Class 9 History Chapter 3 Extra Question Answers - Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

Q1: Name the original name of the Nazi party.
Ans: The original name of the Nazi Party was the National Socialist German Workers' Party. This name was later shortened to the Nazi Party.

Q2: Who were mockingly called 'November criminals'?
Ans: Those who supported the Weimar Republic, primarily Socialists, Catholics, and Democrats, became targets of criticism in conservative nationalist circles. They were mockingly referred to as the 'November criminals' due to their association with the republic.

Q3: Explain the purpose of the Enabling Act passed on 3rd March 1933:
Ans: The Enabling Act, passed on 3rd March 1933, was a crucial step in establishing a dictatorship in Germany. Its main effects included:

• Granting Hitler the power to bypass Parliament and rule by decree.
• Banning all political parties and trade unions, except for the Nazi Party and its affiliates.
• Allowing the state to exert complete control over the economy, media, army, and judiciary.

Q4: Which treaty was signed by Germany after its defeat in the First World War?
Ans: The Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany on 28th June 1919 following its defeat in the First World War.

Q5: Which incident persuaded the USA to join the war?
Ans: Japan was expanding its power in the east, having occupied French Indo-China and planning attacks on US naval bases in the Pacific. The situation escalated when Japan supported Hitler and bombed the US base at Pearl Harbor. This attack prompted the USA to enter the Second World War.

Q6: What was the work entrusted to the International War Tribunal set up in Nuremberg after the war?
Ans: The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg was established to:

• Prosecute Nazi war criminals.
• Address crimes against peace.
• Handle war crimes.
• Investigate crimes against humanity.

This tribunal aimed to bring justice for the atrocities committed during the war.

Q7: Who were considered as the 'desirables' under Nazi rule?
Ans: Nordic German Aryans were regarded as the 'desirables' under Nazi rule. This group was seen as the ideal race, and the Nazis aimed to create a society composed solely of these individuals. Key points include:

• The Nazis believed that only pure and healthy Nordic Aryans were worthy of prosperity.
• Others, including many Germans deemed impure or abnormal, were considered 'undesirable' and faced severe persecution.
• Various groups, such as Jews, Gypsies, and blacks, were also classified as 'undesirable' and faced discrimination and violence.
• Russians and Poles were viewed as subhuman, subjected to forced labour and harsh conditions during the occupation.

Q8: What was the name given to separately marked areas where the Jews lived?
Ans: The separately marked areas where Jews lived are known as Ghettos.

Q9: Which sport did Hitler promote?
Ans: Hitler promoted boxing because he believed it would help children become strong, masculine, and develop an iron heart.

Q10: What was the name given to the German Parliament?
Ans: The German Parliament was known as the Reichstag.

Reichstag Building 

Q11: Which of the following was the most feared security force of the Nazi state?
Ans: Among the various security forces established by the Nazi regime, the Gestapo (secret state police) was the most feared. Other forces included:

• SA (Storm Troopers)
• SS (Protection Squads)
• Criminal Police
• Security Service (SD)

These forces operated with extra-constitutional powers, allowing them to:

• Detain individuals without legal procedures
• Use torture in Gestapo chambers
• Send people to concentration camps

1:8; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; letter-spacing: inherit; color: black;">Q12: When did Germany attack the Soviet Union?
1:8; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; letter-spacing: inherit; color: black;">1:8; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; letter-spacing: inherit; color: black;">Ans: 1:8; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; letter-spacing: inherit; color: black;">Germany attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941: This action was driven by Hitler's desire to:

• Secure food supplies for Germany.
• Expand living space for Germans.

This invasion marked a significant turning point in the war.

Q13: What was Hitler's ideology of 'Lebensraum' or living space?
Ans: Hitler's ideology of 'Lebensraum' focused on the need for additional territory to support the growth and power of the German nation. Key points include:

• Living Space: The concept of acquiring new lands for settlement.
• Resource Expansion: Aimed to enhance material resources for Germany.
• Geopolitical Strategy: Intended to consolidate Germans in one area, particularly by moving eastwards.
• Poland's Role: Served as a testing ground for these expansionist policies.

