1	Der Fuehrer Adolf Hitler was born in Austria-Hungary in 1889. He was an above average student until he came into conflict with his father over his future career. He wanted to be an artist; his father wanted him to join the civil service. His father died in 1903.
2	Vienna He was rejected by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. His mother died in 1908 He pretended to continue studying so he could keep getting his orphan’s pension.
3	1910-1913 Unwilling to work, he ended up in a homeless shelter. He painted and sold postcards and pictures, copying famous pictures and drawing public buildings. He debated political ideas in the shelter, and acquired extreme views on racial matters, including strong anti Semitism and a hatred of socialism, which he associated with Jews.
4	1910-1913 The Austrian-Hungarian army attempted to conscript him in 1913; he fled to Munich as he disliked the Austrian authorities and considered himself to be German. He was extradited to Austria but found to be medically unfit for service.
5	WWI In 1914 he volunteered for a Bavarian unit in the German Army and served throughout the war. He was undeniably brave, but never promoted beyond private first class. Perhaps officers thought he was brave, but not fit to command men.
6	WWI Trench warfare reinforced his ideas about the ‘survival of the fittest’. He was blinded temporarily by mustard gas, and was in a military hospital when the news of Germany’s request for an armistice came. He blamed the Jews for Germany’s defeat, and decided to enter politics to save the country.
7	NSDAP He joined the German Workers’ Party, later renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party when it had only seven other members. His talents in political speaking helped the Party grow to 2000 by 1920. He was a successful recruiter of members and fund-raiser, as people paid to hear him speak. He pushed out rivals and critics and became Fuhrer (absolute leader) in July 1921.
8	NSDAP The NSDAP or Nazi Party platform was simple: Violent racial nationalism Anti-Semitism Opposition to liberal democracy Opposition to the Weimar Republic government
9	Treaty of Versailles Crippling reparations — beyond Germany’s ability to pay Humiliating occupation of the Ruhr industrial area by French and Belgian troops General strike by workers in the area who needed to be paid + loss of coal revenues led the Government to print huge amounts of currency = runaway inflation, loss of savings, prices skyrocket
10	Beer Hall Putsch While the Weimar Government tried to negotiate a new agreement with the Allies, Hitler decided it was time for a revolution. Nov. 8, 1923 with 600 SA stormtroopers (sturmabteilungen) he marched on the Munich Beer Hall where the Bavarian governor was speaking. He took him hostage and forced him to declare a new national government. On his release the Governor outlawed the Nazi Party, ordered the Bavarian police to move against Hitler.
11	Beer Hall Putsch Hitler marched again the next day and 16 of his supporters were shot. Hitler fled but was soon arrested and tried. He was given five years in prison, but only served one. He determined that he needed greater popular support if he were to succeed. The publicity had helped him achieve greater recognition.
12	Mein Kampf While in prison, he wrote Mein Kampf, “My Struggle” which contained many of his basic ideas: History is the struggle of races for dominance; the Aryans will win. In order to win there must be a dictator with popular support. This can be won by propaganda designed to appeal to emotions, not reason or intellect.
13	Mein Kampf Hatred must be aroused towards all other races, especially the Jews, gypsies; class distinctions don’t matter, racial ones do. Germany needs more land — lebensraum (living space) — which it would acquire by conquest, expelling or killing the native people. In the new lands, German families could raise more sons to be soldiers, so Germany could acquire more land.
14	1925-30 Hitler resumed complete control of the Party when he got out of prison. He reorganised the SA (stormtroopers). He organised the SS (Schutz Staffeln), also known as ‘blackshirts’ to protect him, supervise and control the party and act as police.
15	Hitler becomes Chancellor The Nazis contested a series of elections from 1928-1932. As the Depression effects worsened, the Nazis did better. In 1932 they received 44% of the vote--more votes than any other party, but not enough to be elected in their own right.
16	Hitler becomes Chancellor Hitler demanded that President Hindenburg appoint him but he refused as he understood Hitler’s desire to end the republic and establish a dictatorship. Hindenburg’s appointees were unable to form effective governments and the economy was getting worse. A group of Hindenburg’s advisers convinced the elderly President that if he made Hitler Chancellor, others could control him. 30 Jan 1933
17	Reichstag Fire 27 February 1933 The Reichstag (parliament) burned. A half-crazed Dutch arsonist was accused of the crime, but the fire was set by the SA. Hitler used it as an excuse to increase his powers.
