PERSON IN HISTORY

International Relations 1900-2000

Fascist Dictator: Adolf Hitler

YEAR BORN
Adolf was born in the year 1889.

WHERE BORN
Adolf was born in Braunau Inn, Austria.

BIOGRAPHHY OF EARLY LIFE AND ACTIVITIES DURING

WORLD WAR I
Adolf’s father was a serious customs worker. After school Adolf moved
to vienna where he hoped to study art. However his paintings were not up
to standard and he was rejected a place in the Viennese Academy of Fine
Arts, but he stayed in the city. Vienna had a very large jewish population
and some people say that this was where he developed his hatred for
jews. In 1913 he moved to germany and joined the army when world war
I broke out. He was awarded the iron cross first class for being so brave
in the field.

POLITICAL INFLUENCES ON RETURN FROM THE WAR

After World War I Hitler stayed in the army. He was shocked at
germany’s defeat and believed that the country had been betrayed by jews
and communists. He was stationed in munich and sent to spy on one of
the small political parties – the German Workers Party. He attended
meetings and joined the party. Hitler soon discovered that he had a gift
for oratory. He beacame the party’s leader and in 1920 he renamed it the
National Social ist German Workers Party (NSDAP). It was soon called
the Nazi party by political oppenents.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

He had uniformed followers called Sturm Abteilung (SA) and a smaller
much closer and more loyal group of bodyguards called the Schutzstaffel
(SS). Hitler also took the title of Der Fuhrer which meant the leader. And
a right armed salut was adopted. His party held rallies and engaged in
street battles with other political parties. In 1923 when Germany was on
the verge of economic collapse Hitler decided to stage a march on the
countrys capital. His attempted rebellion failed and he was captured and
sentenced to 5years in prison. During this time he wrote his book Mein
Kampf (My Struggle). In it he outlined his main political aims and goals.
These were the main ones; Tear up the treaty of Versailles, Create a
country that united all German speakers, Destroy communism and
socialism, and to remove all jews from germany.

FASCISM – WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT

Fascism was:
• Anti-Communist
• Anti-Democracy
• Strong, decisive leadership under on leader (Totalitarianism)
• Extreme Nationalism ie. Glorification of their own country
• Law and Order
• “Cult of Personality” (leader is in all places at all times)

CONDITIONS IN GERMANY AFTER THE WAR

After the firast world war germany suffered hugely, as a result of the
treaty of versailles they lost the ruhr valley (germanys industrial heart),
and other huge aamounts of land such as alsace- lorraine. They were also
blamed with the war and had to pay off a debt of 6.6billion. A
combination of all these things meant that germany was on the verge of
economical collapse. The country was also suffering from hyper inflation,
which meant that as prices rose wages dropped.

HITLER COMES TO POWER

In 1929 the wall street crash occurred and this caused unemployment to
rise in germany. The government, led by Heinrich Bruning failed to deal
with this problem and made things worse. By 1932 there were over
6million people without a job in germany. This caused many germans to
lose faith in democracy. People began to turn to the extreme partys
communism and the nazis. The communists popularity rose and this
scared people so they voted for the nazis instead. In 1930 the nazi party
won 107 seats. This was thir first major political breakthrough. In January
1933 Hitler became the chancellor of germany. The SA took control of
the police and were free to beat up any political oppenents. Soon the
reichstag was set on fir and hitler blamed the communists. This got all
communists banned from government, and 10,000 people were arrested.
In march 1933 the enabling act was passed and this allowed hitler to pass
laws without the parliament having to approve them. Hitler was now a
dictator.
HOW HITLER MAINTAINED CONTROL OVER THE COUNTRY
Hitler maintained control over the country through his army and the sa.
Germanswere also happy with his policies they were helping the
economy and country.

THE ACTIVITIES OF FOLLOWERS IN GERMANY

In germany there were now more than 2million Sturm Abteilung. This
angered many army generals as their leader was saying how they were
germanys new army. The generals convinced Hitler that they were a bad
idea and on June 30 1934 the leaders of the sa were arrested and killed.
Hitler used this night to also kill other political enemies. Hitler told the
people that they were planning a revolt and this satisfied them.

DOMESTIC POLICY UP TO WORLD WAR II

Jews were persecuted under hitlers rule. Boycotts against jewish
business’s were organised and anti-jewis signs were put up all over the
country. Hitler encouraged germans to think that they were the master
race, the aryans. And that the jews were their enemy and they were the
reason for losing world war I. Propaganda also palyed a huge role. Hitler
used it to get his message across.

FOREIGN POLICY UP TO WORLD WAR II

Part of the foreign policy of hitler was a plan to take back land lost in the
treaty of versailles.