cancer when Adolf was 18 years old.

  10. Education • Attended a Benedictine monastery school where he took part in the choir. • When it was time to choose a secondary school, Adolf wanted to become an artist. • His father wanted him to become a civil servant, but after his father died, he dropped out of high school and attempted to get into the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts - he failed… • Twice…

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  13. Years in Vienna • Very important time in his life! • After his mother died, Adolf (now 18) decided to move to Austria to pursue his dream of becoming a great artist. • Again he failed to gain entrance into the Academy • He eventually sold all his possessions and became a homeless drifter who slept on park benches and ate at soup kitchens throughout Vienna (age 19) • Adolf did manage to sell some paintings and postcards, but remained impoverished

  14. Hitler • Between 1908 and 1914 forms many aspects of his personality • Racism, nationalism, authoritarianism • Struggle between those fit to survive and those that were not. • Hatred for non-German people, bourgeois world, Jews

  15. Vienna • Influenced by the anti-Semitic mayor of Vienna, Karl Lueger • Became interested in the idea of German nationalism. • Also received first taste of politics

  16. Military Service • 1913, moved to Munich, recalled to Austria in February 1914 for military service. • Seen as unfit, rejected. • But he did sign up for military service at the start of WWI. He joined a Bavarian unit of the German Army. This is a picture of Hitler listening to an enlistment speech.

  17. World War I • Excited to fight for Germany. • Found a home fighting for the Fatherland. • Highest rank held was corporal. • Was a regimental messenger, not an easy job at all. (Life-expectancy = 6 weeks)

  18. Military Record • Was awarded the Iron Cross twice. (5 medals overall) • Highest military honor in German Army. • Single handedly captured 4 French soldiers. • Temp. blinded by gas attack towards end of war.

  19. German Loss in WW I • Hitler was devastated when he heard the news of the German surrender. • He was appalled at the anti-war sentiment among the German civilians. • Believed there was an anti-war conspiracy that involved the Jews and Marxists. • Also, felt that the German military did not lose the war, but that the politicians (mostly Jews) at home were responsible for the defeat.

  20. Life after WW I • Hitler was depressed after WW I. • Still in the army, he became an undercover agent whose job was to root out Marxists • Also, lectured about the dangers of Communism and Jews

  21. German Worker’s Party • Hitler was sent to investigate this group in Munich in 1919. • He went to a meeting and gave a speech. • He was them asked to become a member, which he did. Quit the army. • Devoted life to building up the party

  22. NAZI Party is Formed • Hitler began to think big for the German Worker’s Party • Began placing ads for meetings in anti-Semitic newspapers • Hitler changed the name to National Socialist German Worker’s Party or the NAZIS

  23. Germany • Was in terrible shape • Resented defeat in WWI, esp. Treaty of Versailles • Blamed Weimar Government and “November Criminals” • Freicorps not very efficient • Economic dislocation; widespread unemployment, inflation, French in the Ruhr, savings lost • This all helped and lead to the growth of Nazi Party • Hitler discovered he was a good speaker • Gives many beer hall speeches; membership increases

  24. Germany • Early members: Alfred Rosenberg, Rudolf Hess, Hermann Göring, Ernst Röhm • Acquired newspaper Völkischer Beobachter • (People’s Observer) • Hitler takes over as president of the party • July 1921 Röhm founds a paramilitary force • Sturmabteilung (Brownshirts)

  25. Party Platform • Hitler drafted a platform of 25 points • Revoke Versailles Treaty • Revoke civil rights of Jews • Confiscate any war profits Besides changing the party name, the red flag with the SWASTIKA was adopted as the party symbol

  26. Munich Beer Hall Putsch • Röhm persuaded other right-wing groups to join Nazis: Kampfbund (German Fighting Union) • In response to the French in the Ruhr, Weimar Government allows Minister of Defense and Army Commanders take charge of government • Several “states of emergency” around Germany • Hitler’s chance… • “March on Berlin”

  27. Munich Beer Hall Putsch • October 30, 1923 • Hitler held a rally in Munich beer hall and declared revolution • Led 2000 men in take over of Bavarian Government • It failed and Hitler was imprisoned

  28. Trial and Jail • At his trial (treason), he used the opportunity to speak about the NAZI platform and spread his popularity. • The whole nation suddenly knew who Adolf Hitler was and what he stood for • He was sentenced to five years, but actually only served about 9 months

  29. Munich Beer Hall Putsch • Reasons for failure • Nazi Party had little support outside of Bavaria • Munich police, not very sympathetic • Despite the appearance, the republic not in danger of collapse • Advantages for Hitler • Gave Hitler “revolutionary creditability” • Nation-wide publicity • Taught the Nazis they needed his leadership (prison) • Put Hitler on a more appropriate path to power though conventional politics

