Nazi Germany 1933-45
Church
Describe the relationship between the Nazi government and the churches. [5]
Hitler signed a Concordat with the Catholic Church allowing it to keep control of its schools as long as it stayed out of politics.
Hitler tried to get the Protestant Churches to come together in one official Reich Church.
Many Germans still felt their true loyalties lay with their original Churches in their local areas rather than with this state-approved Church.
Some priests led resistance towards the Nazis, such as the Catholic Bishop Galen criticising Nazi policy towards the mentally ill and physically disabled. He had temporary success.
Protestant ministers, like Martin Niemoller, criticised the Nazis and found himself in a concentration camp 1938-1945.
Hitler tried to get the Protestant Churches to come together in one official Reich Church.
Many Germans still felt their true loyalties lay with their original Churches in their local areas rather than with this state-approved Church.
Some priests led resistance towards the Nazis, such as the Catholic Bishop Galen criticising Nazi policy towards the mentally ill and physically disabled. He had temporary success.
Protestant ministers, like Martin Niemoller, criticised the Nazis and found himself in a concentration camp 1938-1945.
SA/SS/Secret
Policy
What was the SA? [5] / Describe the activities of the SA. [5]
It was a para-military organisation (storm troopers) formed mainly by
ex-soldiers from the Freikorps.
A group formed by Hitler in 1921 and the leader was Ernst Röhm.
They often used violence on political opponents and disrupted meetings of other
opposing parties, especially Communists.
The Gestapo was the secret
state police which investigated any opposition.
The Gestapo could arrest
citizens on suspicion and send them to concentration camps
without trial or
explanation.
The SSs prime
responsibility was to destroy opposition to Nazism.
The SSs role was to carry
out the racial policies of the Nazis.
The SSs Deaths Head units
were responsible for the concentration camps and the slaughter of the Jews.
The
Waffen-SS were special armoured regiments which fought alongside the regular
army.
What was the SS? [2]
An elite group of the SA, members who had sworn oath of loyalty directly to Hitler; personal bodyguard of Hitler; black uniform; ran concentration camps during the Holocaust.
Why did membership of the SA fall from 2.9
million in 1934 to 1.2 million in 1938? [6]
Night of the Long Knives;
army opposition; regime and industrialists suspicion of any socialist tendency;
unnecessary – SS became more significant; Lutze weaker leader than Rohm;
conscription etc.
The most effective method used by the
Nazis to control German people was the police state.? [8]
Nazi Germany was a police state
with the power of the authorities supreme. This meant that they could arrest
and punish people simply because they said something against Hitler and his
party.
The SS had unlimited powers
to search houses, confiscate property and arrest
people without charge. They
could send people to concentration camps without trial.
The Gestapo had power to
arrest anyone it wanted and often used informers to report anything that might
be anti-Nazi. The Gestapo became the most feared organisation in Germany.
Law and order was under
Nazi control with judges having to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler.
Hitler realised the
importance of propaganda. He used different methods to put across a limited
range of ideas time and time again and ensured other ideas gradually disappeared.
Propaganda was organised by
Goebbels, who got the message across through cheap radios and loudspeakers.
Spectacular rallies were
held to show the strength of Germany and to encourage
patriotism. The German
people were indoctrinated.
If the young could be
indoctrinated into the Nazi way of thinking those views were likely to stay
with them for the rest of their lives. The Nazis realised that through
education they could convert the young to their ideas by teaching from books
giving a biased view, teaching that the Aryan race was superior and educating
girls
to be perfect mothers and
housewives.
The Hitler Youth was used
to promote Nazism as well as producing physically fit and healthy youngsters.
Which was the more important in
controlling the people: propaganda; the SS and Gestapo? [8]
Hitler realised the
importance of propaganda. He used different methods to put across
a limited range of ideas
time and time again and ensured other ideas gradually disappeared.
Propaganda was organised by
Goebbels who got the message across through cheap radios and loudspeakers.
Spectacular rallies were held to show the strength of Germany and to encourage
patriotism. The Germany people were indoctrinated.
Hitler set up a police
state in order to remove opposition to the Nazis. The police had powers to do
what they wanted. The SS was responsible for carrying out racial policies of the
Nazis. One unit was responsible for concentration camps. The Waffen-SS were
special regiments which fought alongside the regular army.
