Hitler & Nazi Germany Vocabulary Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the rise, maintenance of power, and policies of Hitler and Nazi Germany as outlined in the IB History Interactive Notebook.

General Erich Ludendorff

A German general and politician famous in WWI for his victories at Liege and Tannenberg; he was also responsible for an unsuccessful offensive on the Western Front.

Treaty of Versailles Diktat

Peace treaty that forced Germany to accept fault for the initiation of WWI, leading to territory loss to France, Belgium, and Poland and the payment of reparations.

Article 231

Part of the Treaty of Versailles also known as the War Guilt Clause, which served as the main clause for blaming Germany for the war.

Friedrich Ebert

A German politician of the Social Democratic Party and the first president of Germany who paved the way for the first German republic.

Wilhelm Groener

A German general and politician famous for helping prevent a communist revolution by supporting the Social Democratic government led by Ebert.

Spartacist uprising

A left-wing uprising involving over $100,000$ workers that aimed to destroy the Weimar Republic and create a communist state; it was put down by the Freikorps.

Weimar Republic

The democratic government of Germany created in $1919$ from the collapse of the German Empire, featuring a Reichstag and a powerful president.

The November Revolution

A $1918$ German revolution triggered by a naval mutiny that replaced the monarchy with a democratic parliamentary republic.

Spartacists

A radical Marxist movement in Germany that desired a socialist republic, an end to the war, and a soviet-style council system.

Stab in the back

A post-WWI theory promoted by Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff suggesting the German army failed due to betrayal by Jews, socialists, and politicians.

The Communist Party

A major political party in the Weimar Republic that operated as an underground resistance post-war and eventually combined with the SPD.

The Centre/Zentrum Party

A Christian democratic party representing Catholic interests that was a major force until absorbed by the CDU/CSU.

NSDAP

The National Socialist German Workers' Party active between $1920$ and $1945$ which supported Nazism and the exclusion of Jews.

Vernunft Republikaner

A term for a republican who supported the Weimar Republic's ideology based on conviction against the monarchy.

Reichswehr

The army of the Weimar Republic, led by Hans von Seeckt and restricted by Versailles to $100,000$ army troops and $15,000$ naval personnel.

Social Democratic Party

One of Germany's oldest parties, formed by merging the General German Workers Union and Social Democratic Workers' Party, focusing on individual workers' needs.

Adolf Hitler

The Austrian-German politician who became the dictator of Germany, led the Nazi Party, and was responsible for the Holocaust.

NSDAP 25-point programme

The Nazi Party's platform created by Hitler, focusing on extreme nationalism, racial purity, and communal economic interests.

Reichstag

The lower House of Parliament in Germany which held legislative power, decision-making, and control over the executive branch.

The Wall Street Crash

The event that triggered the Great Depression, causing U.S. banks to recall loans and destroying the German economy through credit shortages and unemployment.

The Young Plan

A renegotiation of WWI reparations that reduced total payment by $20$ percent and established the Bank for International Settlements.

Chancellor of Germany

The chief executive of the country responsible for federal policy, cabinet appointments, and control of armed forces during war.

Currency delirium

A term for the hyperinflationary crisis in Germany caused by WWI debt and Treaty of Versailles reparations.

Gustav Stresemann

A chancellor and foreign minister of the Weimar Republic who restored Germany's status after WWI and won the Nobel Prize.

The Dawes Plan

A financial agreement where the U.S. gave loans to Germany to stabilize its economy and facilitate debt payments to the Allies.

The Beer Hall Putsch

A failed $1923$ coup led by the Nazi Party in which $600$ SA members marched on a beer hall, resulting in Hitler's arrest.

Paul Hindenburg

A German military officer and president of Germany who aided the Nazis in taking power by appointing Hitler as Chancellor.

Kurt von schleicher

The Chancellor of the Weimar Republic who was superseded by Hitler and later murdered during the Night of the Long Knives.

Alfred Hugenberg

A German media mogul who financed the Nazi party and aided Hitler’s rise through nationalist and right-wing propaganda.

Mein Kampf

A text written by Adolf Hitler promoting Nazi beliefs such as antisemitism, racism, and aggressive foreign policy.

Heinrich Bruning

A Weimar Republic chancellor whose unpopular policies were opposed by the parliament.

Franz von Papen

A conservative German politician who served as Chancellor in $1932$ and Vice-Chancellor under Hitler, aiding his rise to power.

Gleichschaltung

The process where the Nazi party aligned all aspects of German life with its ideals, including banning parties and trade unions.

Old Fighters

A term for individuals who joined the Nazis before Hitler became chancellor; they were viewed as more committed and trustworthy.

DAF (German Labor Front)

The labor front created after the destruction of trade unions, used as a tool for propaganda and workforce control.

Sturmabteilung

The first Nazi paramilitary sector that used violence to promote Hitler's rise, largely composed of unemployed workers.

Ernst Rohm

The Chief of Staff for the Sturmabteilung who helped create a violent atmosphere for the Nazi rise; he was killed in the Night of the Long Knives.

