Nazi Ideology

The Nazi's believed that the Weimar Republic was weak, and that a single strong leader was needed. They believed that Germany's defeat was caused by wealthy Jewish bankers who had withdrawn support for the war and were behind the Treaty of Versailles.

The Nazis wanted to create a higher order of Germans. They followed the idea of "Social Darwinism". They believed that the Aryans (people with blonde hair and blue eyes) were superior, or the "Master Race", while the Jews were considered "sub-human". They even based their 25 point manifesto on the idea that Jews are inferior, and that they didn't deserve any of the rights that Germans were entitled to.

Many of the points in their 25 point plan were very subtly worded attacks on Judaism. For example, point 4 states that "Only a member of the race can be a citizen. A member of the race can only be one who is of German blood, without consideration of creed. Consequently no Jew can be a member of the race." This is saying that Judaism is a race, not a religion, and that they could not be a German citizen.

Hitler's Background to 1923

Hitler's background contributed strongly to his interactions with NSDAP. His father was abusive, and his mother pampered him. His grades were never very good, and at one point, he used a school reprt as toilet paper. After his father died, he became wayward. He left school with no qualifications.

He went to Vienna to try to secure a place at the Academy of Fine Art. He fails, and within the same year, his mother died. mourning his mother, he wanders for six years, during which he develeps anti-semetic and anti-marxist leanings.

In 1913, he moves to Munich. A year later, he is recalled to Austria, but found unfit for them military. He joins anyway, but fails to rise above the rank of Corporal. In 1918, he is gassed and hospitalized. While in the hospital, he learns of Germany's defeat. In 1919, he joins the DAP and becomes a committee member.