C4 | Hitler and the Nazis Flashcards
When was Adolf Hitler born?
1889
Where was Adolf Hitler born?
Braunau, a small town in Austria
After Hitler’s mother died when he was 17, where did he go?
He went to Vienna, the capital city of Austria to look for work (arrived in 1907)
Why did Hitler fail to get a place in Vienna’s Academy of Fine Arts?
He failed to pass the entrance exam
What did Hitler do since he didn’t have any qualifications?
He ended up living in a hostel for homeless people. For the next 5 years, he earned money any way he could - cleaning windows, painting houses, drawing and selling postcards in the street
While living in Vienna, why did Hitler begin to hate foreigners, especially Jews?
He felt that foreigners were ruining Austria by taking over all the jobs and introducing their way of life
Why did Hitler leave Austria in 1913 for Munich, Germany?
To avoid being called into the army
What was Hitler’s role in the German army during the Great War?
A messenger in the trenches. It was a dangerous job and he was wounded several times
How many medals was Hitler awarded for bravery?
6 medals, including the Iron Cross, First Class
Which political party did Hitler join in 1919?
German Workers’ Party
What did Hitler do as a member of the political party he joined?
- Made speeches and wrote articles for local newspapers about the party’s beliefs and ideas for a better Germany
- Spoke passionately about the need for Germany to gain a stronger leader who would get revenge for the defeat in the Great War
- Claimed that the Jews were ‘germs’ that must be ‘destroyed’
What name did Hitler suggest the party change its name to in 1920?
National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party for short)
What was the nickname given to Hitler’s storm troopers?
Brownshirts
What did Hitler do in 1923?
He wanted to try to take over Germany and tried to start a revolution in Munich, hoping it would spread to other places. It failed and Hitler was put in prison for treason
What was the name of Hitler’s book that he wrote while in prison?
Mein Kampf (German for ‘my struggle’)
What was Hitler’s book about?
His life and his ideas
When was Hitler released from prison?
1928
How did Hitler convince the Germans to vote for him during the Great Depression?
He promised to provide them with work and bread
In which year did the Nazis become the largest political party in Germany?
1932
When did Hitler become Germany’s Chancellor?
January 1933
Who was the President who asked Hitler to become Chancellor?
Paul von Hindenburg
What was Hitler known as when he became both the Chancellor and President?
Führer (supreme leader)
What did Hitler do once was he was in power?
He made all the members of the army swear an oath of loyalty to him
Gestapo
The secret police force in Nazi Germany
Concentration Camp
A prison camp where civilians and political prisoners were held by the Nazis under terrible conditions
Which races were considered as superior to Hitler?
Pure Germans or Aryans
Which races were considered as inferior to Hitler?
Jews, Gypsies, Slavs (such as Russians), and black people
What kind of people damaged the purity of the German race?
Disabled people or people with learning difficulties
Sterilize
To operate on someone to prevent future pregnancies
What did Hitler think of the Jews?
- Thought the Jews cared more about themselves than the greatness of Germany
- Thought they were involved in a conspiracy to take over the world
- Blamed them for Germany’s loss in the First World War
Eugenics
The scientific study of how to improve the human race
What did boys learn in the Hitler Youth?
Military skills - model making, shooting practice, hiking
What did girls learn about in the League of German Maidens?
Cookery, housework and motherhood
How did Hitler encourage newly married couples to have children?
Loans were given to them (equivalent of year’s wages). They could keep a quarter of the money on the birth of a first child, the second quarter on the birth of another, and so on
How did Hitler create jobs?
By building roads, schools, hospitals, railways, and by making the army bigger and building tanks, fighter planes and battleships
What did Hitler do to make many Germans feel a sense of pride?
He started to get back land Germany had lost after its defeat in the Great War
How did unemployment in Germany improve between 1933 and 1938?
In 1933 there were 6 million people out of work but by 1938 there were only 200,000 people
How could German workers spend their leisure time?
The Nazis came up with massive leisure programmes for working people. The biggest programme provided workers with cheap holidays, such as skiing holidays, a tour of Italy, going to sports matches or the theatre
Who of Hitler’s friend was put in charge of propaganda and censorship?
Joseph Goebbels
