Hitler Vocabulary IB History

Autobahn

"Superhighway," designed to stimulate economic growth also served military purposes, used to transport troops. Construction started in 1935. Employed over 100,000 workers to decrease unemployment.

Enabling Act

An amendment passed by the Reichstag in March 1933 and signed by Hindenburg. Allowed Hitler to pass laws without the Reichstag's approval. Laws did not have to follow the constitution.

Beer Hall Putsch

An attempt to overthrow the government. (Coup) November 1923. Mimicking Mussolini's March on Rome, Nazis interrupted political meeting in Munich beer hall. Bavarian leaders (also right-wing) agreed to help march with Hitler for new government, but one contacted police and army. Ludendorff and Hitler led 2000 Nazis. Ludendorff arrested, Hitler arrested 2 days later. Overall failure, but helped Nazi propaganda. Hitler said it was not treason because he was helping his country. Wrote Mein Kompf in jail..

Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service

April 1933. Non-Aryans forced to retire, Jews purged from schools, court, administration, universities.

Rhineland

Area in West Germany that was not supposed to be militarized because of the ToV. Occupied by foreigners (ex. French) and German troops banned. Germany remilitarized it in March 1936, first aggressive military action by Nazi Germany. GB and France responded with appeasement. Showed they were weak.

Nazi-Soviet Nonagression Pact

August 1939. Soviet Union and Nazi Germany each pledged to remain neutral in the event that either nation were attacked by someone. Divided Europe into spheres of influence- Germany with West Poland. Without SU in the way, Germany was free to attack Poland.

Catholic Centre

Banned in July 1933 as part of a Concordat with the Pope. Had a more conservative, family-values following.

Adolf Hitler

Became chairman of NSDAP in 1921 and renamed it. Founder of the German Nazi Party and chancellor of the Third Reich (1933-1945). His fascist philosophy, embodied in Mein Kampf, attracted widespread support, and after 1934 he ruled as an absolute dictator after Hindenburg's death. Hitler's pursuit of aggressive nationalist policies resulted in the invasion of Poland (1939) and the subsequent outbreak of World War II. His regime was infamous for the extermination of millions of people, especially European Jews. He committed suicide when the collapse of the Third Reich was imminent (1945).

Goebbels

Became propaganda director for Nazi party in 1929 and minister of propaganda for State in 1933. Helped influence the masses through censoring media, controlling print publications, People's Receiver radios. Convinced Germans of the vileness of the Jews.

Volk

Belief of a superior German people. Originated late 1700s when Germany was separated into states. Used as reasoning why Germany was destined to emerge as a single, strong, unified people.

Anti-Semitism

Belief that Jews are lowest of the low racially. They should be persecuted. Examples: Crystal Night 9-10 November 1938, Law for Restoration of Professional Civil Service 1933, forced to be named Israel/Sarah and wear J, concentration camps as final solution.

Anti-Marxism

Belief that Marxism as an international belief would weaken nations. Germany did not cooperate with Russians after Bolshevik revolution. Establishment of Reich church in May 1933 was founded on anti-Marxist values.

Blut und Boden

Belief that the blood of the community is rooted in the soil. Both racial descent and territory.

Volksgemeinschaft

Belief that the state is more important than anything. People should feel a sense of community. Spread to youth and community through organizations like Beauty of Labor and Strength through Joy.

Kurt von Schleicher

Chancellor December 1932- January 1933. Wanted to take Nazi support and shift it to the SPD. Wanted to increase tariffs on imports, which angered wealthy Prussians. Relied on emergency decrees. Wanted Hitler to become chancellor.

Franz von Papen

Chancellor June 1932- November 1932. Wanted to get a new constitution, but was denied by defense minister. Dismissed by Hindenburg when he failed to change the government. Believed Hitler was weak. Allowed Hitler to become chancellor because he could push him "into a corner."

Heinrich Bruning

Chancellor March 1930- May 1932. Weak, ruled by emergency decree. Could not control street violence or SA. Had to contend with the great depression and war reparations. He became highly unpopular.

Fuhrerprinzip

Cult of the leader. Stronger people rule over weaker people. The Fuhrer is the source of all political authority. Meetings and festivals celebrated Hitler's birthday.

