history terms

terms from first semester

Holy Roman Empire

a loose confederation with hundreds of principalities, bishoprics, and city-states

Kaiser(king)

held immense power, military was highly influential, reflecting Prussia’s authoritarian traditions

Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)

Prussia defeated France and annexed Alsace-Lorraine

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

left Germans humiliated with resentment that undermined the democratic Weimar Republic and set the stage for Hitler

War guilt clause

Assigned responsibility for WW1 to Germany and its allies

Erbert-Groener Pact

the army promised to support the new government against revolutionary threats especially communists uprisings

Weimar Republic

democratic government of Germany that ended with Nazi takeover in 1933

Reluctant Republicans

same government officials, judges, military, teachers and civil servants who served under the Kaiser (many didnt truly support democratic government)

Spartacists

communist-inspired loose collection led by Roasa Luxemburg & Karl Leibknecht

Eugenics

idea that the human race could be improved if undesirable traits bred out and desirable traits multiplied

Nietzsche

Philosopher that introduced to Europe a critique of Christian morality embraced by the Nazi movement

Occupation of Ruher valley

1923-25 invasion of Germany’s main industrial valley by French and Belgian troops

Article 48

allowed the president to rule by emergency decree without approval from the Reichstag, Germany’s paraliament

Hindenburg

2nd president of the weimar republic

hyperinflation

wages, employment and income decline

Mein Kampf

“My Struggle” manifesto by Hitler 1925

reparations

payments and resource transfers Germany was required to make after WW1

Beer Hall Putsch

Failed plan to take over the country

Dawes plan

provided American loans that helped stabilize the Weimar republic, fund industrial recovery and manage reparation payments

Reichstag fire

Germany’s Parliament building got on fire

KPD

communist party of germany

SPD

social democratoc party of germany

Dachau

first concentration camp

Lebensraum (living space)

Hitler and Nazis claimed German nation needed more land

Great Depression

wall st crash, leading to mass unemployment and poverty

Heinrich Himmler

cut wages, reduced public spending and unemployment benefits

Franz van papen

vice chancellor, tradition conservatives

Enabling act

Gave chancellor Hitler to make and enforce laws without parliaments or presidents approvement

Night of long knives

Hitler ordered the murder of Ernst Rohm and other former allies

Ernst Rohm

cofounder of the SA and Allie of Hitler

Heinrich Himmler

leader of the SS

Hermann Goering

German politician

Fuhrer

“leader”

SA (ROHM)

Sturmabteilung (Storm Dvision)

SS (HIMMLER)

Schutzstaffel or “Protection Squadrons”

Gestapo

Germany’s secret police

Decree for the defense of people and the state

suspended civil liberties

Peoples court

to handle cases involving political crimes"; treason and resistance to regime

Concentration camps(Dachau)

to imprison, punish political opponents or groups considered dangerous

Book burnings

Books by Jewish authors, socialist writers, liberals got burned

Josef Goebbels

in charge of Nazi propaganda

KDF (strength through joy)

offered vacations, concerts, theaters, sports

Fuhrer Oath

personal pledge of loyalty to Hitler