Hitler and the Nazis - Timeline

• Hitler born in Braunau, Austria

• Left school having fialed his exams at age 16. Stayed at home reading & painting for 2 years.

• Rejected from Vienna art academy.

• Started earning money selling postcards and sweeping snow in Vienna. Got interested in nationalist and xenophobic political groups.

• Left Austria to avoid national service.

• Joined Bavarian regiment of the German Army.

• On frontline service carrying messages between trenches. Wounded twice, won 6 medals for bravery incl. Iron Cross First Class.

• Bitter and angry at German surrender. Believed Jews and Socialists had conspired to "stab Germany in the back" when the should have fought on.
• Stayed in the army as a "V-Man"; a spy tasked with finding dangerous political parties.

• Finds the German Workers Party, a tiny group of people with 7.5 marks (£2) in funds.
• Treaty of Versailles signed.

• Hitler becomes party leader, name changed to National Socialist German Workers Party - the Nazis.

• Nationalist support increases in period after Treaty of Versailles

• Beer Hall Putsch. Nazis try and fail to sieze power in Munich. Hitler imprisoned for treason, with a very light sentence (biased judge).

• Hitler writes about his experiences while in prison. The book, containing his ideas, is entitled "Mein Kampf" (My Struggle).
• Hitler released from jail.

• Nazis reorganised
• Hitler's marches/speeches begin
• Stormtroopers (SA, Sturmarbeitlung) formed)
• Little nazi electoral success

• Wall Street Crash: Economic depression hits. Unemployment hits 6mln.
• Nazis become largest party

• 2 Nazi landslides in elections

• 30 Jan: Hitler becomes Chancellor
• 27 Feb: Reichstag fire, blamed on Communists. Communists banned.
• 5 Mar: Nazis win legislative power in elections
• 23 Mar: Enabling act allows Hitler to govern without Reichstag
• 7 Apr: Local government dissolved; all governance is now Nazi-controlled
• 2 May: Trade Unions dissolved
• 14 July: Law against new parties: all opposition is illegal

• 30 June: Night of the Long Knives. All opposition within Nazi party destroyed.
• 2 Aug: Hitler becomes President upon death of Hindenburg. Armed forces swear allegiance to Hitler

• Munich Olympics: Nazis host games and take many medals.

• Kristallnacht: Night of Broken Glass, Jewish shops smashed and broken into