The Night of the Long Knives

A purge carried out by the SS and Gestapo to eliminate Hitler's enemies, including leaders of the Sturmabteilung.

Third Reich

The German state led by Hitler and the Nazis, characterized by totalitarian rule and territorial expansion.

The Reichstag fire

An arson attack blamed on communists that allowed Nazis to imprison political opponents and suspend freedoms.

Article 48

A Weimar constitution article allowing the President to suspend freedoms during a crisis, often used to bypass parliament.

The Enabling Act

A law giving legislative power to the Nazis, allowing Hitler's cabinet to create laws without parliamentary agreement.

Gregor Strasser

A Nazi leader who led the party's left-wing; he conflicted with Hitler and was ultimately murdered.

Hermann Goering

A Nazi official and commander of the Luftwaffe who ordered the elimination of Jews from the economy and led air campaigns.

Joseph Goebbels

The Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda who advocated for the violent persecution of Jews.

Hitler über Deutschland

A Nazi campaign using air travel to allow Hitler to address people in five different cities in a single day.

Schutzstaffel (SS)

A paramilitary organization led by Heinrich Himmler responsible for security and the implementation of the Holocaust.

Heinrich Himmler

The leader of the SS who transformed the unit into a massive organization responsible for the Holocaust.

Freikorps

Right-wing paramilitary groups of former soldiers used to destroy left-wing uprisings and perpetrate political violence.

SOPADE

The Social Democratic Party of Germany in Exile, demonstrating continued opposition to Hitler from outside the country.

Concentration camps

Detention centers used to imprison Nazi opponents and later large Jewish populations.

Fuhrer

Hitler’s title after merging the positions of Chancellor and President upon Hindenburg’s death.

Fuhrerprinzip

The concept that authority rests in one leader whose decisions cannot be questioned by others.

Lebensraum

The Nazi belief that Germany had a right to expand its territory to support expansionist and racist goals.

Volksgemeinschaft

The Nazi idea of a unified community for Aryans only, excluding Jews and those without Aryan blood.

The Gestapo

The secret police force of the Nazis that eliminated opposition and played a major role in the Holocaust.

Reinhard Heydrich

A powerful Nazi official who coordinated the Holocaust through the Wannsee Conference.

Kripo

The detective force in Nazi Germany that investigated non-political crimes and was absorbed into the SS.

The Reichskonkordat

A $1933$ agreement between Nazi Germany and the Vatican that provided rights to the church and reduced Catholic opposition.

Barmen Declaration

A $1934$ statement by Protestant leaders rejecting Nazi interference in the church.

The White Rose

A nonviolent student resistance group that produced anti-Nazi pamphlets.

Weltanschauung

In Nazi terminology, this referred to Hitler's racist and anti-Semitic worldview used to justify policies of exclusion.

Abwehr

Germany’s military intelligence organization which became a center for resistance against Hitler under Admiral Wilhelm Canaris.

Operation Valkyrie

An army plan meant to maintain order that was repurposed for the $1944$ plot to assassinate Hitler.

The New Plan

A $1934$ economic plan by Hjalmar Schacht to reduce unemployment and control imports.

Mefo Bills

Promissory notes used to finance military rearmament while hiding government debt.

The Four Year Plan

An economic program led by Hermann Goering to prepare Germany for war by prioritizing military production.

Wehrwirtschaft

An economy specifically created to support the needs of the military in preparation for war.

Blitzkrieg

A military strategy using coordinated tank and airplane attacks, showcasing successful Nazi weapon policies.

Volksempfanger

A radio designed to be accessible to most German homes, used to spread Nazi propaganda and limit foreign broadcasts.

Reich Press Law

A law requiring newspaper editors to be Aryan and placing the press under Nazi control.

Strength through joy

A Nazi organization providing leisure activities and holidays to improve worker morale and loyalty.

Hitler Youth

An organization for young boys designed to indoctrinate the youth into Nazi ideology.

T-4 Programme

A secret policy for the systematic murder of the mentally sick and disabled, serving as a precursor to the Holocaust.

Nuremberg Laws

Laws that stripped Jews of citizenship and prohibited relationships between Jews and Germans.

Kristallnacht

The Night of Broken Glass, a riot where Jewish temples and homes were destroyed, marking a shift to widespread persecution.

The Final Solution

The Nazi plan to systematically kill the entire Jewish population through extermination camps.

League of German Maidens

The female branch of the Hitler Youth focused on indoctrinating girls into roles of motherhood and childbirth.

Kinder, Kuches, Kirches

A phrase perpetuating the idea that a woman’s role was exclusively to be a mother and homemaker.

Asocial

A Nazi term for those not fitting their ideals, including Romas, the homeless, and alcoholics, who were persecuted in camps.

The Holocaust

The murder of over $6$ million Jews by the Nazis under Hitler's regime.

Intentionalism

A school of thought led by Eberhard Jacket stating the dictatorship was driven by Hitler's long-term systemic plan to eliminate Jews.

Functionalism

A school of thought led by Hans Mommsen and Martin Broszat stating Hitler was a weak leader who made chaotic, rather than pre-mediated, decisions.