Fascism in Europe Notes

The Weimar Republic

  • Germany's new democratic government established in 1919, known as the Weimar Republic, faced weaknesses from the start.
  • Germany lacked a strong democratic tradition and had multiple political parties.
  • Millions of Germans blamed the Weimar government for the country's defeat and the humiliation caused by the Versailles Treaty.

Inflation in Germany

  • Germany faced significant economic problems after World War I, including hyperinflation.
  • To cover war expenses, Germany printed money, leading to a sharp decline in the mark's value.
  • Hyperinflation caused Germans to question the value of their new democratic government.
  • Example: Bread prices in Berlin soared from less than a mark in 1918 to billions of marks in 1923.

Fascism

  • Fascism is a militant political movement emphasizing loyalty to the state and obedience to its leader.
  • Fascists shared ideas such as extreme nationalism and the belief that nations must struggle to survive.
  • They supported an authoritarian leader to bring order and pledged loyalty using uniforms, salutes, and rallies.

Key Concepts of Fascism

  • Fascism promotes extreme nationalism, militarism, denial of individual rights, and one-party dictatorial rule.
  • Nazism, the German form of fascism, included belief in the racial superiority of the German people.
  • Fascism's characteristics include state control over economic functions, censorship, indoctrination, and support from the middle class and military.

Fascism vs. Communism

  • Both fascism and communism involve dictators, one-party rule, denial of individual rights, and the state's supremacy.
  • Unlike communists, fascists do not seek a classless society and are nationalists rather than internationalists.
  • Fascist parties often consisted of aristocrats, industrialists, war veterans, and the lower middle class.

Hitler's Rise to Power

  • Adolf Hitler, after serving in World War I, joined a right-wing political group in Munich in 1919.
  • The group became the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi).
  • The Nazis adopted the swastika and formed a private militia called the storm troopers or Brown Shirts.

Hitler's Early Actions

  • Hitler became the leader (Führer) of the Nazi party.
  • Inspired by Mussolini, Hitler attempted to seize power in Munich in 1923 but failed and was imprisoned.
  • In prison, he wrote Mein Kampf, outlining his beliefs, goals for Germany, and his views on race and expansion.

Dawes Plan

  • Germany recovered from the 1923 inflation with the help of the Dawes Plan, which provided loans from American banks to stabilize the German economy.
  • The Dawes Plan helped slow inflation and attract further investment from the United States.

Impact of the Great Depression

  • The Great Depression ended Germany's brief postwar recovery, leading to the collapse of the German economy.
  • Civil unrest ensued, and Germans turned to Hitler for security and firm leadership.

Hitler Becomes Chancellor

  • The Nazis became the largest political party by 1932.
  • In January 1933, conservative leaders advised President Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as chancellor, bringing him to power legally.

Hitler's Totalitarian State

  • Hitler turned Germany into a totalitarian state by banning other political parties and arresting opponents.
  • The SS (Schutzstaffel) and the Gestapo (secret police) enforced obedience through terror.

Economic Control

  • The Nazis controlled the economy by banning strikes, dissolving labor unions, and directing business and labor.
  • Hitler put millions of Germans to work, reducing unemployment.

Propaganda and Control

  • Hitler used propaganda through press, radio, literature, and film to shape public opinion.
  • Books opposing Nazi beliefs were burned, and churches were restricted.
  • Children were required to join the Hitler Youth or the League of German Girls.

Anti-Semitism

  • Hatred of Jews (anti-Semitism) was central to Nazi ideology.
  • The Nazis blamed Jews for Germany's problems and passed laws depriving them of their rights.
  • Kristallnacht (Night of the Broken Glass) marked the start of eliminating Jews from German life.

Fall of Other Countries to Dictators

  • After World War I, many eastern European nations fell to dictators.
  • By 1935, only Czechoslovakia remained a democracy in eastern Europe.

Survival of Democracy

  • Only nations with strong democratic traditions, like Britain, France, and Scandinavian countries, maintained democracy.
  • By the mid-1930s, the world was divided into democratic and totalitarian camps, with Fascist dictatorships willing to use military aggression.