Germany After WW1 and interwar

Question 1

When did they sign the armistice of WW1?

Answer 1

November 11th 1918
(November criminals)

Question 2

When does the Weimar Republic make it’s constitution?

Answer 2

February 1919

Question 3

When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?

Answer 3

June 28th 1919

Question 4

When was the Kapp putsch?

Answer 4

March 1920

Question 5

What was the Kapp putsch?

Answer 5

So basically the Freikorps (basically a police force made up of bands of WW1 soldiers who had lost their jobs du eto the Treaty of Versailles) in 1919 helped stop a communist uprising, which was great, bust since then they’ve been causing a lot a problems, and were due to be disbanded, aka unemployed, which caused them to turn on the republic.

5000 armed men are now marching on Berlin, and Chancellor Ebert asks the millitary to take them down. But since they’re largely past soldiers the head of the military refuses, saying that the military does not opne fire on the military.

In fear of their lives Chancellor Ebert and his government flee to Weimar, then Stuttgart, while the Freikorps gain control of Berlin. They put Wolfgang Kapp, a right-wing politician as a figurehead leader, and declare a new government in Germany, and even invite the Kaiser to return back from exile.

Chancellor Ebert asks people to passively resist, and do stuff like go on strike,which many people do. Especially the left-leaing people, who really don’t want the Kaiser to return. Essential services such as gas, electricity, water and transport in the city grind to a halt.

After 4 days Wolfgang Kapp realizes he can’t lead under these conditions and attempts to flee but is caught. He is imprisoned, where he later dies. With the Rebellion now basically collapsed, the government is able to return

Question 6

How many assassiations were there in the start of Weimar Germany

Answer 6

Between 1919-1922 there were 376 assassinations, some of hich being

Most of the victims were modern, or left-wing politicians, and the judges were more sympathetic to the political right.

Question 7

Due to the politcal assassinations between 1919-1922, what did the political parties do?

Answer 7

They chore to hire armed mento guard their meetings, often choosing to hire past-soldiers; creating their own paramilitary group

Question 8

When did the allies announce how much Germany owed them due to the Treaty of Versailles and ho wmuch was it?

Answer 8

They announced it in May of 1921,

The amount of 132 billion gold marks (US$33 billion), to be paid over 42 annual installments

Question 9

When was the Ruhr crisis?

Answer 9

January 1923

Question 10

When is the Beer Hall Pustch?

Answer 10

November 1923

Question 11

When was the “Golden Era” of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 11

1924–1929,

while some historians argue that it was stable as it appeared, however Gustav Streseman (Chancellor and Foreign Minister), was able to achieve some key economic, political and foreign policy goals.

Question 12

What made the “Golden Era”, golden?
Chancellor name
PLans
improvement

Answer 12

Stresemen created the new currency called the Rentenmark, and strictly controlled the printing of it

The Dawes plan was going well
unemployment fell, and most wages rose
The days lost to striking lowered from 33 million days (for the whole working population of Germany) in 1919 to just 3 million in 1925.

Industrial output also improved, as did Germany’s trade with other countries. There were no attempts to overthrow the government and extreme parties become less popular.

Also their forign policy, more info on that in another slide

Question 13

What about the Weimar Republic’s foreign policy made the “Golden Era”, golden?

Answer 13

The Locarno Treaty, October 1925
Germany recognised its western (not eastern) borders, accepted the demilitarised Rhineland, and renounced the use of invasion and force.

The League of Nations, September 1926
Germany formally became a member, with a permanent seat on the council and power of veto.

Treaty of Berlin, April 1926
it involved economic and military exchanges. Some of the agreements were kept secret, but Germany publicly continued to settle issues still unresolved from World War I.

The Kellogg-Briand Pact, August 1927
It was signed by Germany, France and the United States, (and most other countries soon after), of which article one was
​”The High Contracting Parties solemnly declare in the names of their respective peoples that they condemn recourse to war for the solution of international controversies, and renounce it, as an instrument of national policy in their relations with one another.”

The desire to avoid war was a noble but unrealistic goal, however Germany was shown to be pursuing a policy of peace rather than conflict with other countries.

Question 14

So what’s goin on with Hitler and the Nazi’s in the “Golden Era”?

Answer 14

(Golden era is 1924-1929)
In 1925 Hitler re-launched the party after it was banned and by 1927, he was allowed to speak to the public again. He establishes himself as the party’s leader and moves the party away from someo of it’s more socialist ideals

However, the Nazi party did not have much hope for being more than a fringe party, as the success of the party really did correlate with the economic success of the Weimar Republic. So don’t worryyyy! they won’t be a probelm till Germany’s doing bad economically again!
Oh wait-
shit

Question 15

Why was 1929 the end of the golden era (two reasons)

Answer 15

In October 1929 two important events happened. The first was the death of Gustav Stresemann, who had been a stable and influential foreign minister for six years. The second was the Wall Street Crash. The impact of the crash was felt around the world, and especially in Germany.

Question 16

What was the Weimar Republics government like anyways?

Answer 16

representative democracy
The seats in the Reichstag were evenly split up by how many votes a party got.

The reichstag would vote on laws given by the Chancellor. A chancellor had to have 50% from the Reichstag

The Chancellor has a Reichsrat to help him decide upon certain issues. They were representatives of the state rather than political parties. The Reichsrat could veto a law passed by the Reichstag, and the Reichstag could veto that veto if they had 2/3s of the vote to veto the veto….

It was kind of a mess but since the governments in the Reichstag could barely agree enough to form coalitions no less agree with each other once they got into them, if the Reichsrat vetoed something, most of the time no law passed

The president was voted every 7 years, not 4 like the Reichstag. The president would choose the chancellor. Most of the time he would take the highest voted party, choose the party leader, or someone influential from the party. However this didn’t always happen, like when the Nazi’s got the most setas Hitler was really annoyed when he wasn’t appointed Chancellor.
The president could also dismiss Chancellors, between February 1919 and May 1926 there were 8 chancellors.

The president could also dissolve the Reichstag at any point he wanted and then there would have to be new elections. The president was also in charge of the army, they could use what was called Article 48. If they thought they were in a time of crisis or emergency they could essentially bipass the Reichstag and sign things into law using a Diktat. This was used a lot though when the Reichstag was arguing too much to pass anything, the president could just pass everything he agreed with into law.

You can see like
how Germany was definetly trying to be democratic, but was still showing signs of the Autocracy as seen with the Kaiser

Question 17

What was the Nazi’s success in the elections correlated with?

Answer 17

Economic hardship
The Nazi party thrived in Germany’s times of economic hardship. As unemployment rose, so did membership and election success. The Nazi’s barely survived between 1924 and 1928 when Germany was stable and prosperous.

Question 18

What was the Ruhr crisis
Overall
What did it cause?
How did it cause distrust

Answer 18

Caused Germnay’s hyper-inflation

In August 1921 the government requested that the payments be suspended until its economy had made a recovery. France refused and in January 1923, together with Belgium, occupied the Ruhr, which was a key industrial production area for Germany.

France and Belgium hoped to obtain the goods being produced in the region.

In order to avoid a confrontation the German government encouraged the workers to passively resist the occupation. The economy was disrupted, and the German government rapidly printed money to meet the needs of the workers who had gone on strike or refused to work.

The result was hyperinflation. In 1920 the exchange rate was 57.11 German Marks to one US Dollar; in 1924 it was 4.2 trillion German Marks to one US Dollar.

The life savings of many Germans were wiped out, and the middle class saw their incomes fail to keep up with inflation. Retired people and those on a fixed income also suffered.

However, perhaps the most damaging aspect of the Ruhr Crisis and following hyperinflation was the public’s loss of confidence in the Weimar Republic. When the next economic crisis happened in 1929, its claim to be a strong government was untenable for many of the German population.

Question 19

What was the Dawes plan?

Answer 19

The immediate result of the Dawes plan was that the USA loaned money to Germany to stimulate the economy. It is calculated that between 1924 and 1929 the USA loaned Germany two billion dollars, and Germany paid about one billion in reparations payments. The loans created a prosperous industrial base again for Germany, and restored some faith in the Weimar Republic from the wealthy class of landowners and industrialists.

The stability of the German economy was dependent on loans, most of which were from the USA. If the USA faced an economic crisis, the loans would be stopped and more than likely have to be paid back sooner than expected (which is what happened with the Stock Market Crash of 1929).

Stresemann had agreed to abiding by the conditions in the Treaty of Versailles in order to negotiate with the USA for the reduction of reparations. Although many Germans appreciated the reduction in the reparations and voted to approve the plan, there was still some opposition to the plan and to Stresemann because of the association with the hated Treaty.

Question 20

How did the great depression affect Germany? (General)

Answer 20

The Dawes Plan and Young Plan loans, which had helped the German economy recover after 1924, stopped.
Demand for German goods was very low.
Many Germans still did not trust the government after the economic crisis of 1923.
Huge amount of unemployment within many of social classes.

Question 21

How did the great depression affect Germany? (More specifically Germany rather then other countries)
How did ____ not help
politics
investors
The Dawes plan
Chancellor

Answer 21

The coalition government found it hard to agree on an plan of action to address the crisis.

The government found it hard to borrow money as some potential German investors had lost their savings in the crisis of 1923.

The lack of demand for German goods meant that industries had laid off workers, and unemployment had risen to over 5 million by 1932, about a third of the working population.

The foreign funds and loans associated with the Dawes Plan and Young Plan were not all immediately removed from Germany, as this was not possible till the terms of agreement ended.
However, many were short-term loans and so by 1931 had ended.

Chancellor Brüning reduced unemployment benefits and salaries for government officials, which made him and the government unpopular.Brüning did stop the reparation payments, which enabled him to spend the money on public works schemes, but in reality it was too late to substantially help Germany’s economy.

Question 22

Heinrich Brüning (Sorry I didn’t know what to call this slide)

Answer 22

Appointed in March 1930 by Hindenburg, Heinrich Brüning was a prominent member of the Centre Party.

Brüning and his government increasingly used presidential decrees rather than going through the Reichstag. He took little action to reduce unemployment and 800 million marks in foreign investments funds was withdrawn because of lack of faith in his government. However, he was tolerated as Chancellor because of the fear of the extremist groups (Nazi and communist) that had made gains in the last elections.

Hindenburg defeated Hitler in the 1932 Presidential election but Hitler and the Nazis had become a major party and some believed they should be included in the government. General Schleicher, who initially had supported Brüning, thought that the Nazis should be included but Brüning did not agree. Schleicher persuaded Hindenburg to dismiss Brüning in May 1932.

Question 23

What is one way using force helped Hitler politically in gaining power

Answer 23

By 1933, one of the reasons that members of the government and ruling class wanted Hitler to become part of the government was that he seemed to be a possible solution in controlling the SA and the force they used in intimidating other political leaders and parties. There was also concern that the SA and the Nazis, lead by Hitler, would again revert to force to seize power (beer hall putsch had been the first attempy). The use of force had become more and more of a feature of the Nazi party.

Question 24

When was the Reichstag fire?

Answer 24

February 27th 1933

Question 25

What was the Reichstag fire and what were the effects?

Answer 25

The Reichstag was burnt down Marinus van der Lubbe, a young Dutch man with links to the communist party, was arrested charged with the crime and executed. Hitler stressed the fact that Marinus van der Lubbe, was a communist and claimed that this was the start of a communist revolution that would endanger the stability of Germany. He proposed to Hindenburg in order to protect Germany from this revolution, a strong decree had to be enacted to limit the personal and civil liberties of people. Because Hitler, with other leaders within the Nazi the party such as Hermann Göring, used the SA and the SS to enforce the Reichstag Fire Decree, any opposition to Hitler and the Nazis could be 'legally' squashed, as the Decree had been issued by President Hindenburg.

Question 26

What was the Diktat (where the president could make a law without the Reichstag) that came from Hitler convincing President von Hindenburg of the potential threat to the stability of Germany after the Reichstag fire?

