Download Introduction to The Holocaust

On your
notes guide,
write down
observations
and
questions
about the
map…
Themes of Nazi Ideology (write into
notes guide):
•Lebensraum = living
space
•Anti-Semitism = anti
Jew
Introduction to Hitler’s Rise to
Power and The Holocaust: Setting
the Stage
What do you see in this picture? What words would you use
to describe the economic conditions in the picture? What
caused the them to live in these conditions? How do you
think they feel about their government?
The Aftermath of World War I: A Devastated
Germany
German Pride Suffers:
-Germans took the blame for WWI; the citizens were shocked by
their loss because their government predicted victory even until
late in the war (propaganda!)
-They were forced to accept the harsh terms of the Treaty of
Versailles; many blamed their government
The Harsh Terms of the Treaty:
-The treaty mandated that Germany pay France and England for the
total cost of the war (32 billion dollars!), give up portions of its
land, limit the size of their army, allow France to take part of their
borders, and to take full blame for the war (harsh!)
The Aftermath of World War I: A
Devastated Germany Continued
An Economy in Ruins:
– Germany was unable to raise the 32 billion, so
they borrowed and printed money; this caused
inflation (money becomes not worth as much).
– Before the war, four German marks were equal to
one US dollar; by 1923, it took one billion German
marks to equal one dollar!!
Who is this? What does he have on his arm? Why do you think he’s wearing it?
Does he look like a politician or a military official? What’s with the salute?
Hitler’s Early Years
Early Years:
-Hitler was born in Austria, the son of a custom’s official. He grew up
wanting to be a poet and an artist. He did well in school, but
dropped out at 16 (the equivalent of 8th grade).
-Two years after he dropped out, he moved to Vienna where he tried
unsuccessfully to be an artist (this is where his anti-Semitism began)
-Hitler and his father did not get along, but he was close to his mom;
she died of cancer in 1907; Hitler blamed the Jewish doctor who
treated her.
Hitler Enlists:
-He joined the army to fight for Germany in WWI; he earned an Iron
Cross of honor for fighting, but always had a low military rank.
-He began to love the military at this point in time
Hitler’s Early Years Continued:
• Hitler Turns to Politics:
– Post war he was hired by the German government to keep
watch over groups that may be a threat to democracy;
Hitler found one, but instead of reporting it, he became its
leader
– The National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazi party)
was a nationalist, anticommunist, anti-Semitic party. Hitler
chose its symbol: the swastika:
. He became well known
in Bavaria (s. Germany), renting beer halls and giving
speeches that were anti-communist and anti-Semitic
*to note: never, never doodle the swastika- it’s extremely
offensive!
Hitler’s Early Years Continued:
Nazi Party Grows:
-Hitler blamed Germany’s economic problems on
the Jews.
-He claimed that Jewish business owners prolonged
the war for profit, and said Jews had not fought for
Germany (they HAD- and had a casualty rate 11x higher than
the general German pop.!)
-His messages played on the wounded German
pride, and his Nazi party grew from 6k in 1921 to
50k by 1923!
Hitler’s Early Years Continued
• Jail and Mein Kampf:
– In Nov. of 1923, Hitler and a group of followers
entered a Munich beer hall where German
government officials were meeting. Hitler jumped on
a table, fired his pistol into the air, and yelled that the
“National Revolution” had begun; he was arrested and
served 8.5 mos. in jail.
– It was here, in jail, that he wrote Mein Kampf (= My
Struggle); this book was the blueprint for the Nazism.
In the book he claims that German people were part
of the “superior” “Aryan” race, and he names the
greatest enemy of all as the Jews; he continues to
blame them for all of Germany’s economic troubles.
Why do these people love Hitler? What does it mean
when they all salute? Do any of them have Jewish
friends/neighbors?
Hitler Rises to Power:
• The Weimar Republic Weakens
• From 1919 to 1933 the German govt. was weak and
constantly harassed by competition (like Communists and
the Nazis)
• The Rise of the Nazi Party
– After his release from jail, Hitler continued to
grow his party; he built up his own small military
force, and developed a plan to rebuild the German
economy
– By 1932, he had 800,000 members!
Hitler Rises to Power (cont.):
• Hitler Named Chancellor:
– Germany’s aging President Hindenburg appointed
Hitler chancellor (like a VP) in Jan of 1933.
– Soon after, Hitler seized power in all areas-- he put his
men in key positions: head of police (= secret police
called Gestapo), judges etc.
• Hitler Tightens Control:
– Pushed by Hitler, the German Supreme Court rules
that the Gestapo was above the law
– He eliminated military leaders who he thought
opposed him- over 400 were executed (Night of the
Long Knives).
Hitler Rises to Power (cont.):
• Hitler Becomes Dictator:
– In Aug of 1934 Hindenburg died and Hitler took control; he
combined the office of Chancellor with President and simply
declared himself Fuhrer (= leader).
– The following day he had all members of army take oath to obey
him
– He then took control of everything: he outlawed any/all political
opposition, censored media etc.
– Within one year, Germany was a complete Fascist (govt based on
racism and nationalism) state…his racial and military plans can
now be implemented
– The end result? World War and The Holocaust, where over six
million (!!) Jewish people were “exterminated”
Holocaust
aftermath =
six million
Jews
perished at
the hands of
Nazis
How could people let the Holocaust
happen?
• We know the end result of Hitler’s reign was war and
genocide on a massive scale, but…
• How was this allowed to happen? How could so
many look the other way?
• One answer = heavily circulated propaganda.
• Who can define propaganda? Write the answer on
your notes guide.
• Let’s read: People will believe what they
are told (add to your definition if needed)
Nazi Propaganda:
Propaganda
helped to promote the Nazi party’s
strength and message. These posters
advertise Nazi rallies at Nuremberg.
The poster reads “one people, one Reich, one
Fuhrer.”
Nazi propaganda promoting Hitler’s
book Mein Kampf (my struggle) and
Hitler Youth.
•
The poster on the right was issued after regulations were
introduced requiring all Jews still in Germany to wear a visible
yellow star. The caption reads "He who wears this symbol is an
enemy of our people.”
The poster on the left advertises an anti-Semitic film
On the left: the cover of the children’s book The Poisonous
Mushroom. On the right, a page from the book. It reads: "Just as it
is often hard to tell a toadstool from an edible mushroom, so too it
is often very hard to recognize the Jew as a swindler and
criminal..."
Also from The Poisonous Mushroom: the page on the right
says “Just look at these guys! The louse-infested beards!
The filthy, protruding ears..” The page on the left says:
“The Jewish nose is bent. It looks like the number six..."