KriegsmarineThe Kriegsmarine (ˈkʁiːksmaˌʁiːnə, War Navy) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war Reichsmarine (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches, along with the Heer and the Luftwaffe, of the Wehrmacht, the German armed forces from 1935 to 1945. In violation of the Treaty of Versailles, the Kriegsmarine grew rapidly during German naval rearmament in the 1930s.
EugenicsEugenics (juːˈdʒɛnᵻks ; ) is a set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or promoting those judged to be superior. In recent years, the term has seen a revival in bioethical discussions on the usage of new technologies such as CRISPR and genetic screening, with heated debate around whether these technologies should be considered eugenics or not.
ReichsmarkThe Reichsmark (ˈʁaɪçsˌmaʁk; sign: R︁M︁; abbreviation: RM) was the currency of Germany from 1924 until 20 June 1948 in Trizone, where it was replaced by the Deutsche Mark, and until 23 June 1948 in the Soviet occupation zone of Germany , where it was replaced by the East German mark. The Reichsmark was subdivided into 100 Reichspfennigs (Rpf or R︁₰). The Mark is an ancient Germanic weight measure, traditionally a half pound, later used for several coins; Reich (realm in English) comes from the official name for the German state from 1871 to 1945, Deutsches Reich.
Treaty of VersaillesThe Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace of Versailles, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which led to the war. The other Central Powers on the German side signed separate treaties. The United States never ratified the Versailles treaty and made a separate peace treaty with Germany.
Adolf Hitler's rise to powerAdolf Hitler's rise to power began in the newly established Weimar Republic in September 1919 when Hitler joined the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (DAP; German Workers' Party). He rose to a place of prominence in the early years of the party. Being one of its best speakers, he was made the party leader after he threatened to otherwise leave. In 1920, the DAP renamed itself to the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei – NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party, commonly known as the Nazi Party).
LuftwaffeThe Luftwaffe (ˈlʊftvafə) was the aerial-warfare branch of the German Wehrmacht before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the Luftstreitkräfte of the Imperial Army and the Marine-Fliegerabteilung of the Imperial Navy, had been disbanded in May 1920 in accordance with the terms of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles which banned Germany from having any air force. During the interwar period, German pilots were trained secretly in violation of the treaty at Lipetsk Air Base in the Soviet Union.
