Rise of Nazism and the Third Reich in Germany
The Establishment of Nazism in Germany
The Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic was a political system established in Germany after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II. It was declared a republic based in Weimar and had a constitution. Many Germans were humiliated by the Treaty of Versailles.
The economic crisis, poverty, unemployment, debt, and inflation caused by war reparations and the declining value of the Mark plagued the Weimar Republic. It was led by Socialists and Christian Democrats. The early years were marked by social tension, leftist revolutionary movements, and attempted coups d’état from the extreme right, such as the Munich Putsch. There were many dead, maimed, hungry, and unhappy people.
Hitler and the Nazi Party
In 1920, Adolf Hitler founded the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party), symbolized by the red swastika flag. The party included paramilitary Sections of Assault (SA).
Mein Kampf (My Struggle) was Hitler’s book outlining his ideology: contempt for democracy, hatred of Bolshevism, and the belief in the superiority of the Aryan race and the need to forge a great empire (Pan-Germanism).
Hitler used demagoguery, promising jobs, rising wages, and a caring society. He targeted Jews, communists, and democrats, whom he blamed for Germany’s crisis.
Nazi militias violently opposed the Republic and the Communists.
Nazism’s Rise to Power
Between 1924 and 1929, the German economy improved, but the crisis of 1929 had a devastating impact. The withdrawal of American capital led to bankruptcies, factory closures, unemployment, and social unrest. This unrest caused a surge in support for extremist parties: the ruined bourgeoisie, peasants, and desperate workers turned to the Nazis, while intellectuals and some workers supported the Communist Party.
In the 1932 elections, the Nazi Party became the largest party. President Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor. The Nazis staged a fire in the Reichstag (Parliament) and blamed the Communists. This allowed Hitler to eliminate his opponents and demand full powers. In 1934, Hitler proclaimed himself Führer and Chancellor of the Third Reich.
The German Third Reich
The Nazi Dictatorship
In 1934, Hitler established a dictatorship. He dissolved political parties and unions, closed Parliament, abolished elections, and curtailed individual liberties. Opponents were persecuted. The Nazi Party held all power. Workers could only join the National Labor Front, the sole permitted union.
The government allowed dismissals based on political and racial grounds. The judiciary was controlled by the party.
The Nazi state aimed to base German society on the superiority of the Aryan race and National Socialist ideology. The educational system and culture were forced to follow Nazi rules. Censorship was implemented.
Women were relegated to the roles of raising children, attending church, and managing the kitchen. Hitler Youth organizations were created to indoctrinate young Aryans.
A Reign of Terror
Security Sections (SS) and the Gestapo persecuted opponents. Jews were systematically persecuted. In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were enacted, prohibiting mixed marriages and forcing Jews to wear identifying badges. In 1933, concentration camps were established for forced labor, primarily targeting Jews.
Economic Autarky and Rearmament
Germany aimed to become a world economic power capable of challenging France and Great Britain. The economy was based on Hitler’s militaristic and expansionist plans. The Nazis sought economic self-sufficiency (autarky). Heavy industry focused on weapons production. Public works (highways, infrastructure) were undertaken to reduce unemployment. Hitler strengthened the army. With a powerful military and a war-based economy, Hitler began to build a great empire and conquer what he termed “living space.”