Q14: What was Nazi ideology with regard to school children?
Ans: Nazi ideology aimed to establish a strong society by indoctrinating children with its beliefs. This involved:

• Control over children both in and out of school.
• Purging schools of teachers deemed politically unreliable or Jewish.
• Segregation of children: Germans and Jews were not allowed to interact.
• Expulsion of 'undesirable' children, including Jews and the physically handicapped.
• Rewriting school textbooks to promote Nazi racial theories.
• Teaching children loyalty to the regime and hatred towards Jews.

Q15: Who was the propaganda Minister of Hitler?
Ans: Joseph Goebbels served as the Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945:

• He was a key figure in promoting Nazi ideology.
• Goebbels used various media, including films and posters, to spread propaganda.
• He played a significant role in shaping public perception of the regime.

Q16: Which move of Hitler is said to be a historical blunder?
Ans: Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union in June 1941 is considered a significant historical blunder. This decision had several consequences:

• It opened the Western front to British aerial attacks.
• It exposed the Eastern front to the formidable Soviet army.
• The Soviet Red Army dealt a devastating defeat to Germany at Stalingrad.
• This defeat led to the Soviet forces pushing back and ultimately reaching Berlin.

Q17: Who was assigned the responsibility of economic recovery by Hitler?
Ans: Hjalmar Schacht was tasked with leading Germany's economic recovery by Hitler.

• Schacht focused on achieving full production and full employment.
• He implemented a state-funded work-creation programme.
• This initiative led to the construction of the famous German superhighways and the Volkswagen.

Q18: When was Hitler offered the Chancellorship of Germany and by whom?
Ans: On 30 January 1933, President Hindenburg offered the Chancellorship to Hitler, marking the highest position in the cabinet of ministers.

• The Nazis had successfully gained support from conservatives.
• Hitler aimed to dismantle democratic structures after acquiring power.
• A fire at the German Parliament in February 1933 aided his agenda.
• The Fire Decree of 28 February 1933 suspended civic rights, including freedom of speech and assembly.
• Hitler targeted the Communists, leading to severe repression and many arrests.

Q19: Which country became a laboratory for the experiment of the concept of Lebensraum?
Ans: Poland served as the primary testing ground for the concept of Lebensraum.

Q20: What terms were used for 'killing' by the Nazis?
Ans: During the Nazi regime, various euphemisms were used to describe the act of killing individuals deemed undesirable:

• Euthanasia Programme: Targeted the killing of mentally or physically unfit Germans.
• Final Solution: Refers specifically to the extermination of Jews.
• Special Treatment: A term used for mass killings.
• Evacuation: A deceptive term for deporting people to gas chambers.
• Disinfection Areas: What gas chambers were misleadingly labelled as.

Q21: Which event was termed the 'Holocaust'?
Ans: The term Holocaust refers to the systematic killing operations conducted by the Nazis against the Jews during World War II. This term was adopted by the Jewish community to ensure that the world remembers the immense atrocities and suffering they endured.

• Approximately 6 million Jews were murdered.
• Other targeted groups included 200,000 Gypsies, 1 million Polish civilians, and 70,000 disabled Germans.
• The Nazis employed brutal methods, including gassing in extermination camps like Auschwitz.
• After the war, only a few leading Nazis were punished, highlighting the inadequacy of retribution.

Holocaust Survivors

Q22: What was the name of Hitler's autobiography, written before he assumed the Chancellorship of Germany?
Ans: Hitler's autobiography was titled 'Mein Kampf', which translates to 'My Struggle'.

Q23: What did the term 'Evacuation' mean in Hitler's Germany?
Ans: Evacuation in Hitler's Germany referred to the systematic deportation of people, particularly Jews, to gas chambers for mass killings. This term was part of a broader strategy that included:

• From 1933 to 1938, the Nazis terrorised and impoverished Jews, forcing many to leave Germany.
• Between 1939 and 1945, the focus shifted to concentrating Jews in specific areas.
• Ultimately, this led to their extermination in gas chambers located in occupied Poland.

Q24: What was the slogan coined by Hitler when he followed his aggressive foreign policy?
Ans: The slogan associated with Hitler's aggressive foreign policy was 'One people, one empire, and one leader.'

