Advertisement
banner image
Print

History

Nazi beliefs

Page:

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  1. Next

The crisis of 1923 led to ordinary Germans supporting more extreme parties such as the Nazis, which only began in 1919 as a small political group. The Nazis appeared to offer a better future and something for everyone which gave them widespread appeal.

Nazi ideology

In 1919, Adolf Hitler joined a small right-wing group called the German Workers' Party. He took over as its leader, and changed its name to the National Socialists (Nazis).

The party developed a 25-Point Programme, which - after the failure of the Munich Putsch in 1924 - Hitler explained further in his book 'Mein Kampf'.

Hitler's Nazi ideology

The Nazi ideology:

  • Lebensraum - the need for 'living space' for the German nation to expand.
  • A strong Germany - the Treaty of Versailles should be abolished and all German-speaking people united in one country.
  • Führer - the idea that there should be a single leader with complete power rather than a democracy.
  • Social Darwinism - the idea that the Aryan race was superior and Jews were 'subhuman'.
  • Autarky - the idea that Germany should be economically self-sufficient.
  • Germany was in danger - from Communists and Jews, who had to be destroyed.

Page:

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  1. Next

Back to Germany 1918 - 1939 index

Explore the BBC

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.