9.2.3 PRESENTATION

• History
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 3

9. The Time of World Wars

9.2.3 The Rise of Mussolini and Hitler

people in this lesson

Benito Mussolini

Adolf Hitler

Hitler as a kid

Hitler during WW1

Nov 11, 1918: ARMISTICE

June 28,1919: Treaty of Versailles

Hitler would never accept this!

Germany became a democratic Republic:

the Weimar Republic

1918 - 1933

From now on,        laws were made by

the Reichstag:                the German parliament

Study the workings of a parliament (then and now) in the EXTRA lesson: 

https://LessonUp.app/invite/h/qfZXTskGLjxfg727T

Reichstag, Berlin, 1922

The Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933)

After the first general elections for the Reichstag in a democratic Germany, the largest party became: the Social Democrats (SDP, = like our PvdA), followed by the Liberals (= like our VVD) and the Catholics (= like our CDA).

The Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933)

These parties all embrace freedom and democracy. That is why we say that they belong to the political center.

• There were also political parties that hated democracy, for example:

• communists (who wanted a country like the Soviet Union)
• nationalists (who wanted Germany to be a strong empire again)

• These undemocratic groups we call extremists.

Spartakists

Freikorps

The Stab-in-the-back Myth

a story created by extremist right nationalists:

The German army did not lose WW1.

Germany was betrayed by democratic politicians who signed the Armistice and later the Treaty of Versailles.

The Stab-in-the-back Myth

Hitler also believed 

that communists and especially the Jews

were part of this plot against Germany and its army.

Hitler in politics

In 1919 Hitler joined a nationalistic party, the Deutsche Arbeiter Partei (DAP)

Hitler in politics

The DAP was

- anti democratic

- anti communist

- anti-semitic (= anti-Jewish)

Hitler turned out to be a good speaker.

He practised his expressions and gestures in front of a mirror.

In 1920 Hitler became the leader of the DAP. He changed the name into N.S.D.A.P. He also used the swastika as the party's new symbol

NSDAP: National-Sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei.

Or in short: the Nazi Party

Members were called "nazis"

1923: the Nazis try to seize power in Munich by force.

This is called a Putsch or Coup (staatsgreep)

Why a Putsch in 1923 ?

• In 1922, Mussolini successfully seized power in Italy. Hitler was inspired by this.

• In 1923, Germany suffered from a hyper inflation, causing millions of Germans to lose all their money. 

    Hitler believed that the                German people were now            so desperate that they                  would support him

Germany was forced to pay 132 billion goldmarks to the Allies

Causes and effects of the Hyperinflation of 1923

When Germany could not pay, the French occupied the Ruhr area to take resources as payment.

German miners went on strike. 

The Weimar government promised to pay their wages.

To keep paying the wages the government printed extra money.

Result: the value of the money decreased, causing inflation

In months the inflation spiralled out of control: hyper-inflation.

Money was worthless. People lost all their savings.

The Munich Putsch fails and Hitler is arrested. He is sentenced to 9 months imprisonment.

In prison, Hitler writes his book Mein Kampf (my struggle) in which he outlines his political ideas.

In short, his ideas and plans are:

1. reverse the Treaty of Versailles
2. rebuild Germany's armed forces
3. unite Germany and Austria
4. extend German territory into eastern Europe (Lebensraum)
5. destroy communism
6. the Germanic race (aryan race)  is superior (= the Master Race)

One arrow is actually missing.

And it benefits the USA.

???

WAR reparations

WAR debts payments

LOANS

Results Plan Dawes:

• German economy recovered from 1924 till 1929.

• Extremist parties lost in popularity.

• Until 1929 the Nazis remained a small party.

Put the events in the correct chronological order

Munich Putsch

Start hyper inflation

Germany becomes a Republic

Treaty of Versailles

Hitler writes Mein Kampf

Mussolini's March on Rome

French occupy the Ruhr

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