The Gestapo was the secret
police. Their job was to search out opponents. They used informers to uncover
any attempts to organise opposition. They could arrest citizens on suspicion
and send them to concentration
camps
without trial or explanation. They sought information from informers. S2008
Propaganda/radio
The radio had a greater effect on the German people than other propaganda.? [8]
S2006 4 Why was radio particularly
important to Goebbels? [6]
The medium of information,
accessible to all, cheap radios, control of what people heard,
outdoor/indoor broadcasts.
Fascinated by this new technology etc.
What were the Nuremberg
Rallies? [2]
The Nazis staged mass
party rallies designed to show off the partys strength for publicity; They
often included organized parades, displays, and speeches made by Hitler.
Describe the use of
propaganda by Hitler to control the German people. [5]
Posters gave images a high
profile, such as Hitler.
Rallies (such as
Nuremberg) were an early form of propaganda. They
showed how popular Hitler
was and helped to motivate the ordinary people.
Radio was put to use to
broadcast Hitlers speeches.
Newspapers were censored
with news slanted in the Nazis favour.
Great propaganda was
through the Olympic Games of 1936 which were used
to promote technical
efficiency and the supremacy of the Aryan race.
Used to whip up fear and
hatred. It was used to say the Nazi way
was the right way.
Controlled by the Ministry
of Peoples Enlightenment under Joseph Goebbels.
Describe the work of Goebbels. [5] / Describe how Goebbels
controlled the mass media. [4]
He was in charge of the
Ministry for Peoples Enlightenment and Propaganda.
He organised Nazi
propaganda. His ministry controlled the mass media: radio, press, films. (2)
He organised public book
burnings to ensure they did not represent non-Nazi views.
He organised mass rallies
and poster campaigns. (2)
To
ensure Hitler was heard he made cheap radios available.
2010 4 - Describe how Goebbels
controlled literature and art from 1933. [4]
Ministry for Propaganda
and Public Enlightenment; only Culture Chambers members licensed; censorship;
removal of Jews and their works; subsidies; promotion of German art and
literature etc
Why was Goebbels important to Hitler? [7]
Goebbels role was to get
the Nazi message across to the people of Germany. He did this by bombarding the
German people with the Party message ensuring Hitler had popular support.
At the same time he ensured
that views hostile to Nazism were suppressed.
He did this by controlling
the radio, press and all areas of culture.
What was broadcast was
strictly controlled and so the message could be heard cheap radios were made
easily available to all Germans. All culture was controlled and in this way and
undesirable influences, such as Jazz, could be kept away from the German
people.
To promote support he
organised great public displays of Nazism. Posters and photographs of Hitler
were everywhere and rallies such as the ones at Nuremberg displayed the
strength of the military.
Why did Hitler seek to control all forms of the
media? [7]
To continually put across a
limited number of ideas – indoctrination.
Control of the media
ensured that ideas / messages against Hitlers values and ideas were not spread.
To ensure that non-Nazi
ideas were not heard so that only the Nazi
message was heard and that
there was no alternative way.
To show how popular Hitler
and the Nazis were and to motivate the ordinary Nazi.
So
that Hitlers speeches were broadcast.
Which was the more effective in control over the
people: repression or propaganda? [8]
Was
propaganda a more effective way of keeping the support of German people than
terror? [8]
Control of newspapers and radio was the most effective policy in keeping the German
peoples support for the Nazis. How far do you
agree? [8]
Media Control of press;
censorship; cheap radios with short range controlled what Germans read or
heard.
Other Education; military
successes; employment; anti-Semitism;
SS/Gestapo effective; any
opposition already crushed or feeble;
control of other aspects
of the media. Any successes in military or economy; or any fear factors are
relevant here.
Education
& youth
Describe the changes made by the Nazis in education. [4]
What changes did the Nazis make to the school
curriculum? [5]
Give two ways in which teaching in schools was
controlled by the Nazis. [2]
How did the Nazis use education to indoctrinate
young people? [5]
To view recent German
history in a particular way. The stab in the back at Versailles
received greater
importance, and how the hardships of 1919–23 were caused by Jews squeezing
profits out of honest Germans. As children grew older this increased loyalty to
the Führer.
Biology lessons were used
to make children feel special as part of the Aryan race, superior
in intelligence and
strength to others, particularly Jews.
All subjects concentrated
on military topics including German heroes, chemistry dealt with
warfare and explosives
while Mathematics aided an understanding of military calculations and
ballistics.
