Fig 13.28 Tens of thousands of Germans attended Nazi rallies, such as the Nuremberg Rally which was the annual rally of the Nazi Party. These rallies were designed by the German architect Albert Speer.
Economics Hitler came to power with the promise to solve the economic problems facing Germany.
1. As in Italy, large public works schemes such as the motorway network (autobahn) were organised to provide employment.
2. Although forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler began to re-arm the German army. New factories were opened to provide new military materials and weapons.
3. Hitler encouraged the building of a new car that was affordable to everyone. This car was called a Volkswagen (people’s car).
4. Married women were paid an allowance to encourage them to stay at home and have more children. By 1939, Germany had virtually no unemployment.
Anti-Semitism (hatred of Jews)
All aspects of Nazism encouraged the hatred of Jews. The Jewish community only made up about 500,000 people in Germany, but they were blamed for Germany’s defeat in World War I, the Treaty of Versailles and all the wrongs in Germany. Propaganda made the Jews look like greedy, rich enemies of Germany. Hitler believed that it was necessary to protect the Aryan race by getting rid of any Jews from Germany. This was to be done in a number of ways:
1. All Jews were banned from government jobs. 2. A boycott of all Jewish shops was organised. 3. Films and posters were made in which the Jewish community was made to appear ugly, dirty and evil (see Fig. 13.29).
Fig 13.29 A propaganda poster for a film showing Jews as untrustworthy. The title is The Eternal Jew.