development of anti-semetic policies; 1938-40 Flashcards
(90 cards)
What was the long-term ambition of German nationalists that was achieved in March 1938?
The Anschluss (union) with Austria, but it had previously been banned under the Treaty of Versailles.
What was the reaction of the Austrian people after the Germans took over?
They welcomed it enthusiastically, and the takeover was achieved without a shot being fired.
What did the ‘bloodless victory’ of the Austria takeover encourage Hitler and the Nazis to do?
It emboldened them to pursue their ambitions in foreign policy and to adopt more radical racial policies in the Greater Germany they’d created.
What did Hitler do to Nazi groups in Austria after 1933?
Encouraged them to agitate for a union between Austria and Germany.
What did the Austrian government do in return to Nazi groups agitating them for a union?
They banned Nazi demonstrations and called a plebiscite in March 1938 to show that the majority of Austrians were opposed to union.
Why did the government of Austria resign?
It became clear that Britain, France and Italy would not intervene to support Austrian independence, they resigned and Hitler ordered a German invasion.
Who did Hitler target after his ‘bloodless victory’ in Austria?
Czechoslovakia, which included a large German minority in the area known as the Sudetenland.
How did Hitler risk war with Britain and France in September 1938?
He demanded for the Sudetenland to be handed over to Germany.
How did Hitler achieve another ‘bloodless victory’ over the Sudetenland?
Britain and France agreed to a German takeover, and then later in March 1939 he achieved another success in the occupation of the rest of Czechoslovakia.
When was the non-aggression pact signed? What was it known as?
August 1939, known as the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
What did the Nazi-Soviet Pact mean?
That the USSR agreed not to oppose the German invasion of Poland.
When did Germany invade Poland and what did this lead to?
September 1st 1939, leading to a war between Germany and Britain and France just 2 days later.
What happened to those in the Nazi Party who had been urging caution by late 1937?
Schacht in economic policy, Blomberg and Fritsch in the military, were all swept aside and balance of power shifted towards more radical elements.
Why had Schacht argued strongly against radical anti-Semitism?
Because in the economic field he did not want to alienate foreign investors.
What war Goering determined to do in response to Schacht’s argument?
He had no care for foreign opinion and wanted to remove Jews from businesses as soon as possible.
What were Nazis in Austria allowed to do to Jews? What did this prompt Goering to do?
Act against them without any constraint. This prompted him to take more radical action in Germany itself.
What did the April 1938 Decree of Registration of Jewish Property do? What was this the starting point for?
Provided for the confiscation of all Jewish-owned property worth more than 5000 marks.
It was the start for the Aryanisation of Jewish property and businesses.
How many Jewish businesses had there been in April 1938, and how many were there a year later?
There had been 40,000 and a year later only 8000 had avoided being closed down or “aryanised”.
What jobs did further legislation ban Jews from doing?
Working as travelling salesmen, security guards, travel agents and estate agents.
What else did Jews lose rights to in 1938?
Entitlement to public welfare.
What did the increasing number of unemployed and poor Jews depend on?
Completely depended on charities set up by the Jewish community, such as the Central Institution for Jewish Economic Aid.
What did Jews have to do to their passports from October 1938?
Stamp them with a large ‘J’ to make them easily identifiable.
What law did the drive to make Jews easily identifiable and strip them of their individuality lead to?
One that meant Jews who were deemed to have non-Jewish names had to change them. Jewish women to Sarah and Jewish men to Israel.
When did the practice of making Jews wear a yellow star in public come into practice?
Not until 1941, Hitler had turned it down before then.