Nazism and the Rise of Hitler Class 9 Notes: CBSE History Chapter 3

Nazism and the Rise of Hitler Notes

• Otto Frank was at the pinnacle of his success. As a businessman, he had earned a lot. He was also living a happy life with his wife and two of his daughters. But fate was very cruel. 

• Hitler gradually rose to power in the initial part of the 20th century. But clever Frank was foresighted. He also knew inside of him about what was to come. So he shifted from Germany to Amsterdam to escape from the madness of Hitler. 

• He also tried hard to send his family to the U.S., to leave that hell once and for all. Later when Hitler became too powerful, the Nazi soldiers separated the once-happy family & transported them to various concentration camps. 

• Imagine a father, who is not able to look at his two lovely daughters &  his beloved wife. Every day he had hoped to see his family alive. That hope never came. In 1945 the father, Otto Frank, got to hear the news that he so desperately did not want to hear.

Germany’s Defeat in The World War I

• Germany entered the world war on 1st August 1914. It aimed to dominate Russia and France, the most powerful countries on either side of Germany.

• It first attacked Belgium. After this move by Germany, Great Britain attacked Germany.

• Later as the U.S. joined the Allied forces, Germany was easily defeated by them.

• First, the failure of the Schlieffen plan and then the weakness of Kaiser Wilhelm II made the general public and the army lose respect for him.

• In 1918 Wilhelm abdicated the throne.

• The Social Democratic Party & the Independent Social Democratic Party convened a National Congress. Ultimately, a weak coalition government was made.

Paris Peace Conference &  the Treaty of Versailles

Meanwhile, in Paris, the Allies met basically to take revenge (politically and economically) upon the defeated Central Powers. The main outcome of the peace conference was the Treaty of Versailles (1919). This treaty was signed with Germany. The terms of this treaty blamed all the description & damage squarely on Germany. Because of this treaty:

• Germany had to lose its overseas colonies. Nearly 13% of the German territory was given away to various countries that directly or indirectly supported the Allied countries. 

• France also grabbed Alsace and Lorraine which were parts of Germany.

• Germany’s control over Poland was also taken away. Poland now had become a sovereign country again.

• As reparation, Germany had to shell out $33 billion.

• Germany’s military prowess was more or less neutralised -especially in the Rhineland.

• France and Belgium initially grabbed a significant part of the Rhineland. Later when Germany failed to pay reparations the French and Belgian army occupied the Ruhr region as well.

Birth of the Weimar Republic

• Context and Formation: In the early 20th century, Germany fought in World War I (1914-1918) alongside the Austrian Empire against the Allied Powers, including England, France, and Russia. The war drained Europe's resources, and although Germany occupied France and Belgium, the Allies, reinforced by the US entry in 1917, eventually triumphed. Germany and the Central Powers were defeated in November 1918.

• In 1919, at Weimar, the National Assembly convened to establish a democratic constitution for Germany with a federal structure. This new constitution introduced equal and universal voting rights for all adults, including women. The Weimar Republic also faced significant losses: Germany's overseas colonies were forfeited, and the War Guilt Clause held Germany responsible for the war and its damages, leading to the Allied occupation of the Rhineland in the 1920s.

The Effects of the War

The war left Europe both psychologically and financially scarred. The Weimar Republic inherited the war's guilt and national humiliation while also facing severe financial burdens due to war reparations. The Republic was supported by Socialists, Catholics, and Democrats but was disparagingly labelled as the ‘November criminals’ by its critics. The war deeply affected European society and politics, with soldiers often held in high regard despite their harsh realities, and democracy struggling to stabilise amidst the turmoil of interwar Europe.

Political Radicalism and Economic Crises

The inception of the Weimar Republic was marred by political radicalism, exemplified by the Spartacist League's uprising, which mirrored the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. This uprising was suppressed with the assistance of the Free Corps, a group of war veterans. This conflict intensified the animosity between Communists and Socialists.

The economic crisis of 1923 further destabilised the Republic. Germany's refusal to pay reparations led to the French occupation of the Ruhr, a key industrial region, to seize coal. The spectacle of Germans carting massive amounts of currency to buy necessities like bread was widely publicised, eliciting global sympathy but underscoring the severe economic hardships faced by the German population.

After-Effects of The Treaty

• It was a huge embarrassing blow to the psychology of the proud Germans. They had to undergo extreme humiliation due to this treaty.

• The poor Weimar Republic - which had nothing to do with the war or the treaty - became the punching bag of the Germans. They felt that it was because of the weakness of the republic government that the Allies had dared to impose such heavy penalties.

• The conservative nationalistic people in Germany also abused the supporters of the Weimar Republic and turned against them. The supporters of it included mainly the Socialists. The Democrats and the Catholics also bore the brunt.

• As aggressive nationalism reared its head, so did the tendency to glorify the war and trench life.

Radical Elements in the Political Sphere

As the Weimar Republic came into existence so did the radical group called the Spartacist League. The group was impressed by the Soviets & wanted to imitate their style of governance. Initially, the Weimar Republic, with the help of the Free Corps, stunted the rise of the Spartacist League. As you can imagine from their love of the Soviet style of governance, the league was Communist in spirit. Later it formed the Communist Party of Germany.

