AS Hitler Flashcards

Question

enabling act

Answer 1

- reichstag fire created climate of fear, climaed to be part of communist plot - required 2/3 majority to pass, used emergency powers to ban the communist party members, nationalist party agreed to support him, won support from centre party by promising to protect catholic church - allowed him to gain majority, but still placed SA and SS around reichstag to initimidate members to persuade social democratic party to vote for new law - removed checks on power by permitting passing decrees without parliamentary consent, made him legal dictator - initially for 4 years but later extended - crucial for elimanting opposition, banned political parties, suppressed trade unions and coordination of state institutions - used act to enforce censorship, repression and nazi ideology - Opposition was minimal due to fear of the SA/SS and propaganda portraying Hitler as Germany’s savior - Its long-term impact was the total erosion of constitutional rights, paving the way for the Holocaust and aggressive war policies - Unlike Article 48 the Enabling Act permanently transferred legislative power to Hitler, making it the legal foundation of Nazi dictatorship.

Answer 2

- only effective opposition came from the upper classes who dominated the civil service, in particular from the highest ranks of the army - the conservative elites initially supported nazism because of attacks on socialist and communists, restoration of authoritarian rule and overturning of TOV - army won over to the regime following night of the long knives - However, from 1937 they became concerned with Hitler’s foreign policy aims which they feared might result in Germany having to fight a war on two fronts - Hitler’s purge of conservative army leaders in 1938 and his increasingly personal control over the army, intensified concerns and some army leaders considered the possibility of a coup 1938 – 1939. - However, any attempts at resistance were deflected by Hitler’s success in foreign policy 1938 – 39, and then, once war started, by the need to support the government in time of war.

Answer 3

- Once in power, Hitler enacted policies of persecution and legal discrimination against Jews starting in 1933, amid violence. - Goebbels’ propaganda portrayed Jews as non-Germans linked to anti-German forces, advocating for their elimination. - An initial boycott of Jewish shops was quickly halted due to public disapproval. - The ‘Law of the Restitution of the Professional Civil Service’ legalized discrimination, severely impacting middle-class Jews and increasing emigration. - Violence against Jews persisted, including beatings, torture, and killings by the SA; book burnings occurred in May 1933. - Nazi teachers enforced the segregation of Jewish children from non-Jewish pupils. - The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 reduced Jews to second-class citizenship, stripping them of civil and political rights. - The Law for the Protection of German Blood forbade Jews from marrying Aryans and restricted employment of women under 45 in Jewish households. - Germans were urged to report anyone involved in 'race defilement' or associating with Jews. - Jews faced systematic exclusion from professions, education, and public life after the Nuremberg Laws. - From 1938, anti-Semitic policies escalated alongside Hitler’s territorial expansion. - New IDs marked with ‘J’ for Jude; Jewish women adopted the name Sarah and men Israel. - By late 1938, Jewish children were barred from schools, and Jews were banned from public baths, theatres, and parks with restricted seating. - In November 1938, the Reichskristallnacht saw radicals attack 7,000 businesses and destroy 267 synagogues in retaliation for a shooting. - Officially, ninety-one Jews were killed, but many more died from arrests or suicides; Jews had to pay for property damages and lose insurance claims. - Many Germans were appalled by the violence but did little to oppose ongoing discrimination. - While some Jews sought to emigrate, the regime made it difficult due to financial burdens and restrictions from other nations. - By 1939, emigration became nearly impossible, and persecution intensified, with the war facilitating brutalization and genocidal policies.

