Introduction
The two World Wars were the most terrible wars in modern history. They changed the world and caused great human suffering.
To understand how these wars started, we need to look at what happened in Germany after World War I.
In this chapter, we will learn about how Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power, how they created a dictatorship, and how they persecuted (treated cruelly) groups like the Jews, Gypsies (Roma), and Polish people.
Finally, we will see how these events led the world into World War II, an even more destructive war.
Revision Notes: The Rise of Hitler and Nazism
1. The Weimar Republic – A Weak Democracy
-
After Germany lost World War I, the Kaiser (Emperor) Wilhelm II left his throne.
-
In 1919, a new democratic government was formed in Weimar, called the Weimar Republic.
-
It gave equal voting rights to all adults, including women.
-
However, from the beginning, it faced political violence and revolts, such as the Spartacist Revolt (led by Communists).
2. The Treaty of Versailles – A Humiliating Agreement
After the war, Germany had to sign the Treaty of Versailles, which was very harsh.
Main terms:
-
Germany had to accept full blame for the war.
-
Lost all its colonies and 13% of its land in Europe.
-
The German army was made very small (demilitarised).
-
Had to pay £6 billion as war compensation, which broke the economy.
The treaty made Germans feel angry and humiliated.
3. Economic Problems and Unrest
Hyperinflation (1923):
-
To pay war debts, the government printed too much money.
-
Money lost its value — people needed bags of notes just to buy bread.
The Great Depression (1929):
-
When the U.S. economy crashed, American loans to Germany stopped.
-
Factories closed, businesses failed, and millions lost their jobs.
-
The government looked weak and people lost faith in democracy.
4. Hitler’s Rise to Power
-
Adolf Hitler, a soldier in World War I, joined the German Workers’ Party and later renamed it the Nazi Party.
-
He promised to:
-
Create jobs and restore national pride.
-
End the Treaty of Versailles.
-
Blame Jews and others for Germany’s problems.
-
Result:
-
By 1932, the Nazi Party became the largest party in the German parliament (Reichstag).
-
On January 30, 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany.
5. End of Democracy – Hitler Becomes a Dictator
-
Reichstag Fire (Feb 1933): Hitler used this event to stop civil rights and arrest opponents.
-
Enabling Act (March 1933): Gave Hitler full powers — democracy ended.
-
All other political parties were banned.
-
The Gestapo (secret police) and SS created a climate of fear.
6. Nazi Beliefs and the Racial State
The Nazis believed in:
-
Racial superiority: The “Aryan race” (pure Germans) was the best.
-
Lebensraum: Germany needed more “living space” in Eastern Europe.
They wanted to remove all “undesirable” people:
-
Jews, Gypsies, Russians, Poles, and the disabled.
-
They passed Nuremberg Laws separating Jews from others.
-
Later, millions were killed in concentration camps — this was called the Holocaust.
7. Control Over Society
Youth and Education:
-
Schools taught Nazi ideas.
-
Boys joined the Hitler Youth and girls joined the League of German Girls to learn loyalty and discipline.
Women:
-
Expected to be mothers and homemakers to increase the “Aryan” population.
-
The ideal for women was “Kinder, Küche, Kirche” (Children, Kitchen, Church).
Propaganda:
-
Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda, controlled newspapers, films, and radio.
-
The media glorified Hitler and spread hatred against Jews.
8. Common People and Nazi Crimes
-
Many people supported the Nazis because they improved the economy and reduced unemployment.
-
Some resisted, like the White Rose Movement (students), but they were punished.
-
Most people stayed silent out of fear.
Pastor Martin Niemöller later wrote the famous poem “First They Came…” showing how silence helped the Nazis commit crimes.
9. The Road to World War II
Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy led directly to another war:
-
Left the League of Nations (1933).
-
Took back the Rhineland (1936).
-
Annexed Austria (1938).
-
Took parts of Czechoslovakia (1938–39).
-
Invaded Poland (September 1, 1939) — World War II began.
Chapter Summary
After World War I, Germany faced humiliation, poverty, and chaos.
Hitler and the Nazis took advantage of this by promising hope and strength.
Through propaganda, terror, and racism, they built a dictatorship and persecuted millions.
Their actions led the world into World War II, one of the darkest periods in history.
