Final answer:
Adolf Hitler's rule in Nazi Germany exemplified a totalitarian regime, where liberties were curtailed, society was manipulated to conform to Nazi ideology, and state control was absolute, leading to World War II and the Holocaust. Hannah Arendt described totalitarianism as the domination of the individual by the state, which was evident in Nazi Germany.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rule of Adolf Hitler in Germany is a prime example of totalitarianism, which systematically crushed individual freedoms, established a cult of personality around Hitler himself, and fostered a destructive form of nationalism. The Nazi's rise to power was precipitated by economic hardship and national humiliation following World War I, with many Germans supporting Hitler's rejection of the Versailles Treaty, and his promises to restore Germany's former glory. Under Hitler's fascist regime, all facets of life were controlled by the state, political dissent was suppressed, and devastating policies such as the Nuremberg Laws and widespread propaganda were implemented to align society with Nazi ideology.
Hannah Arendt's 'The Origins of Totalitarianism' describes totalitarianism as a system where laws are flexible and the identity of the individual is entirely subsumed under the identity of the 'citizen', which in the context of totalitarian rule, is more akin to being a captive. Hitler used his powers to enact laws that centralized control and repressed any opposition, thus establishing a one-party totalitarian state in Germany. This culminated in the onset of World War II and the Holocaust, two of the most tragic events in modern history, both direct results of the aggressive expansionism and racial policies of the Nazi regime.