Anti-democracy

Democracy gives equal weight to everyone, even the weak. Enabling act of 1933 established dictatorial rule. Polycratic system used in government instead.

Reparations

Fines for war damages. Wrecked German economy. Returning soldiers couldn't work, leading to unemployment. Caused economic depression and hyperinflation when they tried to print more money. Forced Germany to become dependent on foreign loans after the 1924 Dawes Plan.

Sturmabteilung (SA)

Formed in 1921. Nazis' private army used by Hitler to terrorize communists, Socialists, and trade union workers, especially the Jews. Their threat was removed in the Night of the Long Knives. AKA Brown Shirts. Used to intimidate Reichstag. Very violent and wanted a revolution to get Hitler into power.

Schutzstaffel (SS)

Founded in 1925-1926. Originally formed as a unit to serve as Hitler's personal bodyguards, the S.S. grew and took on the duties of an elite military formation. During World War II, the Nazi regime used the S.S. to handle the extermination of Jews and other racial minorities, among other duties. The S.S. had its own army, independent of the regular German army (the Wehrmacht), to carry out its operations behind enemy lines.

Edouard Daladier

French primer who helped draft Munich Agreement September 1938. Showed Germany was bold and other nations weak/appeasing.

DNVP

German National People's Party. Conservative group in Germany during Weimar. Biggest nationalist conservative party before NSDAP. Hitler joined in 1929 to help protest the Young Plan. Done to gain publicity and help Nazis become larger.

KPD

German communist party. Banned in February 1933 after the Reichstag fire. Socialists imprisoned.

Sudetenland

German-speaking area of Czechoslovakia, given to Germany in the Munich Agreement (September 1938). Included many parts of Czech vital to economy and industry. Given by France, GB, and Italy

Heinrich Himmler

Head of SS 1929 and helped organize Night of the Long Knives. Led Gestapo in 1936. Warned Hitler of a possible SA coup, causing Hitler to take action and kill SA members. Oversaw execution of Jews.

Nazism vs. Stalinism

Hitler: Aryan race, women were domestic housewives, previous government failed, support from upper class, broke people up by race. Stalin: Liked communism, equality, women's rights, purges, did not blame previous government, manipulated previous leaders, class warfare, not officially racist. Both: Propaganda, control over private live of citizens, responsible for millions of deaths

Anti-Comintern Pact

In 1936 Japan signed this with Germany and it was later ratified by Italy (1937). It was in opposition to Communism but actually proved to be the foundation for diplomatic alliance between these three powers. Made the Soviets anxious of Germany.

The Victory of the Jew over the German

Industrialization gives Jews opportunities to make money, expressed in books like this one. Written by Marr in 1873. Very popular. Wilhelm II and conservative elites anti-Semitic.

Corporate State

Italy in the 1930s. Tried to overcome class conflict by bringing together workers, government, and employers. Nationalized several industries. Only fascist trade unions allowed. Government allowed monopolies if the firms gave them money

Night of the Long Knives

June 30 1934. Hitler concerned with SA violence and uncontrollable. Hitler needed support of the Army, but the army disliked the SA. Organized by Himmler (leader of SS) and led by Gestapo. Hitler killed possible opposition, including Rohm, leader of SA. Confirmed Hitler's authority, told Reichstag he was a hero for helping save Germany from emergency. Reichstag condoned the murders.

Ernst Rohm

Leader of SA and viewed as a rival to Hitler. Wanted to be put in charge of a merged army and SA. Condemned Hitler and called for a second Nazi uprising. Killed in Night of the Long Knives June 30, 1934.

Maginot Line

Line of defensive fortifications in France's east 1929-1934. Showed France's fear of attack. Focus on defense made them unable to help Czech when attacked.

Lebensraum

Living space for the German people. Made Germany anti-Communism because they coveted Russian lands. Invasion of Czech and taking Sudetenland and Poland in 1938 examples of Lebensraum.

Mutual Assistance Treaty

May 1935. SU and France would help each other in an unprovoked attack. SU tried to get nations worried about Germany and Japan. SU and France still did not trust each other fully.