Membership of the Hitler
Youth made young people physically fit, giving them an
understanding of army life
such as cleaning, and keeping in good condition, a rifle.
The importance of home and
family was continually stressed to girls, so that they saw the
importance of the Nazi
policy to the future of the Reich.
Why did Hitler introduce a new curriculum in
schools? [6]
Why were the changes made to education important to
the Nazis? [7]
To promote Aryan ideal, to
brainwash young to support
and perpetuate the Nazi
philosophy, anti-Semitism, anti non-Aryan,
use of Maths, Biology,
History in support of Nazi political and racial ideas, spy on teachers, parents
etc.
What was the Hitler Youth? [5] / Describe the activities of the Hitler Youth. [5]
Offered a variety of
leisure pursuits. Control of young
people.
(The activities divide
into areas – Physical, subversive/indoctrination, military and female. A
maximum of two marks for
any one area.)
An opportunity for boys
and girls to enjoy weekend trips, camps, walking and sports. (Max 2)
Subversive – encouraged
members to report their parents or teachers if they criticised the
Nazi regime. Comment on
the treatment of Jews and comment on the Aryan Race. (Max 2 marks)
Indoctrination into
accepting Nazi ideas with loyalty and obedience to Hitler. (1)
A training ground for the
army with physical activity and military drill. E.g. marching/firing
singing patriotic songs.
(Max 2 marks)
Female – home-making, child
bearing, breeding science, physical activities.
Why was the Hitler Youth Movement an important part of Nazi policy? [7]
Why did the Nazis encourage young people to join
the Hitler Youth? [7]
So they could be
indoctrinated with Nazi ideas.
To prepare them for adult
roles; boys as soldiers and girls as mothers and wives.
The life of young people
was controlled in school and the Nazis wanted to control it away from school.
To ensure fitness and
therefore be able to fit into their role in society.
To ensure that the first
loyalty was not to the family but to Hitler.
Membership of the Hitler Youth made young people
physically fit, giving them an
understanding of army life
such as using, cleaning, and keeping in good condition, a rifle.
The importance of home and
family was continually stressed to girls, so that they saw the
importance of the Nazi
policy to the future of the Reich.
Why was it important to win the hearts and
minds of young people? [7]
To indoctrinate children
and to increase awareness of a view of German history.
To develop a sense of
importance compared to others.
To gain a view of being a
soldier. For girls to value the family.
If the young could be
indoctrinated into the Nazi way of thinking those
views were likely to stay
with them for the rest of their lives.
The Nazis realised that
through education they could convert the young to
their ideas by teaching
from books giving a biased view, teaching that the
Aryan race was superior
and educating girls to be perfect mothers and housewives.
To use the Hitler Youth
Movements physical activity programme to create fit
young people who would
make good soldiers.
To use the League of
German Girls to make girls into strong mothers.
To view recent German
history in a particular way. The stab in the back at Versailles
received greater
importance, and how the hardships of 1919–23 were caused by Jews squeezing
profits out of honest Germans. As children grew older this increased loyalty to
the Führer.
Biology lessons were used
to make children feel special as part of the Aryan race, superior
in intelligence and
strength to others, particularly Jews.
All subjects concentrated
on military topics including German heroes, chemistry dealt with warfare and
explosives while Mathematics aided an understanding of military calculations
and ballistics.
The Hitler Youth was the most successful Nazi
organisation.? [8]
How successful were the Nazis in winning the
support of young people? Explain. [8]
Nazi education and youth policies were not
effective in controlling young people.? [8]
How far did young people support the policies of
the Nazis? [8]
For:
The Hitler Youth was founded in 1926. By 1939 it
had over seven million members, the vast majority of young Germans. It was used
to prepare boys and girls for their roles in life. Many were attracted to join
as other associations were banned and this offered many activities.
The League of German Maidens offered domestic
skills and preparation for motherhood. Many were happy to join as there were
few other organisations for them. Many enjoyed the activities such as camping
and the sports.
Against:
In 1936 membership of the Hitler Youth was made
compulsory although some young people were reluctant to join. About one million
failed to join. Many joined the Catholic Youth organisation rather than the
Hitler Youth.
In the late 1930s gangs began to appear on street corners.
They had their own music and looked for Hitler Youth members to beat them up.
Some gangs considered themselves part of a wider
group called the Edelweiss Pirates.
They were anti-authority and anti-Nazi. During the
war they helped deserters and escaped prisoners.
