Adolf Hitler was born in Austria and failed to get into art school. He served in the German army during WWI and joined the Nazi party after the war. The party gained popularity by blaming Germany's postwar weakness on politicians, France, communists, and Jews. After a failed coup attempt, Hitler was imprisoned where he wrote Mein Kampf outlining his vision of uniting German-speaking peoples and removing Jewish and Slavic influences. The Nazi party platform called for rejecting the Treaty of Versailles, removing non-Aryan influences like Jews, rebuilding the military, and providing social services to German citizens.

1. Class Notes 9:7 Adolf Hitler Modern World History, by Dan McDowell. Teaching Point, ©2003

2. Background Born in Austria – not Germany! Had ambitions to be an artist, but could not get into art school Worked various jobs prior to WWI Enlisted in Germany army; distinguished himself with two bravery medals

3. Post-War Germany When war ended he believed Germany was “stabbed in the back” by Weimar Republic politicians who signed the Versailles treaty (no military officers at the signing) With a handful of other dissenters, he formed the party that would evolve into the National Socialists (Nazis)

4. Post-War Germany As party leader, he gave numerous speeches blaming Germany’s new found weakness on the current politicians, the French, the communists, and the Jews

5. Post-War Germany Early popularity was limited, the Nazi party received less that 10% of the vote in the early 1920s Organized a raid to capture the Bavarian government in Munich in 1923, but was crushed by the regular German army

6. Post-War Germany Convicted and sent to prison for nine months where he wrote Mein Kampf

7. Philosophy of Hitler First outlined his political philosophy in Mein Kampf Versailles Treaty must be repealed, it had dismantled the very nature of the Fatherland All German -speaking people must be united in a single nation which therefore needed additional “living space” Aryans are the highest form of life, must never intermingle with lesser races including Slavs and Jews; these groups must be separated from Aryans

8. Philosophy of Hitler After prison, Hitler reorganized Nazi party and developed a political platform that would utilize the democratic system to obtain power

9. National Socialist Platform Stop all compliance with the Versailles Treaty and punish those responsible for this “stab in the back” Rid Germany of corrupt non-Aryan influences, including the Jews who he said had an international plan to take over world Only allow people of German blood to be citizens

10. National Socialist Platform Rebuild greatness of the German army; build an unrivaled navy Unify the German peoples Rebuild the German economy without foreign influences – protecting German workers and farmers

11. National Socialist Platform Education in the name of the nation should be available to everyone and the press should have limitations placed on it All citizens have equal access to pensions and medical care in their old age