Answer 26

"Articles 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124 and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. Thus, restrictions on personal liberty, on the right of free expression of opinion, including freedom of the press, on the right of assembly and the right of association, and violations of the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communication, and warrants for house searches, orders for confiscations as well as restrictions on property are permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed." Basically no freedom of thought, speech, press, and they can search your house without a warrant.

Question 27

How did the Nazi party affect the election of March 5th 1933? \

Answer 27

The week before had a lot of political violence Violence The SS and SA caused so much chaos that the central government had to intervene. Nazis were appointed to local police stations, so their rule was imposed throughout Germany even before the dictatorship had been in place. Propaganda Göring also manipulated the press and radio in order to influence the election, allowing only the messages that the Nazis wanted to be heard and published to be broadcast, Force / terror As a result of intimidating many of the opposition leaders and parties, banning public meetings and arresting over 4,000 communists, the Nazi and Nationalist parties won a lot more seats

Question 28

So after the election of 1933, the Nationalist perty was willing to work with the Nazi's, which gave them 62.16% but Hitler wanted to be a dictator, and to do tha legally he needed two-thirds. How does he get that?

Answer 28

Well first of all none of the 81 communist deputies were allowed to take their seats, as well as about 20 of the socialists deputies. Many of them had been arrested or were being in the process of arrested by the Gestapo (Seret Police force created by Hermann Göring). Even with the absence of these deputies and with the support of the DNVP, Hitler still required the support of the Centre (Zentrum) party in order to have the majority required. The centre party (who didn't like Hitler) folded due to two reasons 1. Self interest The Centre Party had its roots in the lay members of the Catholic Church. Hitler realised that at this point he still needed to show some tolerance for both the Catholic and the Protestant Churches in Germany. Hitler reassured the party as stated publicly, 'the Reich Government, which regards Christianity as the unshakable foundation of the ethics and morality of the Volk, places great value on friendly relations with the Vatican and attempts to develop them.' This assured the Centre Party that their interests would be respected. Also, both the Nazi Party and the Centre Party hated the communists. From the Centre point of view the atheist communist party was everything the Catholic Church stood against. 2. Fear The Centre Party would have been very aware of the intimidation and violence that the SS and SA had used in the run up to the election of March 1933. On 23 March, the date for the vote for the Enabling Act, the SS and the SA were present outside and inside the Kroll Opera House, where the Reichstag had moved after the fire. The deputies of the Socialist Party were made very aware of what was at stake, as they had to push their way through the SS and SA troops just to get into the building. Inside the Opera House more SS and SA troops lined the walls chanting, 'We want the Bill or fire and murder'. Effects Only the brave deputies voted against the Enabling Law, which passed with a majority of 441 to 94. This was for all intent and purposes the end of democracy in Germany. Almost certanly the most important point of this vote, from the standpoint of Hitler and the Nazis, was that Hitler could make laws and foreign treaties without the approval of the Reichstag.

Question 28

What mediums were used for German Propaganda

Answer 28

Posters Rallies and meetings Newspaper Photographs Films

Question 29

How was Hitler's approach to propaganda different than Mao and Stalin/Lenin (general)

Answer 29

Hitler's population was more educated, and illiteracy was lower, so they could rely on the written word (like in newspapers) being ablle to reach a significant number of Germans, unlike the others where images were used more.

Question 30

How were Posters used as propaganda

Answer 30

Posters were one of the main forms of propaganda used by the Nazis as they sought to establish an authoritarian state. Go to the BBC gallery to view their collection of posters, and note trends and themes. Early Nazi propaganda was simple, however Hitler was aware of the power of images and colour. We chose red for our posters, since it is vivid and was the color that most aroused our opponents. It forced them to notice and remember us.' - Hitler, Mein Kampf

Question 31

How were Rallies and meetings used as propaganda

Answer 31

Hitler was adept at changing his message to target specific grievances that the German people had. He focused on the disillusioned workers as well as the middle class who had lost their jobs, especially after the stock market crash and the unemployment that it created in Germany. He could unify many of the different groups in the Nazi party. He also believed in his own 'messianic' role in the revival of Germany, and this added to his confidence when attempting to convince Germans of his importance to Germany. Hitler presented an altogether different option for the German people compared to the old and tired leaders that the Weimar Republic seemed to offer

Question 32

How were Newspapers used as propaganda

Answer 32

From 1920 The Nazi Party produced a newspaper Völkischer Beobachter ('People's Observer'). From 1926 it also produced Der Angriff ('The Attack') which was notorious for its anti-semitic cartoons as well as criticism of the Nazis’ political opponents. The popularity of the ‘People’s Observer’ increased as the Nazi Party was viewed less as an extreme party and more one with legitimate plans that would benefit Germany. The circulation increased from 2,000 in 1927 to 146,694 in 1939, and 306,000 by 1944.

Question 33

How were Photographs used as propaganda

Answer 33

Hitler appointed Heinrich Hoffmann as his official photographer and Hoffman showcased Hitler in many different roles: strong leader, patriotic German (in spite of the fact that he did not become a German citizen until 1932), member of the military and concerned politician. Hoffman used the pictures in books, newspapers, and other publications, as well as on and posters. One of the most famous pictures produced by Hoffman was Hitler in Munich on the day that Germany declared war in 1914. Although many people state that it is actually fake (and imo I think we can just state it is fake)

Question 34

Who was in charge of Germany's Propaganda

Answer 34

Joseph Goebbels

Question 35

How were Films used as propaganda (give two examples of film)

Answer 35

Films in particular played an important role in disseminating racial antisemitism, the superiority of German military power, and the intrinsic evil of the enemies as defined by Nazi ideology. Nazi films portrayed Jews as "subhuman" creatures infiltrating Aryan society. For example, The Eternal Jew (1940), directed by Fritz Hippler, portrayed Jews as wandering cultural parasites, consumed by sex and money. Some films, such as The Triumph of the Will (1935) by Leni Riefenstahl, glorified Hitler and the National Socialist movement.

Question 36

How was propaganda used to trick the German and European population into believing that Jewish people were being treated fairly?

Answer 36

Concentration camp and killing center officials compelled prisoners, many of whom would soon die in the gas chambers, to send postcards home stating that they were being treated well and living in good conditions. Here, the camp authorities used propaganda to cover up atrocities and mass murder. In June 1944, the German Security Police permitted an International Red Cross team to inspect the Theresienstadt camp-ghetto. In preparation for the visit, the ghetto underwent a “beautification” program. They then made a propaganda film to show Germans using ghetto residents as a demonstration of the benevolent treatment the Jewish “residents” of Theresienstadt supposedly enjoyed. When the film was completed, SS officials deported most of the "cast" to the Auschwitz-Birkenau killing center.

Question 37

What is similar between Hitler and Mussolini in the emergence of their state, that helped their opposition let them gain power

Answer 37

In both the cases the established wealthy conservative and nationalist assumed they would be able to ‘control’ the individual once he was in power.

Question 38

Who is Joseph Goebbels

Answer 38

Although Goebbels was not appointed Reich Minister of Propaganda of Nazi Germany until 1933, he had been involved in the Nazi Party since 1925. He had studied the impact of propaganda and was convinced that it would be a vital tool as the Nazi party strove to be more than just a fringe extremist party. Like Hitler, Goebbels was involved in speeches in order to raise the profile of the Nazi Party. He also encouraged the SS to instigate street fights with other political paramilitary groups, but usually against the communists. He realised even if publicity was bad, it was still a way of gaining attention.

Question 39

Who is Heinrich Himmler

Answer 39

Himmler joined the Nazi party in 1923. He participated in the Beer Hall Putsch, but did not serve any prison time after the event. In 1925 he joined the SS and quickly rose up through the ranks as he convinced Hitler that the SS could become a racially pure elite. His encouragement of the SS members to use threats and violence created a hostile environment, forcing other political parties to either support Hitler and the Nazis, either overtly or by not opposing them. Later he was put in charge of the concentration camps.

Question 40

Who is Ernst Röhm

Answer 40

Ernst Röhm was also involved in the Beer Hall Putsch. Although found guilty he was given a suspended sentence and served no time. In 1930 he assumed the leadership of the SA. He managed to increase the size of the SA, and with it came the notorious reputation of intimidation and street fights which contributed to the emergence of the Nazis. Ultimately, Hitler decided that Röhm and the SA had become an embarrassment to the Nazi Party and instigated the ‘Night of Long Knives’, when Röhm and others were murdered. He was also gay, so like, no wonder he was killed

Question 41

Who is Hermann Göring

Answer 41

Minister for the Interior for Prussia (more info here plz)

Question 42

Which German Chancellor (1930–32) was primarily responsible for the Weimar Republic’s response to the Great Depression?

Answer 42

Heinrich Brüning

Question 43

Who was the Minister of Economics under the Nazis 1934–7?

Answer 43

Hjalmar Schacht

Question 44

What was the union like in Nazi Germany?

Answer 44

The Nazis created The German Labour Front or DAF, led by Robert Ley and quickly commanded the SA to eliminate all of the other trade unions. This was done forcefully, leading to many of the former trade unions leaders being sent to the newly established concentration camp in Dachau. The German Labor Front (DAF) was founded on May 10, 1933, and replaced all independent trade unions. Under Robert Ley, the DAF regulated contracts, wages and working conditions for the roughly 25 million members. Workers could not bargain, strike or leave their jobs without permission.

Question 45

How did Hitler (after gaining power), make Germany a one party state and then get all the power Catholic church Other political parties Reichsrat Millitary

Answer 45

​In July of 1933 Hitler and the Catholic Church came to an agreement protecting religious freedom and the Church stopping all political activities. Also in July with the banning of all political parties with the exception of the Nazi Party, Germany had now become a single party state. Linked to the use of force of the Nazi Party was the foundation of the Gestapo, which would become the infamous secret police of the Nazi State, working closely with the SS. The election in November of 1933 was the first after the Enabling Act and the banning of all other political parties. Consequentially, the Nazi Party won all of the 661 seats in the Reichstag. In January 1934, Hitler reorganised the Federal States to transfer their power to the central government, reducing them to powerless provinces. Then, a law passed on 14 February 1934 formally abolished the Reichsrat Don't forget the Reichsrat was the elected ppl of the state that could veto shit the reichstag voted on And the night of the long knives go the respect of some Millitary leaders

Question 46

What did people think of the SA as Hitler was making Germany more and more of an authoritarian state, what did Hitler do to help himself?

Answer 46

In spite of the fact that the SA was a Nazi organisation, they had become embarrassing for Hitler, and considered themselves above politics. In the summer of 1934 Hitler decided to purge the Nazi party of some ‘undesirable’ elements. By using the SS to purge the SA (In the night of the long knives) he not only gained more control of the Nazi Party, but he raised the importance of the SS, and gained the respect of the military leaders, which would be crucial after the death of Hindenburg a few months later.

Question 47

How did Hitler become Fuhrer?

Answer 47

On 2 August 1934, President Hindenburg died Hitler, with the support of the army, became Germany’s president as well as its chancellor, and then abolished both positions, creating a new position as ‘Führer of the German Reich and People’. By combining the two roles, he placed himself above the laws of the state, and there would be no further legal or constitutional limits to his authority. This was approved by the German people with a majority of 88% in a plebiscite held on 19 August 1934.