The “Swing” movement was mainly middle-class
teenagers. They listened to American
and English music, preferring jazz to
regimentation. They accepted Jews at their clubs.
Women
Describe Nazi policies towards women in Germany. [4]
Role as homemaker in
support of husband, KKK,
have children for the Aryan
race and military, not take male jobs.
League of German Maidens,
women steering committee to oversee all women organizations.
attitude / views towards women / role
of women/ the family?
Motherhood and family life
were an important part of Nazi propaganda.
The Nazis held traditional
and conservative views of the role of women. Women were not equal to men.
Women were expected to stay
at home and raise children.
Women were encouraged to
have large families and were rewarded if they did.
Why did the Nazis discourage women from
going out to work? [7]
Ideological:
It was a male dominated
society. So she could support her husband. To produce German children.
Motherhood and family life
were important parts of Nazi propaganda.
They had traditional views
about family matters.
Women were not equal with
men. They were expected to remain at home to raise children.
Increase Germanys
strength:
Hitler was alarmed at the
falling birth rate and women were encouraged to have large families.
The birth rate was falling
and they wanted this increased to provide the army of the future.
Economic:
To decrease male
unemployment and to reduce unemployment figures.
Unemployment was high and
Hitler wanted to get men into employment and so women
were encouraged not to go
out to work.
Why did the Nazis try to change the role of women /
control? [7]
Why were women important in Hitler’s plans for
Germany? [7]
Why was
family life important to Nazi beliefs? [6] s2010 11, 2010 4, 2006, 2003
To increase the
birth-rate. Men needed the jobs. The Nazis held traditional views.
Hitler wanted to create
the Aryan Race. To secure large numbers
for the army.
The Nazis held traditional
views about the place of women in society. It was to be at home as child
bearers.
The Nazis preferred women
to adopt a more traditional role of wife and mother.
The birth-rate was falling
and women were encouraged, through Nazi propaganda, to have as many children as
possible.
Unemployment was high and
Hitler wanted to get men into employment and so women were
encouraged not to go out
to work.
During the late 30s, the
Nazis changed their views as they had to find ways of getting women back to work
to help the war effort.
How successful were Nazi policies towards women and
the family? [8]
Many conservative Germans
embraced the Nazi notion of traditional values and gender roles.
The policy to increase the
birth rate was successful. Male unemployment reduced significantly.
Many women received awards
or cash funding for their work.
The birth rate had
increased by 45% by 1939.
The policy of
non-employment for women was partially successful and full of contradictions.
Women employment remained
high throughout Nazi rule. There were 1.2 million more women working after six
years of Nazi rule than there had been at the start. This was as a result of a
war economy requiring workers in the factories and as the male unemployed were
now employed, women were used. This was particularly true after the start of
war.
Many women objected to
their role as second-class citizens and some joined left-wing opposition
political groups like the Communists or social Democrats to campaign for better
status. Others criticised these policies because they ignored those women who
had particular talents for certain types of employment.
Racial
policy
Give two groups forcibly sterilised in Nazi Germany. [2]
Jews, Gypsies, the mentally disabled, the
physically disabled, homosexuals
Describe the treatment of the Jews in Nazi
Germany from 1935. [5] w2002
Mercy killings; sterilised;
medical experiments; guinea pigs for
gassing etc. (1 – 2)
Law of Prevention of Hereditary
diseases 1933; about 400 000 legally forced sterilisations for mentally ill;
congenital feeblemindedness; physical deformity, epilepsy; blindness; deafness;
severe alcoholism; secretly operated T4 – euthanasia from 1939 etc.
In 1935 the Nuremberg Laws took away German
citizenship from Jews.
Jews could not marry or have sex with pure
blooded Germans.
Jews were often refused jobs and people refused
to serve them in shops.
In schools, Jewish children were humiliated and
then segregated. Jewish teachers were fired.
In 1938, as a result of Kristallnacht, Jewish
shops, businesses and synagogues were smashed.
Many Jews were murdered or sent to
concentration camps such as Dachau.
From 1942, Jews were rounded up in Germany and
the rest of Europe and sent to
extermination camps as part of the Final
Solution.
