Nazi Germany and The Holocaust

Why was Hitler so popular?

Hitler was popular because he promised to:

Rebuild Germany after ww1

Reduce unemployment

Restore national pride

His powerful speeches, use of propaganda, and promises to ignore the gained support. Many feared communism and saw Hitler as a strong leader who could Treat of Versailles bring order and stability.

How did Hitler take power?

Hitler took power through a mix of force, propaganda, and politics. He first tried to take power in Germany via the Munich Putsch - a failed attempt by Hitler and the Nazi party in 1923 to seize control and overthrow the Welmar government by force in Munich. After 1923, he changed tactics and gained support by exploiting fear and anger during the Great depression. He used powerful speeches and promises to restore Germany. In 1933, he was appointed Chancellor and quickly established a dictatorship.

What did the Nazi party believe in?

The Nazi believed in Aryan racial superiority, extreme nationalism, and loyalty to one strong leader - Hitler. \They were antisemitic, anti-communist, and anti-democratic. Nazis wanted to expand German land (Lebensraum), control all aspects of life, and return to traditional gender roles. They aimed to create a pure powerful German empire by removing ‘Undesirable’ Groups.

What was life like in Nazi Germany?

Life in Nazi Germany was controlled and heavily influenced by propaganda. People were expected to obey Hitler and follow Nazi beliefs. Education, media and youth groups promoted loyalty. Jews and other minorities faced harsh persecution. Some Germans benefited from jobs and order, while others lived in fear of Gestapo and censorship

Explain the 4 steps towards the Nazi Holocaust

1. Prejudice (1919-1933)

   After the Treaty of Versailles (1919), many Germans blamed the Jews for the country’s defeat and humiliation. Hitler spread prejudice through speeches and propaganda, portraying Jews as enemies of German people and culture.

2. Discrimination (1933-1938)

   When Hitler came to power in 1933, discrimination became official policy. Jews were removed from civil service jobs, banned from certain schools, and targeted by the Nuremberg laws (1935)

3. Persecution (1938-1941)

   From Kristallnacht (1938) onwards, antisemitism turned to violent persecution, Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues were attacked. Jews were forced into ghettos, banned from public spaces, and faced increasing police surveillance and brutality.

4. Genocide (1941 - 1945)

   In 1941, the Nazi launched the Final Solution: a plan of genocide to murder all jews in Europe. Over 6 million Jews were systematically killed in death camps like Auschwitz, using gas chambers and mass shootings.

How did persecution escalate?

Violent Persecution - Kristallnacht, authorised violence against Jews across Germany, Jewish were punish and blames, destruction of Jewish homes, business and synagogues

Economic Persecution - Boycott their shops, Jewish businesses, doctors, and layers stopped going and couldn’t work, Role of SA helped to discourage people from entering Jewish businesses, vandalising their shops and windows

Political persecution - Nuremberg Laws

RISE OF THE NAZI SECTION

What was the Munich Putsch, and when did it happen?

The Munich Putsch, also called the Beer Hall Putsch, was a failed attempt by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party to take over the German government on 8–9 November 1923. They tried to start a revolution in Munich but were stopped by police, leading to several deaths. Hitler was arrested, served nine months in prison, and wrote his book Mein Kampf during that time.

How did the Great Depression help the Nazi gain support?

The Great Depression caused massive unemployment and poverty in Germany, leading many people to lose faith in the democratic government. The Nazi Party gained support by promising jobs, blaming minorities for the crisis, and portraying Hitler as a strong leader who could fix the country. This helped them become the largest party in parliament by 1932. In January 1933, political leaders appointed Hitler as Chancellor, believing they could control him, but he quickly consolidated power and established a dictatorship.

What did Hitler promise to the German people in his speeches?

In his speeches, Adolf Hitler promised to restore Germany's strength by ending the Treaty of Versailles, rearming the military, and reclaiming lost territories . He pledged to provide jobs, revive the economy, and protect the country from communism . Additionally, he promoted nationalist pride and unity, often blaming Jews and other minorities for Germany's problems

When did Hitler become Chancellor of Germany?

January 30, 1933, by President Paul von Hindenburg.

What was the role of propaganda in Nazi Germany?

Propaganda in Nazi Germany was used to control what people saw, heard, and believed. The Nazis spread their ideas through posters, films, radio, and speeches, making Hitler seem like a hero and blaming Jews and others for Germany's problems. This helped them stay in power and carry out harmful actions during the war.

NAZI CONTROL AND BELIEF SECTION

What was the Gestapo and what did they do?

