Hello Everyone in this article we are going to understand a very important and serious chapter of Class 9th History which is named Nazism and the Rise of Hitler !
Imagine an 11- year old boy who overhears his parents having a serious conversation one night They are talking among themselves whether the entire family should be killed or should I Just end my own life .
” I am going to Kill whole Family or I will kill myself .”
This is the Story of a German boy named – ” Helmuth “. it was the spring season his father was renowned doctor but he was so scared he said to his wife ” Now the Allies will do to us , what we did to the crippled and Jews. The next day his father takes everyone to the forest for a picnic and they spend one last happy moment together .on next morning he went to his office and shot himself .
Little Helmuth was so scared that he didn’t eat anything at home for the next nine years , fearing his mother might poison him to death.
The Questions arises
- Why did Helmuth’s father do that after all ?
- What was the fear that it led him to take his own life ?
To know all this we have to go back in Time , so lets go….
The year was 1914, yes this was the year world war 1 began
Germany After Peace Treaty
- world war I lasted from 1914 to 1918
Central Power
- Germany
- Austria
Allies Power
- England
- France
- Russia
In November 1918 , Germany lost the war .
- The German King (Friedrich Ebert ) escaped and left the country
Now Just think if the king ran away from his position then who would run the country ? someone had to take charge right ?
then
- A democratic republic was formed in Weimar City which we know as the Weimar Republic
- First time introduced RIGHT TO VOTE to all adults and women’s.
- At that time Germany’s Parliament was called the “Reichstag”
- The new republic ” Weimar Republic ” the people of Germany didn’t liked the government
- Because Weimer republic signed a Treaty of Peace which are known as Treaty of Versailles “
Treaty of Versailles
- it was a very harsh peace treaty imposed on Germany by the allied powers .
- Germany lost everything because of this harsh treaty.
Germany after Peace Treaty
- Germany lost all its overseas colonies
- Germany also had 13 % of its territories taken away.
- 75 % of its Iron and 26 % of its coal resources were also handed over to France , Poland , Denmark and Lithuania.
- Army was demilitarized to weaken its power so that Germany could never wage war again.
- Germany was held entirely responsible for the war , all the blame was put on it, and a massive fine of 6 billion pounds was imposed
- Many Germans blamed the new Weimar republic for the defeat in the war and the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles.
- who are supporters was known as “You are November Criminals “
why they were called ” November Criminals ” ?
They were called the November Criminals because the Weimar Republic leaders forced the war to stop in the month of November , even though many believed that Germany hadn’t actually lost the war . these leaders signed the armistice before defeat was official , which is why people saw them as traitors or criminals.
Economic Crisis : Hyperinflation (1923)
- Germany Heavy war debt , in 1923 Germany refuse to pay .
- France occupied German Place RUHR
- Then Germany decided to print money
Hyperinflation
- when prices rise very rapidly , that’s what we call Hyperinflation . ” More money High Prices “
* They were carrying bundles of notes just to buy a loaf of bread. Just think once , all your savings and your parents hard work will become worthless . America helps Germany in this difficult condition. America created DAWS PLAN through which it provided small loans to Germany to Improve its Financial Situation.
The Great Depression 1929
- From 1924 to 1928 Germany experienced Slight recovery and a period of relative stability
- In 1929 America wall street exchange crashed , marking the beginning of the Great Economic depression
- America withdrew its support from Germany which caused the German economy to collapse badly as well.
Year 1932
- Industrial production fell to less than half
- Six Million people became unemployed
- On the streets people walked ground with cards hanging from their necks that read ” Willing to do any work”
- The middle class and small businessman were ruined
Constitution of Weimar Republic
- Proportional Representation – which made it difficult for any one party to win a majority. so condition governments were always farmed meaning governments made by joining forces.
- Article 48- which gave the president emergency powers allowing him to suspend civil rights and rule the entire country alone
German people – All this too was happening because of the Weimar Republic .
