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Adolf Hitler: Rise to Power. Hitler Gloats Over Victories.mov. Hitler’s Plan for the Third Reich. ‘Mein Kampf ’ = ‘My Struggle’ Extreme nationalism Unite all German-speaking people in an Empire, The Third Reich including: Dutch, Scandinavians, English, half of Belgiums
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Adolf Hitler: Rise to Power Hitler Gloats Over Victories.mov
Hitler’s Plan for the Third Reich • ‘Mein Kampf’ = ‘My Struggle’ • Extreme nationalism • Unite all German-speaking people in an Empire, The Third Reich including: • Dutch, Scandinavians, English, half of Belgiums • Germans in Austria, Poland, Sudetenland • Expand territory, Lebensraum, into Russia, Ukraine • Enforce racial “purification” • Most loathsome: Jews • Master race prevails • Anti-Democracy
Plan for Power • While in prison decided Nazis must use legal means to come to power • Propaganda • Goebbels • Symbolism • Mass media • Attack current gov’t • Offered differing solutions to differing groups
Weimar Germany & the Depression • Germany living on borrowed money, investments which have not had time to payoff • US difficulties lead to US banks not loaning money to Germany & asking for repayments • Consumers stop buying German exports • Businesses go under or layoff workers, massive unemployment results • Germany’s many political parties cannot agree on how to resolve the situation
SA & SS Celebrate January 30th, 1933Hitler Appointed Chancellor
Reichstag Fire • Hitler immediately calls for new elections • SA & SS attack left-wing supporters • Hitler rants against Communism • Goebbels turns up propaganda • And then…the Reichstag burns
Aftermath of Reichstag Fire • Blamed on Communists • Dutchman & former Communist arrested • Tried & executed • Hitler ‘whips up’ anti-Communist support • SA harasses Communists & Socialists at will • Beaten, killed, offices destroyed, meetings broken-up • Goering, Nazi Minister of Interior deputizes 50,000 SA men
Big Business Support • At this point money pouring into Nazi Party from big business • Hitler held meeting with industrialists • Why the support?
New Reichstag Elections • Nazis win 288 seats just short of majority • Outlawed Communist Party • Now had majority • Enabling Bill • SS outside & SA inside chanting ‘we want the bill or fire and murder’ • The Reichstag voted itself out of existence • Centre Party supported in exchange for religious protections • Only SPD opposed
Enabling Act and its Effects • The Enabling Act gave Hitler the right to suspend civil rights and liberties in Germany until the crisis passed • Hitler to rule by decree for 4 years • What he says is now law
Consolidation of Power • Gleichschaltung • ‘Bringing into line’ • Nazification of Germany • Purge of ‘unreliables’ • Socialists, jews, opposition • Lost jobs as teachers, civil servants, lawyers • SA carries out the violence • Violence of SA grew almost beyond Hitler’s control
1st Concentration Camp • Summer of 1934 ~27,000 prisoners in concentration camps • 1st Concentration Camp: Dachau • Near Munich
Gleichschaltung: Elimination of Political Parties • All parties either outlawed or forced to disband via SA intimidation • Reichstag remained but just for show • July 1933: Law Against the Formation of Parties • Nazi Party only legal party in Germany
Gleichschaltung: • State governments abolished • Replaced by 18 Nazi governors
Army vs SA • SA, so valuable to Hitler in gaining power, was now falling out of his control • ~ 1,000,000 men • SA, under Ernst Rohm, wanted to continue the revolution via violent means • Left was crushed, now turn to right • SA making Hitler look bad • SA seeking more power, takeover of entire army
Purge of SA: Why? • Army liked much of what they saw in Hitler • However, they hated the idea of being turned over to the S.A. and Ernst Rohm. • Considered SA to be a bunch of thugs • Army suggested loyalty to Hitler if SA not put in charge • Hitler needed the Army for future plans • Rohm had to go for Hitler to have the Army.
Night of the Long Knives • June 29- July 1, 1934 • SS, Hitler’s personal bodyguard, used to eliminate opposition • 100 SA leaders murdered • Including Ernst Rohm • Many other political opponents also murdered • Von Schleicher & von Kahr • Social Dems • ‘Undesirables’ like anti-Nazi religious leaders • Army swore loyalty to Hitler
Hindenburg • Hindenburg dies August 1934 • Hitler combines chancellor & president • Becomes Fuhrer • SS, under Himmler, established as main instrument of terror
Hindenburg’s Funeral Tannenburg Memorial: site of Hindenburg’s famous WWI victory