Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

• Formation of the Weimer Republic
• The rise of Hitler’s power
• The flow of Nazi around the world
• The Racial Ideology of Hitler and how it affected other countries
• How the years of Depression affected the German Economy.

Birth of the Weimer Republic

• Germany fought the First World War (1914-1918) along with the Austrian empire and against the Allies (England, France and Russia).
• Germany initially made gains by occupying France and Belgium. However, the Allies won defeating Germany and the Central Powers in 1918.
• A National Assembly met at Weimer and established a democratic constitution with a federal structure.
• The 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 Weimer Republic responsible for not only the defeat in the war but the disgrace at Versailles.

The Effects of the War – 

• The war had a devastating impact on the entire continent both psychologically and financially. From being a creditor, Europe became a debtor.
• The supporters of the Weimer Republic were criticized and became easy targets of attack in the conservative nationalist circles. Soldiers came to be placed above civilians.
•  Aggressive war propaganda and national honour became important.

Political Radicalism and Economic Crisis – 

• The birth of the Weimer Republic coincided with the uprising of the Spartacist League on the pattern of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. The Spartacists founded the Communist Party of Germany.
• Political radicalization was heightened by the economic crisis of 1923. As Germany refused to pay the war reparations, France occupied its leading industrial area, Ruhr.
•  Germany retaliated with printing paper currency recklessly. The value of the German mark collapsed. Prices of goods soared. There was hyperinflation.

The Years of Depression

• 1924-1928 saw some stability, yet it was built on sand. In 1924, with the introduction of the Dawes Plan by the Americans, Germany came out from the financial instability. Germany was totally dependent on short-term loans, largely from the USA.
• This support was withdrawn with the crash in 1929 of the Wall Street Exchange. The German economy was hit badly. The middle class and working population were filled with the fear of proletarianization.

The Weimer Republic had some inherent defects:

1. Proportional Representation
2. Article 48 which gave the President the powers to impose emergency, suspend civil rights and rule by decree.