The Rise of Hitler (Adolf Hitler )
- Hitler was born in 1889 in Austria
- Hitler was very upset by Germany’s defeat
- Extremely disappointed and angry because of the Treaty of Versailles.
- in 1919 Hitler Joined German workers party later he renamed the party National Socialist German Workers Party also known as Nazi party.
Nazi Party
- in the 1928 election they received only 2.6 % of the votes which is why they were unable to form a government
- By 1932 the Nazi party had become the largest party with 37 % of the votes /
Hitler Promises
- He would make Germany a strong nation
- He would take revenge for the Treaty of Versailles and restore the dignity of the German people
- Everyone would be given employment and the youth would have a secure future
- All foreign influences would be eliminated and we would all live in peace.
Hitler Minister- Joseph Goebbels
- people began to see Hitler as a Messiah looking at him like a Savior.
Adolf Hitler as New President
- on 30th January 1933 President Hindenburg appointed Hitler as the Chancellor of Germany
- As soon as he came to Power , Hitler began dismantling democracy
- Hitler Passed the fire decree which took away all civil rights such as freedom of speech , press , and assembly
- On 3 march 1933 he passed the famous enabling act , and Hitler became dictator of Germany
After Becoming Dictator
- After becoming dictator Hitler held all the powers in his hands
- All political parties and trade unions were banned except the Nazi Party
- Economy ,media , army and judiciary were brought under complete control.
To control Society
- Special security forces were created
- A secret state policy was also formed which was called the Gestapo
- The SS (Protection Squads ) led by Heinrich Himmler and the SD (Security Service ) were given extra-constitutional powers
- Nazi state had turned into a dreaded criminal state
Economic Success of Hitler
- Hitlers economist Hjalmar Schacht Introduced state funded programs aimed at bringing full employment to Germany
- Germany superhighways (Autobahn) and the Volkswagen car , both were part of this project
- In foreign policy , Hitler had also begun breaking the treaty of Versailles
- Leaders like Herman Goring played a key role in preparing the economy and the Luftwaffe (air force ) of war
breaking the treaty of Versailles
- Reoccupied the Rhineland
- Integrated Austria with Germany
- Control over Czechoslovakia
Nazi Ideology- The Nazis followed a system of belief known as Nazi Ideology.
Racial Hierarchy
According to Nazi Ideology, all people were not equal there was a racial Hierarchy Target on Nordic Aryans .
Nazis believe
The Strongest race would survive and the weak ones would perish.
Lebensraum or Living space
Hitler believed that Germans needed more Living space which would be gained by conquering Eastern Europe
Controlling The Youth
- He Expelled all Jewish teachers and those considered politically unreliable
- Children were also segregated
- Germans and Jews were not allowed to sit or play together
- Undesirable Children likes Jews Gypsies and handicapped were expelled from schools and later sent to gas chambers
Hitler Believe
- Disable or considered unfit to work, Hitler believed there was no point in keeping them alive
- Those Good German Children were given Nazi Schooling
- Racial Science was introduced into their syllabus
- Even in math class stereotypes about Jews were taught
- Children were taught to be loyal and submissive to Hitler , to Hate the Jews and to worship him
- At the age of 10 children joined the Jung Volk where they learned basic things
- At 14 , all boys had to join the Hitler Youth
- By 1939 this had become compulsory and all other youth organizations in Germany were banned
- for women’s they had become good mothers and rear pure blooded Aryan Children
- To maintain racial Purity and teach children Nazi Values
- Hitler Says in my state mother is most important citizen
- women who were considered racially desirable meaning they bore good children were awarded Honor Crosses
- For 4 Desirable Children – Bronze Cross
- For 6 Desirable Children- Silver Cross
- For 8 or more than 8 children- Gold Cross
Having contact with Jews or getting close to them
Then They were Publicly humiliated their heads were shaved and their faces were blackened .
The Art of Propaganda
- They did not use words Like ” Kill or murder “. they says we are not killing we are just giving special treatment
- To kill the Jews they called it the final solution
- To kill the disabled people they called it euthanasia.
- Gas Chambers were called ” Disinfection areas “