Ask students who the initial aggressor was in WWII?

Given that it was Germany, and given that Germany was not supposed to be capable of war, how did they become the aggressor?

Tell students that they will be reading about the initial actions taken by Hitler that would ultimately drive Germany toward war. Note that they will also be exploring how these illegal actions were perceived by people at the time.

Direct students to the source, Battle for Work, which is an excerpt from Facing History and Ourselves. Have them read through the document individually first, taking note of sections, words or ideas that they didn’t understand clearly. Give students about 10 minutes to read this text.

Then, divide the class into five groups. Start them on the path toward understanding by having them attempt to answer one another’s questions about the text.

Ask the large group whether they think Hitler’s jobs program might have been attractive to Germans, amidst a depression and in the wake of the defeat of WWI. Then, ask each person to read, Rearming Germany by Facing History and Ourselves.

In the same small groups, have students discuss the questions available on the ‘Rearming Germany’ page. For the first fifteen minutes, ask each group to talk through each question and discuss what they think about each. Then, assign one question to each group and ask them to quickly prepare a short response to their question to kick off the broader, full class discussion about that question.

Tell students that they will be watching a video on the aftermath of World War I. Ask students why they think it is important to study World War I when setting the groundwork for Holocaust education.

Watch the video, Chapter 1: Aftermath of World War I and the Rise of Nazism, 1918-1933 by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

While the students watch, have them answer the following questions:

1. What was the political and economic scene like after World War I?
2. What did Hitler do while in jail? How might his incarceration have helped his public image?
3. How did Hitler get into a position of power? Was he elected?
4. How did the emergency decree get signed? What impact did it have?

Go over the questions as a class, clearing up any points of confusion any of the students may have.

Open up a class discussion with the questions below using pre-writing or pair-and-share if appropriate for your students.

1. Advances in technology meant that war became more destructive, the video mentions the introduction of poison gas. What advancements in war have been made since World War II that cause more destruction? Are there any advantages to the new methods of war?
2. Why do you think it was so hard for Germans to accept that they had lost the war?
3. Were there any signs you noticed that could have foreshadowed what was to come?

Explain to students that they will be reading an overview of the Weimar Republic and how that era helped foster the rise of Nazism. Discuss with students that the creation of the first democracy in Germany seemed to happen overnight, making it a time of confusion and excitement in politics, culture, and society as a whole.

Direct students to the Echoes & Reflections resource, The Weimar Republic and the Rise of the Nazi Party. Have them read through the document using the 3Ps method- taking notes on what they find a) Powerful b) Puzzling and c) Propelling.

In order to familiarize yourself, and your class with this model, please look over this guide: 3Ps: A Critical Reading Guide.

Split the class up into groups of four or five. Give students a chance to try to help answer each other’s puzzling reflections and share their more profound insights. Then ask groups to share what remains puzzling to them. Allow 10-15 minutes for group work.

Finally, assign each group one of the discussion questions below. Double up if necessary. Allow the group 5 minutes to formulate a response that they can share with the class in large discussion thereafter.

1. What were some of the main problems that needed to be addressed during this time?
2. This time was defined by new changes and challenges, what were some of these new developments?
3. When reading through the Selections From ‘The Program of the National-Socialist (Nazi) German Workers Party’, which stands out to you the most? Why is this noteworthy?
4. Regarding the Program of the Nazi Party, do any of the demands seem reasonable to you?
5. Look back at the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles. Does it explain why the German people might be open to a more Nationalist view? Why do you think that is?

Ask students what they think Germany was like following the end of World War I. What might they expect it to have been like, after a war that saw them lose a great deal of power? Would they expect that the initial response would be radical democracy? Would they expect that democracy could lead to Nazism?

Pull up the resource, ‘The Weimar Republic: The Fragility of Democracy‘ by Facing History and Ourselves. Scroll to the bottom where all of the readings are located. Point out the different titles of resources that represent all that was happening during this brief period in German history.

Click on the reading titled, ‘Virtual Essay: Free Expression in the Weimar Republic‘ Read through the first paragraph and click through some of the images with the class. They will be assigned different readings from this page.

Divide the class into groups of three to five. Assign each group a reading. You may choose others, but recommendations include ‘Rumors of Betrayal’, ‘When Money Had No Value’, ‘Women in the Weimar Republic’, ‘A New Economic Crisis’ and ‘Voices in the Dark.’

Have students read through their article in groups and prepare to share what they learned from it with the class. Students should be able to answer what contribution it played into the fragile democracy.