Hitler and Nazi Germany Notes

• These notes cover Hitler's rise to power, control tactics, life in Nazi Germany, resistance efforts, the Holocaust, and the impact of WWII on Germany.

Hitler's Rise to Power (1933-1934)

• Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933, but his position was initially weak.
• President Hindenburg had the power to dismiss Hitler, and the Nazis lacked a parliamentary majority.
• The Reichstag Fire in February 1933 was used by Hitler to attack Communists.
• A Dutch Communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was blamed for the fire.
• The Reichstag Fire Decree allowed the Nazis to arrest Communists and suppress their media.
• The Enabling Act (March 1933) granted Hitler the power to make laws without parliamentary approval.
• SA intimidation was used to force politicians to vote for the Enabling Act.
• The Night of the Long Knives (June 1934) involved the SS killing SA leaders, including Ernst Röhm.
• This action pleased the army, securing their support for Hitler.
• Upon Hindenburg's death in August 1934, Hitler declared himself Führer, combining the roles of Chancellor and President.
• The army swore an oath of loyalty to Hitler personally.
• By 1934, Hitler had total control over Germany.

Methods of Control

• Hitler maintained control through terror and propaganda.
• The Gestapo spied on people, tapped phones, and encouraged neighbors to report each other.
• The SS ran concentration camps and enforced racial policies.
• Joseph Goebbels controlled all media, including newspapers, films, and radio.
• Books were banned to control the population and spread propaganda.
• Rallies like the Nuremberg Rallies showed support and reinforced Hitler's power.
• Fear and propaganda were key tools in maintaining Nazi power.

Life in Nazi Germany (1933-1939)

• The impact of Nazi rule varied; some benefited, while others suffered greatly.
• Nazi ideology emphasized the role of women as wives and mothers ("Kinder, Küche, Kirche").
• Marriage Loans and the Mother’s Cross were incentives for women to leave work and have children.
• Boys were indoctrinated through the Hitler Youth, girls entered the League of German Girls (BDM).
• School lessons were rewritten to promote Nazi ideas, including race science.
• Jobs were created through public works and rearmament.
• Trade unions were banned, wages were controlled, and workers could not strike.

Resistance

• Resistance to Hitler occurred, but was dangerous.
• The White Rose Group distributed anti-Nazi leaflets and were executed.
• The Edelweiss Pirates rebelled against Nazi control and some were hanged.
• The July Bomb Plot (1944) was an attempt by army officers to assassinate Hitler, which failed.
• 5,000 people were executed in revenge for the failed assassination attempt.
• Resistance was brave but largely unsuccessful.

The Holocaust

• The persecution of Jews started gradually and escalated.
• The Nuremberg Laws (1935) banned Jewish-German marriage.
• Kristallnacht (1938) involved attacks on Jewish shops and synagogues.
• Initiated in 1941, the "Final Solution" was the mass murder of Jews in extermination camps like Auschwitz.
• Roma (Gypsies), disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and political opponents were also targeted.

Impact of WWII

• Life in Germany worsened during the war.
• Rationing (1939) led to food and fuel shortages.
• From 1942, women were required to work in factories.
• "Total War" from 1943 onward focused all resources on the war effort.
• Allied bombing destroyed cities.
• In 1945, Hitler committed suicide and Germany surrendered, marking the end of the war.

Explore Hitler's ascent to power, control strategies, and life in Nazi Germany. Review resistance movements, the Holocaust, and World War II's impact. Gain historical insights into Germany's transformation during this period.