Who were the Nazis and what did they believe in? Flashcards
When did the Nazi party come about and why?
- 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
- many Germans angry at Treaty of Versailles
- 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
Nazi Party Timeline: Jan 1919
Anton Drexler founded German Workers’ Party (DAP)
Nazi Party Timeline: Sept 1919
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
Nazi Party Timeline: Feb 1920
Hitler working as Drexlers right-hand man, announced 25 point programme which included depriving Jews of German citizenship
Nazi Party Timeline: June 1920
Hitler passionate public speaker and attracted large no. of people - membership grew to 1100
Nazi Party Timeline: August 1920
Hitler suggested change name from DAP to National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAPP) - Nazi for short and tilted swastika emblem
Nazi Party Timeline: Mid - 1921
Hitler pushed Drexler aside and became party leader
Main Principles of Nazi Ideology:
- 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
Anti-semitism:
- 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
Living space (Lebensraum):
Belief Germany needed more land to become stronger ‘races’ - in constant competition withe act other
Strong leader/Totalitarianism:
instead of democracy Germany needed single, strong leader with total power - totalitarian regime
Social Darwinism:
- 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
People’s Community (Volksgemeinschaft):
- 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
Nationalism:
a passionate belief that Germany was superior to all other countries
Self-sufficient:
Germany should not depend on other countries for food, resources and materials
Anti-communism:
- 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
Strong Germany:
Germany should abolish T of V, take back land, and unite all Germans
‘Stab in Back’ Theory
- 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
Conspiracy Theories
- 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
The Lean Years
- 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
Why didn’t the Nazis win?
- 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
Polarisation - how Nazis came to power
- 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