The Gestapo was the secret police of Nazi Germany. They arrested and punished people who opposed the Nazis or were seen as threats, like Jews, communists, and critics. They used fear, torture, and imprisonment to control the population and enforce Nazi laws.

Who were the SS and what was their role?

The SS (Schutzstaffel) was a paramilitary organization formed in 1925 to protect Nazi leaders. Under Heinrich Himmler, it grew into a powerful force responsible for enforcing Nazi laws, overseeing concentration camps, and carrying out mass murders, including the Holocaust. The SS operated outside legal boundaries, becoming a key instrument of terror and control in Nazi Germany.

What were the key beliefs of the Nazi party?

• Racial Superiority: Belief in the "Aryan" race as superior, aiming to maintain racial purity and exclude those deemed inferior.

• Anti-Semitism: Hostility towards Jews, blaming them for societal issues and promoting their exclusion from German society.

• Lebensraum (Living Space): The idea that Germany needed to expand its territory, particularly into Eastern Europe, to provide space for its growing population.

• Führerprinzip (Leader Principle): The belief in a single, absolute leader (the Führer) with complete authority, rejecting democratic governance.

What was the idea of “Volksgemeinschaft”.

The Nazi concept of Volksgemeinschaft, or "people's community," aimed to create a unified, racially pure German society. It sought to eliminate class divisions, promote loyalty to the state, and enforce conformity to Nazi ideology. However, this ideal excluded Jews, Romani people, disabled individuals, and political opponents, who were considered outsiders and subjected to persecution.

EARLY PERSECUTIONS OF JEWS

What were the Nuremberg Laws of 1935?

The Nuremberg Laws, introduced in Nazi Germany on September 15, 1935, were two laws that discriminated against Jews:

• Reich Citizenship Law: Defined Jews as non-citizens, stripping them of German citizenship and rights.

• Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour: Prohibited marriages and sexual relations between Jews and non-Jews, and banned Jews from employing German women under 45 as domestic workers.

What happened during Kristallnacht in November 1938?

Kristallnacht, or the "Night of Broken Glass," occurred on November 9–10, 1938. Nazi-led mobs attacked Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues across Germany and Austria. Over 1,400 synagogues were destroyed, more than 7,000 Jewish businesses were looted, and around 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. At least 91 Jews were killed, and many more were injured or committed suicide. This event marked a significant escalation in Nazi persecution of Jews, leading to widespread international condemnation.

What types of discrimination did the Jewish people face under Nazi rule?

Under Nazi rule, Jewish people faced severe discrimination that affected every aspect of their lives. They were stripped of their citizenship and civil rights through laws like the Nuremberg Laws of 1935, which prohibited marriages between Jews and non-Jews and defined Jews as second-class citizens. Economic persecution included the forced sale of Jewish-owned businesses to non-Jews, often at below-market prices, and restrictions on employment in various professions. Social exclusion was enforced by removing Jewish children from public schools and banning them from public spaces such as cinemas and theaters. These discriminatory measures laid the groundwork for the systematic persecution and eventual genocide of Jews during the Holocaust.

THE HOLOCAUST

What was the Final solution?

On January 20, 1942, Nazi leaders gathered at the Wannsee Conference in Berlin to plan the systematic murder of all Jews in Europe, a policy known as the "Final Solution." This meeting aimed to coordinate the efforts of various government departments in implementing the genocide.

What happened at Auschwitz concentration camp?

Auschwitz concentration camp opened on May 20, 1940, in German-occupied Poland. Auschwitz was the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp, located in southern Poland. From 1940 to 1945, over 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were murdered there. Victims were killed in gas chambers, shot, or died from starvation and disease. The camp also used forced labor for nearby factories. It was liberated by Soviet forces on January 27, 1945, revealing the full extent of the atrocities.

How did Nazi ideas about race lead to the Holocaust?

Nazi racial beliefs divided humanity into superior and inferior races. They considered Jews to be a dangerous, inferior race and falsely blamed them for Germany's problems. This ideology led to discriminatory laws, forced sterilizations, and ultimately the mass murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust.

Why did they allow a Appeasement?

Britain and France followed appeasement with Germany because they wanted to avoid another way. Many countries hesitated to go war again because of the horror memories from ww1.

Many believed that Hitler’s demands of Rhineland were reasonable

Britain and France were recovering economically and militarily

What were the consequences of the Appeasement?

Not only did it lead to ww2 but it also encouraged Hitler to be more aggressive, leading to more invasions. Another consequence is it weakened trust with Britain//France and other countries.