During World War II, Germany, under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, was the epicenter of a devastating conflict that reshaped the country politically, socially, and economically. The Nazi regime, characterized by its authoritarian control, aggressive militarism, and virulent anti-Semitism, propelled Germany into a war of expansion and genocide, leading to the systematic murder of six million Jews and millions of others. The German economy, initially buoyed by military rearmament, suffered under the strain of prolonged conflict, while the civilian population endured widespread persecution, rationing, and the terror of Allied bombings. The early military successes achieved through Blitzkrieg tactics eventually gave way to defeat as the combined might of the Allied and Soviet forces overpowered German defenses, culminating in Hitler's suicide and Germany's unconditional surrender in 1945. This period left Germany in ruins, with its cities devastated, society traumatized, and the nation facing occupation and the daunting task of rebuilding.