  30. Mein Kampf • Hitler’s book “My Struggle” - wrote while in jail • Sold 5 million copies, made him rich • Topics included: Jews were evil, Germans were superior race, Fuhrer principal, dislike of Communism and Democracy and need to conquer Russia

  31. Nazism • Extreme nationalism • Universal racist beliefs • White race had been “diluted” by intermarriage • Aryan race • Forests during the Dark Ages in Germany • Have you seen any pictures of Nazis? Notice anything?? • Jews = able people, but morally inferior • Social Darwinism • State = all-important • National unity must be maintained • Only through a strong government – “Leader principle”

  32. Nazism • Strength of the nation = character of the race • Eugenics – Only the healthy have children • Eliminate the physically deformed & mentally ill • Existing elites were removed, why? • New genetic/biological elites! • Distinctions of education, birth or wealth only created social parasites • Needed people with genuine talent – Natural selection • Economic self-sufficient aims • Stab in the back theory by the “November criminals” • All spread through propaganda (Joseph Göbbels)

  33. Years of Peace • Hitler leaves prison, seems like his time had passed • Monetary crisis had passed • Government closed banks for a week • Issued Rentenmark = 1 trillion of the old marks • Value based on land • Large loan from Britain, France, and the U.S. • U.S. – Dawes Plan – Allowed the rescheduling of war reparations • Boom in coal, iron, steel, electrical goods, and chemical industry • However…

  34. Years of Peace • However… • Unemployment was still high • Textile industry not doing well • Small farms either • Apparent prosperity seemed tied to US loans • Despite peace, Germans seemed unwilling to accept their defeat and consequences • Elect Marshall Hindenburg president • Renounces Germany’s responsibility for the war • Hitler decides he needs to take power legally

  35. Years of Peace • Army was not going to let him take it by force • Allowed to reform his party as a constitutional party (Bürgerbrau Beer cellar) • Much fighting within the party • Some do not want to be a const. party • Some want to ally with the socialists (USSR) vs. the “capitalist Jewish West” • Hitler meets and wins over Göbbels • Party acts as a welfare group • Collect money, distribute food & clothing to those in need • Aligns his party with the National Party • Access to news papers & businesses • Only got 2.6% of the total vote, 12 seats in the Reichstag

  36. Second Crisis of the Republic • Wall St. Crash – US stopped loans to Germany, called for repayment • Undermined currency, bank run, many collapsed • Slump in world trade, factories closed everywhere • Unemployment rose to 6 million by 1932 • September ‘30 elections = Reichstag – 12-107 (18.3% of the vote) • Hitler makes a strong appeal to industrialists • More money to fight in the elections

  37. Second Crisis of the Republic • July ‘32 elections – 37.4% of the vote – 230 seats • Hitler decides to run against Hindenburg • Lost 13 million – 19 million votes • What good came of this for Hitler? • Seen as a plausible alternative if the time came • November elections, vote declined by 2 million, lost 34 seats • Most likely due to positive economic action • Open door for Hitler

  38. Nazis Come to Power • Government thought Hitler could be controlled • Lost votes after all… • Decide to bring him into government • Why do you think they did that? • Pre-emptive move, afraid of a Nazi Putsch • Easier to control him inside of government than outside • Appointed chancellor of Germany in a cabinet with only three Nazis • Time for Hitler to work his magic…

  39. Hitler as Chancellor • Immediately starts to lay groundwork for absolute dictatorship • Set election day for March 5, 1933, then went to work… • Placed Hermann Göring as Minister in charge of Prussia • Senior police officers replaced by Nazis • Mostly SA and SS • Intimidated rivals, attacked their meetings • Used the media for propaganda

  40. Hitler as Chancellor • Feb 27th, Reichstag burns down (Dutch Communist) “Night of the Long Knives” • Hitler claims it as part of a planned Communist uprising • How did this effect public? • New fear, more likely to give up rights for protection • Frighten voters to support the “strong leader” • Justification to outlaw the Communist Party • Election time – 288 seats, only 44% of the vote… • Hitler claims all the Communists’ seats null and void • Finishing touches…

  41. Hitler as Chancellor • Rest of the Communists were arrested • Strikes a deal with Catholic Center Party • Now has a 2/3 majority in Reichstag • Passes Enabling Act • Hitler power for 4 years without any referencing to the constitution of the Reichstag • Passes 441 – 94, imagine that?? • Welcome to the Third Reich!

  42. Third Reich • Despite dictatorial powers, forces that could limit Hitler’s power • Hindenburg still had a lot of respect • SA (Brownshirts) under Ernst Röhm • Expected a social revolution • Expected rewards for their service to Nazism • Issues a policy of Gleichschaltung (forcible co-ordination) – allowed him to sometimes eliminate and control all areas of German life

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