Nazi Germany Vocab

Anti-Semitism

Prejudice and hostile discrimination against Jews

Aryan

Alleged German master race idealized as possessing blonde, blue-eyed, athletic, and tall

Beer Hall Putsch

Failed 1923 insurrection by Nazis that had Hitler convicted of treason

Communism

Far left revolution against capitalism by redistributing property and wealth

Dachau

First concentration camp opened outside of Munich in 1933

Deicide

Killing of a god

Demagogue

Leader gains popularity through appeals to emotion, rather than logic and facts

Eugenics

Science that attempts to improve the human gene pool by favoring certain hereditary traits

Enabling Act

Last piece of legislation of Weimar democracy that gave Hitler sweeping powers

Kristallnacht

Nov 1938 “Night of Broken Glass” coordinated attacks

Nuremberg Laws

Stripped German Jews of citizenship and prevented marrying non-Jews

Pogrom

Historical attacks on Jews

Roma

“Gypsies” targeted as subhumans to be exterminated

SA

Brown-shirted army who intimidated opposition parties and voters

Treaty of Versailles

Punishing agreement to end Great War that forced reparation payments

Triumph of the Will

1935 propaganda film by Leni Riefenstahl that elevated Hitler to a god

Nazis

Members of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, led by Adolf Hitler, who ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945

Nazism

A totalitarian ideology based on extreme nationalism, racism, and the belief in the supremacy of the Aryan race, which was practiced in Germany under Hitler's regime.

Fascism

A far-right authoritarian political ideology characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and strong regimentation of society and economy.

Adolf Hitler

Leader of the Nazi Party and Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, whose policies initiated World War II and led to the Holocaust.

Füher

The title held by Adolf Hitler, meaning "leader" or "guide" in German, which he used to signify his absolute authority over Nazi Germany.

Mein Kampf

A political manifesto written by Adolf Hitler during his imprisonment in 1924, outlining his ideology, including nationalism, anti-Semitism, and his vision for Germany’s future.

Joseph Goebbels

Nazi Germany's Minister of Propaganda, known for his skillful manipulation of media to promote the Nazi agenda and control public opinion.

Goering Hermann

A prominent Nazi leader and head of the Luftwaffe, known for his role in the Nazi government and his close association with Adolf Hitler.

Benito Mussolini

An Italian political leader and founder of the Fascist Party, known for his alliance with Adolf Hitler and his role in World War II.

Third Reich

The period of Nazi rule in Germany from 1933 to 1945, characterized by totalitarian governance, aggressive expansionism, and the implementation of fascist policies.

Goose step

A military marching style characterized by rigid legs and high knees, often associated with Nazi troops.

SS

A paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, known for its role in the enforcement of Nazi policies and involvement in war crimes during World War II.

Joseph Stalin

Leader of the Soviet Union during World War II, known for his totalitarian regime and alliances with the Allies against Nazi Germany.

Munich Pact

An agreement signed in 1938 allowing Nazi Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia, intended to prevent war but ultimately failed to maintain peace.

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

A treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939 in which both countries agreed to remain neutral towards each other and not attack one another, facilitating the invasion of Poland.

Master race

A concept promoted by the Nazis asserting that the Aryan race, particularly those of Northern European descent, was superior to all other races and destined to rule.

Holocaust

The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its allies during World War II.

Final Solution

The Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people during World War II, aiming for their total extermination.

Concentration camp

A facility used to imprison and exploit political prisoners, Jews, and other targeted groups under the Nazi regime, often marked by inhumane conditions and mass killings.

Aushwitz

The largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp, located in occupied Poland, known for the deaths of over a million people, primarily Jews, during the Holocaust.

Nuremberg trials

A series of military tribunals held after World War II to prosecute prominent leaders of Nazi Germany for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Adolf Eichmann

A high-ranking Nazi official, he played a key role in organizing the Holocaust and was later captured and tried for his crimes in Israel.