Why were minorities in Germany in the
1930s made to suffer by the Nazis? [7] 2011, s2007, 2005
Why did the Nazis persecute many
different groups in German society? [7]
Why did Hitler persecute minority groups in
Germany? [7]
Why were the Jews persecuted by the Nazis? [7]
S2011 13
Because they
were Aryans. Their race was the master race. They believed they were superior. They
thought other races were not worthy of respect. The Nazis persecuted other
groups including homosexuals and mentally disabled as they did not match up to
the master race.
Homosexuality was despised
by the Nazis as it was not in keeping with their ideal of Aryan masculinity.
Disabled people were also considered as not part of the master race.
Because
Germany lost the war. Nazi propaganda
blamed the Jews for the defeat in the First World War. Communists, Jews and
other undesirables were accused of undermining Germanys efforts in the First
World War.
Anti-Semitism, or the
hatred of Jews, was rife in Russia and Germany long before the Nazis appeared,
but the Nazis used this ill-feeling to blame Jews for many of Germanys woes,
such as losing the First World War.
To remove
opposition.
People of Eastern European
descent also received harsh treatment at the hands of the Nazis, who considered
them racially inferior. They also lost their citizenship.
Hitler hated Jews insanely.
In his years of poverty in Vienna, he became obsessed by the fact that Jews ran
many of the most successful businesses, particularly the large department
stores. This offended his idea of the superiority of Aryans.
Kristallnacht
(Nov 1938)
Describe the events of Kristallnacht.
[5]
In November
1938 a young Jew killed a German diplomat in Paris. The Nazis used this as an
excuse to launch violent revenge on Jews. (2 marks)
Plain-clothes
SS troopers were issued with pickaxes and hammers and the addresses of Jewish
businesses. They ran riot, smashing up Jewish shops and work places. (2 marks)
Ninety-one
Jews were murdered and hundreds of synagogues were burned. (2marks)
Twenty
thousand Jews were taken to concentration camps.
Many Germans were alarmed and concerned.
What did Hitler hope to achieve from
the 1936 Olympics and what happened? [5]
Hitler hoped to show that
Germany was superior.
Hitler hoped to use the
Games to show the supremacy of the Aryan race.
Hitler wanted to show the
world the achievements of Nazi Germany and its technical efficiency. Foreign
visitors were highly impressed with the excellence of the facilities and the
efficiency of the organisation. The German team won 33 gold, 26 silver and 30
bronze medals, far more than other teams. The star of the Games was Jesse
Owens, a black American, winning four gold medals and breaking eleven world
records. This did not please Hitler.
Why did the Nazis introduce the Final
Solution? [7]
It was a long term plan of
the Nazis. The policy of mass murder
evolved.
Hitlers personal dislike
of Jews. Their race was the master
race
Nazis believed they were
the master race and that other races were inferior.
Nazi propaganda blamed the
Jews for the defeat in the First world War.
Historians have debated
whether or not the Final Solution was the result of a long term plan of Hitler.
Some historians, however, believe the policy of mass murder evolved during the
war years.
Hitler had a personal
dislike of Jews from his days in Vienna. He saw how successful many Jewish
businessmen were and he envied their lifestyle. From these early days, Hitler
blamed the Jews for many things – the First World War, the stab in the back,
and the Depression. In his speeches he regularly talked of the annihilation of
the Jews. Hitler was ultimately responsible,
How far did
racial issues dominate Nazi policies?
[8] s2010 41, w2003 4
The Final Solution was Hitlers major aim throughout
his leadership of the Nazi Party.? [8]
Main - Extermination of Jews evident
aim from earliest Party membership – detail in 25 points and Mein Kampf;
persecution from 1930s etc.
strict Aryan policies re Jews,
minorities, Slavs; family; exploitation of “inferior” workers etc.
Others - Only decided in 1942;
Hitler was not at Wannsee; overturning Versailles;
pursuit of power in Germany
and then Europe and the world; economic recovery; Slavs as despised as the Jews
etc. totalitarian state, getting rid of
opposition; Lebensraum, economy, re-armament
Economic
policy
Describe the Nazi plans for self-sufficiency / autarky. [5] s2010 12, 2008
It was to ensure they
could meet their needs.
e.g. The policy of making
Germany economically self-sufficient was called Autarky.
Hitler wanted to stop
Germany being dependent on imports, especially raw materials and food, if war
began. He remembered what had happened in the First World War.
Farmers were encouraged to
increase yields and food prices were controlled.
There was manufacturing of
synthetic rubber and experimentation to produce petrol from coal to reduce the
dependency on foreign countries.