The Economic Fallout

• Germany also had to pay the Allies an astronomical sum of money as reparations. On the other hand, during the war, it borrowed money & resources as well. So it was in great debt.

• France occupied the Ruhr upon non-payment of reparations.

• To counter the growing economic stress, Germany also printed a large amount of paper currency. This led to shocking inflation.

• Although America tried to bail Germany out, after the economic depression of 1929, America stopped giving loans to Germany.

• German industrial output also was at an all-time low. As many as 6 million Germans became unemployed.

The Emergence of Hitler

• As the German economy was deteriorating day by day due to unfair ruling in the peace treaty, Hitler was seething with anger. Toxic nationalistic sentiment had filled him to the core.

• Who was Hitler as a man before Hitler became ‘the’ Hitler? He was the son of a customs official. He lived in Austria in his early days. Hitler also wanted to be an artist but was repeatedly rejected by the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna. (Imagine if he had been admitted to the Academy, the History could have been a lot less bloody).

• In 1913, Hitler then came to Munich and joined the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. An aimless Hitler had found refuge in war. He loved the discipline and the way of life that he experienced while he was in the army.

• After his service, Hitler also joined the German Workers Party. That was in the year 1919 the year when the Versailles Treaty was also signed. He then became the topmost leader of the party and renamed it the National Socialist German Workers’ Party. This same party was then transformed into the Nazi Party. The Promise For A Better Country

• The morale of the German people was at the very bottom after the treaty. Hitler, through his Nazi Party, had promised the Germans a better future once he would come to power. The people started dreaming just like a drowning ant would clutch a straw. 

• By 1932, Hitler’s nazi Party got 37% votes and became a majority party in the German Parliament. Ultimately on 30th January 1933, Hitler became the Chancellor and The Dictatorship Began. Hitler then intoxicated the conservatives & the general population with his promises.

• When a mysterious fire broke out in the German Parliament building, Hitler used this as an opportunity for the murder of freedom of speech and the press. He also imposed heavy restrictions on the right to assemble.

• The Communists were then condemned to the concentration camps. And came the Enabling Act of 1933. The Nazi party had become the only party in Germany. Every other party & organisation was termed illegal. The Storm Troopers, the Gestapo, the Surveillance Force along with regular police were given a free hand to locate the ‘enemies’ & send them to the concentration camps.

• Politically speaking, Hitler did manage to reverse the embarrassing rulings of the peace treaty of 1919 ( but at what cost?). He returned to the Rhine area. Czechoslovakia and Sudetenland were also annexed by Germany. Hitler then attacked Poland. In many countries, Nazi stooges were also installed. By 1940 Hitler became extremely powerful.

Racism in Hitler

• “All human culture, the results of art, science, & technology that we see before us today, are almost exclusively the product of Aryans” - Hitler writes in Mein Kampf. From this, you can imagine how blind Hitler was in his love for the so-called pure race.

• Hitler was against the union of the Aryans & other races as that would then produce inferior sons and daughters.

• Hitler was also a believer in the racial hierarchy. The Aryans were normally considered to be the most superior & the Jews were considered to be the most inferior. All other races were between these two extremes.

• His blind hatred against Jews led to the killing of 6 billion Jews. Killing is a very understatement here. The Jews were tortured, gassed, orphaned, widowed, separated & forced to live a life of hiding and constant fear. This mass killing of the Jews is called in history as the Holocaust.

• We must note that Hitler killed countless people in Poland and Russia as well. Even the German people who were considered unfit were treated very harshly.

Holocaust

Hitler’s hatred for Jews was as deadly as a forest fire which showed no sign of stopping. After Hitler became the dictator of Germany, he then pushed forth his theory of Aryan supremacy. He believed that blue-eyed Nordic Aryans were at the top of the racial hierarchy & the Jews were at the bottom. He associated spiritual significance with the killing of Jews. Thus,  with the help of his police force, the SA unit & the Gestapo, he systematically located and sent the Jews to concentration camps and butchered them. This systematic killing of the Jewish community by Hitler is known as the Holocaust.

The Peace Treaty of Versailles

As the Central Powers became weaker and the Triple Entente became stronger with the entry of America, Germany decided to negotiate for an armistice. Yes, the war stopped. But Germany had to pay a heavy price after the end. The important points in this part of History Chapter 3 Class 9 Notes are:

• Germany had to loosen its grip on its overseas colonies. It lost 13 percent of its territories and a tenth of its population.

• France took away Alsace and Lorraine.

• Denmark got Schleswig. Belgium also took pieces from the German cake.

• Poland was recreated. The newly created Poland was given to West Prussia and Poznan.

• Germany was demilitarised.

• The Rise of Hitler Class 9 chapter in your book also mentions that the resource-rich province of Rhineland was occupied by the Allied forces.

Humiliation: Economic and Psychological

The German people felt deeply humiliated by the Treaty of Versailles. They felt it was because of the weakness of the Weimar Republic that the Allied forces were able to enforce such heavy sanctions upon them. Because of this, the conservative nationalistic people of Germany became radical.