Q25: The US army dropped the atomic bomb in 1945 on which cities?
Ans: The US army dropped the atomic bomb in 1945 on:

• Hiroshima on 6th August 1945
• Nagasaki on 9th August 1945

Q26: What was the name of the Nazi Youth organisation which consisted of all German boys of 14 to 18 years of age?
Ans: The Hitler Youth was established in 1922 as the Nazi Youth League. It was renamed in 1926 and included all German boys aged 14 to 18: Key points include:

• Its purpose was to unify the youth under Nazi control.
• All other youth organisations were systematically dissolved and banned.
• Members were indoctrinated with Nazi ideology, promoting loyalty to Hitler and hostility towards others.

Q27: Who was Hitler? How did Hitler reconstruct Germany?
Ans: Adolf Hitler was the founder of the Nazi Party and became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933, later establishing himself as the dictator. To reconstruct Germany, he implemented several key strategies:

• Assigned Hjalmar Schacht to lead economic recovery.
• Withdrew from the League of Nations in 1933:
• Reoccupied the Rhineland in 1936:
• Unified Austria and Germany in 1938 with the slogan, 'One people, one empire, one leader.'

Q28: Examine any three inherent defects in the Weimar Constitution. Or Explain the inherent defects of the Weimar constitution that made the republic unstable and vulnerable to dictatorship. Or State any three factors which made the Weimar Republic politically fragile.
Ans: The Weimar Constitution had three main defects that contributed to the instability of the Republic:

• Proportional representation: This system made it nearly impossible for any single party to secure a majority, resulting in a reliance on coalition governments.
• Article 48: This provision allowed the President to impose emergency measures, suspend civil rights, and rule by decree, which undermined democratic governance.
• Frequent changes in government: The Republic experienced around twenty different coalition governments, averaging just 239 days in office. This instability eroded public confidence in the parliamentary system.

Q29: "Nazis used chilling words as an art of propaganda." Justify.
Ans: The Nazi regime expertly used language as a tool of propaganda. Their choice of words was chilling and deceptive:

• They avoided using terms like 'kill' or 'murder' in official communications.
• Instead, they used euphemisms such as 'special treatment', 'final solution' (for Jews), 'euthanasia' (for the disabled), 'selection', and 'disinfection'.
• Gas chambers were misleadingly labelled as 'disinfection areas' and designed to resemble bathrooms.

The regime also utilised various media to spread their ideas:

• Visual images, films, and radio broadcasts.
• Posters and leaflets with catchy slogans.

This careful manipulation of language and media was crucial in winning support for their horrific actions.

Q30: What was the impact of the Great Depression on the US?
Ans: The impact of the Great Depression on the US included:

• The Wall Street Exchange crashed in 1929, causing share values to plummet.
• The national income of the US fell by half over the next three years.
• Hundreds of banks, factories, and businesses went bankrupt.
• There was widespread unemployment, leading to poverty and starvation.
• The effects of this economic downturn were felt globally, marking it as the Great Depression of 1929:

Life During the Great Depression

Q31: What were the main features of Hitler's geopolitical concept of Lebensraum? Give three features.
Ans: The main features of Hitler's geopolitical concept of Lebensraum (living space) were:

• Territorial Expansion: Hitler believed that new territories needed to be acquired for German settlement.
• Connection to Origins: Settlers in these new lands would maintain close ties to their homeland.
• Resource Enhancement: New settlements would increase the material resources and power of the German nation.

Hitler implemented these ideas by invading Poland.

Q32: Explain the impact of the First World War on European society and polity. Or State any three effects of the First World War over Europe. Or First World War left a deep imprint on European society and polity. Support the statement with three examples.
Ans: The First World War profoundly affected European society and politics. Here are three significant impacts:

• Social Hierarchy: Soldiers were often regarded as superior to civilians. The media romanticised their harsh experiences in the trenches, ignoring the grim realities they faced.
• Political Climate: The war fostered a culture that emphasised aggression and masculinity. This environment led to increased support for conservative dictatorships, undermining the fragile democratic ideals of the time.
• Economic Strain: The war left Europe financially devastated, shifting it from a continent of creditors to one of debtors. The newly formed Weimar Republic in Germany bore the brunt of war reparations, leading to widespread discontent.

