UNIT 3 HITLER

weaknesses of weimar constitution

proportional rep + article 48 (presidential power to suspend citizen rights) + gridlock

25 point programme

reichstag

meeting place of the Bundestag (federal assembly) — burned in Reichstag Fire

nuremberg laws

anti semitic laws enacted on September 15 1935 (citizenship + protection of german blood/honor)

lebensraum, weltanschauung

expansion for “living space” + german ideology takeover

gleichstellung

nazification of germany

einsatzgruppen

mobile killing squads, units of SS

sonderkommando

units of nazi death camp prisoners (required to operate chambers/continue function)

final solution

Nazi decision (enforced @Wannsee Conference) to effectively remove jews from the population - nazi plan for genocide

volksempfanger

low cost radio used in most german households (propaganda machine)

volkischer beonachter

low cost car

wehrwirtschaft, autarky

Nazi economic policy aimed at achieving self-sufficiency and military readiness, focusing on reducing dependence on foreign imports.

wirtschaftswunder

the economic miracle in post-World War II Germany, characterized by rapid reconstruction and growth.

mother’s cross

award for german mothers w/ 4+ kids

lebensborn

expansion for living space + racially pure population

kinder, kuche, kirche

children, kitchen, church - women’s role in german society

Adolf Hitler

fuhrer of nazi party, chancellor of germany

NSDAP (Nazi Party)

1920-1945 party promoting nazism w// hitler as reader (far right, ultranationalist “socialism”)

Gustav Stresemann

chancellor + foreign minister of weimar republic, known for “golden age of weimar” (reorganize debt plan + guided economic growth until stock market crash)

Franz Von Papen

chancellor 1932, vice-chancellor under hitler

Paul von Hindenburg

president of weimar republic, appointed Hitler as chancellor

Heinrich Himmler, Hermann Goring

reich leader of SS, head of luftwaffe (air force)

Joseph Goebbels

minister of propaganda for hitler

Reinhard Heydrich

director of gestapo, architect of holocaust, called wannsee conference

Adolf Eichmann

architect of holocaust, did gas chamber reserach

Albert Speer

minister of arnment + war protection

Joaquim von Ribbentrop

minister of foreign affairs

Rudolf Hess

deputy fuhrer

Leni Riefenstahl

film director, many nazi propaganda films

Ernst Rohm

head of SA, exposed for disloyalty + murdered

Sturmabteilung, Schutzstaffel, Gestapo

SA, SS, official secret police

Claus von Staffenburg

chief of attempted + failed assassination plot “July Plot”

White Rose: Hans + Sophie Scholl

student resistance group (scholls = leaders executed)

Edelweiss pirates

anti-authority group, regarded as roudy/theives

Swing kids

immersive us culture/music - rebel against german brainwashing

Red Orchestra, Black Orchestra

espionage ring of communists working w/ USSR

German Labour Front (DAF)

official labor organization of nazi party, outlawed labor unions, aim to pacify population

Judenrat, Czerniakow, Rumkowski

jewish councils of ghettos, leader (killed self), leader (controversial, “bring me your children”)

Hitler Youth, League of German Girls

groups created for indoctrination of youth

Bishop Galen

led catholic protest against euthanasia + opposed nazification of church

Dietrich Bonhoffer

protestant leader, conspired against nazis, executed

Martin Niemoller

lutheran pastor, opposed naziism

Neville Chamberlain

1937-1940 british prime minister

Winston Churchhill

1940-1945/1951-1955 british prime minister

Mussolini, Franco, Stalin

itallian, spanish, + soviet dictators

WWI/treaty

central vs allies, ended the conflict and imposed heavy reparations on Germany.

Kapp Putsch

failed coup in Germany in 1920 aimed at overthrowing the Weimar Republic, led by Wolfgang Kapp and supported by right-wing paramilitary groups.

Beer Hall Putsch

a failed coup attempt by Adolf Hitler in 1923

Ruhr Occupation

french/berlin occupied ruhr valley b/c germany didn’t pay reparations

Dawes Plan

restructured germany’s loan payments, relied on US support

Golden years — great depression

a period in Weimar Germany marked by economic recovery and cultural flourishing before the onset of the Great Depression

Reichstag fire — enabling act

fire in reichstag - hitler claims communist ploy - enacts enabling act granting legislative powers to chancellor

night of the long knives

purge of SA leaders including Rohm

berlin olympics

The 1936 Berlin Olympics used by Hitler to promote Nazi propaganda and showcase Aryan superiority

kristallnacht

The 1938 pogrom against Jews in Nazi Germany (violence, destruction of synagogues, looting of businesses)

anschluss

invasion into austria + unification/annexation of nations

munich agreement

euro agreement to appease hitler, allowing him to invade czech

molotov-ribbentrop pact

hitler-stalin agreement, non-agression pact (split czech)

battle of britain

air campaign against german luftwaffe, showcased british military superiority, turning point in war

operation barbarossa

germany’s invasion of soviet union, fails + starts two-front war

operation valkrie

Nazi plan to assassinate Hitler and overthrow the government

nuremberg trials

series of military tribunals held after World War II to prosecute prominent leaders of Nazi Germany for war crimes

reichskonkordat

A 1933 agreement between the Vatican and Nazi Germany that aimed to regulate the relationship between the Catholic Church and the German state

akition t4

mass murder + involuntary euthanasia campaign

four year plan

economic plan to prepare for war effort

new plan

schlact plan for autarky

hossbach memorandum

summary of 1937 berlin meeting outlining Hitler’s plans for foreign policy + primary targets (austria + czech)