FREE ESSAY ON GERMANY AFTER WWI - ADOLF HITLER

GERMANY AFTER WWI - ADOLF HITLER

Germany under the rule of the National Socialist German Workers' Party believed they were
superior to the peoples of all other nations and all individual efforts were to be
performed for the betterment of the German State. Germany's loss in World War I resulted
in the Peace Treaty of Versailles, which created tremendous economic and social hardships
on Germany. Germany had to make reparations to the Allied and Associated Governments
involved in World War I. As a result, Adolf Hitler gradually embarked upon his rise to
power in Germany creating the National Socialist German Workers' Party. As part of the
surrender terms of World War I, Germany was forced to sign the Peace Treaty of
Versailles, which held Germany responsible for the war. The country went bankrupt,
millions of Germans were without work and food, and the nation was in despair and
turmoil. Adolf Hitler's rise to power began during these very difficult economic and
social times. In the fall of 1919, Hitler began to attend meetings of a small nationalist
group called the German Workers' Party. Hitler soon took control over the group and
renamed it the National Socialist German Workers' Party. The group later became known as
the Nazi Party. The Nazis called for the union into one nation of all Germans. They
demanded that citizens of non-German descent or of the Jewish religion be deprived of
German citizenship and also called for the annulment of the Peace Treaty of Versailles.
These demands were the primary cause for the Nazi Party to compose the document The
Program of the National Socialist German Workers' Party in 1920. Hitler blamed the Jews
for the evils of the world. He believed a democracy would lead to communism. Therefore,
in Hitler's eyes, a dictatorship was the only way to save Germany from the threats of
communism and Jewish treason. The Program of the National Socialist German Workers' Party
was the instrument for the Nazis to convince the German people to put Hitler into power.
Point one of the document states, "We demand the union of all Germans in a great Germany
on the basis of the principle of self-determination of all peoples." 1 This point
explicates the Nazi proposition that Germany will only contain German citizens and also,
that these citizens would display his or her self-determination towards Germany to the
fullest. Point two of the document declares, "We demand that the German people have
rights equal to those of other nations; and that the Peace Treaty of Versailles shall be
abrogated." 2 The National Socialist German Workers' Party desired to do away with the
peace treaty because the treaty held Germany responsible for World War I. Germany did not
want to pay millions of dollars in reparations to the other nations involved in World War
I. Point four of the document cites, "Only those who are fellow countrymen can become
citizens. Only those who have German blood, regardless of creed, can be our countrymen.
Hence, no Jew can be a countryman." 3 This is similar to point one of the document by
expressing that only people who were one hundred percent German were allowed citizenship.
Therefore, any non-Germans or Jews were denied citizenship. Point five of the document
states, "Those who are not citizens must live in Germany as foreigners and must be
subject to the law of aliens." 4 This point explains that the non-citizens of Germany
would be treated as foreigners in the country, providing that they were of non-Jewish
religion. Point seven of the document declares, "We demand that the State shall above all
undertake to ensure that every citizen shall have the possibility of living decently and
earning a livelihood. If it should not be possible to feed the whole population, then
aliens must be expelled from the Reich." 5 If, however, this plan was not possible, those
living in Germany as aliens or foreigners would be told to leave the country. Point eight
of the document cites, "Any further immigration of non-Germans must be prevented. We
demand that all non-Germans who have entered Germany since August 2, 1914, shall be
compelled to leave the Reich immediately." 6 Any further immigration of aliens past that
date must be sentenced to leave Germany immediately. Point ten of the document states,
"The first duty of every citizen must be to work mentally or physically. No individual
shall do any work that offends against the interest of the community to benefit of all."
7 It is clearly evident that no Jews were allowed citizenship in Germany according to the
document. Under the rule of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, the German
Society would be governed according to these points. The immediate effect of The Program
of the National Socialist German Workers' Party was Adolf Hitler's rise to power. In
1924, Germany illustrated signs of recovering from World War I. The majority of the
people had work, homes, food, and great hope for the future. Now that the nation was
rebuilding itself, Hitler slowly and carefully began to take control. In 1925, he set up
an elite party guard, the Schutzstaffel, known as the SS. Within four to five years, he
won supporters in small towns and labor unions. In 1930, the worldwide Great Depression
struck Germany. Once again, all the people living in Germany faced unemployment and
hunger. The nation was in total chaos. The depression opened the doors for Hitler to gain
dictatorship over Germany. Nothing was looking good for the people of Germany. All hope
was lost. Adolf Hitler campaigned furiously in towns throughout Germany. He promised the
masses that their nation would prevail and jobs and food would be plentiful. The people
of Germany believed in Hitler as they were desperate for salvation. On January 30, 1933,
Hitler was named chancellor of Germany. By the summer of 1933, Hitler declared himself
dictator of Germany. In April of 1933, Hitler had created the Gestapo, the Secret State
Police. The Gestapo was responsible for researching the history of the German citizens.
If the Gestapo discovered that a citizen was of the Jewish religion or did not contain
one hundred percent German blood, they were taken to one of the various concentration
camps located throughout Germany. Hitler created concentration camps to kill all who were
of the Jewish religion and who were not of German descent. The SS administered the
killings of these people in the camps by placing them in gas chambers. Hitler believed
the people he murdered were an inferior group who would only create evil in the world. He
planned to establish Germany as the world's leading power by eliminating this inferior
group of people. From 1933 onward, Hitler prepared Germany for war. In 1936, German
troops invaded France and eventually gained the territory. In 1938, German troops invaded
Austria. Austria then became part of Germany. After each success, Hitler planned a new
invasion. He took control of the remainder of Czechoslovakia in March of 1939. On
September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany two
days later. By the spring of 1940, German troops conquered Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway,
the Netherlands, and Belgium. This was the beginning of World War II. In June of 1941,
Germany invaded the Soviet Union. This was a huge mistake on Hitler's part. Soon, his
Nazi party rule over Germany would crumble. The Soviets wiped out the German army. This
German defeat was a major turning point in World War II. While his empire lasted, Adolf
Hitler directed the SS, Gestapo, and Nazi officials for 12 long, brutal years. Over six
million Jews were murdered. That was two thirds of the Jewish population in Europe. He
also killed over one million non-German blooded people. Since 1938, the German resistance
had tried to kill Hitler and overthrow the Nazis. In 1945, Hitler became a broken man. On
April 30, 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide, which put an end to the rule of the
National Socialist German Workers' Party over Germany. Although The Program of the
National Socialist German Workers' Party appeared to be for the betterment of the German
State, it obviously was not. The document was simply a vehicle for Hitler to gain control
over Germany. His rise to power ruined the lives of both German and non-German people and
still today, has a great effect on many people.