The Holocaust

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During the Holocaust an estimated six million Jews were killed. Hitler’s hatred towards the Jews was deliberated from Karl Lueger. Karl was a young mayor of Vienna and he blamed the Jews for Australia’s economic problems. There were a number of events that led to the Holocaust: World War I, Civil War, poor economy, failed coup, and the voters giving power to the Nazis. World War I was settled by the Treaty of Versailles which said that Germany was responsible for War repairs and also the treaty included an embarrassing guilt clause. World War I led into the Civil War because Germany was humiliated. After the Civil War the German economy was poor and a few years after it stated to pick back up the economy fell again. In 1923 Hitler attempted what is called the failed coup he and some of his confederates went into a beer hall and attempted to force the triumvirate, three men that governed Bavaria, to join him in a national revolution and the men disagreed. Three days later Hitler was arrested and after a short trial for treason, he was sentenced to five years in prison. During his time in prison he put his plan for the social change on paper. In 1932 an election was held and after a run-off Hindenburg won and Hitler lost. The Nazis held more than one third of the seats in the parliament which was an effective majority. Hitler was named chancellor and Von poppen was named vice chancellor.

Once Hitler was in a position of power he used the Nazi majority to call a national state of emergency. Hitler turned Germany into a one party police state and all non Nazis were forced out of office and individual freedoms were taken away. The government was allowed to tap phones, read mail, and search homes without a warrant. Everyone that opposed this was banned and their leaders jailed. Hitler had brown shirts which were young jobless men walking the streets beating and killing opposers of the Nazi party. The attacks put fear caused many governments to remain silent even though they did not support the Nazi party because they were scared of the SA. In the summer of 1933 Hitler became dictator of Germany and his racist plan would soon be put into action.

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