Hitler wis appyntitChancellor o Germany bi the Preses o theWeimar RepublicPaul von Hindenburg on 30 Januar 1933. The Nazi Pairty then begoud tae eliminate aw poleetical opposition an consolidate its pouer. Hindenburg dee'd on 2 August 1934 an Hitler becam dictator o Germany bi mergin the offices an pouers o the Chancellery an Presidency. A naitionalreferendum held 19 August 1934 confirmed Hitler as soleFührer (leader) o Germany. Aw pouer wis centralised in Hitler's person an his wird becam abuin aw laws. The govrenment wis nae a coordinatit, co-operatin bouk, but a collection o factions strugglin for pouer an Hitler's favour. In the midst o theGreat Depression, the Nazis restored economic stability an endit mass unemployment uisin hivy militar spendin an amixed economy. Extensive public warks war undertaken, includin the construction oAutobahnen (motorweys). The return tae economic stability boostit the regime's popularity.
Racism, especiallyantisemitism, wis a central featur o the regime. TheGermanic fowks (theNordic race) war conseedert bi the Nazis tae be the purest brainch o theAryan race an war tharefore viewed as themaister race. Millions oJews anither fowks deemed undesirable bi the state war murthert inthe Holocaust.Opposeetion tae Hitler's rule wis ruthlessly suppressed. Members o the leeberal, socialist, an communist opposition war killt, impreesoned, or exiled. Christian kirks war oppressed, wi mony leaders impreesoned. Eddication focused onracial biology, population policy, an fitness for militar service. Career an eddicational opportunities for weemenwar curtailed. Recreaution an tourism war organised via theStrenth Throu Jey programme, an the1936 Simmer Olympics shawcased the ThirdReich on the internaitional stage.Propaganda meenisterJoseph Goebbels made effective uise o film, mass rallies, an Hitler's hypnotic oratory tae influence public opeenion. The govrenment controlled airtistic expression, promotin speceefic airt forms an bannin or discouragin ithers.
Follaein theGerman invasion o theSoviet Union in 1941, the tide gradually turned against the Nazis, that suffered major military defeats in 1943. Lairge-scale aerial bombin o Germany escalatit in 1944 an the Axis pouers war pushed back in Eastren an Soothren Europe. Follaein theAllied invasion o France, Germany wis conquered bi the Soviet Union frae the east an theither Allied pouers frae the wast an capitulatit within a year. Hitler's refuisal te admit defeat led tae massive destruction o German infrastructur an addeetional war-relatit daiths in the closin months o the war. The veectorious Allies ineetiatit a policy odenazification an put mony o the survivin Nazi leadership on trial forwar crimes at theNuremberg trials.
↑ In 1939, afore Germany acquired control o the last twa regions which had been in its control afore the Versailles Treaty—Alsace-Lorraine, Danzig, an the Pols Corridor—its aurie wis 633,786 square kilometre (244,706sqmi). SeeStatistisches Jahrbuch 2006.
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