HITLERS RISE TO POWER Hitlers Youth Born in

HITLER’S RISE TO POWER

Hitler’s Youth • • • Born in Austria in 1889 Father -- Alois Shicklgruber Alois Jr. runs away at 13 Arguments over Adolf’s career Young Adolf’s interests

Teenage Years • • 1903 father dies Adolf the student Drops out Art School test Stay in school!

The Nadir of Young Adolf’s Life • • 1907 mother’s death Adolf’s personality shift Mr. Big Project 1909 Portrait of the Young Man As An Artist

Social Studies • • Interested in politics Studies political movements Draft dodger Enlistee

World War I • Blamed Jews for anti-war sentiment • Temporarily blinded by chlorine gas • Heard of surrender lying in hospital bed “There followed terrible days and even worse nights -- I knew that all was lost… These nights hatred grew in me, hatred for those responsible for this deed. ” -- Adolf Hitler

Early Political Involvement • • Stab-in-the-back theory Political intelligence Educational officer 1919 German Workers Party

German Worker’s Party • • • Joined GWP, became main attraction 25 Points speech National Socialist German Workers Party 1921 membership up to 3000 Power struggle -- der Fuhrer

Opportunity Knocks Once • • • British and French set reparations at $33 B Runaway inflation 1921 American $ = 4. 2 German marks 1923 American $ = 4. 2 TRILLION marks Time to grab power?

Beer Hall Putsch • • • Strategy to take power in Bavaria Didn’t go as planned, skipped to Munich Military support fizzled -- arrested German trial of the century 5 -year sentence -- Mein Kampf

Patience, Adolf, Patience • Develops military structure of Nazis • Stormtroopers (SA) (Brownshirts) • Schutzstaffel (SS) • Dawes Plan

Opportunity Knocks Twice • • • Great Depression Vague promises, no details Repetition of catch phrases Lighting, music, chants Crazed speaking style

Propaganda Joseph Goebbels Election of 1930

Terror in the Streets “Blood must flow! Blood must flow as cudgel thick as hail! Let’s smash it up! That goddamned Jewish republic!” • Series of failed coalition gov’ts • Brownshirts unleashed • July 1932 Elections -- Nazis become plurality party

Final Steps to Power • Appointed Chancellor January 30, 1933 • Special elections for Reichstag in March • February fire • Emergency decree - • Enabling Act

der Führer • June 30, 1934 - The Great Blood Purge OR The Night of the Long Knives • August 1934 - Death of President Hindenburg • Absolute Power

The Night of the Long Knives Hitler had made it clear that he was the supreme ruler of Germany who had the right to be judge and jury, and had the power to decide whether people lived or died.

Even der Führer needs to laugh Sunday in the park with and Uncle Fester Adolf