The Weimar Republic From Democracy to Nazism. On the back… Based upon what you know about World...
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Transcript of The Weimar Republic From Democracy to Nazism. On the back… Based upon what you know about World...
The Weimar RepublicFrom Democracy to Nazism
On the back…
• Based upon what you know about World War II, the Holocaust, and Adolf Hitler - how did he take over Germany?
“Stab in the Back”
• Nov. 1918 - Weimar Republic formed • Nov. 1918 - Armistice signed by civilian
representatives• Versailles Treaty inflicted brutal
punishment
Weimar Constitution
• President elected popularly• Chancellor appointed by President• Legislators elected through proportional
representation to Reichstag• Article 48 - Temporary dictatorship to
solve crises
Weimar Culture
• Berlin became center of European culture
• Conservatives opposed changes• All Quiet banned
Early 1920’s
• French occupy Ruhr• Far-left and right groups fight for control• Munich (Beer Hall) Putsch• Hyperinflation
Hyperinflation - 1923
Hyperinflation
• Most workers were paid daily and given time to shop before the value of their wages fell further.
• Depositors received letters from their banks informing them their life savings were worth less then the administrative costs of maintaining their accounts.
• Young women who had been setting aside money for their dowries saw their savings evaporate, thus making a traditional German marriage impossible.
• A concert pianist would be paid with a suitcase of bills for his performance and exchange half of the bills for several sausages.
Hyperinflation
Hyperinflation
Hyperinflation
Hyperinflation
Late 1920’s
• Recovery based upon American loans
• 1929 Stock Market crash, Depression
• Taxes raised, wages and social programs cut
• 6 million unemployed workers
Political Crisis
• Coalitions collapse• Parties unwilling to compromise• President Hindenburg and Article 48• Extremists gain power• Paramilitary groups roam cities
Hitler and Nazi Party
• As party leader, he gave numerous speeches blaming Germany’s new found weakness on the current politicians, the French, the communists, and the Jews
Philosophy of Hitler
• First outlined his political philosophy in Mein Kampf– Versailles Treaty must be repealed, it had dismantled
the very nature of the Fatherland– All German-speaking people must be united in a
single nation which therefore needed additional “living space”
– Aryans are the highest form of life, must never intermingle with lesser races including Slavs and Jews; these groups must be separated from Aryans
Philosophy of Hitler
• After prison, Hitler reorganized Nazi party and developed a political platform that would utilize the democratic system to obtain power
National Socialist Platform
• Stop all compliance with the Versailles Treaty and punish those responsible for this “stab in the back”
• Rid Germany of corrupt non-Aryan influences, including the Jews who he said had an international plan to take over world
• Only allow people of German blood to be citizens
National Socialist Platform
• Rebuild greatness of the German army; build an unrivaled navy
• Unify the German peoples• Rebuild the German economy without
foreign influences – protecting German workers and farmers
National Socialist Platform
• Education in the name of the nation should be available to everyone and the press should have limitations placed on it
• All citizens have equal access to pensions and medical care in their old age
1932
• Four parties vying for power• Nazis receive 37% of vote - 2nd• Hitler demands to be appointed
Chancellor• President Hindenburg believes it would
keep him in check
1933-34
• Feb. 1933, Reichstag burned
• Consolidates power• Nazis gain control • Hindenburg dies• Hitler declares himself
Fuhrer
"Comrades, we stand firmly together for Germany, and we must stand firmly together for Germany. I am handing you the new insignia, knowing I place it in the most loyal hands in Germany. In the past you have proven your loyalty to me a thousand times. In the future it cannot and will not be any different!"