Question 48

Overview of foreign policy in Nazi Germany

Answer 48

Hitler realized that in order to fulfill his goals he needed a larger military, which had been capped at 100,000 men with no airforce and almost no navy In 1933 Hitler withdrew Germany from the World Disarmament Conference, claiming that other countries had not disarmed, and from the League of Nations, which he claimed had not protected ethnic Germans in Poland. He was also able to show his 'peaceful' diplomatic ability. In May 1933, Hitler ratified the 1926 Treaty of Berlin (treaty of friendship with Russia) and then in January 1934 he signed a non-aggression pact with Poland. These actions seemed to prove (especially to Britain) that Hitler was a peaceful leader. Hitler had not been successful with his first attempt at an Anschluss in July 1934, when he encouraged the Austrian Nazis to revolt and overthrow the government. Because of the intervention of Italy and Mussolini, Hitler had to withdraw his support and deny any responsibility for the Austrian Nazis. One of the first foreign policy successes for Hitler was the Saar plebiscite (1935) which was one of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles – 90% of Saarlanders voted to rejoin Germany. Hitler then signed the Anglo-German Naval Treaty, which allowed Germany to enlarge its fleet to 35% of that of Britain's Hitler took advantage of the reluctance of France and Great Britain to fight by slowly demanding changes to the Versailles Treaty, and violating the treaty directly. He remilitarized the Rhineland (1936), created an Anschluss with Austria (1938), demanded that the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia be ‘returned’ to Germany (1938), and then took over rest of the country in 1939. At this stage, with the assurance of the non-intervention of the Soviet Union because of the Nazi–Soviet Pact (1939), Hitler invaded Poland, bringing about the end of peace in Europe and the start of World War II. Hitler had also previously joined Mussolini in forming the Rome–Berlin Axis (1938) and later allied with Japan (September 1940). The success of his foreign policy made Hitler and the Nazi party very popular in Germany, and many Germans felt that they finally had a leader they could follow in restoring Germany to its former glory.

Question 49

Where did Germany expand before WW2, and how for each part of land 6 and the remilitarization of the Rhineland (woah lookame givin u one)

Answer 49

Saarland 1935 In the Treaty of Versailles the Saarland was given to the league to take and then they would have a plebiscite as to where they would go. They voted to rejoing Germany Rhineland (just remilitarized) (1936) Hitler just like openly went against them and they couldn't rly do anything Austria (1938) Made an Anschluss With Austria. It openly broke the rules of the Treaty of Versailles. Stuff about it not actually being like, the election wasn't fair. Sudetenland (1938) Used to be a part of Germany before WW1 and before it was given to Czechoslovakia, it was then annexed back in 1938 Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia From the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia Protective zone (1939 before the war) An area established in the western parts of the First Slovak Republic after the dissolution and division of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany during 1939. The special status of the zone was already created in the initial German-Slovak treaty of 23 March 1939, which defined the protective relationship between Germany and the Slovak State. The zone was codified by the German-Slovak treaty of August 28, 1939. The treaty gave German Wehrmacht sole economic and political authority in the designated area in the form of a military occupation, which was demarcated by the ridges of the Little and White Carpathians and the Javorníky Mountains. The zone had the purpose of securing Germany the right to invade Poland from Slovak territory. Memel District (1939 before the war) Annexed from Lithuania which was given to them after WW1

Question 50

What is Gleichschaltung

Answer 50

Having eliminated the risk of the Reichstag controlling his power, Hitler then set about eliminating other threats to his rule. Hitler’s first two years as chancellor are represented by coordination policies, or Gleichschaltung. The English translation of Gleichschaltung is co-ordination. However, the idea behind it was forcible co-ordination. The concept was that the government had control of all of the key aspects of society, including all of the German institutions, which would be made to conform to the policies of the Nazi Party.

Question 51

What were the effects of Gleichschaltung

Answer 51

Political parties, state governments and cultural and professional organisations were aligned with Nazi goals. All aspects of German life now came under Nazi control. In some cases the former organisation still existed but was not autonomous, and in other cases new Nazi organisations were created. All of these organisations were monitored by the large police force and by the secret police, the Gestapo. All of these actions were done legally as the process of Gleichschaltung slowly targeted different groups and areas of society.

Question 52

What were the actions taken in the name of Gleichschaltung there's 8, you don't need all of them

Answer 52

Law for Restoration of Professional Civil Service, (April 1933) Targetted Administration, Courts, schools and universities Organisations were forced to remove members who were Jewish, and other individuals who were anti-Nazi. In some case the impact was minimal but for example in Prussia a quarter of the Civil Service was dismissed, including judges. Governance of German States, (April 1933) Targetted German States ‘Purify’ Germany of 'foreign’ and ‘immoral’ literature, (May 1933) The German States lost the power to appoint their own governors, which were replaced by governors responsible to the central government in Berlin. Targetted Burning of foreign (especially Jewish) and other works the Nazis considered immoral University professors and students selected and burned books that were considered 'un- German'. Dismantling of trades unions, (May 1933) Targetted Labour Unions All trades unions banned, their property and funds siezed, and in many cases their leaders were some of the first individuals to be sent to the new concentration camp that had been established in March in the town of Dachau. A new Nazi organisation, the German Labour Front' was established. Disbanding of political parties, (July 1933) Targetted All political parties other than Nazis The Communist and Socialist parties had already been outlawed and the Centre party had disbanded in early July. All of the remaining parties were banned by the end of July. The Nazi party was the only remaining legal party in Germany. Concordat, (July 1933) Targetted Catholic Churches Hitler promised not to interfere with the Catholic Church if they would dissolve the Centre Party and take no further part in politics. The Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich, (January 1934) Targetted State and provincial governments Final power of the German States were eliminated when the Reichsrat, the upper house of the parliament, was abolished. The Reichsrat had represented the German States. There were no more state, provincial or municipal elections Law against the Founding of New Parties July 14, 1933 The German Socialist and Communist parties had already been banned and force and intimidation was used to do so, instilling fear in other parties. Hitler simply passed a law banning all new political parties, and for the most part there was very little opposition, many Germans supported him, or they were at least not willing to protest.

Question 53

What was German elections like between 1933–1938?

Answer 53

Hitler was able to use the power granted to him by the Enabling Act to consolidate his power legally. In July 1933 all of the other political parties were banned, but Hitler did allow elections to continue. In the November 1933 elections, only Nazis and 'Guests of Nazis' were on the ballot papers. Even in spite of this, there was some limited opposition to Hitler and the Nazis, as there were over 3 million 'invalid' or blank ballots. The election of November 1936 was after the Nuremberg Laws, which had deprived Jewish people and other minorities of their German citizenship. These laws reduced the number of invalid ballots. Consequentially, the Nazi party won all of the seats in the Reichstag. Linked to this election was also a chance for the German people to approve the remilitarisation of the Rhineland. Ninety-nine per cent of the electorate voted, with 98.95% approving of Hitler’s actions. The election of April 1938 was even more focused on Hitler and the recent Anschluss with Austria. This would be the last election of a unified Germany until after the unification of East and West Germany in 1990. This one was different from the others in the way that there was a way to reject Hitler, and there was threat that you would not be ok. The elections (In Germany ) won by Hitler and the Nazis were legal, as they were conducted within the rules and constitution of Germany at the time. However, as the elections offered no choice, voting had no purpose. Also I'm sure that there could have been ramifications if they actually wrote "Nein, nein Hitler"

Question 54

(Example of use of force) How did Hitler use force against the trade unions?

Answer 54

May 1933, police units occupied all trades unions headquarters, and union officials and leaders were arrested. Union funds (much of which belonged to the member workers) were confiscated. This was significant because it contradicted the fact that Hitler and the Nazi party had campaigned on a claim that they supported the workers. However, the real reason was that although Hitler realised the value of the workers’ support, he did not want trades union leaders to have any power over the members. Days later, all trades unions were banned and the German Labour Force was established The impacts of the banning of trades unions were: Union leaders were arrested Funds (workers’ money) were confiscated The German Labour Force was set up,

Question 55

(Example of use of force) How did Hitler use force in the night of the long knives?

Answer 55

As an authoritarian leader, Hitler realised that the support of the army was crucial, and that it was the one group that could threaten his 'rule'. He also was keenly aware that the army was very popular in Germany. Hitler became convinced that the use of force even within his own party, against one of his 'loyal' followers, was also necessary. Ernst Röhm was murdered (more info on previous slides) ​In addition, Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler considered Röhm a threat. They produced a fake dossier of evidence, supposedly showing Röhm receiving money from the French to overthrow Hitler. Another factor was that President Hindenburg was old and in failing health. This meant that there was the possibility of a power struggle. Hitler became convinced that this was the time to purge the party. On the night of June 30th 1934, Hitler used one branch of his paramilitary, the SS, to eliminate the other, the SA. There is some disagreement about the number of individuals killed on the 'Night of the Long Knives' but many historians agree the number was about 400 people. Hitler also used this opportunity to eliminate other potential enemies who had no links to the SS. Two of Hitler’s former vice-Chancellor Von Papen’s key allies were murdered as a warning to other nationalists. Impact of the ‘Night of Long Knives’: The Generals of the Reichswehr were impressed with how Hitler had dealt with a threat to their position, and supported him in becoming Führer when Hindenburg died a month later. Although this purge was not as large as the purges of Stalin and Mao, it did show that Hitler saw the elimination of opposition as key to his authoritarian rule. The largest impact was the change in the nature of Nazi rule. Up to the point of the ‘Night of the Long Knives’, many Germans accepted the increase of Hitler’s power as they were convinced he would only do what was best for Germany. Now, some people were alarmed by the fact that the rule of law would be dictated by Hitler, with no legal of constitutional limits to his authority.

Question 56

Concentration camps Why? Who? Was it known to the German people? Who was in charge? Semantics on the definition of concentration camp

Answer 56

Why? To imprison individuals whom the Nazis perceived to be a threat. These individuals could be incarcerated indefinitely, and sometimes executed. The camps also provided forced labour, which was used for the benefit of the German economy. Who? The main groups in the camp were political prisoners, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Romas (Gypsies) and Jews Was it known to the German people? Yes and no Heinrich Himmler held press conferences at the camps. One of the purposes of the camps was to intimidate opposition groups, so the Nazis wanted the public to know about them. However, the extermination camps were kept secret. And also there was propaganda of making the prisoners send letters home saying they were being treated well before sent to the gas chamber, and also films showing them to be nice places So yes and no Who was in charge? By 1934 the SS had become the sole organiser of the camps. Because the camps and the SS were not responsible to any legal system, punishment and even the killing of anti-Nazi Germans was able to take place without the public’s knowledge. After 1938, the authorities responsible for the camps were the German Security Police (the Gestapo and the Criminal Police). At this stage, more and more Jews were starting to be sent to the camps, especially after the events of Kristallnacht Semantics It's worth noting that the term concentration camp (or internment camp) is used to refer to a place where political prisoners or persecuted minorities are confined and guarded (and sometimes killed) on the orders of a government. The facilities are often inadequate, and the camp may implement forced labour. (Not to be confused with the extermination centres, or death camps). Infamously, they were a major tool for maintaining power, used in the treatment of opposition and minorities.

Question 57

Hitler's cult of personality

Answer 57

Hitler had slowly built his support in his rise to power with his denunciation of the Versailles Treaty, and the ineffective Weimar Republic. He originally portrayed himself as a man of the people, not a corrupt politician, who would restore Germany to greatness. He had fought and been wounded in the German Army during World War I, and understood how many of the former soldiers felt betrayed by the civilian government. Many of the Germans had seen an improvement in their living standards after the Nazis came to power. This was not entirely due to Nazi policies, but it certainly added to Hitler’s reputation. He also swore to defend Germany against its ‘enemies’, the Jews, Bolsheviks, and extremists. The Nazi government was inefficient due to party in-fighting, but Hitler remained outside this 'dirty side' of politics. A myth was created to depict Hitler as a moderate and thoughtful leader, in contrast to some of the rough factions within the Nazi Party. He was portrayed as a religious man, who would confront the inherent evils of atheistic communism. He worked closely with the Nazi propaganda machine to cultivate this image.

Question 58

This one ya don't gotta memorize, but what was an exerpt of the Speech by Rudolf Hess (Deputy Führer) on 25 February 1934 when desciring the connection between Hitler and the country, and making an oath to Hitler Just good context

Answer 58

You take an oath to a man whom you know follows the laws of providence, which he obeys independently of the influence of earthly powers, who leads the German people rightly, and who will guide Germany’s fate. Through your oath you bind yourselves to a man who — that is our faith — was sent to us by higher powers. Do not seek Adolf Hitler with your mind. You will find him through the strength of your hearts! Adolf Hitler is Germany and Germany is Adolf Hitler. He who takes an oath to Hitler takes an oath to Germany! Swear to great Germany, to whose sons and daughters throughout the world I send our best wishes. This has been the greatest common taking of an oath in history! We greet the Führer!

