Germany was devastated after WWI and further damaged by reparations payments. During the Great Depression, Adolf Hitler rose to power modeling his Nazi party after Italian Fascism. He imprisoned those who opposed him and wrote Mein Kampf, outlining his desire to create a powerful Germany and claims of Aryan supremacy. As the Depression continued and the Nazi party grew in popularity, Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany in 1932 where he established a secret police, outlawed other parties, and censored information to increase his totalitarian control over Germany.

1. TOTALITARIAN GERMANY

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• Germany was devastated by World War I.
• Reparations further destroyed the German economy.
• The land Germany lost, both in the Treaty of Versailles and
afterwards that France took as payment for reparations,
was the most productive parts of Germany.
• The Depression therefore hit Germany worse than
anywhere else.
• It was the perfect opportunity for a dictator to rise to power.

3. • Hitler was heavily motivated by
Mussolini's rise to power in
Italy.
• Hitler modeled Nazism after
Italian Fascism.
• The Nazi Party was officially
the National Socialist German
Workers party. (similar to
Fascism and Communism!)
NAZISM’S ITALIAN ROOTS

4. • In 1923, Hitler first
attempted to take over
the Weimer Republic
(German government
after World War I) from,
of all places, a bar!
• He was sent to prison.
HITLER’S FIRST ATTEMPT TO TAKE CHARGE
Not your typical 1920s prison

5. • Blamed other countries for
Germany’s hardships.
• Discussed his hatred
especially for the Jewish
people.
• Spoke of his desire to unite
all German speaking people.
• While in prison, Hitler wrote
Mein Kampf (My Struggle),
his autobiography.
• He discussed his desires to
create a new powerful
Germany.
• Claimed Germans were
Aryans (a master race).
MEIN KAMPF

6. • The Nazi Party became more
popular
• By 1932, Hitler, his book, and
his Nazi Party were the most
popular group in Germany.
• German President Paul Von
Hidenburg appointed Hitler to
be the chancellor (what we
would consider president!)
AS THE DEPRESSION CONTINUED…..

7. TO INCREASE HIS POWERS
• Borrowing from Mussolini, Nazis used
mass rallies, special salutes, and
special troops called the Brown Shirts
and used the swastika as its symbol.
• He established the Gestapo, a secret
police force.
• He outlawed other political parties and
imprisoned people who disagreed with
him.
• And he censored the news and
promoted propaganda.

8. THE FUHRER
• Hitler named himself de Fuhrer (the leader).
• As the leader, he took control of the economy, outlawed
unions, and focused on building factories (which could be
used to build weapons) and infrastructure (government
stuff).
• He ignored the Treaty of Versailles and began to
remilitarize Germany.

9. PUTTING THE TROOPS TO WORK
• His troops invaded the Rhineland (1936), took over
Austria (1938), the Sudetenland (1938), and
Czechoslovakia (1939).
• Once again, the League of Nations just told him to stop.