Page 62 - Understanding NCERT Histroy 09th

Goyal Brothers Prakashan
3 Nazism and

the Rise of Hitler

INTRODUCTION
l In May 1945, Germany surrendered to the Allies. In April, Hitler, his propaganda Minister
Goebbels alongwith his family committed suicide in Hitler’s Bunker.
l After the war, an International Military Tribunal was set up at Nuremberg to prosecute
Nazi war criminals.
l Germany had waged a genocidal war during the Second World War (1939-45) which
resulted in killing of 6 million Jews, 2 lakh Gypsies, 1 million Polish people, 70,000
Germans, besides many political opponents.
l The Nuremberg Tribunal sentenced only 11 Nazi leaders to death, many others were
sentenced for life. The punishment meted out to Nazis was far short of brutality and
crimes committed by the Nazis — this is because the Allies avoided being too harsh to
defeated German people.

1. BIRTH OF THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC
l In the early years of the twentieth century, Germany led the First World War (1914-
1918) along with the Austrian Empire known as Central powers, against the Allied forces
(England, France and Russia).
l All resources of Europe were drained out because of the war which continued around
four years.
l Germany occupied France and Belgium in the beginning of the war.
l But, unfortunately, the Allies, defeated Germany, with the help of the US entry in 1917.
Finally, Central Powers were defeated in November 1918.
l A meeting was held at Weimar, in which a democratic constitution with a federal structure
was established by the National Assembly.

l In the German Parliament, deputies were elected on the basis of equal and universal
adult franchise, including women.
l Germany was answerable for the war and the damages which the Allied countries suffered.
l Finally the Allied armies occupied resource rich Rhineland of Germany in 1920s.
l The Treaty of Versailles was two harsh and humiliating for Germany.
l She was to pay to £6 billion as war compensation.
l She was demilitarised, cost iron and coal deposits to Allies. Germany lost its overseas colonies.

1.1 The Effects of the War
l The entire continent was devastated by the war, both psychologically and financially.

l The burden of war guilt and national humiliation was carried by the Republic, which
was financially crippled by being forced to pay compensation.

History Class IX H-53