Herrenvolk

Pan-Germanism. Supremacy of German Aryan race. Exampes: September 1938 Munich Agreement unified German-speakers in foreign lands. Reich Education Ministry reform in 1934 centralized curriculum and more emphasis on German ancestors.

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty imposed on Germany in June 1919 after losing WWI. Lost territory, all colonies, restricted armed forces, demilitarized Rhineland, land given to Poland, reparations led to destroyed economy, took blame for war. Anschluss with Austria was forbidden. Caused much discontent for leadership.

Nietzsche

Philosopher in 1880s who believed there were superior races as well as superior individuals. Said that there was a need for one strong leader- an Ubermensch, or superhuman.

Appeasement

Policy taken by GB (Chamberlain), France, and Italy and the League for Germany. They did not want to upset Germany, which led to them not enforcing the ToV. Failed political strategy in 1930s of French and British toward aggression by Germany.

Neville Chamberlain

Prime Minister of GB in 1930s. Helped arrange September 1938 Munich Agreement. Trusted Hitler's promises- a fatal mistake. Claimed he made "peace for our time" with the Munich Agreement. Agreed to back Poland if threatened. Did not trust Communists (SU). Appeased Germany.

Goering

Prime minister of Prussia who took over Gestapo in 1933. Helped establish concentration camps and plan Night of the Long Knives (June 30 1934). Head of armed forces in 1938. Fully supported Hitler; his second in command.

Hindenburg

The President of the Weimar during the Great Depression. He was aging and incompetent. He gave Hitler the role of Chancellor in January 1931 because he thought he could be controlled, but he could't. He died in August 1934, giving Hitler presidency. When he died, Hitler combined roles of Chancellor and President.

Nuremberg Rally

The annual rally for Hitler to basically rant about Nazism. Over a million Germans participated in 1934. Known as the Rally of Strength or the Rally of Will.

Prussian Junkers

The nobility of Prussia. Many were officers in the German army. Army wanted to undo ToV and expand slightly to regain lost land. Junkers allied with Russia traditionally, so they did not want to invade or provoke Russia.

Polish Corridor

The strip of Poland that the Germans wanted to take, specifically Danzig. Although originally Polish, a large minority of the population was German-speaking, an the entire situation caused friction between Poland and Germany, ultimately causing in the German invasion of Poland in 1939 and World War II.

Swastika

The symbol of the NSDAP, used in Austria by conservatives before the Nazis. Associated with Aryanism and used to spread Nazi message.

Guns and Butter

The trouble faced by the Nazis with maintaining a food supply while also building up their arms. Hard to keep up standard of living while also under rearmament in August 1936 Four Year Plan. Shortage of fats in Germany gave it its name- used in consumption (baking) and industry (grease).

Anschluss

The union of Austria with Germany, resulting from the occupation of Austria by the German army in March 1938. Germany was forbidden to annex because of the ToV but they did anyway. Showed militarism, weak League.

Anti-feminism

Women's only role was to bear future Aryans. Spring of Life in 1935 encouraged motherhood. Reflected in art and culture, in works of Myth.

Mein Kampf

Written by Hitler in prison after being arrested for the March 1923 Beer Hall Putsch. Said that Germans had to fight the communists/Marxists, Jews invented communism/Marxism to dominate the world, National Socialism the only way to fight communism, and bourgeois democracy first step to socialism/communism. Nazis had to prepare nation for war and get Lebensraum, Jews had to be eliminated.

Psychology of Crowds

Written by Le Bon in 1895. Portrayed people as weak and easy to influence/sway.

Fuhrer

Adolf Hitler's title as chancellor and head of state in Germany. German for Leader. Became Fuhrer August 1934 after Hindenburg's death. Fuhrerprinzip made people forced to be loyal to Fuhrer.

Hyperinflation

A stage of monetary collapse because of the extreme devaluation of currency. Occurred in 1923 in Germany after Germany began printing money to pay reparations and giving money to those who were protesting the French and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr.

Aryan

The Nordic/ Anglo-Saxon race the Nazis claimed was superior to all others.