The policy was under the
direction of Hermann Goering. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7m6b1cyRyo
What was the German Labour Front (DAF)? [2]
What actions did the Nazis take to reduce
unemployment? [5]
By joining the army.
By introducing public
works.
By introducing
conscription and rearmament.
By attempting to make
Germany self–sufficient.
The labour Service Corps
provided young men with manual labour jobs. From 1935 it was compulsory for all
18–25 year olds to serve six months. Workers lived in camps, wore uniforms and
were poorly paid.
Unemployed men were used
to build government-funded roads, motorways, houses, hospitals and schools.
From 1935 all men aged
18–25 were compelled to do military service for two years.
Rearmament provided
thousands of jobs in arms factories making guns, tanks and planes. (2)
Neither Jews or women were
registered as unemployed. Many Jews were driven out of their jobs which became
available to Germans. Married women were encouraged to give up their jobs and
stay at home. (2)
The Nazis created jobs by
giving government land to farmers and manufacturers in an effort
to make the country
self-sufficient in food, raw materials and manufactures.
What was the Strength through Joy programme
introduced by the Nazis? [5]
Describe the activities of the Strength Through Joy
organization. [4]
It was a leisure scheme. The Nazis organised peoples leisure time.
Level 2 Describes programme
[2–5] (One mark for each relevant point; additional mark for supporting
detail.)
e.g. It was a state
controlled leisure organisation. It was
part of the German Labour Front.
Kraft durch Freude or KdF
was the Strength through Joy organisation.
The KdF provided
affordable leisure activities for German workers. It hoped to motivate the workforce.
The activities organised
included concerts, plays, libraries, day trips and holidays.
The KdF had its own cruise
liners eg Wilhelm Gustloff.
Part of the work of the
KdF was the production of an affordable car, the KdF-Wagen, later known as the
Volkswagen Beetle. The War interrupted the scheme and no ordinary worker received
one.
Why was Hitler able to gain popularity with male
workers? [7]
Oppositions
/ Support / popularity
Why was there little opposition, in Germany, to Nazi rule? [7] 2010
To what extent did the German people turn against
Hitler during Second World War? [8]? 2011, 2006
Hitler had removed all opposition to Nazi rule
within Germany by end of 1935. Do you agree? [8]
How successful was the Nazi regime in
dealing with opposition? [8]
By the end of 1930s, did
Hitler control Germany by oppression or by popular support? [8]
S11 13 - 2010,
2006, 2004, 2003
How far had Hitlers policies gained the support
of the German people by 1939? [8]
Most Germans supported the Nazis during
their 12 years in power. Do you agree ? [8]
How popular was the Nazi regime with the German
people? [8]
How total was the control the Nazis had over
the German people before 1939? [8]
Success
Many Germans admired and trusted
Hitler. Many were attracted by the promises made by the Nazis. They would
rather tolerate rule by terror and loss of political freedom in return for
work, foreign policy success and a strong government.
Large numbers of Germans
supported Hitler because of his promises of revenge for the Treaty of Versailles.
Success in foreign affairs made Germans feel that their country was a great
power again after the humiliations of the First World War and the Treaty of
Versailles.
Many were happy with Hitler’s attack on
the Treaty of Versailles. Success in foreign affairs made Germans feel that
their country was a great power again after the humiliations of the First World
War and the Treaty of Versailles.
Hitler brought economic
recovery. He offered them leadership which would steer them to stability and
prosperity following the Great Depression. Through public works programs and
the re-armament programme, unemployment was reduced. As well as bringing
employment, these measures brought national pride. Hitler
gained the loyalty of his workers through the “Strength Through Joy” movement,
the state scheme to buy a car and the Beauty of Labour movement.
The Hitler Youth was
supported by most young people. The Hitler Youth gave adventure and challenge
to many young boys.
Opposition
In 1944 opposition grew
among army officers, leading to July Bomb Plot. Some of the army
officers were worried the war was going badly and planned to blow Hitler up. It
went wrong and they were all executed.
Some young people also
began to rebel during the war like the Swing Youth. They were
fed up with the Nazis
controlling their lives and giving them no freedom.
The Swing gang and
the Edelweiss Pirates were generally regarded as delinquents but
during the war they got
involved in spreading anti-Nazi propaganda and in 1944 took part
in an attack in which a
Gestapo officer was killed. Some were arrested and publicly executed.
Hans and Sophie Scholl
led a student groups in Munich called the White Rose Movement.