Question 59

How did Hitler build his image of being human as well as confident and millitaristic?

Answer 59

Hitler was very careful to manage his public persona. He was conscious of the need to appeal to large segments of the German public. Images and posters showing him with children portrayed his more 'human side' as the kind and compassionate leader of Germany, obviously concerned about the children’s, and Germany's, future. Many Germans were also attracted to the strong, confident Hitler that he also wanted to portray. He wanted the German people that he would not let Germany down as the Weimar Republic had done. Hitler wore a military uniform when appearing in public as well as when addressing the army, to promote the image of himself as a military leader.

Question 60

Hitler and public speaking

Answer 60

Hitler had a natural ability for public speaking. Even from his early association with the Nazi Party, he was able to influence others with his oratory skills. It is thought that his skills at oration is what caused him to become the leader of the Nazi Party. It wasn't uncommon for him to keep the audience waiting, in some cases for a few hours, to build up the suspense. He was able to influence members of the audience emotionally, and create a sense of working towards a shared destiny and purpose for Germany. There are numerous stories of political opponents who attended his meeting to cause problems and heckle him, but finding themselves engrossed and captivated like the rest of the audience. Even as Germany started to struggle in World War II, Hitler was still able to reassure the German people of the ultimate success of Germany. The use of radio also became instrumental in this. However, Hitler and the Nazi party realised how charismatic he was in public and used this to their advantage.

Question 61

Was Hitler thought highly of or was it just fear? (Looks at both sides)

Answer 61

Yes people liked hitler more than Naziism In his book The Hitler Myth (1987), historian Ian Kershaw claimed that the myth was created through a combination of several factors. First, it was a reaction to the systemic weakness in the Weimar Republic, and German’s need for a strong government. Second, it reinforced the German traditions of authoritarian leadership. Hitler had established himself as the sole leader of the Nazi Party and continued as the party gained control of Germany, promoting the idea throughout the period by the use of propaganda. Kershaw explains that many Germans who admired Hitler 'might otherwise have been only marginally committed to Nazism', which means that Hitler as Führer was 'the focal point of basic consensus' and that this was 'a crucial integratory force in the Nazi system of rule.' No Hitler and the nazis just couldn't criticise the government In his book The Third Reich in Power (2006), R.J. Evans (historian) states that after the first few years of Hitler being in power he was not as widely supported as is claimed. The constant propaganda, Nazi parades and rallies, as well as the interfering in many aspects of life, (art, the church, education) had made many Germans cynical. He argues that the limited opposition at the time was due to the lack of opportunities to criticise the government, as well as the real threat of violence to those who dared to oppose the regime publicly. Even expressing criticism of the regime in a private discussion could threaten a person’s security. Evans argues that it was the wish for self-preservation rather than the ‘Hitler Myth’ that led people to continue to support him. Evans explains that in the 1938 election and the plebiscite regarding the union with Austria, ‘People who refused to vote, or threatened to vote ‘no’, were beaten up, forced to parade through the streets with a placard round their neck with words such as “I am a traitor to the people.” Whether you use the argument that the ‘Hitler Myth’ was a reality, or take the position that it was not as strong as some historians argue, you can still present information about the use of force, coercion, propaganda, foreign policy and so on as reasons to support your argument for the success of Hitler’s consolidation and maintenance of power.

Question 62

The propaganda films (Triumph of the Will and others) (after gaining control)

Answer 62

The Nazis also used films to promote their programmes. Like Anti-semitism an example is "I Accuse" (Not the real title but the English translation), made in 1941, the story revolves around a woman suffering from multiple sclerosis who wants to die, but doctors will not help her. Finally, her loving husband, who is also a doctor, helps her die. He is put on trial and the film ends with him accusing the others of being cruel for not allowing his wife to die peacefully. The film was produced to help support the euthanasia programme that had been introduced in Germany.

Question 63

Propaganda of press (after gaining control)

Answer 63

The Nazis exercised tight control over the work of all journalists, editors and publishers in Germany, and they made sure Hitler was promoted. After the Reich Press Law was passed all newspapers had to be approved by them. Jewish and liberal journalists were fired and editors had to take a Nazi citizenship test to prove that they were ‘Aryan’ and not married to ‘non-Aryans’. The Nazi party also gradually took over directly or indirectly most of the press. Their ownership stood at only 3% in 1933 but by 1944 had grown to 82%. This ensured that the 'Nazi message' was promoted, as well as ensuring that negative reports about Germany or foreign policy were represented in a way that supported the Government and Hitler. he official Nazi paper was the Völkischer Beobachter, and was a platform for Hitler’s political message, and during the war also covered German victories

Question 64

Propaganda of radio (after gaining control)

Answer 64

Goebbels was convinced that radio would be one of the most important media platforms in the Third Reich. He ensured that all German households were able to afford a radio by subsidising and distributing millions of them to German citizens. These cheap radios were called the ‘People’s receivers.’ Public loudspeakers were also used to transmit the radio programmes so that even when Germans were not at home, they could listen to key speeches and propaganda. There was stuff like German radio falsely claiming they have sunk British ships, etc.

Question 65

Propaganda of rallies (after gaining control)

Answer 65

The most famous of the rallies were those held at Nuremberg, which were held annually from 1923 to 1938. It was after 1933 after Hitler came to power that they reached the mass spectacles that were used as propaganda. Hitler would usually use the rallies (which lasted for up to a week) to announce new Nazi policies or programmes. At these rallies, Hitler captivated the German people with his ideals and vision for the 'greater Germany ' he wanted to create. Many participants later described the experience as a spiritual experience that had led them to believe that Hitler and Germany could regain its former glory.

Question 66

The Olympic Games, 1936

Answer 66

Both the winter and the summer Olympics were held in Germany. They had been awarded to Germany five years earlier, when it was a democratic country. Hitler used the Olympics to promote Germany and the Third Reich. He wanted to present Germany in a positive light, just five months after the anti-semitic Nuremberg Laws had been passed. Hitler even allowed a Jew on the German winter team – ice hockey star Rudy Ball– and temporarily removed anti-Jewish signs from public view. At the same time, before the opening of the Olympic Games, 600 Sinti and Roma ('Gypsies') were rounded up in Berlin and forced onto wasteland.

Question 67

WW2 propaganda

Answer 67

In the first few years of the war most Nazi propaganda focused on the success of the German Army and the need for the German citizens to support the war. Hitler focused on the concept of ‘Blitzkrieg’, implying that this would ensure the easy conquest of the 'Master Race' over other nations. Germans were not informed of the disastrous defeat of the German army at the battle of Stalingrad (January 1943) until February 1943 when Joseph Goebbels responded with his 'total war’ speech. Afterwards, propaganda changed its tone to encourage German citizens to show bravery and fortitude in the face of adversity. Even in 1945, with defeat imminent, propaganda posters were still being produced.

Question 68

How many people died due to opposing the Nazi party and or hitler

Answer 68

Over 70 000 German citizens were killed. These included some members of the Protestant Confessional Church and the Roman Catholic Church, youth groups and the army, as well as ordinary German citizens.

Question 69

What was the opposition like? Church edition

Answer 69

Hitler’s initial reaction to the Protestant Church was to control them, in order to redirect their faith to embrace Nazi values. This was done by appointing pro-Nazi clergy to positions in the Church, reinforcing the nationalism that was already held by many church members, and by stressing the anti-Bolshevik/communist stance. This created a backlash and in 1933, one hundred pastors created the breakaway Confessional Church. However, most religious opposition came from individuals within the church, not the institution itself.

Question 70

What was the political opposition like, and how were they treated?

Answer 70

The primary political opposition to Hitler came from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). After the Reichstag fire, the KPD was outlawed and many of its members were arrested and in some cases murdered. Very soon after this Hitler was able to convince the Reichstag to pass the Enabling Act, and only a few SPD deputies voted against it. By July 1933, all political parties other than the Nazi Party were banned, and many of the original prisoners at the first concentration camp in Germany (at Dachau) were political prisoners. Of those, the majority were members of the KPD and SPD Parties. The KPD’s initial attempts to resist Nazi rule were for the most part unsuccessful. The Gestapo made the KPD one of the key initial organisations to target and as a result 10% of the party was killed. The Gestapo exploited the fact the SPD and the KPD were rival parties – gathering information about potential political opposition was made easier by their mutual mistrust. Another factor was that after Stalin signed the Nazi Soviet Pact, the KPD was restrained in its opposition. After Hitler invaded the USSR, Stalin encouraged the KPD to oppose the regime, but with many of its leaders in concentration camp or dead, the underground KPD cells weren’t able to organise any real form of opposition. The SPD was concerned about Nazi hostility towards it, so moved part of its leadership to Prague. This gave Hitler the excuse to stop all its activities and seize its assets, which he did in June 1933. He claimed the SPD was now an organisation ‘hostile to the German state and people.’ The SPD in exile (SOPAD) tried to organise underground opposition to the regime, but like the KPD it was largely unsuccessful. They distributed some anti-Nazi leaflets, and published reports in exile of the conditions in Germany, It was very difficult then for there to be any political opposition to Hitler, since any political action that did not originate from the Nazi party was illegal, and the punishment for opposition was always very harsh.

Question 71

What was the youth opposition (General) like?

Answer 71

By 1936 all youth groups other than the Hitler Youth for boys and girls were officially outlawed. However, this did not stop some opposition from groups of young men and women in Germany.

Question 72

What was the youth opposition (The Edelweiss Pirates (Edelweisspiraten)) like?

Answer 72

The Edelweiss Pirates was the name given to a loose organisation of subgroups of mostly 14 to 17-year-old boys. Established in the mid-1930s, many of the groups were reactions to the strict rigidity of the Hitler Youth and the Nazi regime. Until World War II, the Nazis considered them more of an irritation than a threat. Then some of the groups became much more active in their resistance. Some helped escaped prisoners of war, and distributed Allied leaflets that had been dropped. As expected, the Nazi authorities started to respond harshly. In 1942 the Gestapo arrested over 700 Edelweiss Pirates in Düsseldorf. Some were tried and sent to concentration camps. In 1944 the leaders of the Cologne Edelweiss Pirates were publicly hanged. It may not seem like they were a strong force of resistance, however their defiance against the regime undoubtedly had some positive effect as it presented an alternate way of life than the one mandated by the Nazis.

Question 73

What was the youth opposition (The Swing Youth (Swingjugend)) like?

Answer 73

Less politically motivated than the Edelweiss Pirates was the Swing Youth.Their main form of expression against the regime and the Hitler Youth (of which some of them were nominal members) was by meeting and listening to Jazz and swing music. Initially they were also considered more of nuisance than a threat. This changed once the war started and Nazis stressed complete compliance with the policies of the party and the nation, so their nonconformity and alternate perspective was deemed a threat.

Question 74

What was the youth opposition (The White Rose (Weisse Rose)) like?

Answer 74

University students also played some role in the resistance against the Nazi regime. This was very dangerous as all non-Nazi university groups had been banned and most liberal university professors had been removed by the Nazi party. A group of students supported by Professor Kurt Huber founded the White Rose organisation. Convicted by their Christian beliefs and influenced by men like Bishop von Galen, the White Rose started to question the policies of the Nazi Regime. Hans Scholl, one of the founding members in Figure 1, returned from the Eastern front having observed the brutality of the Nazi Regime in Poland and the Soviet Union. From June until mid-July 1942 the White Rose produced and distributed four pamphlets encouraging Germans to challenge Nazi authority. Nazis realised the threat from the ‘White Rose’ and had the Scholls and Christoph Probst put on trial in the 'People's’ Court’. They were found guilty on February 22, 1943 and executed on the same day. Their sentence claimed that they were sabotaging the war effort and overthrowing the Nazi way of life. They had also defamed the Führer, thereby ‘aiding the enemy’.