Answer 4

ideology： - women role and value in the nazi state should only be domestic - plans for new germany did not include advancement of women, did not accept them as equals to men - defined female emancipation as a jewish idea that was designed to weaken society - women were valued in the nazi movement for role in procreation as hitler believed a larger, racially pure population would enhance germany's military strength - nation socialist womanhood (NSF) was all seperate women groups being brought into one body, purpose of keeping nazi women under the control of the exclusively male party - birth rate dropping in germany, wanted women to embrace motherhood as an ideal - motherhood campaign introduced toe ncourage women to give up work and return home to become mothers - fewer women allocated university places, law and higher education provided fewer positions for women, civil service no longer accepted women entrants - Birth control clinics were obliged to close and abortion was made illegal. - Smoking was held to be unsuitable. In 1935, the Lebensborn (Spring of Life) project encouraged unmarried women with good racial credentials to become pregnant, with selected SS men as the fathers, Also facilitated the adoption of orphans and kidnapping foreign children deemed racially pure - Prolific mothers were awarded medals with the inscription ‘The child ennobles the mother’. These were given annually on 12th August, the birthday of Hitler’s mother. - The recipients had to be ‘of German blood and hereditary healthy’. - Split into three categories: Bronze for those who had four or five children, Sliver for those who had six or seven children, and Gold for those who had eight or more children. - Women were asked to follow the 'three Ks' - Kinder Kuche, Kirche - 'children, kitchen, church'. law for the reduction of unemployment june 1933: - women encouraged to leave work on marriage with the support of generous loans - aimed to increase germany's falling birth rate by giving loans to help couples marry provided they left their jobs - couples were allowed to keep 1/4 of loan for each child born - by 1934 all married women forced out of careers in medicine, legal professions and civil service, declared ineligible for jury service for not being able to think logically

Answer 5

Successes - The Nazi government implemented policies to encourage marriage and childbirth among Aryan women. For example, the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage provided newly-wed couples with a loan and financial incentives for having children. - The Nazi regime promoted the ideal of the traditional German woman, emphasizing motherhood and homemaking. Girls were taught these values in school and through compulsory membership in the Nazi League of German Girls (BDM). - Women's activism in the Nazi movement was valued, and they were praised as loyal and fanatical fellow-combatants - Cate Haste suggests that Hitler was popular among German women, as his promise to restore order and end unemployment appealed to those who longed for stability and certainty failures: - Despite the emphasis on traditional gender roles, the need for labor during rearmament and total war compelled the Nazis to prod women into the workforce, deviating from the domestic ideal. - Hitler's domestic policies collapsed with his death, and the Nazi ideology did not leave as much of a lasting impact on Germany as he had hoped.

Answer 6

Sterilization and Euthanasia Campaigns - Set up numerous sterilization and euthanasia campaigns aimed at killing minority populations, such as Jews and Romani people, to promote a "pure" Aryan race. - The T4 Program, initiated in 1939, systematically murdered those deemed "unfit," including the mentally ill and disabled, leading to the deaths of approximately 200,000 individuals. Laws and Legal Discrimination - In September 1933, the "Law Against Habitual and Dangerous Criminals" classified beggars as “orderly” or “disorderly,” leading to their registration and compulsory work permits for accommodation; many homeless individuals were sent to detention camps, with around 10,000 arrested, few of whom survived. - The Nuremberg Laws established the Reich Citizenship Law, allowing only racially pure Germans to be citizens, and the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor, banning interracial marriage and mixing. - A person was considered Jewish if they had three or more Jewish grandparents, while individuals of mixed heritage were labeled “Mischlinge,” with tests used to determine Jewish identity. - The laws institutionalized racial discrimination, laying the groundwork for further persecution and violence against Jews and other minorities. Persecution of Specific Groups - Homosexuals were persecuted by the “Central Office for the Combat of Homosexuality and Abortion,” with Paragraph 175 of the Reich Criminal Code criminalizing “indecent activities” between males; by 1939, the Gestapo identified 100,000 individuals as “criminals,” with one-third investigated and one-quarter arrested. - Homosexuals were sent to concentration camps, where they were marked with a pink triangle, designating them as the lowest level in the prison hierarchy; many were subjected to brutal treatment and medical experiments. - Jehovah's Witnesses were targeted for their refusal to serve in the military and join National Socialist organizations; the Gestapo accused them of political motives, leading to their ban in 1933 and the arrest of about 2,000, with 1,200 dying in concentration camps; they were identified by violet triangles. - The Nazi regime actively monitored and photographed Romani communities, with approximately 50,000 Romani people in Germany in 1933; by 1945, only about 5,000 remained; many were deported to concentration camps where they faced extermination. - Many Romani individuals were subjected to medical experiments by Nazi doctors and were included in the Nuremberg Laws of September 1935, which categorized them as racially inferior. The Holocaust - The Holocaust represented state-sanctioned persecution and the murder of six million Jews, marked by severe anti-Semitic propaganda, boycotts of Jewish-owned businesses, and public humiliation. - Jews faced physical displacement through deportation and ghettoization, along with the theft of property and valuables; by 1941, over 1.5 million Jews had been deported to ghettos. - Many Jews were forced into labor for Nazi organizations, culminating in the implementation of the "Final Solution," which aimed at the total extermination of Jews. - The Final Solution targeted Jews, Romani people, disabled individuals, and political dissidents, involving mass shootings of Jewish men of military age and entire communities across 1,500 locations. - Killing centers used poisonous gas in sealed chambers, with Nazis transporting Jews from across Europe to these sites for extermination; major extermination camps included Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Sobibor, where millions were murdered. - The Holocaust stands as one of the darkest chapters in human history, highlighting the consequences of unchecked hatred and systemic discrimination.

