Tag: causes, aim and impact of nazism

 Germany had fought the war largely on loans and had to pay war reparations in gold. In April the US dollar was equal to 24,000 marks, in July 353,000 marks, in August 4,621,000 marks  and at 98,860,000 marks by December, the figure had run into trillions. As the value of the mark collapsed, prices of goods soared. 

The other aspect of Hitler’s ideology was related to the geopolitical concept of Lebensraum, or living space. He believed that new territories had to be acquired for settlement. This would enhance the area of the mother country, while enabling the settlers on new lands to retain an intimate link with the place of their origin. It would also enhance the material resources and power of the German nation. 

Nazi ideology was synonymous with Hitler's worldview. According to this ideology, there was no equality between people, but only a racial hierarchy. In this view blond, blue-eyed, Nordic German Aryans were at the top, While Jews were located at the lowest level. Jews were regarded as anti-race, the arch-enemies of the Aryans. All other coloured people were placed in between depending upon their external features.

Hitler acquired quick success in his foreign policy. 

Before the rise of Hitler, regular police in green uniform and SA or Storm Troopers existed already. After coming into power Hitler created Secret state police known as the Gestapo, the protection squads known as the SS, criminal police, and the security service known as SD. It was the extra-constitutional powers of these newly organised forces that gave the Nazi state its reputation as the most dreaded criminal state.