Question 75

Assassination attempts on Hitler

Answer 75

Hitler survived a series of assassination attempts. The usual plan was for military members of the conspiracy to lead the army and seek an armistice from the Allies, while a civil government was set up. In July 1944, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg carried a briefcase with a bomb in it into a meeting with Hitler. However, after he had left the room the case was moved and when the bomb detonated Hitler was only injured. Almost immediately, a purge was carried out with over 5000 people executed. Two other opposition groups associated with this plot were the The Kreisau Circle and The German Secret Service (the Abwehr). The Kreisau Circle was a group of men and women from different social classes with the shared belief that they should oppose Hitler for moral and religious reasons. The discussion centred around the type of government that they would establish after Hitler had been removed from power, but did not promote the violent overthrow of the regime. The leader was arrested and executed after Colonel von Stauffenberg had attempted to kill Hitler. Abwehr leader Wilhelm Canaris become increasingly disillusioned with Hitler as the war progressed, and he joined the resistance movement. However, after the failed July assassination attempt, Nazis were able to find out the links to the resistance and Canaris was arrested, tried and executed. Included in the resistance was Erwin Rommel, who had decided that the only way to save Germany by 1944 was to kill Hitler, but was caught. Rommel, who had been one of the most decorated generals in Germany, was given the option to commit suicide and not face trial like many of the other conspirators, to reduce his family’s suffering. In this way Hitler was also able to hide the fact of Rommel’s ‘treason’.

Question 76

Compliance with the Nazi regime (General)

Answer 76

Sustained, organised group opposition for the most part did not occur in Nazi Germany. The Nazi Party received support from some groups that could have potentially opposed them.

Question 77

Compliance with the Nazi regime (Church)

Answer 77

The extent of the role taken by Confessional Church and the Roman Catholic Church in opposing the Nazi Party is still debated today. Both voiced their opposition to Nazi policy, but the focus tended to be on protecting the role of the Church in German society and reducing the power of the government to interfere in affairs of the Church, rather than specific opposition to the Nazi regime. The Reich Church and the Concordat with the Catholic Church were intended to pacify both Catholic and Protest Churches. The churches were conflicted by the need to support their congregations, maintain their role in society and also be a ‘voice of reason’. This aim was ultimately almost impossible, and the role of opposition came more from individual church members rather than the churches as institutions. If you're discussing the church as opposition to Hitler. It is better to give specific examples, such as people's actions, than to make sweeping generalisations about opposition from the church

Question 78

Compliance with the Nazi regime (Industry and workers)

Answer 78

They wanted a strong, well-organised work force without the power of collective bargaining. This had been made illegal with the banning of the trades unions. The industrialists and factory owners also approved of the ambitious public works programme, which brought orders for the factories. Like some other groups who had not been happy with the Weimar Republic, this large and powerful group chose not to oppose Hitler. The working class did not oppose him, as they saw the benefits of the economic revival after the depression under the Weimar Republic, and enjoyed the benefits of the leisure activities offered by the Nazis such as the ‘Strength through joy’ programme

Question 79

Treatment of opposition (Concentration camps)

Answer 79

The initial concentration camps that were set up in Germany beginning in 1933 were for members of the banned trades unions, opposition party members (mostly SPD and KPD members) and repeat criminals. The camps were placed under the control of the Schutzstaffel (SS). Prisoners could be held for an indefinite time, and in most cases there was no right of appeal for the accused. The structure of the camps was based on violence and intimidation. However, the German people were led to believe that the camps were places where the prisoners could be rehabilitated through re-education and work programmes. It is worth remembering that just because someone is persecuted for being something (i.e. Jewish,) that does not make them opposition, they would need to speak out to be opposition, rather they would be considered a minority

Question 80

Role of the Gestapo and the SS in the treatment of opposition

Answer 80

the first role of the Gestapo and the SS was rounding up many of the enemies of Hitler and the Nazis. It was formed by Göring then passed over to Himmler. In some cases, the enemies were arrested but some were also murdered. The SS and Gestapo regularly conducted raids and arrested citizens. Some prisoners were later released, but others ‘disappeared’. The Nazis’ intention was to establish a police state, in which any form of opposition was dealt with harshly. Because many of the formal organisations had been disbanded it was easier for the SS and Gestapo to deals with individual opponents. Fear was perpetuated by the fact that many German citizens had seen the SS and Gestapo arrest people who in some cases would not be seen again. The constant fear of the people with regard to their safety enabled the SS and the Gestapo to maintain control. Even a joke or offhand comment about Hitler or the Nazi party could be met with a severe form of punishment. No one could be sure who was an informer or worked for the Gestapo. At times citizens suspected that their loyalty to the party was being tested. The real fear of punishment and possibly death was always present. As an example, Ernst Thälmann was the leader of the German Communist Party. He was arrested in 1933 and held in solitary confinement until 1944, when he was executed. Tactics like this demonstrated that the Nazis ran a police state, in which at any moment and with no due process citizens could be arrested. The Gestapo also played a critical role in helping the government monitor public opinion. In the absence of opposition groups and regular democratic elections, the Gestapo provided extraordinarily detailed information about what the public was thinking. This was regularly reported to the leaders of all government departments.

Question 81

The People's Court

Answer 81

On 24 April 1934, the People's Court was established. Under this system, anyone accused of treason was to be tried by the court’s Nazi judges. In most cases the accused were not allowed much time to refute the accusations and certainly were not given a fair trial. The court made sure that opponents who were charged with treason were found guilty, even if there was little or no evidence. Roland Freisler was appointed as the president of the courts. When in his courtroom he controlled all proceedings, acting as prosecutor, judge and jury. Often, verdicts had already been decided before the court session began and 98% ended in a verdict of the death sentence or life in prison. The existence of these courts and the publicly announced verdicts meant that many people were fully aware of the likely consequences of opposing the regime. People's Courts are an example of the prerogative power of the state. Prerogative powers are often new authoritarian institutions that are essential to the running of the state alongside the traditional, normative state (the traditional court system).

Question 82

Foreign policy (Lebensraum)

Answer 82

The Nazis also sought a ‘Greater Germany’ for all ethnic Germans in an enlarged state through the policy of Lebensraum. The result of Hitler’s foreign policy added to the prestige of Germany, which in turn consolidated the power of the Nazi Party Lebensraum, or living space, was considered necessary for Germany to survive and thrive. Hitler determined that land and resources must come from the East in Poland and Russia.

Question 83

Foreign policy (appeasement)

Answer 83

Appeasement refers to a foreign diplomatic policy of making certain concessions to an aggressive nation in order to avoid hostility.

Question 84

Some more foreign policy

Answer 84

On 16 March 1935, Hitler announced the reintroduction of conscription, in order to enlarge the army. This reduced unemployment as well as gaining support from conservative groups and nationalists. Tied to this policy was the decision of rearming and the concept of autarky (self-sufficiency) Germany then signed the Anglo–German Naval Agreement in June 1935. This limited the size of the German navy, but it was larger than had been stipulated in the Treaty of Versailles. The Rhineland was remilitarized. This was significant because it would protect the industrial Ruhr region, and was the first test of potential foreign intervention. However, though the reoccupation was condemned, no foreign powers took any action. Hitler also sent troops and the German Air Force to support Franco in the Spanish Civil War. His argument was to support Franco in his fight against Communism, which Hitler had explained to the German people was one of the 'evils' that must be opposed. Hitler was also keen to have a Fascist ally to the West of France, and it brought him closer to his new Fascist ally Mussolini. The success of the German army restored its pride and reassured the German people that the army was a strong force again. Hitler’s anti-communist stance was also shown in signing the Anti-Comintern Pact, initially with Japan, (November 1936) and then also with Italy (January 1937).

Question 85

Anschluss, March 1938

Answer 85

Austria had been economically crippled by the Versailles Treaty and a union of Germany and Austria was prohibited in the treaty. Not discouraged by his initial failure in 1934 to influence Austria, Hitler decided again to create an Anschluss (annexation) with Austria. Hitler used a combination of appealing to the Austrian people, force and intimidation. He also now had the support of Mussolini. Mussolini and Hitler had become allies: they both had a hatred of Communism, and had supported the fight against the spread of Communism in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Mussolini now also considered it more to his advantage to improve his relationship with Germany rather than with Britain and France. Hitler dissolved the Austrian Reichstag and on 10 April, held a plebiscite. 48 million people (99% of the eligible voters in Germany and Austria) voted, resulting in the approval of the Anschluss. It was not a fair election tho Evans (A historian) explains that in the 1938 election and the plebiscite regarding the union with Austria, ‘People who refused to vote, or threatened to vote ‘no’, were beaten up, forced to parade through the streets with a placard round their neck with words such as “I am a traitor to the people.”

Question 86

Political opposition to foreign policy (inside the Nazi party)

Answer 86

A holdover from the Weimar Republic (and still very popular with the soldiers) were members of the ‘old school’ of military officers born into Prussian military families. Hitler had never been accepted by them, but he had been willing to tolerate them as he still needed their support and the support of the army. Many of these officers were concerned when Hitler had remilitarized the Rhineland, fearing that France would possible attack. In November 1937, Hitler called a meeting of ministers and military officers to a meeting at the Reich Chancellery. Two of the ‘old guard’ officers were at the meeting. Hitler introduced some of his war plans, the consequences of which shocked Blomberg and Fritsch, who expressed their fears about a war with other European countries. Hitler decided to replace Blomberg and Fritsch, as well as members of General Staff, with younger generals and officers. On 4 February 1938, he stated to his cabinet: ‘From now on I take over personally the command of the whole armed forces.’ Hitler was now in a position that he would face no, or very little, resistance from the army with regards to his foreign policy.

Question 87

Czechoslovakia, September 1938 – March 1939

Answer 87

Czechoslovakia had been created after the collapse of the Austrian Hungarian Empire and the end of World War I. It had a large population of ethnic Germans (three million) who mainly lived in the Sudetenland region that had been part of the Habsburg Empire before the war. Again, Hitler used a combination of diplomatic manoeuvres, force and intimidation, as well as the threat of a larger war and the potential destruction of Czechoslovakia. Supported by many of the German people who were convinced of the rights of German-speaking people to be part of the Third Reich, Hitler was able to demand and gain the Sudetenland for a ‘Greater Germany’ in October 1938 . The Munich agreement permitted Germany’s annexation of Sudetenland by Italy, France and Britain in exchange for a ‘pledge of peace’. Basically "Shut up and agreee Czech, Hitty over here said he would stop after he stole 3 million of your people without plebiscite" Hitler’s foreign successes continued to increase his appeal to the German public as well as securing him support from the army. He used this support to proceed with his foreign policy. By March 1939, Hitler had forced the rest of the Czechoslovakia to accept his demands and Czechoslovakia was divided up between Germany, Hungary and Poland. Hitler had also shown the German people that he had been able to restore the rightful land of Germany without bloodshed. For many Germans who had lost loved ones in World War I this too increased his popularity. These events marked the end of appeasement. "Sorry czech, turns out after hitty stole your ball, he cut you up between him and two classmates."

Question 88

Danzig and the Polish Corridor, April 1939

Answer 88

Hitler now demanded that the city of Danzig be returned to Germany, which would also give Germany rail and road links that would link East Prussia with the rest of Germany. (Danzig had a large population of German speakers as the area had belonged to Germany before World War I). In spite of the fact that this demand was denied, many Germans supported Hitler’s actions, and gave him some justification within Germany when, just a few months later, he invaded Poland in September 1939: the start of World War II.

Question 89

Nazi–Soviet Pact, 23 August 1939

Answer 89

The Nazi–Soviet pact (also known as the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact) was a neutrality pact that was intended to prevent conflict between the two nations, and to prohibit giving aid to each other’s enemies. It also secretly created agreed ‘spheres of influence’ where each country could annex territory. Germany gained valuable resources and the Soviet Union gained the assurance of not being attacked by Germany in the near future (or so they thought). This pact was shocking to Western European countries, who not expected Germany and the Soviet Union to sign a non-aggression pact.

