Nazi Germany

The Rise of The Nazis

Adolf Hitler was born in Austria. In the First World War, though, he served in the Germany army. (He fought bravely, but rose no higher than corporal.) When the war ended, he stayed in Germany and took to politics. He found that he a had a gift for speaking - he could charm a crowd with his words. He was soon leader of his party, the National Socialists or Nazis.

Nazis hated the 'unfair' Treaty of 1919. They said that the statesmen who made peace had 'stabbed Germany in the back'. The Nazis were ready to risk war to change the Treaty. They wanted Germany to be a great power again. And they said it would be great when there was a one-party Nazi state, with Hitler as 'Fuhrer' or dictator.

The Nazis made one attempt, in 1923, to seize power by force. This failed, and Hitler went to prison for…