Answer 7

successes: - The regime effectively suppressed dissent and opposition through mechanisms like the Gestapo, which enforced compliance and monitored minority groups, creating an environment of fear that stifled resistance. - The T4 Program and other sterilization campaigns resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of individuals deemed "unfit," demonstrating the regime's ruthless efficiency in executing its policies. - The regime's use of propaganda successfully dehumanized minorities, particularly Jews, fostering public support or indifference toward their persecution. Failures: - Despite the regime's efforts, there were instances of resistance from individuals and groups, such as the Confessing Church and the White Rose movement, which challenged Nazi ideology and policies - The systematic extermination of Jews and other minorities faced logistical difficulties, including resource shortages and the challenges of transporting large numbers of people to extermination camps. - The Nazi regime underestimated the potential for international condemnation and resistance, particularly as news of the Holocaust began to emerge during the war - Disagreements among Nazi leaders regarding the implementation of policies, especially in the later stages of the war, led to inefficiencies and disruptions in the execution of their genocidal plans - The eventual documentation of the atrocities committed, along with survivor testimonies, highlighted the moral failures of the Nazi regime, leading to ongoing discussions about accountability and remembrance after the war.

Answer 8

aims: - indoctrinate German youth with Nazi ideology and shape their minds to ensure loyalty to the Nazi Party - Prepare the younger generation to serve the goals of the Nazi regime and support militarism - Create a generation of obedient, fanatical followers who would uphold Nazi principles and perpetuate the regime - wanted to promote aryan supremacy and eliminate perceived racial threats to the german population - Heinrich Himmler shaped education and youth policies, Baldur von Schirach, head of nazi youth responsible for implementing the policies Hitler youth： - The Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend) was established in 1926 as the official youth organization of the Nazi Party. - It aimed to indoctrinate German youth with Nazi ideology, militarism, and loyalty to Hitler. Membership became mandatory in 1939, and by the early 1940s, it had millions of members. - Activities included ideological training, physical education, paramilitary drills, and participation in Nazi rallies and events. - The Hitler Youth served as a powerful tool for socializing young Germans into becoming loyal supporters of the Nazi regime. - experienced significant growth and became compulsory by 1939 - physical education promoted physical fitness, discipline and a militaristic mindset for future military service - diminished religious studies by replacing religion with nazi ideology and pseudo religious devotion to hitler and the nazi party - german language and literature used to celebrate german history and superiority and reinforced nazi propaganda - history emphasized german nationalism and glorified german achievements - biology incorporated racial theories promoting nazi ideas of racial superiority and eugenics, taught about aryan master race and need to preserve racial purity

Answer 9

successes: - The education system effectively instilled Nazi ideology in students, ensuring that many young people internalized values of nationalism, militarism, and racial superiority. - Membership in organizations like the Hitler Youth surged, with millions of youths participating in programs designed to promote loyalty to the regime. - The regime successfully overhauled school curricula to reflect Nazi principles, emphasizing subjects that supported their worldview, such as biology focused on racial theories. - Emphasis on physical education contributed to a generation of physically fit youth prepared for military service, aligning with the regime’s militaristic goals. - The education system promoted a sense of cultural unity and national pride, reinforcing the idea of a singular German identity based on Aryan ideals. failures: - Not all students and teachers fully embraced Nazi ideology; some resisted indoctrination, and there were instances of noncompliance within schools. - The focus on ideology over critical thinking and academic rigor led to a decline in educational quality. Many subjects were taught with a heavy bias, limiting students' intellectual development. - Jewish students and those from other marginalized groups were systematically excluded from schools, which led to a loss of potential talent and diversity in education. - Some teachers opposed the regime's policies, leading to tensions within the education system. Many educators were forced to conform or face repercussions. - While many youth were indoctrinated, the long-term impact of this education was mixed, as some individuals later rejected Nazi ideology, especially after the war.