Q33: What were the main features of Nazism?
Ans: The main features of Nazism included:

• Opposition to democracy and socialism.
• Belief in a racial hierarchy, with the Nordic Aryan Race at the top.
• Classification of other races as 'undesirable', leading to widespread persecution.
• Particular targeting of Jews, Gypsies, and Blacks in Nazi Germany.
• Glorification of war and the concept of Lebensraum, advocating for territorial expansion.

Q34: How was Nazi ideology taught to the youth in Germany?
Ans: Nazi ideology was systematically taught to the youth in Germany through various organisations and educational methods. Key aspects included:

• Jungvolk: Children aged ten were enrolled in this youth group.
• Hitler Youth: At 14, boys had to join this organisation, where they were indoctrinated to worship war, glorify aggression, condemn democracy and hate Jews, Communists, and Gypsies.
• Education focused on loyalty to Hitler and the Nazi regime.
• Schools were 'cleansed' of teachers deemed politically unreliable.
• Textbooks were rewritten to promote Nazi racial ideologies.
• Physical training aimed to instil a spirit of violence and aggression.

By the age of 18, boys were expected to join the labour service and serve in the armed forces, ensuring their lifelong commitment to the Nazi cause.

Q35: How would you have reacted to Hitler's ideas if you were (i) A Jewish Woman (ii) A non-Jewish Woman
Ans: 

(i) If I were a Jewish woman, I would have strongly condemned Hitler's ideas. I would seek a safe place to hide, feeling very insecure in Germany. 

(ii) If I were a non-Jewish woman, I would try to secretly gather support and assist the victims of Nazi persecution. I would not agree with Hitler's view of Jews as 'undesirable', as I had many Jewish friends. They were just like everyone else and should not be labelled as 'undesirables'.

Q36: What was the Enabling Act? Or When was the Enabling Act passed in Germany? How did this act establish the dictatorship of Hitler in Germany?
Ans: On 3 March 1933, the Enabling Act was passed, establishing a dictatorship in Germany. This Act:

• Granted Hitler the power to bypass Parliament and rule by decree.
• Banned all political parties and trade unions, except for the Nazi Party and its affiliates.
• Enabled the state to exert complete control over the economy, media, army, and judiciary.

New security forces, such as the Gestapo and the SS, were created to enforce Nazi rule and suppress dissent.

Q37: Explain any five measures adopted by Hitler to establish a dictatorship in Germany.
Ans: After gaining power, Hitler took several steps to establish a dictatorship in Germany:

• The Fire Decree of 28 February 1933 suspended civic rights, including freedom of speech, press, and assembly.
• Communists were targeted first, with many sent to newly created concentration camps.
• Other political opponents, including Socialists, Democrats, and Catholics, were also arrested or killed.
• The Enabling Act passed on 3 March 1933 gave Hitler the power to govern without parliamentary consent, effectively sidelining the legislature.
• All political parties and trade unions were banned, consolidating control over the media, army, and judiciary.

Q38: What were the promises made by Hitler to the people of Germany? Or Explain three factors that led to the rise of Hitler in Germany? Or State any three promises made by Adolf Hitler to the German society. Or How did Hitler effectively mobilise popular support in Germany? Explain in five points.
Ans: During the Great Depression (1929-1932), Nazism gained traction as a mass movement, with propaganda creating hopes for a better future. Hitler made several key promises to the German people:

• To build Germany into a strong nation.
• To undo the injustice and humiliation from the Treaty of Versailles.
• To provide employment for those seeking work.
• To secure a better future for the youth.
• To eliminate foreign influence and resist conspiracies against Germany.

Q39: Explain any four points of Hitler's foreign policy. What did Schacht advice to Hitler? Or Describe any three important points of Hitler's foreign policy. Or Describe Hitler's foreign policy before the Second World War.
Ans: Adolf Hitler's foreign policy was marked by several key actions:

• In 1933, he withdrew Germany from the League of Nations.
• In 1936, he reoccupied the Rhineland, defying the Treaty of Versailles.
• In 1938, he unified Austria and Germany, promoting the idea of 'one people, one empire, one leader'.
• He seized the German-speaking Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia and later took over the entire country.