Political Radicalism

• The Opponents of the Weimar Republic: The Spartacist League tried to rise against the established political order and wanted Soviet-style governance. However, the initial uprising was crushed by the Weimar Republic.

• The Spartacist League later founded the Communist Party of Germany.

The Economic Crisis

The NCERT Class 9 History Chapter 3 Notes describe how the economic condition of Germany deteriorated after the peace treaty.

• On one hand, Germany already had heavy debts and on the other, it had to pay the Allied forces in gold. This emptied the coffers of the Weimar Republic.

• In 1923 Germany refused to pay. France, in turn, occupied Ruhr - the main industrial area of Germany at that time.

• The economic condition of Germany went from bad to worse. It started printing huge amounts of paper currency. This resulted in hyperinflation.

• America came to its aid. It provided Germany with short-term loans.

• Then came the economic depression of 1929. The loan stopped. Industries all over the world suffered heavily.

• Chapter 3 History Class 9 describes that the industrial output was reduced to 40% of the 1929 levels.

The Dream of a Better Future

Hitler made the German people dream of a better future at a time when the German economic system was on the brink of collapse and the people had no job or money. The Nazi propaganda took advantage of the people’s willingness to believe in anything (however improbable) that promised to pull them out of their misery. In 1932, he got 37% votes in the German parliament.

The Days of Repression

Now comes the part in ‘Nazism and The Rise of Hitler Summary’ where we get to know why Hitler is hated so much across the world. The important points in this part of History Class 9 Chapter 3 Notes are:

• In 1933 Hitler Got a Chancellorship - The highest position in the cabinet.

• First, he became successful in getting the support of the conservatives.

• Somehow a fire broke out in the German Parliament building. Hitler used this incident to his advantage and suspended the previously established rights of people like free speech, the right to assemble, the free press, etc.

• The Communists were sent to the concentration camps.

• After the Enabling Act of 1933, Hitler became the true dictator. No other political parties than the Nazi and Nazi affiliates were allowed. The parliamentary system was virtually abolished.

• Hitler started shaping German society as he envisioned with the help of stormtroopers and the Gestapo.

• Yes, Hitler did reverse the effects of the peace treaty. He reacquired the Rhineland. He annexed Sudetenland with Germany. Germany attacked Poland. And after the Tripartite Pact, the power of the Nazi empire increased in the vast swathe of Europe.

• He created a centralised political system.

Racism and the Pogrom Aimed at Jews

Hitler was a strong opponent of equality among people. He believed in the racial hierarchy. In this hierarchy, the blond, blue-eyed, Nordic Germans were considered to be the most superior race. The Jews were considered to be the most inferior of the races. All the other races were in between.

Hitler was also a Proponent of Lebensraum - The concept that the area of the MotherLand needed to be extended so that more and more Germans could have enough space to live. It was with this racist mentality that Hitler went on to massacre millions of Jews. However, it is not the Jews alone who were killed by the Nazi forces- there were gipsies, blacks, Russians, Poles, etc., who were also persecuted. Ironically, Hitler did not even spare his people. Any German who was considered unfit was decreed to be killed.

5 Important Topics of Social Science History Class 9 Chapter 3 you shouldn’t Miss!

Importance of Chapter 3 Nazism and the Rise of Hitler Class 9 Revision Notes

• Revision notes break down complicated subjects into easy-to-understand summaries. This makes it easier to grasp key concepts.

• They help clarify tricky topics by presenting them in a simpler and more digestible way, making them easier to understand and remember.

• Regularly reviewing these notes reinforces what you've learned, helping you remember important information better.

• Having all essential information in one place speeds up your study sessions, saving time and making studying more organised.

• Revision notes highlight the most important themes and ideas, ensuring you concentrate on what's crucial for exams and assignments.

Tips for Learning the Class 9 History Chapter 3 Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

• Start by familiarising yourself with the period after World War I, including the Treaty of Versailles and the economic conditions in Germany. This background will help you understand why Nazism gained popularity.

• Focus on major events that led to Hitler’s rise, such as the Treaty of Versailles, the Great Depression, and the Beer Hall Putsch. Knowing these will give you a clear timeline of how Hitler came to power.

• Pay attention to the core beliefs of Nazism, such as anti-Semitism and Aryan supremacy. Understanding these ideologies will help you grasp why certain policies and actions were taken.

• Learn how the Nazis used propaganda to spread their ideas and gain support. This includes their use of media, rallies, and symbols.

• Study the impact of Nazi policies on German society and Europe. Note how they affected various groups and led to World War II.

• Utilise maps, timelines, and charts to visualise the rise of Hitler and the spread of Nazi influence. This can help in remembering key events and their impacts.

Conclusion

The chapter on Nazism and the Rise of Hitler provides a critical understanding of how Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party emerged as a dominant force in Germany during the early 20th century. By examining the historical context, including the economic hardships and political instability of the Weimar Republic, we can see how these conditions facilitated the rise of extreme ideologies. The chapter highlights how Hitler’s use of propaganda, charismatic leadership, and exploitation of national discontent allowed the Nazis to consolidate power.

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