Nazism and the Rise of Hitler Class 9

We've all heard the story about an eleven-year-old German boy who overheard his parents debating whether to commit suicide or kill the entire family. 'Now the allies will do to the crippled and Jews what we did to them,' his father predicted. His father committed suicide the next day in his office. His father was a Nazi who supported Adolf Hitler. Who exactly was Hitler? How did he rule Germany, and why did he despise Jews? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

What is Nazism?

After World War One, the fascist political movement known as the Nazis emerged in Germany under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. While severely restricting individual freedom, Nazism promoted extreme nationalism, militarism, and expansionism. The Nazis believed that Germans were descended from Aryans. They contended that Jews, Slavs, and other ethnic minorities had no reason to live in Germany because they were genetically inferior. Nazism was a political ideology that opposed democratic political ideologies such as democracy, communism, socialism, and others. In theory and practice, they were opposed to liberalism and any form of individualism. Nazis promised to build a peaceful, orderly, and prosperous society for Germans. They brought war, terrorism, and mass murder to the world.

Hitler prepared Germany for war after seizing political power through dubious means in 1933. He rearmed the country, violating the Treaty of Versailles both covertly and overtly. He formed an alliance with Mussolini, Italy's fascist leader. Japan later joined this alliance, creating the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis.. Nazi propaganda was secretly spread throughout India by the Axis countries, especially Nazi Germany, as war clouds began to gather over the continent of Europe.

Read also Revolt of 1857

The beginnings of the Weimar Republic

The First World War was fought between Germany and the Austrian empire, as well as the allies, namely England, France, and Russia, and was won by the allies. In Weimer, a National Assembly drafted a democratic constitution with a federal structure. However, the terms that the republic was forced to accept following Germany's defeat at the end of World War I did not sit well with its own citizens. Many Germans blamed the new Weimer Republic for the country's defeat and humiliation at Versailles.

The war had a devastating psychological and economic impact on the entire continent. Europe transitioned from a creditor to a debtor. The supporters of the Weimer Republic faced criticism and were frequently attacked by conservative nationalists. Soldiers now have authority over civilians. National pride and aggressive war propaganda became more prominent.

The revolt of the Spartacist League, which followed the lead of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, took place at the same time as the establishment of the Weimer Republic. The Spartacists founded the German Communist Party. The economic crisis of 1923 exacerbated political radicalization. Because Germany refused to pay war reparations, France invaded Germany's most important industrial region, the Ruhr. Germany responded by hastily printing paper money. The value of the mark plummeted. Things became more expensive. There was hyperinflation.

Despite being built on sand, the period from 1924 to 1928 demonstrated remarkable stability. Germany was completely reliant on short-term loans, the majority of which came from the United States. When the Wall Street Exchange crashed in 1929, this support was severed. The German economy suffered greatly as a result. Fear of proletarianisation gripped the working and middle classes. From the start, the Weimer Republic had a few flaws:

1. Accurate Representation

2. Article 48 empowered the President to declare a state of emergency, suspend civil liberties, and rule by executive order.

The Treaty of Versailles

Germany and the Allies signed the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, officially ending World War One. Under the terms of the treaty, Germany was required to make financial reparations, disarm, cede territory, and give up all of its foreign colonies.

The rise of Hitler

Hitler was born in Austria in 1889. During the First World War, he received numerous medals for his bravery.
He was taken aback by Germany's defeat. The Versailles Treaty enraged him. He changed the name of the German Workers Party to the National Socialist German Workers' Party while a member. This group was later known as the Nazi Party. Nazism did not become a widespread movement until the Great Depression. Nazi propaganda instilled hopes for a brighter future. Hitler was an eloquent and persuasive orator. He assured them that a strong country would provide employment for all.

Hitler ascended to the top of the cabinet of ministers on January 30, 1933. Hitler then set out to destroy democratic institutions. On February 28, 1933, the Fire Decree restricted freedoms of expression, the press, and assembly. Communists were hurriedly transferred to newly constructed detention camps. Every political party was declared illegal. To keep the populace under control and govern with impunity, specialized surveillance and security units were established.

Hitler’s beliefs about Jews

1. Religious conflict - For many years, conflicts between Christianity and Judaism have fueled the rise of antisemitism in Europe.

2. Anti-Semitism in Vienna - Hitler spent part of his childhood in Vienna, Austria, where anti-Semitism was widely accepted and practiced. He could have been influenced by some of the ideologies prevalent in that environment.

3. Jewish Economic Power - At the start of World War I, the majority of banks, financial institutions, and large corporations were controlled by Jews. Hitler blamed Jewish capitalism for Germany's defeat in the war, its economic collapse, and the Weimar Republic's misguided policies.

4. According to Hitler, Jews were plotting to take over the world and would stab Germans whenever they pleased.

5. Biological differences - Hitler and many other Nazis believed that the Aryan (German) race was superior and that Jews had been so severely degraded that they were nearly non-human. He believed that annihilating the Jewish race would benefit the entire world.

Youth in Nazi

Hitler believed that by teaching Nazi philosophy to young people, he could build a powerful Nazi society.

Every school received German teachers. Kids were divided into desirable and undesirable groups. Books were changed, and sports in schools were designed to foster an aggressive and violent mindset. Jungvolk only accepted ten-year-olds. At the age of 14, all boys joined "Hitler Youth," and at the age of 18, they enlisted in the labor force.

The Nazi Motherhood Cult encouraged women to have pure-blooded Aryan children and to be good mothers. They were encouraged to have multiple children.

The Nazi dictatorship carefully and frequently used language and media to manipulate public opinion. They spread anti-Jewish sentiment through movies, images, radio, posters, and other means.

Crimes Against Humanity - People spoke and saw the world through Nazi eyes. At times, Nazi prejudices against Jews began to spread among them.

Knowledge of the Holocaust - It wasn't until after the war that people realized what had happened. The Jews wanted the entire world to know about the horrors and hardships they endured during the Nazi murder campaigns. They simply wanted to live, even if only for a short time, in order to educate people about the Holocaust.

Nazism and the Rise of Hitler Class 9 pdf