Answer 10

- Both elite art, such classical music, paintings, sculpture, theatre, and popular arts such as film and radio were used to reinforce German’s shared statehood and race - Hitler considered himself to be very knowledgeable with regards to art and effectively decided that there were two forms of art – un-German degenerate art and classical realist art that represented all that was good about Nazi Germany. - ‘Blood and soil’: peasants were cast as the representative of the ‘pure’ Aryan blood of Germany, struggles with the soil and weather were glorified - Anti-feminism: emphasis on pre-industrial images of woman - Anti-semitism: degradation of Germany’s Jewish communities - 1933: Goebbels was made minister of propaganda and popular enlightenment Imposed rigorous censorship on all art forms - only approved art that conveyed a suitable propaganda message - May 1933: ‘Burning of the Books’ destroyed works associated with Jews, Bolsheviks, and black communities - Many artists went into exile, had their works banned or removed - Volksempfänger (people’s receiver): found in over 70% of German homes by 1939, radio with limited range, preventing individuals from listening to foreign broadcasts. Allowed daily exposure to Nazi news - September 1933: new Reich Culture Chamber established - Reich Film, Music, Theatre, Press, Literature, Fine Arts, Radio - controlled and regulated all aspects of German culture - Believed modern art that had flourished during Weimar Period was degenerate July 1937 two contrasting art exhibitions were launched entitled ‘Degenerate Art’ and ‘Great German Art’ - Nazi propaganda portrayed Hitler as all-powerful and all-knowing - Depicted as a father figure, friend, and leader Anything that showed a human ‘failing’ such as wearing glasses were carefully erased - ‘Heil Hitler’ became the official form of greeting

Answer 11

- despite the destruction and censorship - Germany emerged with a new wave of art - Fuhrer Cult - played on pre-existing fears and prejudices of ordinary Germans, allowed for cumulative radicalism (policies and actions gradually become more extreme) failures: - In private, people might read banned literature, listen to foreign news broadcasts Germany secretly protected Jews and other Nazi victims - Refused to join Nazi organisations or campaigns - Particularly the young listened to American jazz music - Many opposition groups existed: E.g White Rose Group: formed by students in Munich University, revealed the truth of Nazi treatment against Jews and Savs, painted anti-Nazi slogans on buildings - members were caught and executed - Such activities proved that not all young people were indoctrinated by the regime

