Who were the Nazis and what did they believe in?

Question 1

When did the Nazi party come about and why?

Answer 1

• Nazi party came about in chaos of post WW1 Germany
  
  • many Germans angry at Treaty of Versailles
    
    • took away territories, empire, army, pay £6.6bn compensation
• communists inspired by Lenin in Russia threatening to take power-fighting on streets
• new democracy Weimar Republic installed - seen as weak and blamed for failing to stand up for Germany at Versailles Conference
• felt great humiliation and anger at losing war and subsequent peace - some people believed Germany and her army had been vetted and soldiers sacrificed themselves for no reason

Question 2

Nazi Party Timeline: Jan 1919

Answer 2

Anton Drexler founded German Workers’ Party (DAP)

Question 3

Nazi Party Timeline: Sept 1919

Answer 3

Hitler first attended DAP, shared party’s main views in rallying: communists and socialists for bringing down Kaiser, accepting T of V, Jews blamed for undermining German economy

Question 4

Nazi Party Timeline: Feb 1920

Answer 4

Hitler working as Drexlers right-hand man, announced 25 point programme which included depriving Jews of German citizenship

Question 5

Nazi Party Timeline: June 1920

Answer 5

Hitler passionate public speaker and attracted large no. of people - membership grew to 1100

Question 6

Nazi Party Timeline: August 1920

Answer 6

Hitler suggested change name from DAP to National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAPP) - Nazi for short and tilted swastika emblem

Question 7

Nazi Party Timeline: Mid - 1921

Answer 7

Hitler pushed Drexler aside and became party leader

Question 8

Main Principles of Nazi Ideology:

Answer 8

• viewed world as divided into races with superior and inferior races
• Aryan race at top of racial hierarchy
• Jews viewed as an anti-race, inhumane, inhuman creature with supernatural power that could destroy everything the Aryan race built, Jews inhumane creature in human form
• Aryan race has natural right to rule
• murdered handicapped Germans - viewed them as defected Aryans
• Jews constituted as greatest threat to world due to destructive nature
• Nazi totalitarian nature - fear of leader (Hitler) embodies will of race and therefore you can’t argue against them - totalitarianism is the only way to go

Question 9

Anti-semitism:

Answer 9

• a hatred of Jewish people based on incorrect belief that all Jews belong to a ‘race’ which is inferior and dangerous
• Nazi’s wrongly believed Jews were a threat to Germany
• blamed for defeat in WW1 and problems afterwards

Question 10

Living space (Lebensraum):

Answer 10

Belief Germany needed more land to become stronger ‘races’ - in constant competition withe act other

Question 11

Strong leader/Totalitarianism:

Answer 11

instead of democracy Germany needed single, strong leader with total power - totalitarian regime

Question 12

Social Darwinism:

Answer 12

• grouped into different ‘races’ and that ‘races’ are in constant competition with each other
• the Nazi’s believed Germans belonged to the strongest ‘race’, the ‘Aryan’ race

Question 13

People’s Community (Volksgemeinschaft):

Answer 13

• the Nazis wanted all German people to work together to make their country proud and powerful
• unity and loyalty to the German nation were more important than individual needs

Question 14

Nationalism:

Answer 14

a passionate belief that Germany was superior to all other countries

Question 15

Self-sufficient:

Answer 15

Germany should not depend on other countries for food, resources and materials

Question 16

Anti-communism:

Answer 16

• Nazis saw communists as a threat to Germany and wanted to destroy them
• communists believe that all people should share the wealth of the country

Question 17

Strong Germany:

Answer 17

Germany should abolish T of V, take back land, and unite all Germans

Question 18

‘Stab in Back’ Theory

Answer 18

• many right-wing Germans believed that the only reason Germany lost WW1 was because they were betrayed by weak democratic politicians signing armistice
  
  • some of these ‘Nov Criminals’ were Jews - popular to blame Jews as scapegoat for Germany losing WW1
  • defeat in WW1 shocked Germany and defeated its pride

Question 19

Conspiracy Theories

Answer 19

• Nazis thought of Jews and Communists as being joined in a world-wide anti-German conspiracy
• Nazis hated communism and the fact that some communist leaders were Jewish aided delusion
• Jews viewed as greedy, ‘Asiatic’ etc.
• Nazis portrayed Jews as trying to control Germany for their own gain and as a threat to normal gains

Question 20

The Lean Years

Answer 20

• in general election of 1928 the Nazis:
  
  • won only 12 seats
  • polled only 810,000 votes (2.67% of National Vote)
  • ended up being 8th biggest Reichstag party

Question 21

Why didn’t the Nazis win?

Answer 21

• since 1923 economy improved, employment increased, public better of
• due to Gustav Streseman - popular, well respect ex-field Marshall in German army, 78yrs old, his reputation restored confidence in Weimar Republic
• voters supported Weimar gov and moderate parties instead of voting for extremists like the Nazis

Question 22

Polarisation - how Nazis came to power

Answer 22

• Nov 1932 - election Nazi is biggest party but on verge of quitting
• Hindenbuergs plan was to make Hitler Chancellor of Germany after he won election to please him but he thought he would still be able to control Hitler
• democratically elected