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

• The Nazism and Rise of Hitler notes start with the fact that Germany fought World War 1 against the Allied forces.

• After the US joined the Allies, they crushed the German soldiers.

• The soldiers and the general public became disillusioned and went against Kaiser Wilhelm II.

• A constituent assembly was elected. A coalition government was formed in 1918.

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 grips on its overseas colonies. It lost 13 per cent 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 West Prussia and Poznan.

• Germany was demilitarized.

• The Rise of Hitler Class 9 chapter in your book also mentions that the resource-rich province 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.

Hitler's Rise to Power Notes

When Germany was slowly moving into the abyss of economic and political crisis, Hitler was watching with anger and toxic nationalistic sentiment. His military career started as a messenger ( he was deemed unfit for combat) and then he became a corporal.

Later when Germany suffered greatly, Hitler joined the German Workers Party in 1919. Soon he took over the reins of the party and renamed it as National Socialist German Workers’ Party. Later this party became the Nazi party as we know it.

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 in 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 the 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 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, 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 Storm Troopers and 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 needs to be extended so that more and more Germans can have enough space to live. It is 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 own people. Any German who was considered unfit was decreed to be killed.

Did You Know?

When it became that Hitler’s Germany won’t last long against the Allied forces, Hitler committed suicide - A man who gave so many lectures on bravery and heroism shoots himself in the head. Was Hitler truly brave then? What was he afraid of?