Answer 12

Schacht’s economic policy (New Plan) - Schacht was president of the reichsbank and minister of economics - mainly relied on deficit financing to stimulate public investment growth. This was able to be done through many factors: - Banking and controlling capital - Set the interest lower and rescheduled large-scale debts - increase investment in Germany - Assistance for farming and small businesses (including: maintaining tariffs, subsidies, grants) and the Reich Entailed Farm Law to reduce debts - State investment for public works - Included: 1. Expanded upon the Law to Reduce - Unemployment (started by von Papen in 1932) 2. Reich Labour Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst) expanded to employ 19-25 year olds in increase labour force 3. Work creation schemes in reforestation, land reclamation, motorisation, the building of improved roads (autobahns) and construction – especially the expansion of the housing sector and public buildings. All of this to stimulate economic growth and circulation - Through these policies, by 1936, the economy had well recovered, tripling public investment and government expenditure increased to 70%. By this time, Germany aimed to increase their armament expenditure, increasing from 5 billion in 1935 to 10 billion in 1936. Unemployment decreased from 5.6 million in 1932 to 1.6 million in 1936. - Abroad, foreign countries “admired” Germany’s ability to recover, despite ideological differences. However, one could argue that the successes of Nazi Germany were aided by the economy as a whole, due to the global economic situation getting better. However, it is undoubtedly Schlacht’s policies which aided the situation significantly. schacht revised policies: - Bilateral trade treaties: Schacht exerted increasing influence in the Balkans by opening up Germany to foreign markets in Yugoslavia and Romania using barter agreements, avoiding formal currency exchange - Mefo bills: Schacht designed a new government bill to disguise government spending whilst funding the rearmament using the money spent by investors on Mefo bills. They were issued by the government, similar to government bonds and citizens would pay the government to own these bonds, at a 4% interest rate if the bills were kept for 5 years. - The Reichsmark currency: Germany agreed to purchase raw materials from the countries she traded with on the condition that other countries would use the Reichsmark. This is because the Reichsmark had 237 different values depending on the country so a more seamless currency exchange was needed 4 year plan: - Schacht’s policies on the surface provided temporary economic stability and temporarily solved the balance of payments problem through clever financial policy. However, he knew this could not continue therefore, he advised the Nazis that they should cut down on spending, which they declined. Now, Germany was facing a dilemma: “Guns vs Butter” Aims: - Regulate imports and exports to prioritise machinery and rearmament - Increase the production of raw materials - Develop substitute products to increase supply for the rearmament war economy - German success of the Blitzkrieg (lighting war) strategy gave Hitler’s regime popular support domestically and appeared as though there was little economic strain. Despite the fact that the economic situation + Nazi intention did not align with the success, this permitted Hitler to start a more rigorous program over the first 3 years. - Vast programs were outlined to expand German arms, such as submarines and aircrafts. Germany was tripling its’ spending on arms at this time, In order to: Prevent the failures of Germany in WW1, Strengthen Germany, Liebensraum, Expand into European terrritory - Germany was increasingly spending more of its’ GNP (gross national product) on military expenditure, increasing from 17% in 1938 to 47% in 1941 - By 1941, around 55% of the working population was involved with the war effort - Different agencies operated to manage the economy; the Ministry of Economics, Armaments, Finance and Labour worked together under the central Nazi government. - By the end of 1941, Germany was at total war with the allies after the “Rationalisation Decree” of December 1941 however, the amount of arms was inferior to Britains. This led to the Nazi desire for a more war-concentrated economy. Speers plans: - Speer’s behind-the scenes economic policy that had a greater significance on the German economy’s shift to total war. - improved production through Female participation and involvement in producing arms and as factory workers which opposed the Hitler’s ideology, Making use of concentration camp prisoners as slaves, Prevented skilled labourers from participating in conscription - Ammunition production increased by almost 100%, Tank production rose by 25%. Total arms production increased by 60%, From 1942-44, there was a three-fold increase in armament production

Answer 13

success: 4 year plan - The economy was even tighter controlled by the Nazis as a result (positive for the Nazi party) - Raw material production increased greatly in steel and hard coal, meaning Germany was less reliant on foreign supply in those areas failures: 4 year plan: - Led to Schacht’s resignation as his expertise was disregarded by Nazi officials + conflict of interests with Goering - a loss for the party Germany failed to reach many of their objectives, particularly for oil, rubber and explosives, all key raw materials needed for war - Germany needed funding for the plan so they ended up relying on foreign countries to reach their objectives (Czechoslovakia’s reserves) Total war: - German arms did not significantly increase, with 8000 aircrafts in 1939 to around 10,000 in 1941, contrasting Britain which possessed over 20,000 aircrafts. German tanks totaled 3,200, which matched the USSR. Germany was statistically unprepared to face Britain, the USSR, the US and other western allied countries. - German coordination and planning was inefficient. Short term and long term plans of the Nazis were unclear to those even within the party, leading many to deviate from Hitler’s vision - The sudden beginning of WW2 meant that plans scheduled for 1941-2 were to be rushed/ unfinished: Germany was left largely unprepared in the long term - Gualatiers (regional leaders) put their own interests first over the party’s: lack of coordinated effort towards a common goal - Groups responsible for arnaments: Office of the Four year plan, the SS, Wehrmacht (German army), Luftwaffe (airforce) and Navy. All had conflicting interests and different opinions. This decreased efficiency. Considerable amounts of financial corruption was reported around this time with the Gauleiters. - Despite being largely a success statistically, Germany was incapable of achieving a total war economy to its’ fullest and maximizing their resources. By 1945, they failed to meet the rising demands of the war and combat the strength of the allied powers and therefore, their economic strategy ultimately failed.

AS Hitler Flashcards

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