GERMANY: REASONS THE NAZIS MAINTAINED POWER Flashcards
(11 cards)
REASONS THE NAZIS MAINTAINED POWER - background
The 1929 Wall Street Crash had catastrophic impacts on Germany and her economy, with Nazi support skyrocketing during this time as people’s savings were wiped out. Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933, giving him complete power over the country and enabling him the chance to destroy Germany’s democracy and maintain power
FEAR AND STATE TERRORISM - background
In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were passed – these stripped all Jews (according to those laws, meaning someone with three or four Jewish grandparents) of German citizenship and prohibited marriage between Jewish and non-Jewish people.
In 1938, Kristallnacht marked a divisive moment in Nazi Germany when neighbours and communities turned on each other after a German diplomat was killed in Paris by a Jew (and the population was encouraged by the Nazi regime) – Jewish homes and shops were attacked and set on fire and Jewish people were assaulted.
FEAR AND STATE TERRORISM - for and against
kept a control on the German population and even encourage them to act violently towards each other, with Kristallnacht frightening many Germans into submission.
capitalised on anti-Semitic sentiment already prevalent across Europe at the time, and many people felt as if these laws and acts of violence did not affect them as they weren’t Jewish.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A TOTALITARIAN STATE - background
On 30th June 1934, leaders of the SA were killed or arrested by members of the SS, both of whom forced the Nazi regime, and many of Hitler’s closest allies were murdered.
One week before the March 1933 election, the Reichstag burned down, the fire was instantly blamed on the communists by the Nazis, but this marked a shift to the threat of German democracy as Hitler was able to convince the President to pass the Fire Decree which limited all criticism of the government and therefore freedom of the press.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A TOTALITARIAN STATE - for and against
permitted the freedom of the Nazi party in comparison to the people and limited the ability to organise and speak freely
Nazi party did have widespread genuine support (sometimes even 44% of Germans) which suggests their authority was respected and looked for by the German population.
SOCIAL CONTROLS AND POLICIES - background
There were many ways that ordinary citizens were encouraged to get involved in the Nazi regime such as the National Socialist Women’s League which aimed to encourage women into Nazism, along with that there were three stages of medals for German women who had eight or more children.
All Jewish people lost their jobs in teaching and teachers were made to follow the Nazi curriculum and join the Nazi Teachers’ Alliance, they also taught the inferiority of other races in biology and brought in subliminal messaging to subjects like maths
SOCIAL CONTROLS AND POLICIES - for and against
Nazis maintaining power as it allowed people to be controlled in their daily lives and believe Nazi ideology, especially young children who would then go to support the regime as they grew up.
The nazis failed to fully control women, with many continuing to work and joining anti-nazi groups as war approached.
ECONOMIC POLICIES - background
Unemployment rates fell massively during the Nazis first year in power, 6 million to 3.3 mill, almost halving in their first year in power, but this was also attributed to banning Jews from the work force or persuading women out of the work force
The Nazis introduced the KdF (Strength through Joy) organisation to offer subsidised holidays or activities to subdue feelings of resentment or dislike from their workers
ECONOMIC POLICIES - for and against
Germans were also happier due to the improved workplace conditions that Strength through Joy brought, allowing the Nazis to keep being in favour with the general public
Unemployed women and Jews were not counted in official figures so this suggests that propaganda played a role.
PROPAGANDA - background
Joseph Goebbels was the Nazi Minister for Propaganda, he targeted young people with his idea of a ‘Thousand Year Reich’ and uniting all Germans, leaving behind class and religious divide.
Mass rallies such as Nuremberg helped to show and win support, other methods included school lessons, radio and cinema
PROPAGANDA - for and against
radio ownership increased rapidly (up to 70% of German households.)
many anti-Nazi Germans made active choice to not pay attention to propaganda, with some suggested to have arrived late to cinema screenings to avoid the propaganda.