Hitler received unspoken support from England, which viewed the Versailles Treaty as excessively harsh. These rapid successes helped to transform Germany's fortunes. Economist Hjalmar Schacht advised against heavy investment in rearmament due to the state's ongoing deficit. However, cautious voices were sidelined in Nazi Germany, leading to Schacht's departure. Hitler opted for war as a solution to the economic crisis, culminating in the invasion of Poland in September 1939.

Q40: Describe any five effects of the First World War on Germany. Or Explain any three effects of the First World War on Germany.

Ans: 

• The First World War left a deep imprint on European society. The war had a devastating impact on the entire continent both psychologically and financially.
• Financially there was a great economic loss. The Weimar Republic was being made to pay compensation.
• Formation of the League of Nations took place to prevent the Second World War.
• Germany lost its overseas colonies.
• The Allied powers demilitarised Germany to weaken its powers.
• Many of Germany's territories were annexed and distributed amongst Allied Powers.  

Q41: How did the common people react to Nazism?

Ans:  

• Many people saw the world through Nazi eyes.
• They spoke their mind in the Nazi language.
• They felt hatred and anger when they saw someone who looked like a Jew.
• They marked the houses of Jews and reported about their suspicious neighbours.
• Common men really believed that Nazism would bring happiness and prosperity for them.
• The large majority of Germans were passive onlookers, they were scared to act on protest against Nazism.
• But many German organised active resistance to Nazism, braving police repression and death.  

Q42: Explain any three points to prove that Nazi rule was barbarous.

Ans:

• In Nazi Germany only Nordic German Aryans were considered 'desirable'. Jews, Gypsies, Blacks, Russians, Polish people were brutally killed in gas chambers.
• The Jews and Communists were tortured in concentration camps. Even 'undesirable children' were segregated and taken to the gas chambers.
• Special surveillance and security forces were created to control and carried atrocities against the selected group of innocent people. The extra-constitutional powers given to them, which made the Nazi state its reputation as the most dreaded criminal state.  

Q43: Describe Hitler's policy towards the Jews? Or How were the Jews's worst sufferers in the Nazi government?
Ans: Once in power, the Nazis aimed to create a society of pure Nordic Aryans, whom they deemed as the only desirable people. The Jews were the worst sufferers under the Nazi regime, facing intense persecution.

• The Nazi hatred of Jews stemmed from long-standing Christian hostility, where they were often portrayed as killers of Christ and moneylenders.
• Jews were forced to live in segregated areas known as ghettos.
• From 1933 to 1938, the Nazis terrorised, impoverished, and segregated Jews, pushing many to flee Germany.
• Hitler believed the “Jewish problem” could only be solved through total elimination.
• This led to the systematic murder of approximately 6 million Jews in what is known as the Holocaust, primarily through gas chambers.

Q44: Evaluate the use of media by the Nazis to popularise their ideology in Germany
Ans: The Nazi regime effectively used language and media to gain support and promote their ideology in Germany. Their strategies included:

• Utilising visual images, films, and radio broadcasts to spread their message.
• Creating posters with catchy slogans to attract attention.
• Distributing leaflets to reach a wider audience.

Nazi propaganda depicted groups labelled as the ‘enemies’ of Germany in a negative light:

• Socialists and liberals were portrayed as weak and harmful.
• Jews were targeted through films like The Eternal Jew, which reinforced harmful stereotypes.

This careful manipulation of media helped the Nazis to create a sense of unity and purpose among the populace, ultimately leading to their rise in power.

Q45: What were the psychological and financial impacts of the war on Europe, and how did it affect the Weimar Republic?
Ans:

• The First World War had a devastating impact on Europe, both psychologically and financially.
• Psychologically, the war left deep scars on soldiers and civilians alike.
• Many soldiers experienced what was then called "shell shock," suffering from anxiety, nightmares, and other psychological issues.
• Financially, Europe transformed from a continent of creditors to one of debtors.
• The Weimar Republic, established in Germany after the war, was particularly burdened.
• It was made to pay for the "sins" of the old empire, carrying the burden of war guilt and national humiliation.
• The republic was financially crippled by being forced to pay compensation, leading to hyperinflation and economic instability.
• This situation made the Weimar Republic an easy target for attacks from conservative nationalist circles, who mockingly called its supporters "November criminals."