Question 90

World War II (1939–1945) but specifically the foreign policy of it

Answer 90

Initially there was some concerns among the German citizens about the invasion of Poland, which started World War II. However, Nazi propaganda assured the people of the value of these objectives. The Nazis were confident that with each success in small wars, their objectives would continue to gain popularity and they would maintain power. The Blitzkrieg strategy certainly was effective: within one month, with minimal loss of German soldiers, Poland was defeated and annexed. Hitler was surprised that France and Britain chose to declare war on Germany after its invasion of Poland (turning what was anticipated as a small war into a large one). German industry was not prepared to produce war material for a large conflict. Part the success of the early ‘Blitzkrieg era’ was because Germany was able to exploit the resources and economies of the countries it conquered. In the first eight months of the war, there was minimal fighting, giving German generals time to prepare and strengthen their army for a Western attack. With the victory over France in the summer of 1940 and the Battle of Dunkirk, Hitler had all of the key sectors of Germany supporting him – the military, the industrialists, the ordinary citizens were all gaining from his policies. Hitler had hoped that after Poland was defeated, Britain would negotiate for peace. When this did not happen, and with the defeat of France, he was convinced that the defeat of Britain was imminent. The Battle of Britain was the first setback for Hitler, but with continuing optimism the Nazis described it as merely a postponement of Britain’s inevitable defeat. Their focus turned to the Soviet Union, and the setback did not have any real impact on the maintenance of Hitler’s power.

Question 91

Operation Barbarossa (the invasion of the Soviet Union)

Answer 91

Hitler invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, continuing his policy of Lebensraum. Bro couldn't even do the 10 years in their alliance He wanted to build a labour force of Soviet slaves, and the oil and agricultural resources. Hitler also wanted to end the ‘Jewish-Bolshevik regime’. This operation occupied about 80% of the German troops. Because of the Nazi–Soviet Pact, the Soviets were unprepared, and the Germans had early success in Ukraine and in the North. However, this severely depleted German resources, and they were defeated at the Battle of Moscow as the Soviets wore down the Germans’ resistance. The operation failed due mainly to poor strategic planning. The significance of the Soviet invasion is that it was a turning point in the war and the largest military operation in history. The eastern front held some of the largest battles with the highest casualty rates. Nazi mistreatment of Soviet prisoners led to over three million deaths. Despite the failure, propaganda and media control helped hide the reality from German civilians, so Hitler’s popularity was not affected in most cases

Question 92

Fight to the end

Answer 92

The fall of the Third Reich and the end of Hitler’s rule was due to the defeat of Germany by the Allied powers. Germany’s successful foreign policy provided popular support for the authoritarian regime until external opposition ended the Nazi regime and the Third Reich.

Question 93

Why did Hitler remain in power with limited opposition while for Mussolini, in July 1943, the Italian Grand Fascist Council knew the war was lost and voted to dismiss Mussolini. The king dismissed him and he was immediately arrested

Answer 93

Unlike Mussolini, there was no legal way to remove Hitler. Many Nazis also realised that they would not be shown any leniency by the Allies for their actions, some of which could be classified as war crimes. The Allies demanded an unconditional surrender and would not change their stance on that. The fear of the Soviet Union and of revenge by the Red Army also motivated many to continue to fight. They also feared a repeat of the Treaty of Versailles. After the July 1944 assassination plot, over 5000 people were executed, and people were aware that desertion and criticism of the regime and Hitler were not tolerated. Nazi propaganda had convinced the people that the struggle against the Jews and Communism must be won, and could be won due to their racial superiority. Many officers still believed in their oath to Hitler. The Hitler Youth had instilled the belief that they and Hitler could not lose. Hitler’s ‘cult of personality’ had the nation convinced of their invincibility.

Question 94

Hitler's domestic policy policy the way in which domestic policies were chosen in Nazi Germany

Answer 94

Hitler, like most authoritarian leaders, was obsessed with knowing what the public was thinking. Goebbels’ Ministry of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda was not merely concerned with attempting to manipulate public opinion, but also with measuring how effective the government had been in doing so. The leadership of Nazi Germany relied on incredibly detailed surveys carried out by the Secret Police (SD) that measured the public mood. It has been estimated that by 1939 the SD employed 3000 full-time officers and 50,000 part-time agents, many of whom would have been engaged in finding out what the public was thinking. These surveys would then influence the domestic policies implemented. Domestic policies in Nazi Germany therefore had two functions. First, the Nazis had a vision of how Germany should be in the future and policies were the means of making the vision real. Second, Nazi policies needed to be popular with enough people to make the regime secure. Popular, successful policies were a means of generating consent for the regime.

Question 95

Domestic policy (Ideology)

Answer 95

The ideology of the Nazi Party was mostly derived from Hitler's "Weltanschauung" Weltanschauung is the German word for an individual’s outlook or, literally, ‘world view’.

Question 96

Domestic policy (National revival)

Answer 96

Germany was to be remade or regenerated as a new Volksgemeinschaft or ‘folk community’ / 'people's community'. Ideologically, the vision of the new Volksgemeinschaft began with an analysis of everything that had gone wrong in Germany since 1918: deep social divisions exposed in the early years of the Weimar Republic; economic frailty, especially the dependence on foreign loans; the cultural decadence of urban modernity and of course, the ‘political farce’ of parliamentary democracy. All of these weaknesses were to be overcome when the individual submitted to the will of the Nazi state. As the propaganda proclaimed, anything could be achieved through faith in the Führer. Volksgemeinschaft is a German expression meaning ‘people's community’. This expression originally became popular during World War I and appealed to the idea of breaking down elitism and uniting the classes to achieve a national purpose. Under the Nazis it acquired a mystical, racial dimension where membership of the ‘Volk’ was based on blood. 'Volk' or ‘people’ was used a lot in Nazi Germany as an alternative to ‘citizen’. Citizen or ‘Bürger’ was associated with democracy rights, whereas ‘Volk’ was associated with ethnicity and pre-industrial Germany.

Question 97

Domestic policy (Racial Purity)

Answer 97

The Volk of the Volksgemeinschaft were the ‘racially pure’, known as ‘Aryans’; a superior race of people distinguished by their bloodline. There was a lot of mysticism, mythology and pseudoscience associated with this goal, but it flattered the egos of many Germans. Racial purity was to be achieved through policies of ‘racial hygiene’ or eugenics, selective breeding, sterilisation and euthanasia. In Hitler’s imagination, the Jews were not merely a religious group, but a race secretly engaged in a historical conspiracy to weaken the ‘superior races’, so they needed to be eradicated. How it was to be ‘achieved’ was what Hitler understood as a solution to the ‘Jewish Problem’

Question 98

Domestic policy (Struggle and War)

Answer 98

Hitler believed that the ‘survival of the fittest’ could be applied to nations and that war was a useful means of eliminating the weak. Hitler was an imperialist who believed that ‘Aryan’ nations needed living space, Lebensraum, in order to dominate the world. To a great extent, Nazi domestic policy was subservient to this overarching goal of preparing for the destiny of conquest. The political, economic, social and cultural policies are both ideological policies and policies created for support and consent. But sometimes the concern to generate consent clashed with the desire to fulfil the ideological vision. For example, the Nazi ideological view on women as ‘homemakers’ significantly delayed the useful contribution they might have made to the war effort. At the same time, Hitler’s obsession with maintaining public support meant that the economic focus on the production of consumer goods undermined the production of war necessities.

Question 99

What is the German word for ‘people's community’?

Answer 99

Volksgemeinschaft Volks - like volks wagan ge- first two letters of german mein - my schaft - like minecraft but its a mineshaft and german meinschaft volkswagan german german minecraft/ mineshaft Volksgemeinschaft

Question 100

Political policy (Führerprinzip)

Answer 100

The Führerprinzip was a very simple concept: that the will of the Führer was above the law and all legal institutions. The Führerprinzip worked on two levels: first with how Hitler’s personal leadership functioned but also as the model of how German society and institutions should be organised. Hitler’s personal leadership developed around a ‘leadership cult’, which focused on Hitler’s undoubted charismatic public persona and reflected his beliefs and prejudices. More generally across German society, the Führerprinzip was reflected in the way that authority was exercised. For example, the principle of elections and selection through merit was replaced by appointment based on ideological suitability and loyalty. Existing hierarchical systems were also reinforced, for example in schools all power was vested in the head teacher. And everywhere, individuals of ambition were encouraged to struggle for positions of authority.

Question 101

What were the three economic phases of Nazi Germany

Answer 101

1933–37 Hjalmar Schacht 1936–40 Four-Year Plan 1940–45 War economy

Question 102

What was the 1st economic phase (1933–37 Hjalmar Schacht’s economic 'miracle') like?

Answer 102

Hitler had no interest in economics but he was lucky. 1. His government benefited from the global economic recovery which had just begun to improve the situation in Germany. 2. The Nazis reaped the political reward for the success of economic policies that had been initiated by the previous governments of von Papen and von Schleicher. 3. Have the support and ability of one of the leading economists of his generation, Hjalmar Schacht Schacht had been instrumental in organising a petition of industrial leaders requesting that President Hindenburg appoint Hitler as Chancellor. Schacht’s petition was influential in Hindenburg’s decision to appoint Hitler in January 1933. In May 1933, Hitler appointed Schacht as President of the National Bank (Reichsbank) and later Minister of Economics (August 1934 – November 1937). Schacht’s policies were behind the economic transformation of Germany in the period up to 1936. In June 1933, the Nazis introduced a law to reduce unemployment. The Reich Labour Service (RAD) compelled unemployed people to work on public works projects and conservation programmes that imposed manual labour even when machinery was available. For example, the construction of 7000 kms of motorways (Autobahnen), and there were major public building programmes for schools, civic buildings and grandiose new projects such as the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. As the state took on more responsibility, state bureaucracy grew and more state jobs were created. Also important as an economic stimulus was the political decision to begin rearmament, in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles. From March 1935, conscription to the army helped to reduce unemployment further. Much of this was funded by elaborate and legally questionable deficit financing, most notably through the popular ‘Mefo Bills’, which were government credit notes that guaranteed interest for the investor. Unemployment had been at six million when the Nazis came to power and, by 1936, it had fallen to 1.6 million. By 1939, Germany was enjoying almost full employment. Economic investment increased and government expenditure was nearly a third higher in 1939 than it had been in 1933. There is no doubt that the success of these economic policies generated wide support across German society for the Nazi Party.

Question 103

1936–40 Four-Year Plan

Answer 103

From 1936, Hjalmar Schacht was increasingly sidelined as his concerns about an overheating economy were ignored. Hitler refused to consider any reduction in public expenditure or the slowing down of rearmament. Instead he appointed a radical Nazi, Hermann Göring (who was not an economist), to oversee a ‘Four-Year Plan’ to put Germany on a war footing. There were two main goals. The first was to attain economic self-sufficiency or ‘autarky’ which was a goal common to fascist ideology at this time. If Germany was to be blockaded again, as during World War I, it was important to be able to produce as much essential war material without the need to import. The second goal was to advance still further the heavy industries that were essential to the war effort. The significance and success of the Four-Year Plan has been widely debated by historians. There were some successes, but Ersatz alternative materials tended to be expensive or less effective. In particular, the chaos caused by ambitious administrators ‘working towards the Führer’ created obvious inefficiencies. The historian Tim Mason has argued that such were the disastrous consequences of Nazi policies, that Germany was driven into an earlier than anticipated ‘diversionary war’ (a war instigated by a leader to distract people from domestic issues) before the full impact of the economic crisis was felt by the German people. Other historians, including Richard Overy, have argued that the decision to go to war created the economic crisis, and not vice-versa. Either way, and for whatever reasons, failure of the Four-Year Plan can be measured by the fact that Germany was not ready for war in 1939 and did not fully mobilise until 1942.

