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Germany's Economy Collapsing
Funding social welfare and reparations, the German government printed money resulting in out-of-control inflation. For example, in Jan 1923 a pound of potatoes cost 9 marks, by Oct it cost 40 million marks. Beef went up to 2 trillion marks per pound. For those on fixed incomes, like pensioners and stockholders, savings disappeared. Middle class employees, farmers and workers were all hit hard by this crisis. They abandoned traditional political parties. -
Beer Hall Putsch
Hitler was leading a small National Socialist German Workers party when he attempted to seize control of the Munich municipal government. He spent 7 months in prison, where he wrote his autobiography and political manifesto, “Mein Kampf.” In this work he combined anti-Semitism with anti-communism and a strategy to lead Germany to greatness. He also realized that he had to work within the political system, rather than be a revolutionary. -
Elections of 1932
By 1932, the Nazi Party was the largest political organization in Germany, winning 37.3% of the vote. In the election for president, Hitler gained 13.5 million votes against Hindenburg’s 19 million. Much of Hitler’s appeal came from his promises – getting rid of the war reparations, economic hardship, and incompetent leadership. He vowed to restore national unity and order in Germany and revive Germany’s pride. -
Hindenburg Appointed Hitler as Chancellor
Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany. In this position, Hitler called for another round of parliamentary elections. Having control of the state police and agencies of information, the Nazis used propaganda and terror to confuse and frighten voters. -
Reichstag Fire
5 days before elections, Hitler discredited the Communist party by accusing them of burning the Reichstag building. He used the fire to justify the suspension of civil liberties and the arrest of many communists. On election day, the Nazis gained 44% of the vote; adding their nationalist allies, they now had enough for a majority. The Reichstag passed an act giving Hitler power to make laws by himself for 4 years. He outlawed all other political parties. -
First Concentration Camp Opened at Dachau
Initially, this camp held political prisoners, Jehovah’s Witnesses and homosexuals. Jews were brought 2 years later. The secret state police, known as the Gestapo, were responsible for the arrest, incarceration in camps and murder. Heinrich Himmler oversaw Dachau and later, all concentration camps. -
The Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service
The first measure against the German Jews that excluded them from public employment and higher education. -
Hitler Withdraws Germany form the League of Nations
Hitler publicly renounced the Treaty of Versailles and announced that Germany was rearming. The following year he openly defied the French and moved German troops into the Rhineland, the demilitarized security zone. -
Nuremberg Laws
These laws defined Jewishness not by religious affiliation or self-identification, but by biology. Individuals were recognized as Jews if they had more than 2 Jewish grandparents. Those that the state deemed to be Jewish were no longer Germans, but stateless people with no rights. They could not serve in the army, vote, hold positions in the state bureaucracy (doctors, lawyers, professors lost their jobs). They could not use public facilities like parks or libraries. -
Hitler Introduced his Four-Year Plan
His plans were for full-scale rearmament and economic self-sufficiency. By late 1938 Hitler was aware of the failure to develop synthetic products sufficient to meet Germany’s needs. If Germany couldn’t create substitutes, it could control territories that provided fuel, metals, and food. His main goal became Lebensraum. -
Annexation of Austria
The Nazis incorporated Austria without opposition, bringing in 6.5 million Austrians to the German Reich (Empire). Hitler then claimed a portion of Czechoslovakia that included 3.5 million German-speaking people -
Munich Conference
Germany, Italy, France and Britain met to resolve the Sudentenland (southern area in Czechoslovakia) question. In the end, Britain and France choice appeasement – giving in to Hitler’s demands in hopes of satisfying him. Hitler grabbed a chunk of Czechoslovakia while the British and French completely underestimated his territorial ambitions. -
Kristallnacht (Night of the Broken Glass)
During the night, synagogues were set afire and books and valuables owned by Jews were confiscated throughout Germany. Jews were beaten, about 90 were killed and between 20,000 and 30,000 were imprisoned in concentration camps. This night came to be called Kristallnacht (night of the broken glass), which referred to the Jewish shop windows smashed by storm troopers under the order of Joseph Goebbels. -
Germany Takes over the Rest of Czechoslovakia
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Germany Signed Non-Aggression Pact with Soviet Union
When Hitler threatened Poland, Great Britain got tough and promised to help Poland. They turned to the Soviet Union for help, but it was too late. Stalin signed an agreement with Hitler that in return for the Soviet Union’s neutrality while Germany carved up Poland, Hitler gave Stalin a free hand to re-annex territories in eastern Europe – including eastern Poland – that Russia had lost during World War I.