Death's Head

AKA SS-Totenkopf. Expanded SS as a reserved military force, angering the regular army. Did not want to share military conquests with SS or army. Ran concentration camps and had skull and crossbones on their uniforms.

Principles of Biology; On the Origin of Species

1864 Spencer; 1859 Darwin. Had ideas like survival of the fittest for evolution. Authors didn't intend for it to apply to humans.

Weimar's Golden Years

1925-1929. Economy flourished because of help of US foreign loans. Hitler focused on recruiting those not helped by this period of time to gain support. Forced Germany to become dependent on foreign loans after the 1924 Dawes Plan. When the US withdrew loans after 1929 market crash, economy in shambles.

Nazi Economic Recover

1933-1939. Schacht was in charge of reviving the economy. Reduced unemployment and removed women from the work force. Used mefo bills. They stopped paying reparations in money and instead paid using bonds. Trade agreements with Balkans and South America allowed Germany to import raw materials and Germany encouraged countries to buy German goods. More resources/assets after 1938 Anschluss with Austria. Not necessarily a "miracle" because Hitler exaggerated how bad things were before; unemployment was already decreasing and reparations were slowing. Work creation schemes already existed. Rearmament strained economy- real wages increased, but so did cost of living.

US Neutrality Acts

1935-1937. Showed US was isolationist. Wanted to stay out of European war. Forbid trade-related reasons why US was involved in WWI. Banned the US from giving loans to countries at war.

Crystal Night (Kristallnacht)

9-10 November 1938. Nazis ransacked Jewish-owned areas, killed Jews, sent 10,000 to concentration camps. Caused Jews to emigrate. Shows anti-Semitism in Germany.

Pastor Bonhoeffer

Refused "Nazi justice." Theologian who opposed Nazism. Banned from preaching and publishing in 1940. Worked with underground resistance. Sent to Buchenwald in 1943, executed in 1945.

Gestapo

Secret police formed in April 1933. Rooted out political opposition and had to rely on spies and informants. Led by Himmler in 1936. Brutal terrorists.

Danzig

Semi-autonomous city state created in ToV 1920-1939. Mostly inhabited by ethnic Germans. Poland given some rights to Danzig. Government taken over by Nazis in 1933 and abolished by Nazis in 1939; incorporated into Prussia.

Reich Entailed Farm Law

September 1933. Provided small farmers with security of tenure by forbidding sale, division, mortgaging of any farms 7.5-10 hectares owned by Aryan farmers. A socialist aspect of National Socialism that helped level playing field.

Reich Food Estate

September 1933. Set up under Darre, the minister of food and agriculture. Controlled food production and sales and set targets and prices. Wanted to preserve the farming community as the blood source of German people. Controlled farmers very strictly.

Nuremberg Laws

September 1935. Laws defining the status of Jews and withdrawing citizenship from persons of non-German blood. Excluded Jews from white-collar professions and from marriage and habitation with non-Jews.

Munich Agreement

September 1938. Agreement among Germany, Britain, Italy, and France that allowed Germany to annex the region of western Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland. The Munich Agreement was the most famous example of British prime minister Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement prior to World War II. Troops took it over next month.

Social Darwinism

Survival of the fittest. Examples: Sterilization of asocials and biological outsiders, promotion of Aryan race in culture and art, Hitler youth groups forced competition

Third Reich

Term to describe German State 1933-1945. "Third" because there was previously the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire (starting with Wilhelm I).

Reichstag

The German parliament under the Weimar government until 1945. There was tension in the Reichstag between the upper and working class. The Reichstag had some power, but the real power resided in the Kaiser. As living conditions worsened in the early 1930s, Nazis got greater power in the Reichstag. His party being in power made Hitler a very powerful man, but the Nazis still did not have a majority until later and coalitions were needed.

NSDAP

The National Socialist German Workers' Party, the full title of the Nazi Party. The party grew rapidly in support from 1928 onwards, to become the most popular political party in Germany at the time when Hitler came to power. A group of extreme right wing'rs. Founded in 1919, but fell under control of Hitler. Refused to recognize Weimar government, but did later to put up candidates in Reichstag. Attracted unemployed army members, lower middle-class, civil servants, and students.