Question 104

1940–45 War economy

Answer 104

The success of the Blitzkrieg in the initial phase of the war did much to hide the lack of preparedness in the Nazi economy. The military success also provided access to raw materials and cheap (or free) labour. The short, rapid conquests did not put significant pressure on the economy and allowed the Nazis to continue to reinforce the home front. Hitler’s obsession with providing both ‘guns and butter’ led to a continued focus on producing consumer goods, the production of which increased 16 per cent at this time. The popularity of Hitler and Nazis was at an all-time high by the summer of 1940. Although the phrase ‘guns and butter’ pre-dates the Nazis, its most famous use came with the difficult economic decisions that had to be made as Germany prepared for war in the late 1930s. The Nazis could not invest heavily in rearmament (guns) while maintaining domestic standards of living (butter). It divided the Nazi elite because Hitler himself was deeply torn. The preparation for war had dominated his economic priorities since 1933, but he had also been deeply affected by the collapse of German morale in 1918 which brought about the end of World War I. 1918 hunger had brought the German imperial regime crashing down. Despite the prospect of a long, drawn-out war, little was being done to prepare for it. The overconfidence derived from the initial military success, combined with the chaotic ‘working towards the Führer’ administrative system, meant that Germany was very slow to prepare. Rationing remained relatively generous until 1942. Women were not yet drafted into the labour force and even workers in essential industries were still being conscripted to join the army. The failure of the Blitzkrieg in the campaign against the Soviet Union in 1942 finally forced a change of policy and a full shift towards a war economy, under the control of Albert Speer. Hitler appointed Speer as Reich Minister of Armaments and War Production in February 1942. Systematic control over raw materials, labour and arms production resulted in significant efficiencies and improvements in productivity. For example, in the first six months of Speer’s leadership, armament production rose 50 per cent. It remained at impressive levels until the very end. In 1940, 3744 planes had been built, compared to 5000 in just the first four months of 1945. In the end however, defeat on the Eastern Front and Allied targeting of factories and cities made it impossible to maintain the war effort, even if impressive achievements continued to be made

Question 105

Social policies of workers

Answer 105

Workers and the unemployed had traditionally been supporters of the socialists and communists. Their leaders in these parties and the trade unions had been among the earliest victims of the Nazis. Despite the promises of the German Labour Front (DAF), the living standards of most unskilled workers declined during the Third Reich, as wages were frozen and prices continued to rise. Skilled workers in essential industries did better than others though. The unemployed who were conscripted into various public works programmes under the Reich Labour Service (RAD) worked long, physically demanding hours for little pay. But unlike most unskilled Western European workers, they were in employment. Hitler was also concerned to keep them happy. In November 1933, as a means of preventing labour unrest, the DAF established ‘Strength Through Joy’ (Kraft durch Freude, KdF), to provide a range of benefits and ‘middle-class’ activities to German working-class families. These included subsidised holidays (including the world’s first package holidays at purpose-built resorts), opera and orchestra performances and free physical education and gymnastics training. According to the official statistics in 1934, 2.3 million people took KdF holidays and by 1938, this figure had risen to 10.3 million. One of the most famous KdF projects was the ‘people's car’, the Volkswagen, a project initiated by Hitler with the help of Ferdinand Porsche. The most middle-class feature of the interwar years, car ownership, was to be made available to the working class through DAF subsidy and regular subscription. Over 340,000 workers made down-payments to buy the car, but the outbreak of the war meant that not one worker received one.

Question 106

Social policy (rural society)

Answer 106

The support of rural Germany had been a key to Nazi electoral success in the late 1920s. Farmers were central to Hitler’s Weltanschauung and fitted with his 'Blut und Boden' (Blood and Soil) slogan that idealised an ‘Aryan’ race (blood) in a defined land (soil). They were the personification of pre-modern idealism, untainted by the degeneracy of urban life. Also, most farmers were deeply conservative, nationalist and rabidly anti-communist. To begin with, the Nazis introduced policies designed to help the rural community. They increased tariffs on food imports and addressed the problem of farmers' debts. The 'Reich Entailed Farm Law' of September 1933 declared that 600,000 farms of about 30 acres would be 'hereditary' and must be passed on to the eldest son. This was meant to guarantee that farms remained large enough to guarantee efficiency and would be managed by the naturally conservative yeoman (land-owning) class. In addition, farmers were provided with financial support to help them stay on the land. Many did not have to pay insurance payments and interest on mortgages was reduced significantly from 1934 to 1938. Although farm incomes did recover in the period up to 1937, farm incomes stagnated (remained the same) and then fell as labour costs rose and prices were fixed. Rearmament after 1936 widened the gap between rural and industrial wages and accelerated the depopulation of the countryside. Inevitably, as with most other policies, rural priorities were sacrificed to meet the demands of the war. Germany needed to have an efficient industrial economy.

Question 107

Social policy of social elites

Answer 107

For most industrialists, co-operation with the regime was enormously beneficial; profits quadrupled between 1933 and 1937 and the rate of economic growth was the highest in 50 years. When German conquests in Europe provided territorial rewards, German industrialists were invited to share in the spoils, whether Dutch shipyards, Yugoslav chromium or Czech iron and steel. As the Nuremberg Trials after the war established, most industrialists had even willingly exploited prisoners as slave labour. In contrast, the Nazi regime’s relationship with the traditional aristocratic elite was more complicated. The aristocracy was broadly split on generational lines. The older generation of aristocrats could not accept the requirements that the old ruling classes should lose their ‘unearned’ status and privileges. In contrast, younger aristocrats who despaired of their parents’ lack of fight in giving up their privileges in 1918 were more likely to welcome the Nazis. The Nazis in turn attempted to co-opt younger aristocrats, using flattery to gain their political endorsements, as traditional aristocratic authority added weight to the Nazi cause. By 1938, nearly a fifth of the senior ranks of the SS were filled by titled members of the aristocracy and the SS had come to dominate the equestrian life of Germany, the most traditional preserve of the aristocratic elite.

Question 108

Young people

Answer 108

The central policies for the Nazi ambitions to create a Volksgemeinschaft revolved around the educational projects designed to influence the thinking of young people. The most effective way to build support for an authoritarian regime is not through coercion, but through gradually instilling the values of the regime in the young.

Question 109

Social policy (school)

Answer 109

The ‘hidden curriculum’ of a school consists of those things pupils learn through the experience of attending school, rather than the stated educational objectives of such institutions. The power of head teachers was strengthened, and traditional hierarchies were reinforced. Boys and girls received different curricula and teachers were forced to be members of the Nazi Teachers’ Association, (97 per cent of teachers were members of the Nationalsozialistische Lehrerbund or NSLB by 1934). Therefore, the ‘experience of attending school’ was transformed in ways that indirectly but powerfully influenced students’ attitudes. In addition, an important innovation of the Nazi regime was the creation of elite schools called Nationalpolitische Erziehungsanstalten (Napolas). These schools were run by the SS and were designed to train the next generation of high-ranking leaders in the Nazi Party and the German Army. As in other authoritarian regimes, images of the leader were prominent in all schools. For example, Math textbooks included equations requiring the children to calculate how much it cost Germany to keep mentally ill people alive. Girls’ educational opportunities decreased. Their curriculum was limited to home-making subjects and by 1939 very few women were going on to university.

Question 110

Social policy (hitler Youth)

Answer 110

In the 1920s, millions of young Germans had been members of religious, political or sporting groups, but under the Nazis they were brought into one national organisation, which aimed to educate them 'physically, intellectually and morally in the spirit of National Socialism to serve the nation and the community'. While membership did not become compulsory until the late 1930s, large numbers of young people became enthusiastic members. In 1932 the Hitler Youth had about 100,000 members, by 1939 about 8 million German youths were part of the organisation, 90 per cent of the population. If the Nazis were going to build a new Volksgemeinschaft, then the 'harmful' influence of the pre-Nazi generation of parents needed to be weakened. The Nazi Youth gave children alternative, rival loyalties, which competed with the familial and allowed for the authoritative dissemination of Nazi ideas. The indoctrination included the acceptance of Nazi ideology of race, discipline and obedience. Physical activities were stressed, though less so for girls who had their own organisation ‘The League of German Maidens’. Rifle practice, hiking and endurance activities, as well as team building typified the militaristic style. The constant emphasis on obedience became wearisome and in some cases ineffective. This was one factor in creating some of the most sustained opposition to the regime.

Question 111

Social policy (churches and co-optation)

Answer 111

Hitler signed a Concordat (agreement) with the Catholic Church in July 1933. The Vatican recognised the Nazi regime and in return, the Nazi state was to respect the autonomy of the Catholic Church, especially over its youth and educational organisations. The Nazis attempted a similar policy of co-optation with the Protestant Church. Working with the supporters from the new ‘German Christian’ movement – which was calling for unification of Protestant denominations – Hitler established the Reich Church in May 1933. A Reich bishop was appointed and ‘German Christians’ were appointed to key positions in the church. Over time, the Nazis policy of co-optation was replaced by attempts to actively interfere with the running of both main Christian denominations, which in turn led to more significant opposition. With the Catholic Church, the Nazis gradually went back on promises and began to interfere in school and youth organisations. Crucifixes were banned in schools in 1935 and Catholic youth groups in 1936. Pope Pius XI responded with the papal encyclical (letter) With Burning Concern in 1937, which attacked Nazi beliefs. Bishop Galen’s protest against euthanasia in 1941 was exceptional; dissent was individual not institutional. Pope Pius XII was later criticised for his tolerance of the Nazi regime. The Protestant Church was typically more divided on the appropriate response to the Nazi regime. There were radical opponents, but the Nazi regime succeeded in gradually weakening the influence of the church in schools and youth movements. Most historians agree that the influence of the church in Nazi Germany would not have been tolerated in the long run. Rather than promoting an alternative to Christianity, the Nazis, like many authoritarian regimes, followed a policy of co-optation.

Question 112

cultural poicies (degenerate)

Answer 112

One of the key features of a totalitarian state that distinguishes it from being just an authoritarian regime is the state’s ambitious goal to control every detail of an individual’s cultural life. Free time, free expression and artistic freedom, are freedoms that the totalitarian state cannot tolerate. ‘Degenerate’ for the Nazis was a word associated with what they considered to be the decline and immorality of the modern world as exemplified by the Weimar Republic. The word degenerate was particularly reserved for modernist cultural and artistic movements that had developed either side of World War I.

Question 113

impact of policies on women (general)

Answer 113

The Nazi project of creating a new Volksgemeinschaft, focused on undoing the ‘damage’ of the Weimar years, provided a legal and cultural context into which a Nazi vision of womanhood could be nurtured. The identification of a woman’s role as essentially the three Ks: Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church), predated the Nazis, but as a policy, they were to make it their own. As with most policies, the Nazis set out to achieve their goals for women, through a mixture of persuasion, restriction, and reward.

Question 114

impact of policies on women (thru persuasion)

Answer 114

The Nazi attempt to shape national image through the control of arts, media and education included how women were to be represented, how the media talked about them and what life expectations the state had for girls. These were all aimed at instilling the principles of Kinder, Küche, Kirche. (Kids, kitchen, church) The physical ideal was the ‘Aryan’ archetype: blonde, beautiful, tall, slim and strong. Images showed ‘racially pure’ women, healthy for childbearing, usually in a domestic setting, surrounded by children. Women members of the NSBO, the women's section of the German Workers' Front (DAF), set standards on image and behaviour. They were not to wear makeup or to smoke in public – those who did could be expelled from the Party. Certain fashions were encouraged, no trousers or short skirts, but this was not enforced for fear of damaging the German textile industry. In brief, women were not to look or behave like the sexually liberated ‘flappers’ of Weimar Berlin. The media did much to normalise these attitudes. For example, the magazine NS-Frauen-Warte was the only magazine for women approved by the Nazi Party. First published in 1934, it had a circulation of 1.9 million copies by 1939. Its articles were similar to those of other women’s magazines at the time – sewing patterns, recipes, child-care tips – but it also promoted current Nazi policies, encouraging women to have more children, to give up their jobs and to celebrate the Hitler cult. The fact that Hitler remained unmarried, added an extra ‘romantic’ dimension to his cult for some women. As we have seen, in school and in the Hitler Youth girls were treated differently to boys. School textbooks were edited beginning in 1934, it explained the ‘proper’ role for a German girl: One more thing shall you children learn from the long history that I have told you about Adolf Hitler: You, Fritz and Hermann, must only be German boys who fill their place in the Hitler Youth, and later become capable and courageous German men so that you will be worthy to have Adolf Hitler for your Führer. You, Gertrude, must be a proper German girl, a real BDM girl and later a proper German wife and mother, so that you also are able to look the Führer in the eyes. In the BDM, girls were indoctrinated, trained in useful domestic skills and kept physically fit.