18	Consolidation of power The Enabling Act: March 1933 Hitler’s government can make laws without legislative approval. The legislature is now powerless Appointment of Nazis to important posts in the judiciary, the bureaucracy and the provincial governments Replacement of labour unions with the German Labour Front. All political parties (except Nazis) banned
19	Key aides Hermann Goering: Gestapo (secret police), Luftwaffe (air force), confidante of Hitler Rudolf Hess: secretary, Party administrator; in 1941 he flew to Scotland to try to make peace Joseph Goebbels: Propaganda chief Ernst Rohm: links with Army, SA until Hitler had him killed in 1934, Night of the Long Knives Heinrich Himmler: SS, Gestapo and concentration and death camps
20	Nazi Regime Political loyalty a requirement to get and keep a job. Anti-Nazis taken to concentration camps. Media controlled by government. Massive propaganda campaigns and huge rallies organised to give the impression there was overwhelming support for the Nazis.
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22	Book Burning
23	Nazi Regime Most churches –Protestant and Catholic—supported the government Schools taught Nazi ideology Leisure time was organised by the Nazis: Hitler Youth, League of German Maidens—the activities indoctrinated the young
24	Aryan purity Marriage loans to the ‘right kind’ of Germans—loans repaid by having babies Compulsory sterilisation of men and women with physical or mental handicaps—over 400,000 people Laws restricting non-Aryans from government employment, university admission, car ownership, public education, ownership of private property (Nuremberg Laws)
25	Economic recovery Germany had to rearm to be prepared for the wars to gain lebensraum (living space) Rearmament required enormous construction projects which cured unemployment in Germany by 1935 Germany was urged to be self-sufficient, so it could wage the wars—production of synthetic oils and rubbers German workers were well treated — avoid the domestic unrest that had undermined German war effort in 1914-18
26	Road to war Anschluss (union) with Austria, the German speaking part of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. This was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles. Attempted coups had failed. In March 1938, the Austrian chancellor resigned and was replaced by an Austrian Nazi. Hitler ordered his army to march in. They met no resistance and the union was proclaimed.
27	Kristallnacht Night of Broken Glass November 9, 1938 Dozens of Jews killed Shops smashed and looted Synagogues set fire 30,000 Jews to concentration camps Pastor Niemoeller came out of the Nazi death camps to say: "They came after the Jews and I was not a Jew, so I did not protest. They came after the Trade Unionists, and I was not a Trade Unionist, so I did not protest. They came after the Roman Catholics, and I was not a Roman Catholic, so I did not protest. Then they came after me, and there was no one left to protest."
28	Road to war Czechoslovakia: The western part of the country had a sizeable German-speaking population. Hitler wanted to invade and take the whole country but could get little support for his plan. Instead he negotiated the Munich Pact, by which Czechoslovakia ceded the Sudetenland. When Hitler broke the Pact and occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, Britain and France realised war with Hitler was inescapable.
29	Road to war Hitler wanted to avoid the two-front war by ensuring Hungary, Lithuania and Poland were quiet—preferably by intimidation. Poland indicated it would not give in without a fight. Hitler secured a Non-Aggression Treaty with Stalin of the USSR in August 1939; this surprised many as communism had been one of Hitler’s chief hates. He invaded Poland in September. Britain and France immediately declared war.
30	WWII Blitzkrieg (lightning warfare)—Poland fell quickly April 1940: Germany occupied Denmark and Norway May-June: Armies of the Netherlands, Belgium and France routed. Dunkirk: British retreat War in the West appears to be won
31	WWII June 1941: Invasion of the USSR “Operation Barbarossa” - the largest land invasion of all time The Soviet Army halted and then defeated the Germans in 1941, and crushed later offensives in 1942 and 1943. 90% of Germany’s fighting strength was spent here Battle of Stalingrad: the turning point
32	The Holocaust Systematic killing of the Jews and others 6 million (of perhaps 18 million Jews in the whole world) were exterminated 5 million non-Jews were also killed Most of the death camps were in Poland Inmates were forced to work as long as they could before they were killed; they were on starvation rations.
33	The Holocaust Hitler referred to the killing of Europe’s Jews repeatedly in his public speeches The process was documented in photos, official records, inventories etc. Jews were transported to the camps from all over occupied Europe in railway cattle cars.
34	End of the war Hitler had boasted the Nazis would rule for a thousand years; they lasted just 12. The resistance by the Soviet armies had severely weakened Hitler’s army. The bombing campaigns by British and American airmen had brought the war home to Germany. Several assassination attempts failed. A last ditch attempt – The Battle of the Bulge – took troops needed against the Soviets in the east and yet failed to stop the Allied advance in the west. Hitler committed suicide in Berlin April 30, 1945.