Lesson 1: Racial Views of the Nazi Party

Question 1

• Why were the Jewish people seen as an obstacle of Lebensraum.

Answer 1

Antisemitism= Prejudice or hatred of Jews
Hatred was driven by the misconception the Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ +
jealously at the wealth of Jewish Germans
He felt that Jews in the army and government had encouraged the surrender, and this would create a desire to
remove this population from German society

Question 2

• Characteristics of the Aryan Race

Answer 2

Nazi beliefs and ideas about race shaped all aspects of everyday life and politics in Nazi Germany

“master race”

The word Aryan has a long history. Initially, it was used to refer to groups of people who spoke a variety of related languages.
However, over time the word took a new and different meaning. Some scholars in the late nineteenth and early twentieth
century transformed Aryans into a mythical “race” that they claimed were superior to other races.
This false notion was glorified by the Nazis who argued that those of “pure German blood” were members of the “Aryan race”.
In Germany, the Aryan race consisted of being blonde, blue eyed, athletic and tall. Propaganda, photographs and films idolised
people who displayed these characteristics.

Question 3

• Nazi views towards the Jewish

Answer 3

Threats to the Aryan race
* Nazi’s targeted Jewish people but also other ethnic, social, political and religious groups and therefore as the Germans
started to advance into Eastern Europe in pursuit of Lebensraum, the number of people exterminated increased who did not
fit the category of ‘Aryan’.
* The Nazis believed they must protect Germans from these inferior races. To stay strong, they thought they had to remain
racially pure. To Hitler and the Nazis, Jewish people and other ‘undesirables’ were the biggest threat to the Aryan race and
therefore must be eradicated. In order to start the process of protecting the Aryan race laws would be introduced focusing
on persecuting and removing inferior races.
* Hitler was angered by the fact many Jewish people ran many successful businesses. He associated this with Germany’s
defeat in World War 1 as he felt that they hadn’t contributed enough to the war effort. Additionally, this also offended his
beliefs that the Aryan race was superior and Jewish people were getting in the way of Aryan success.

Only a member of the race can be a citizen. A member of the race can only be one who is
of German blood, without consideration of creed. Consequently, no Jew can be a member
of the race…”

Question 4

• Aims of Volksgemeinschaft

Answer 4

The Nazi Party desired to create a more equal and racially pure society (Volksgemeinschaft

Aim of the racial community would be to create a harmonious and united community of racially pure Germans
* Based on eugenics + social Darwinism = increase number + health of racially pure Germans → strengthen Aryan race