Question 115

impact of policies on women (thru restricting women)

Answer 115

The basis of control over the lives of women came from laws which restricted their liberty or encouraged certain behaviour. The first target of Nazi legislation were women in the professions. There were to be no female members of the Reichstag under the Nazis. In 1933, 15 percent of teachers lost their jobs and 19 000 female civil servants were sacked. Quotas were set so that only 10 percent of university places were given to women. There was a resulting decline in female employment from 37 per cent to 31 per cent between 1933 and 1937. In 1936, women were largely excluded from the judicial system, from doing jury service or being judges or prosecutors. Women’s private lives and reproductive rights were also impacted. Family planning clinics were closed, contraception was almost impossible to find and abortion was made illegal in 1933. (granted you were Aryan) Only the genetically pure were allowed to procreate. Between 1934 and 1945, around 350,000 women were compulsorily sterilised or had their pregnancies terminated on racial grounds. From 1935, couples needed a certificate of 'fitness to marry' before a marriage licence could be issued, as the ‘Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour’ forbade marriages between ‘Aryans’ and Jews, people of colour and gypsies. From 1938, 'unproductive' marriages could be ended, as divorce was made easier by the Marriage Law. For example, if a man already had 4 children with one woman, he had the right to divorce her, so he could remarry and have more children. Divorce was also allowed if a couple were childless.

Question 116

impact of policies on women (thru rewarding women)

Answer 116

The ‘Law for the Reduction of Unemployment’ of June 1933 encouraged women to leave work on marriage, with the support of loans that provided just over half an average year's earnings. The ‘Law for the Encouragement of Marriage’ in June 1933 gave newlyweds a loan of 1000 marks, and allowed them to keep 250 marks for each child they had. At first, loans were only granted if a wife gave up her job, but the regulations changed in 1937. By 1939, 42 per cent of all marriages were loan assisted. Further incentives for women to have large families included the Cross of Honour of the German Mother (1938) which awarded a bronze medals for having four children, silver for six and gold for eight or more. Families could claim a 15 per cent tax rebate for each child and were exempt from all taxation if they had six children. Family allowances of 100 Reichsmark for each child were also awarded and rail fares and school expenses were subsidised. In 1935, the Lebensborn (Spring of Life) project encouraged unmarried women with a good racial profile to become pregnant, with SS men as the fathers. How successful were these attempts to increase population growth? For a short time, the policies did make an impact. The average age of marriage was reduced and there was a rise in the number of births from 1.2 million to 1.4 million between 1934 and 1939. The birth rate did not increase after 1938 because of the war. Of the 115,690 marriages that resulted from the Lebensborn (Spring of Life) project, however SS men only managed to father, on average, 1.1 children each.

Question 117

impact of policies on women (during wartime)

Answer 117

As we have seen, Hitler's two central goals – his abstract ideological ambition and his desire to maintain power – could occasionally clash. Nowhere was this better illustrated than with his policies on women and his need to prepare for war. Not only was Germany’s mobilisation for war seriously delayed because of Hitler's concerns about his domestic popularity, the same was true of his opposition to giving women a full role to play in society. When Germany attained full employment in 1938, some women were allowed back into the factories. The number of working women rose from 11.6 million to 14.6 million by the outbreak of war. Similarly, female doctors were allowed to practise once again because shortages were endangering public health. But these policy changes met with serious resistance from Hitler and the most ideologues (extreme advocates of ideology) of the Nazi elite. As a result of Albert Speer’s pressure, from January 1943 women aged 16–45 could finally be conscripted for the war effort. He needed three million women, but opposition from Martin Bormann and Fritz Sauckel meant that he was only able to recruit 500,000 women. Once again, Nazi ideology got in the way of economic efficiency. The Nazi attitude to women is a very good example to use when considering the relative importance of ideology to an authoritarian regime. Totalitarian regimes are more ideological than authoritarian regimes. As we have seen with the Nazis, pragmatic solutions to problems could be resisted, or even ignored, if the policy clashed with the fundamental beliefs of the regime.

Question 118

policies on minorities (Weltanschauung and Untermenschen)

Answer 118

The defining characteristic of Nazism as an authoritarian regime was its brutal treatment of minorities and, in particular, its systematic persecution of the Jews. To explain this, you need to understand the ideological underpinning of the Nazi concept of Volksgemeinschaft, which rejected the liberal concept of universal human rights. They believed that, because of their hereditary bloodline, Germans were the ‘Aryan’ Herrenvolk (master race), as were other Germanic peoples, including the English and Scandinavians. The French and northern Italians were considered to be Germanic. However, Slavs (including Poles, Serbs, and Russians) and Jews were described as Untermenschen, ‘subhumans’, who were destined to be enslaved or eliminated by the Herrenvolk. Untermenschen is the term used by the Nazis to refer to any people they considered to be inferior – ‘subhumans’ (literally ‘under-men’). The Nazis used this word in many speeches and writings, especially when discussing the Jews. In terms of domestic policy, a racial Weltanschauung had two significant implications. First, the state was responsible for ensuring that the ‘Aryan’ bloodline should not be ‘diluted’ by ‘weaker’ races. This resulted, as we have seen, in eugenics policies as the 1935 ‘Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour’ and an encouragement for the racially pure to have more children. Second, a weakened or degenerate bloodline was held to be responsible for much of society's ills, such as crime, ‘sexual deviancy’ or congenital disease. In this sense, a tendency towards criminality was no different from a tendency to be schizophrenic – both were said to be in the blood and therefore inherited from parents. Most importantly, both were said to be preventable through judicious state action. This resulted in policies such as the 1933 ‘Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring’ and culminated in more than 400,000 people being sterilised against their will, (one per cent of the entire German population) while more than 70,000 were murdered in ‘euthanasia’ programmes.

Question 119

policies on minorities (The persecution of ‘asocials’)

Answer 119

‘Asocials’ were not a rigorously defined group, but could include Roma and Sinti (‘Gypsies’), the mentally ill, homosexuals, alcoholics and drug addicts, vagrants and beggars, pacifists, conscription resistors and prostitutes. The following table is a summary of the main examples of persecution against ‘asocial’ minorities in Nazi Germany until the outbreak of war in 1939. 1933 14th July: ‘Law for Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Progeny’ empowers doctors to determine if someone has a hereditary sickness (e.g. hereditary epilepsy, serious physical deformities, chronic alcoholism) and to order their sterilisation. 15th September: First raids against 'vagrants' (broadly defined), who could be arrested and assigned to compulsory labour schemes, or imprisoned. 24th November: ‘Law against Dangerous Habitual Criminals’ empowers the state to detain ‘habitual criminals’ in concentration camps. The law is later extended to cover beggars, 'vagabonds', prostitutes, and the 'workshy'. It is also used against Roma and Sinti ('gypsies'). 1935 26th June: Amendment to the ‘Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Progeny’ enables compulsory abortions to be carried out on 'hereditarily ill women’. 28th June: Paragraph 175 of the criminal code is amended to include any form of 'criminal indecency' between men. This amendment led to increased arrests of homosexual men. 1936 16th July: Before the opening of the Olympic Games in Germany, 600 Sinti and Roma ('Gypsies') are rounded up in Berlin and forced onto wasteland at Marzahn, which became a concentration camp. 1937 14th December: A Ministry of the Interior circular on 'the preventative fight against crime' enables any 'asocial' with minor but repeated infractions of the law to be placed in 'preventive custody'. Homosexual men were sent to concentration camps if they are arrested. 1938 21st April 1938: First major arrests of the 'asocials'. Hundreds are sent to Buchenwald concentration camp. By the end of the year, 8000 homosexual men also arrested. 12th June: 'Gypsy clean-up week' launched. 1939 25th July: First severely disabled child killed by the State. At least 5200 infants were eventually killed through this programme. 18th August: Doctors required to report deformed newborns. Order later extended to include children and teenagers.

Question 120

policies on minorities (The persecution of the Jews)

Answer 120

There were only approximately 525,000 Jewish people living in Germany in 1933, less than one percent of the population. The proportion of Jews in professional jobs was higher than the national average at that time (16.6 per cent of lawyers, 10.9 per cent of doctors and 8.6 per cent of dentists), a source of jealousy that helped fuel Nazi propaganda. Goebbels was relentless in portraying Jews as foreign and a threat. 1933 1 April: Hitler orders boycott of Jewish shops and businesses. SA paint ‘Jude’ (Jew) on windows and try to persuade public not to enter. 7 April: ‘Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service’ excludes Jews from government jobs. Eventually, thousands of Jewish civil servants, lawyers and university teachers are sacked. 29 September: ‘Hereditary Farm Law’: ‘excludes Jews from owning farmland or engaging in agriculture’. 1934 Local councils begin to enforce the ban of Jews from public spaces such as parks, playing fields, and swimming pools. Jews no longer allowed to slaughter animals in the kosher method. The Nazi Government forbids Jewish actors from performing on the stage or the screen. 1935 15 September: The 'Nuremberg Laws' passed 1. ‘The Reich Law on Citizenship’. Only those of ‘German blood’ can be German citizens. This deprived German Jews of citizenship and the right to vote and hold government office. 2. ‘Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour’ forbids marriage or sexual relations between Jews and German citizens. The law also made any previously existing marriages or those contracted outside of Germany invalid. Furthermore, Jews are forbidden from employing German female citizens under 45 years old. 1936 3 April: Jews are banned from the veterinary profession by the ‘Reich Veterinarians’ Law’. 15 October: The Reich Ministry of Education bans Jewish teachers from teaching in public schools. Also during 1936 Jews are forbidden to be dentists, accountants, surveyors, tax consultant or nurses. Visual signs of Nazi anti-Jewish policy are temporarily removed for the summer and winter Olympic Games. 1938 26 April: All Jewish people are required to report property worth over 5000 Reichsmarks. 17 August: Jews with non-Jewish first names must add and use the name 'Israel' (for males) or 'Sarah' (for females). 22 March: Jews are forbidden from owning private gardens. 9–10 November: Kristallnacht (Night of broken glass) Following the murder of a German diplomat Ernst vom Rath in Paris, the SA start a campaign to destroy Jewish shops, homes, and synagogues throughout Germany. About 90 are killed and 20,000 arrested and put into concentration camps. 12 November: Jews are forbidden from attending cinema and concerts and all Jewish-run businesses closed. 15th November: Jewish children are excluded from German schools and universities. 1939 21 February: Decree issued requiring Jews to surrender precious metals and stones they own.

Question 121

policies on minorities (The persecution of minorities during World War II)

Answer 121

The advent of war in September 1939 was a crucial turning point in the Nazi treatment of minorities. The successful conquest of Poland and much of western Europe in 1939 brought millions more Jews under direct Nazi rule, and the later invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 increased the numbers further. September 1941, regional Nazi administrators in the eastern territories were struggling to cope with the number of Jews being deported from Germany and the western-occupied zone. Many proposed radical, murderous solutions to the ‘problem’. In October, in Lublin, Poland, gassing facilities at a camp at Belzec were ordered to kill Jews incapable of work; in Lodz, Jews were being shot and gassed in vans. In December, converted vans for gassing were used at Chelmno to kill 100,000 Jews. On 7 December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Germany declared war on the USA on 11 December. On 12 December, Hitler met with the senior leadership of the Nazi Party at the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. Joseph Goebbels recorded what was discussed in his diary: Approximately six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. In addition, the Nazis murdered about 200,000 Roma, and at least 250,000 mentally or physically disabled patients and 1900 Jehovah's Witnesses. The figures for other persecuted minority groups are less certain.

Question 122

What was Berlin like in the 1920's

Answer 122

Promiscious very sexual lotsa prostitues also Einstein most of the rural areas didn't like it Often only accepted foreign currency due to hyperinflation