Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The Third Reich was the Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler, which lasted from 1933 to 1945 in Germany. It is characterized by its totalitarian government, aggressive expansionism, and the implementation of the Holocaust.
A system of government where the state holds total authority over society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever possible.
Expansionism: A policy of territorial or economic expansion that is often pursued by states seeking to increase their size, influence, or wealth.
The genocide during World War II in which Nazi Germany systematically murdered approximately six million Jews, along with millions of others deemed undesirable by the regime