They were executed in 1943
for ant-Nazi activities.
Not all women
accepted the changes and some joined illegal opposition groups. The policies
ignored those women who had particular talents for certain types of jobs.
Not all youth supported
Hitler Youth and eventually it had to be made compulsory. Teenage rebels
began to appear on street corners. They played their own music and mixed
together. Some joined the Edelweiss Pirates and student movements like the
White Rose.
Church
leaders opposed Nazi involvement in religion and were sent to concentration
camps.
Nazis replied
on control by force and terror:
-
Nazi Germany was a police state with supreme
power. They could arrest and punish people simply because they had spoken out
against the Nazis.
-
The SS and the Gestapo had
unlimited powers to arrest people without charge. They
terrorized people into obedience or send them into concentration
camps where people were tortured or indoctrinated.
-
The media was totally controlled.
-
All political parties and public meetings were
banned
-
The Enabling Act of 1934
- The
Gestapo had networks of informers and encouraged people to inform on
their neighbours and children to inform on their parents. All this meant that
for a long time the Nazis did not have many opponents.
- All the main
opponents of the Nazis were killed or put in concentration camps, such as
Sophie Scholl and Pastor Bonheoffer. The rest had been scared into
submission.
How far did people in Germany benefit from Nazi
rule? [8]
To what extent did German people benefit from Nazi
rule in the 1930s? Explain [8]
When Hitler came to power,
6 million were unemployed. He created jobs through the rearmament
programme and conscription.
Public works schemes, such
as the building of autobahns, created more jobs.
The Beauty of Labour
organisation made bosses improve working conditions by installing
better ventilation and
lighting, serving hot meals and creating factory gardens.
The Strength through Joy
programme provided opportunities for the low paid to take
holidays and partake of
cheap sporting facilities.
The youth benefited by
being offered opportunities to take up activities that improved health and
fitness.
Workers had no rights, they
had to join the Nazi Labour Front, and free trade unions were
banned. Wages stayed low
while working hours increased.
There were few consumer
goods to purchase. The cost of living increased in the 1930s. Most basic
groceries cost more and food items were in short supply.
Women were expected to give
up their jobs and look after the home.
There was a significant
amount of indoctrination through the Hitler Youth and schools as well as
through propaganda. Those who opposed the Nazis were rounded up and sent to concentration
camps.
Nazism in
General
Was Nazi Germany a totalitarian state? [8]
There was a fixed way of
thinking. Germany was single party
state.
Police control was based
on terror. The media was totally
controlled.
The country was open to
visitors. The government was not
united. People were brainwashed.
The political peace which
existed in Germany following the Night of the Long Knives
enabled the Nazis to
remodel German society according to their values and beliefs.
German people were to be
accountable for their thoughts and feelings as well as their
actions. The demands of
the Nazi state were more important than the rights of the individual.
Nazi Germany was a police
state with the power of the authorities supreme. This meant that
they could arrest and
punish people simply because they said something against Hitler and his party.
The SS had unlimited
powers to search houses, confiscate property and arrest people
without charge. They could
send people to concentration camps without trial.
The Gestapo had power to
arrest anyone it wanted and often used informers to report
anything that might be
anti-Nazi. The Gestapo became the most feared organisation in Germany.
Law and order was under
Nazi control with judges having to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler.
Until the outbreak of war
in 1939, Germany was still open to visitors and foreign journalists,
unlike the Soviet Union.
The Nazis were sensitive
to hostile comments from abroad. An example of this relates to
Hitler stopping those in
the Party who wished to take extreme measures against the Churches.
The way in which the Nazis
enforced their style of government changed dramatically after
the outbreak of war in
1939. For example the numbers in concentration camps increased significantly.
The Nazi government was
not united. No-one questioned Hitler’s authority at the top, but there were
fierce struggles for power in the ranks beneath him. Each Party official fought
for their own interests and the favour of the Führer. This strengthened Hitler’s
position but weakened the control of the Nazi government.
Other possible questions
Give two methods of repression the Nazis used to control the population. [2]
Give two features of the Nazi totalitarian
state. [2]
How far did Germany achieve more in
foreign affairs than in domestic affairs in the period 1923–1929? [8]
How far did the coming of war change life in Nazi
Germany? [8]
What was Mein
Kampf ? [4]
How
successful was the Nazi Government in its control of German society after 1933?
[8]
