Fascism in Germany
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Fascism in Germany
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Reasons for the Rise of Fascism in Germany

    • The economic collapse of Germany after 1929 (main reason)
    • The lack of democratic roots in Germany
    • Under the Weimar republic
    • It was impossible to secure a majority in parliament (this depicted democracy as a weak Gov. system)
    • The president had the authority to declare a state of emergency (Hitler used Hindenburg’s ability to do this in order to establish his dictatorship)
    • The fear of communism (Hindenburg appointed Hitler as chancellor as a result of such fears)
    • The Nazis exploited the weakness of the Weimar system and often used violence against their opponents
    • The Nazis made use of propaganda to shape public opinion
    • The Nazis used resentment against the Versaille Settlement to their ends.
    • Some other political parties did not support democracy and represented potential allies for Hitler

Characteristics of National Socialist Rule

    • Germany became a one party state
    • Hitler was supreme within the party and he was taken as the personification of National Socialism.
    • Totalitarianism was introduced
    • Education was controlled
    • Strict censorship of the media
    • All non-Nazi youth movements were banned and replaced (ie: by movements such as Hitler Youth)
    • The churches were brought under Nazi control
    • Trade Unions & strikes were banned
    • The use of terror was made to crush all resistance
    • The army was brought under Nazi control
      • Officers swore loyalty to Hitler
      • Gradually Nazi officers filled army ranks
      • The non-Nazi commander and war minister were removed in scandals at least engineered by the Nazis
      • The S.S. was built up
    • The Nazis made great use of propaganda
    • The economy (see notes on inter-war period)
    • Racism / The Aryan Germans were declared to be the ‘Master Race’
    • Expansionism / Hitler claimed to reunite all Germans and Nazi interests centered on obtaining land in Europe
    • There was a close identity btw party and state
    • Centralization of power.

An Evaluation of National Socialism

    • Failed in the long run and brought disaster to Germany
    • Brought short term benefits (see notes on Economic Problems)
    • Drove to exile Germans who could have contributed greatly for Germany (ie: Einstein)
    • There was strict censorship of art, literature and academic life; which all did not flourish under the Nazis
    • Women’s rights suffered
    • Loss of civil liberty
    • Nazi extremism brought about Allied extremism and eventually events such as civilian bombings (ie: Dresden)
    • Some successes: construction of autobahns, establishment of enterprises like Volkswagen, and scientific advances in areas such as synthetics, and rocketry.

An Evaluation of Nazi Economic Policy

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