Page 64 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

62  INTRODUCING GERM AN Y THE HIST OR Y OF GERM AN Y  63

World War I mainly to Poland, France in April 1933 a boycott of Jewish businesses
When Germany entered World and Lithuania, and she began. Trade unions were banned, as were all
War I in 1914, the Kaiser’s generals was obliged to pay huge parties apart from the Nazis. Books by
hoped for a quick victory, but reparations, undergo partial “impure” authors were burned, and the work
their invasion of France was demilitarization and limit of “degenerate” artists was exhibited as a
halted on the Marne. The war arms production. warning, marking the start of the persecution
dragged on for the next four During the Weimar of artists and scientists, many of whom
years, devastating much of Republic, Germany was decided to emigrate. At the same time, Hitler
Europe, and ending in Germany’s riddled with instability. attempted to present to the world a face of
defeat. The Allied offensive in the The economy collapsed openness and success, particularly with
summer of 1918 forced Germany under the heavy burden the Berlin Olympics of 1936. Germany
to the negotiating table – it also Propaganda poster for Adolf Hitler of reparation payments and broke almost all the demilitarization
led to the November revolution the onset of hyperinflation. conditions of the Versailles Treaty. The growth
in Germany. Within days the state Constant changes of in arms production brought with it an
monarchs were toppled from power, Kaiser government failed to improved economic situation, increasing The centre of Dresden after Allied carpet-bombing
Wilhelm II abdicated, and on 9 November stabilize the political Hitler’s popularity. All his opponents who had
1918 a republic was proclaimed. The form situation, which led to not managed to emigrate were either killed World War II
of government had not been decided, and the rise both of left-wing or sent to concentration camps. The first two years of World War II were
at first the political advantage was held by revolutionaries and of In 1935 the Nuremberg Laws were passed, marked by one victory after another for the
the socialists. But the Workers’ Uprising in right-wing nationalists, which officially sanctioned the persecution German Army, which managed to occupy
Berlin in 1919 was defeated. and to a general of Jews. During the Kristallnacht (crystal half of Europe. Great Britain was the only
dissatisfaction with the Cover of a Socialist magazine night) of 9 November 1938, synagogues country that succeeded in fending off Hitler.
The Weimar Republic country’s status after attacking the book-burning throughout Germany were burned and In 1941 the Wehrmacht occupied large
The Treaty of Versailles of 1919 imposed the humiliating Treaty Jewish shops and homes were looted, swathes of the Soviet Union. Terror and
many unfavourable conditions on Germany. of Versailles. It is perhaps remarkable that at resulting in streets littered with broken genocide were instigated in all occupied
The country lost a great deal of her territory, this time German culture flourished. However, glass. Hitler’s plans to conquer Europe were territories. The decision to exterminate all
this was not sufficient to stave off the realized in March 1938, with Jews in Europe was taken at the Wannsee
political disaster that led to the rise of the “Anschluss” (annexation) Conference in Berlin in January 1942.
the Nazi Party (the NSDAP or National of Austria, then in 1939 Attempts to oppose Hitler in Germany
Socialist German Workers’ Party). German forces occupied were crushed. The course of the war did
Czechoslovakia. not change until 1943, when on 31 January
The Third Reich After obtaining Germany suffered a major defeat in the Battle
Adolf Hitler was appointed peace guarantees of Stalingrad.
Chancellor by President Hin denburg from the USSR, The Allied landings in Normandy and the
on 30 January 1933 and immediately Germany invaded creation of the second front helped bring the
started to get rid of potential Poland on 1 war to an end. When Soviet forces reached
opponents. A fire that burned down September 1939, Berlin in 1945 the city lay in ruins and the
the Reichstag served as a pretext for Pieta, sculpture by Käthe thus starting populace was starving. During five and a half
A Berlin synagogue burning during Kristallnacht, 1938 persecuting the communists, while Kollwitz (1937–8) World War II. years, 55 million people had lost their lives.

1914 World War I 1935 Enactment of 1938 Anschluss with
breaks out 1919 Signing of the 1926 Germany law to build up army Austria; occupation 1 Sep 1939 German invasion of
Treaty of Versailles accepted in of Czechoslovakia Poland; the beginning of World War II
30 Jan 1933 Hitler 30 Jan 1933 Hitler
1921 Adolf Hitler becomes League of Nations appointed Chancellor appointed Chancellor 9/10 Nov 1938
leader of the NSDAP “Kristallnacht” The Enigma Code machine
of the Reichof the Reich
1915 1920 1925 19301930 1935 1940 1945
1926 Hitler 1936 Berlin
Youth set up Olympics 22 Jun 1941 30 Apr 1945
9 Nov 1918 1923 Hitler’s Poster for the Poster for the Germany Hitler commits
Poster of Declaration of Putsch in Munich 1925 Hitler’s Mein Berlin Olympics Berlin Olympics 1935 November laws sanction invades USSR 20 Jan 1942 suicide as
Marlene Dietrich the Republic Kampf is published in 1936in 1936 persecution of Jews Wannsee conference Soviet troops
enter Berlin

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
History Portrait template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.2)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm