HISTORY weimar & nazi Germany Flashcards
(142 cards)
1
Q
How were German people suffering hardship during the war?
A
- allies had set up naval blockades which prevented imports of goods and food
- Kaiser Wilhelm II had public opinion turned against him as he ran Germany like a dictator
- many people wanted democracy and an end to the war
2
Q
What are some examples of widespread unrest towards the end of the war?
A
- early November 1918, members of German navy refused to board ships
- in Hanover, German troops refused to control riots
- Jewish communist called Kurt Eisner encourage a general uprising which led to mass strikes in Munich
3
Q
What led to Kaiser Wilhelm’s resignation?
A
- huge protests in Berlin and Social Democratic Party called for his resignation
- abdicated on 9th November 1918, SPD and USPD declared a republic
4
Q
What happened on Nov 10th 1918?
A
- all state leaders who were appointed by monarchy left their posts
- new revolutionary state governments took control
- Germany had abolished monarchy and had chance to become democracy
5
Q
Why did the German government sign the armistice?
A
- people were starving and military morale was low
- it wasn’t supported by right-wing citizens who saw it as a betrayal
6
Q
How was the German government ran after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm?
A
- Germany was disorganised with different political groups controlling different towns
- temporary national government ran by SPD and USPD known as Council of People’s representatives
- ran the government until Reichstag elections in January 1919
7
Q
Who was the first president and first chancellor of the Weimar Republic?
A
- Friedrich Ebert was first president as leader of SPD
- Phillip Scheidemann was first chancellor
8
Q
What happened on February 1919?
A
-members of the new Reichstag met in Weimar to create a new constitution for Germany
9
Q
What was the role of the president?
A
- elected every 7 years
- appointed chancellor and was head of the army
- could dissolve Reichstag, call new elections and suspend the constitution
10
Q
What was the main difference between the president and the chancellor?
A
the president was the most powerful in government but the chancellor was in charge of day to day affairs
11
Q
What was the role of the Reichstag?
A
- new Germany parliament
- it’s members elected every 4 years using proportional representation
12
Q
What was the role of the Reichsrat?
A
- second less powerful house of parliament
- consisted of local representatives
- could delay measures passed by Reichstag
13
Q
How was the Weimar constitution designed to be fair?
A
- even very small parties could win seats as they only needed 0.4% of the vote to get one
- women could now vote and voting age lowered to 20 which gave German public more voting power
14
Q
What was a weakness in allowing the president to pass laws?
A
- president could pass new laws and suspend constitution without Reichstag (article 48)
- only meant to be used in times of emergency but became useful way of getting around disagreements in Reichstag which undermined the new democracy
15
Q
What happened after the allied leaders had drafted the ToV?
A
- signed on June 1919
- Ebert had initially refused to sign it but had no choice as allies threatened to start war and Germany was too weak
- Weimar Republic became associated with the pain and humiliation of ToV
16
Q
What did article 231 of ToV say?
A
- Germany had to fully accept the blame for the war
- many Germans disagreed and felt humiliated having to take the blame
17
Q
How was Germany’s military impacted by ToV?
A
- army reduced to 100,000 men
- weren’t allowed armoured vehicles, aircrafts or submarines
- only allowed 6 warships
- had to demilitarise the Rhineland, area along French border, made them susceptible to attack from west
- all of this made Germany feel vulnerable
18
Q
How much in reparations did Germany have to pay for ToV?
A
- had to pay £6.6 billion
- amount decided in 1921 but was changed later
- seemed unfair and would cause lasting damage to Germany’s economy
19
Q
How was Germany’s empire affected by ToV?
A
- overseas colonies were now called mandates
- these were run by the winning members of the League of Nations
- many people opposed the new rule, especially those living there who didn’t want to be run by foreign country
20
Q
How did ToV create resentment towards Weimar Republic?
A
- called it a ‘Diktat’ a treaty that was forced on the German people against their will, blamed Ebert for accepting terms
- many felt the signing of the armistice was unnecessary and that Germany could carry on fighting and win the war, known as ‘stab in the back’ theory
- politicians who signed armistice became known as ‘November criminals’
21
Q
How did ToV affect the Weimar Republic long term?
A
- played an important part in the failure of the republic?
- hindered republic’s popularity and created political and economic unrest that would hinder the government for years
22
Q
Why was there widespread discontent during the start of the Weimar Republic?
A
- 1919, influenza epidemic broke out and killed thousands of Germans
- many felt they could still win the war and blamed ‘November criminals’ for accepting terms of treaty
- many blamed Jews and communists for Germany’s loss
- the government was seen as weak and ineffective
23
Q
What happened during the Spartacist Revolt?
A
- January 1919, group of communists led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht tried to take over Berlin
- took control of newspaper buildings and over 50,000 workers went on strike in support of the revolt
24
Q
How was the Spartacist Revolt dealt with?
A
- Ebert asked help from Freikorps (private militia of ex-soldiers) to stop the protests
- they killed the two leaders and over 200 workers who were involved
- the use of violence caused a split in the left between the communists, further weakening the republic
25
What happened during the Kapp Putsch?
- March 1920, members of Freikorps led by Wolfgang Kapp marched into Berlin to overthrow government and install new right-wing system
- Ebert fled to Dresden and called for German workers to go on strike to retaliate the Putsch
- Berlin was paralysed and Kapp forced to give up
26
What did ex-members of the Freikorps do in 1922?
- murdered Walter Rathenau who was German foreign minister and Jewish
- as economy wavered, many people were blaming Jews
27
What led to the occupation of the Ruhr?
- 1923, Germany could not meet scheduled annual reparation payments
- French and Belgian troops then entered Ruhr, Germany's most industrial area as they were legally entitled to under ToV
- they had access to most of Germany's iron and coal reserves
28
What happened after the occupation of the Ruhr?
- led to fury in Germany so government ordered Ruhr workers to go on strike
- successful in combating French and Belgian but had major economic implications
- Germany government couldn't afford to reimburse its workers so started printing money to help pay which led to hyperinflation
29
What were the consequences of hyperinflation?
- 1918, egg cost 1/4 mark; 1923, egg cost 80,000,000 marks
- Germany's currency became worthless which meant that less countries wanted to trade which led to a shortage of food and resources
- basic necessities hard to get a hold of, Germany going through extreme hardship which people associated with Weimar Republic
30
How were different classes affected by hyperinflation?
middle-class: businesses failed and bank savings became worthless
working class: wages couldn't keep up with rate of inflation
31
What did Streseman do during his time as chancellor from August to November 1923?
- September 1923, ended strike in Ruhr so that reparations could be paid and reduced tensions with France and Belgium
- November 1923, created the Rentenmark as a new currency for Germany, this would later become the permanent Reichsmark
- created 'great coalition' in Reichstag were several pro-democracy socialist parties agreed to work together, decisions made quicker
32
What was the Dawes plan?
- signed in 1924
- ensured France and Belgium's withdrawal from Ruhr and set more realistic reparation dates
- America loaned £80 million to Germany to assist in reparations
- effective but relied heavily on American loans
33
What was the structure of the Dawes plan?
US could afford to lend money to Germany
- >Germany used this money to pay off reparations to allies
- >Allies could then pay off their debts to the US
- >repeat
34
What was the Locarno pact?
- signed in October 1925
| - France, Belgium and Germany all agreed to respect Germany's borders
35
What happened in 1926 with international relations?
- Germany allowed to join the League of Nations
| - Germany once again recognised as international power
36
What was the Kellogg-Briand pact?
- signed in 1928
- along with 65 other countries
- agreed not to resort to violence to resolve international disputes
37
What was the Young plan?
- signed in 1929
- reparations Germany needed to pay reduced to a quarter of original amount
- given 59 year to pay
38
What happened in 1928 Reichstag election?
- strong support for pro-Weimar parties (over 50%)
| - shows people started to restore faith in republic thanks to economic improvement
39
How did unemployment improve during the Golden Years?
- 1927, government created unemployment insurance
| - workers could pay into it and you could withdraw from it if you found yourself unemployed
40
How did wages and housing improve during the Golden Years?
- working classes became more prosperous as wages for working classes rose in late 1920s
- launched mass housing projects, government built over 2 million new homes between 1924 and 1931 which provided extra employment
41
What were some problems that remained during the Golden Years?
- high quality of life was only achievable with a strong economy and Germany's was very fragile
- middle class resentment as changes mostly benefitted the working classes
- led to middle classes supporting anti-weimar parties
42
How did women become more involved in politics in Weimar Republic?
- women could vote and run for office
| - between 1919 and 1932, 112 women elected
43
How did women's roles change in Weimar Republic?
- women had proved themselves as labourers during ww1 so number of working women rose
- traditional roles changed, new women's societies and women's sports clubs opened giving them more opportunity
- divorce became easier so divorce rates rose
44
What did increased freedom for women lead to?
- right-wing criticism
| - some German nationalists believed giving women freedom and more power threatened traditional German ideas and values
45
What did freedom of expression lead to?
- generated new ideas
| - artists began to question traditional ideas such as authority and military
46
What advances in art were there in the Weimar Republic?
- some developments bold and new like drama of Bertolt Brecht
- Bauhaus school of design was highly influential in the arts and architecture
47
What were some cultural achievements in Weimar Republic?
- important changes in music, literature and cinema, e.g. Metropolis directed by Fritz Lang was one of many successful German films
- encouraged new critical thinking at places like Frankfurt University and cabaret culture developed in Berlin
- not all Germans embraced changed, some saw as loss of German tradition
48
How did Hitler start at German Workers' Party?
- joined in January 1919 when it was led by Anton Drexler
| - became known as a passionate and skilled speaker and crowds gathered to hear him talk
49
How did Hitler climb the ranks of the DAP?
- relied on him to recruit new members and was made chief of propaganda in 1920
- party had 60 members in 1919 but over 2000 in 1920
- 1920, rebranded as Nazi Party
- July 1921, Hitler became leader although initially didn't want to but chose to do so after he was worried about the direction the party was heading
50
How did Nazi Party develop its policies?
- February 1920, developed policies in 'Twenty-Five Point Programme'
- wanted to raise pension and improve health and education, but only for Germans
- rejecting ToV and encouraging German greatness appealed to the public on nationwide scale
51
What were some points from Twenty-Five Point Programme
- ToV abolished
- all German speakers should be united
- only Germans with German blood could be citizens, not jews
- improved pensions and land reforms
52
What did Hitler found in 1921?
- founded party militia called 'SA' otherwise known as stormtroopers
- political thugs who carried out violent anti-semitic attacks and intimidated other parties
- many people scared but many Germans admired them
- gave the party a military feel as they seemed organised and disciplined, gave ex-soldiers a job and a purpose
53
Why did Hitler think it was an ideal time for the Munich Putsch?
- 1923, the population thought that the Weimar Republic was too weak
- hyperinflation peaked and there were food riots
- Germans angry at Ruhr occupation, further discontent when workers decided to stop striking
54
What happened during the Munich Putsch?
- Hitler's soldiers marched into a beer hall where local government leaders were meeting
- next day, Hitler and SA marched through Munich, news of the Putsch leaked to the police (who Hitler expected to support him) and fired on the troops causing the revolt to collapse
55
What happened during Hitler's trial from the Munich Putsch?
- used his trial to make nationalist patriotic speeches to appeal to conservative judges
- trial gave Nazis a national platform
- given a generous 5 years of which he only served 9 monts
- generous sentence showed that revolt was possible
56
How was Mein Kampf influential?
- wrote it in prison containing his beliefs and ambitions
- vital to spreading Nazi ideology and millions of Germans read
- introduced ideas such as a 'superior Aryan race' and that Germans had a right to Lebensraum
57
Why did support for Nazis dip in mid 1920s?
- Stresemann was gradually improving Germany's economy
- shows how important economic unrest was to Nazi party, it thrived when Germany was struggling
- industrialists and conservatives who would be the Nazi party's main voting bloc now voting for moderate pro-Weimar parties
58
What did Hitler do with the Nazi party after being released from prison?
- February 1925, ban was lifted and Hitler established himself as the supreme leader of the party
- Hitler changed tactics, he wanted to seize power democratically so that he could compete in national elections
- he needed to reform the party to do this
59
What did Hitler do at the Bamberg conference?
- held in 1926 with party officials in Bavaria with short notice so that northern party officials who opposed Hitler's ideas couldn't go easily
- party didn't have a clear direction after losing strong leader and party itself started to divide
- Hitler made a powerful speech that the party would only go in his direction and linked all opposition to communism, successfully reuniting the party
60
How did the Nazi party establish a national framework?
- Hitler appointed leaders known as 'Gauleiters' to run regional branches of Nazi party in 1926
- Gauleiters were controlled by party leadership in Munich and were responsible for managing local and distract branches
- this brought every level of the party under Hitler's control
61
How was Nazi propaganda changed in 1926?
- increased and was centrally controlled by the party in Munich
- made propaganda campaigns more efficient
- re-established the SA to use them for propaganda purposes
62
How did Hitler approach social groups when reorganising Nazi party?
- created new organisations for social groups
- 1926, Hitler Youth was founded to encourage youth support for Nazis
- also made for professions for example, Nationalist Socialist Teachers' League
- made these sectors of society feel valued by Nazis
63
What happened to Germany during the Great Depression?
- Germany's economy collapsed as America stopped loaning and demanded repayment from Germany
- industrial production went into decline, factories closed and banks went out of business
- Octobre 1929 (after crash) 1.6 million unemployed, November 1932, there were over 6 million
64
When was Heinrich Brüning appointed as chancellor?
March 1930
65
What were some of Brüning's policies?
- Brüning increased imported food prices to help Germany's agriculture, but this led to the price of food increasing
- government salaries and pensions reduced and taxes increased
- social services cut back and unemployment services reduced
66
How did Brüning's policies affect day-to-day life?
- they were made to improve the economy but made living standards fall
- Brüning nicknamed 'Hunger Chancellor'
- 1932, many sectors of society discontent with Weimar Republic, high taxes and high unemployment led to a loss in support from the working class
67
How did the Weimar Republic lose its democracy towards the end?
- Brüning's policies were so unpopular that he was regularly relying on Article 48 to get his laws through, he asked President Hindenburg to suspend constitution so that he could pass own laws
- by 1932, he was regularly bypassing parliament
- Weimar Republic no longer felt democratic and people started looking for alternatives
68
How much did Nazis gain between 1928 and 1932 elections?
- 1928 3% of Reichstag
| - 1932 37% of Reichstag becoming the largest party
69
What was Nazi party membership in 1930?
-skyrocketed to 300,000 as they promised a better and less humiliating future for Germany
70
What groups of people started supporting the Nazis after the Great Depression?
- unemployment and youth attracted by the bright future the Nazis promised
- people who supported anti-Jewish and anti-communist message, groups used as scapegoats for Germany's failings
- wealthy businessmen who lost out during Great Depression, they were scared of communism and attracted by economic prosperity that Hitler promised
71
What are some examples of the Nazis being well-organised after the Great Depression?
- 1930, SA seemed much more organised and disciplined than Weimar government, their effectiveness made them more respectable which helped to ensure middle class vote
- propaganda was efficient, targeted regional groups and specific issues, made people feel more valued and stole votes from smaller parties
72
What happened during events leading to April 1932 Presidential election?
- April 1932, economy worsened and Germany needed a strong leader
- 1932 election, Hitler ran against Hindenburg but lost by 20% on second ballot
73
What happened during events leading to July 1932 Reichstag election?
- May 1932, Brüning dismissed and replaced with von Papen
- von Papen wanted to assure his support so he called July 1932 election, Nazis won 230 seats
- Hitler demanded to be made chancellor but Hindenburg refused and only offered the role of vice-chancellor to him
74
What happened during the events leading to Hitler becoming chancellor?
- vote of no confidence held against von Papen which lead to November 1932 election
- Nazis reduced to 198 seats, Nazi leaders concerned
- December 1932, Hindenburg appoints Kurt von Schleicher as chancellor, attempted to divide the Nazis by offering role of vice-chancellor to Gregor Strasser but Hitler made him refuse
- von Papen met with Hitler and said he would meet with Hindenburg and persuade him to make Hitler chancellor in return Hitler would appoint von Papen as vice-chancellor
- January 1933, Hindenburg dismissed von Schleicher and reluctantly appointed Hitler as chancellor
75
Why did von Papen persuade Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as chancellor?
von Papen believed that they could control Hitler like a puppet and that he wouldn't have any actual political powers
76
Why did Hitler need a majority in Reichstag in 1933?
- to be able to pass new laws
| - if he had 2/3 of the vote he could make amendments to the constitution
77
How did Hitler deal with other parties to try and get majority in Reichstag?
- February 1932, SA invaded communist party headquarters and claimed to have found evidence the communists were planning uprising
- March 1933, Hitler had control over the news media and tried to stop opposition meetings, this meant that other parties couldn't carry out effective campaigns
78
What happened after the Reichstag fire?
- Hindenburg issued a decree which gave Hitler emergency powers to deal with supposed communist threat
- many parts of constitution were suspended e.g. freedom of speech
- Hitler used these powers to intimidate communist voters and used the SA to round up and impression nearly 4000 communist members
79
Why did Hitler's emergency powers receive little opposition?
-because he told the German public it was for their own safety
80
How did Hitler gain the 2/3 vote required for the enabling act?
- he linked it to christianity to appeal to centre party
| - made communist party illegal March 1933
81
What did the Enabling Act allow Hitler to do?
- let him govern for 4 years without parliament's approval
- it allowed Hitler to bring legislation that would strengthen the Nazi party e.g:
- May 1933, trade unions were banned as they had a great influence over working class, workers required to join National Labour Front
- July 1933, all parties except Nazi Party were banned, Germany became a one-party state
82
Why did the German public not oppose Enabling Act or its legislation?
- Article 48 had been used to bypass Reichstag many times before, so ruling without parliament approval seemed normal
- many preferred one-party system as they were tired of how slow and ineffective the Weimar Republic was
83
Why was the SA a threat to Hitler?
- over 400,000 men who were loyal to Ernst Röhm
| - not supported by Hindenburg or Germany army and started to see them as a threat
84
When was the Night of the Long Knives?
30th June 1934
85
What resulted after the Night of the Long Knives?
- Hitler passed a law declaring his actions were legal and claimed the SA were a threat to national security
- much of German press believed this and praised him as a hero who had saved Germany
- highlighted how ruthless Hitler was to anyone who got in his way
- received critical support from Hindenburg and his army
86
When was the beginning of Hitler dictatorship?
- August 1934, Hindenburg died
- Hitler used this opportunity to pass a law that would combine the roles of chancellor and president and made himself commander of the army
- called himself Der Führer
87
How did Hitler organise Nazi Germany?
Führer->Reichsleiters (advisors of Hitler) -> Gauleiters (appointed by Hitler, head of local power) -> other officials (include local and district party leaders)
-every aspect was carefully controlled and only loyal Nazis could be successful
88
What were some oaths that Hitler imposed?
- army had to swear an oath of allegiance to protect Hitler, rather than protect Germany
- some German workers had to swear an oath of obedience to Hitler or they risked losing their jobs
89
How did the Enabling Act contribute to Germany becoming a police state?
it allowed the government to listen to people's phone calls, search mail and search houses without prior notice
90
How did the Nazis expand their control over government?
- Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich (1934) gave Nazis total control of local government
- laws to sack civil servants who didn't accept Nazi rules
91
What changes did the Nazis make to the judicial system?
- judges were expected to make rulings in line with the Nazi party's ideology
- 1933, Nazis set up special courts where the accused couldn't question any evidence that was put against them
- 1934, Hitler established the People's Court in Berlin, held trials for those accused of important political crimes, defendants were nearly always found guilty
92
What was the SD?
- the Sicherheitsdienst
- ran by Reinhard Heydrich
- aimed to bring every German under constant surveillance
93
What was the Shutzstaffel?
- SS began as Hitler's bodyguard
- expanded under leadership of Himmler in 30s
- totally loyal to Hitler and famed for their cruelty
94
How did the Gestapo operate?
- Himmler in charge of the Gestapo
- jobs included 'protect public safety' but methods included harsh interrogation and prison without trial
- local wardens made sure people agreed with Nazis, people encouraged to report disloyalty and would then be arrested by Gestapo
95
What was created after 1933?
- concentration camps to hold political prisoners and anyone who disagreed with Nazis
- some of these later became death camps
96
What were some points repeated by Nazi propaganda?
- convince that Nazis would make Germany strong
- encouraged Germans to hate countries who signed ToV and they should fight back
- Hitler Myth
- Jews and communists biggest causes of Germany's problems
- encouraged a return to traditional German values and culture
97
What was the Hitler Myth?
- said Hitler was like a God and chosen to be Germany's saviour
- this led to Cult of Führer
98
What did Goebbels found in 1933?
- Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
- had departments for music, theatre, film, literature, radio
- all artists and journalists had to register to get material approved
99
How did the Nazis use censorship?
- used media censorship to silence opposing views
| - wanted to surround public with Nazi beliefs only
100
How did the Nazis use radio?
- sold cheap radios and controlled the broadcasts
- by 1939, 70% of households owned a radio giving Nazis a voice directly in people's homes
- according to Goebbels, radio was "a weapon of the totalitarian state"
101
How did the Nazis use newspaper?
- 1933, only 3% of newspapers were controlled by Nazis, by 1944, this had risen to 82%
- this meant Nazis could now control what was published in papers
102
How did Nazis use films and posters?
- films used to glorify Nazi ideology and Hitler and to show enemies of ToV, important director was Leni Riefenstahl
- posters depicted the same thing and let Germans know what was expected of them
103
How did the Nazis use rallies?
- rallies frequently held where Hitler would make powerful and emotional speeches
- Nuremberg rally held annually in August
- 1936 Nuremberg rally, over 1 million attended, large spotlights and flags before Hitler arrived made him look more powerful
104
How did Nazis use displays to spread propaganda?
- sporting events such as 1936 Berlin Olympics used to show 'superiority' of 'Aryan race', Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals which undermined Hitler's message
- Nazis power shown through art and architecture, huge buildings erected to show this off
105
What did the Nazis promise?
a Reich that would last for a thousand years
106
How was art and music controlled in Nazi Germany?
- modern art was banned in favour of realistic paintings that suited Nazi ideology
- exhibitions just to show how 'bad' modern art was, contrast to Weimar Republic which was a world pioneer in this
- classical works by German composers such as Wagner were played, new classical music, works by Jews and jazz were all banned
107
How effective was Nazi propaganda?
- some say it was better at reinforcing existing ideas rather than teaching new ones for example:
- some people felt humiliated by ToV so promise to reverse was popular
- after political weakness of Weimar Republic, 'Hitler Myth' was appealing
- anti-Jewish and anti-communist attitudes already existed before Nazis
- Weimar Republic seen as too liberal by many and wanted a return to traditional German values
- Great Depression had left many in poverty so they were easier to persuade and liked promise of work
108
Why did Hitler want to reduce the church's power?
- 1930s, most Germans were christian and the church was very influential
- during Weimar Republic, church and state worked closely together
- church was involved in many national matters such as education
- most christians would have held their faith and god before Hitler
109
What did the Nazi party publicly support with religion?
they publicly supported religious freedom but in reality saw christianity as a threat
110
What did the Nazis think of the church?
- some prominent Nazis were anti-christian and Nazi ideology disagreed with the role that the church played in society
- Hitler thought the church should comply and teach Nazi ideology, he was worried about the church opposing his views
- Nazis Party careful to maintain support of protestants and catholics during rise to power, when they were in power Nazis controlled the church more
111
What did Hitler agree with the catholic church?
- July 1933, Hitler signed concordat with the pope, Hitler promised not to interfere with church if church stayed out of Nazi politics
- reassured German christians that German was respecting the catholic church but was actually restricting its power
112
How did Hitler break the terms of the concordat?
- Nazi party started to restrict catholic church's role in education
- 1936, all crucifixes removed from school, 1939, all catholic education had been destroyed
- Nazis began arresting priests in 1935 and putting them on trial
- catholic newspapers suppressed and catholic youth groups disbanded
113
What did the pope do in 1937?
- spoke out against Nazis in letter to all catholic churches in Germany
- stance of catholic church had now changed
- many German catholics too scared to speak out in order to protect their religion
114
What happened to protestant churches when Hitler came to power?
- 1933, there were 28 different independent protestant churches that were politically divided
- some joined to form 'German Christians' anti-semitic version of christianity that Nazis agreed with
- 1936, all protestant churches joined to form Reich Church that followed these beliefs
115
How did the Reich Church change christianity?
- replaced cross with swastika and replaced bible with Mein Kampf
- only those approved by Nazis could give sermons
- church suspended non-Aryan ministers
- it was attempt to bring protestant church under Nazi control and make a Nationalist Socialist view of christianity
116
How did the political left oppose Hitler when he was in power?
- even after Hitler banned parties, members of SPD and communists still held underground meetings and wanted industrial unrest
- Gestapo infiltrated these meetings and party members were executed
- opposition not effective as there were several groups who couldn't co-ordinate together
117
Who was Martin Niemöller?
- protestant paster, former U-boat captain and former member of Nazi party
- objected to Nazi interference in church and was a founder of the confessing church
- used a sermon in 1937 to protest persecution of church members so spent several years in a concentration camp
118
Who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer?
- protestant theologian and pastor who co-founded confessing church and also opposed nazi rule
- joined resistance, helped Jews escape and planned to assassinate Hitler
- he was caught and executed just weeks before the end of the war
119
Who was Clemens August von Galen?
- catholic bishop of Münster who used sermons to protest euthanasias of disabled and Nazi's racial policies
- sermons didn't stop it but forced Nazis to keep it secret
- Nazis didn't execute out of fear of losing support of German catholics
120
Who were the Edelweiss Pirates?
- name given to groups of rebellious youths who opposed Nazi rule and Hitler Youth
- helped escape concentration camp prisoners, forced labourers and army deserters
- Nazis only started cracking down after some were distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, arrested and publicly hanged
121
Who were the Swing Kids?
- groups of young people who opposed Nazi's tight control on culture
- behaved in way considered 'degenerate' to Nazis, like drinking alcohol and listening to American music
- considered a nuisance rather than a threat, but some were arrested and sent to concentration camps
122
How did the role of women change in Nazi Germany?
- banned from being lawyers in 1936, tried to ban them from other professions as well but women had to join work force in 1937 due to shortage
- League of German Maids spread Nazi idea that women should raise large families, awards given for having lots of children and financial incentives for married couples
- women expected to dress plainly, not smoke and not wear make-up, taught subjects in school like cookery, stressed that they should choose 'Aryan' husbands
123
How did Hitler reduce unemployment?
- Hitler started huge amount of public jobs e.g. 1933, jobs created building the autobahn
- all men between 18 and 25 could be recruited into Reich Labour Service and given jobs
- Hitler brought in military conscription and encouraged industry to produce ships, tanks, planes and weapons, further reducing unemployment
124
What happened as a result of Hitler's changes to industry?
- industrial output increased and unemployment fell
- trade unions banned and workers forced to join German Labour Front, but workers weren't allowed to strike or campaign for better work conditions
- Nazis didn't include women and Jews in employment statistics, so it's unclear how much lower unemployment was
125
What does Volksgemeinshaft mean?
a community of people working together to achieve the same aim
126
What did Nazis want workers to believe?
- Nazis made efforts to support German workers
| - wanted them to believe role is important and they were essential part of Volksgemeinshaft
127
What positive changes did Nazis bring in for workers?
- Nazis introduced "Strength through Joy", a scheme which provided workers with cheap holidays and leisure activities
- scheme also introduced the Volkswagen "people's car" as a luxury that workers could own
- "Beauty of Labour" scheme encouraged factory owners to improve conditions for workers
128
Why did middle class feel better off in Nazi Germany?
small business owners were able to prosper more in Nazi Germany
129
How had some workers and small business owners felt worse off in Nazi Germany?
- wages didn't increase much but cost of living increased by 25%
- workers didn't have the right to strike or resign
- small business owners had to pay higher taxes
130
When was the Hitler Youth founded and for what ages?
- founded in 1926
- boys aged over fourteen
- became compulsory in 1936 and shut down in 1945
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What did the Hitler Youth do?
- boys wore military style uniform and took part in physical exercise to prepare for war
- high-ranking boys may have been sent to Hitler schools to become loyal Nazi leaders
- went on camping trips and organised sports competitions
- attendance decreased in 1936 when activities became more military-like
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What were the League of German Maidens?
- female branch of Hitler Youth aimed at girls aged between fourteen and eighteen
- girls trained in domestic skills such as sewing and cooking
- sometimes took part in hiking and camping which gave girls new activities usually reserved for boys
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How did the role of teachers change in Nazi Germany?
- most teachers joined National Socialist Teachers League
| - children highly encouraged to report teachers who didn't support the Nazi ideology
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How did school subjects change in Nazi Germany?
- subjects rewritten to fit with Nazi ideals
- children taught to be anti-semitic
- Biology, taught that 'Aryans' were a more 'superior' race to Jews, History blamed Jews and Marxists for the failings of ToV
- P.E. became more important, they had it twice as much
- students burned anti-Nazi and communist books, Jewish lecturers and teachers sacked
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How did Hitler Youth help in war effort?
- helped with air defence work, farm work and collecting donations for Nazi charities
- towards end of war, Hitler Youth fought alongside adults, they were known for being fierce and fanatical fighters
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How did the Nazis practise eugenics policies?
- they wanted to create a strong, healthy nation by removing all genetic "defects" from the gene pool
- many people with mental and physical disabilities sterilised and murdered
- many mixed race forcibly sterilised
- homosexuals sent to concentration camps in thousands
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What did Himmler begin in 1936?
Central Office for the Combating of Homosexuality and Abortion
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What was the Nazis first act of persecuting Jews?
- April 1933, Nazis held a nationwide boycott of Jewish businesses
- this led to Nazi violence against Jews
- this violence was unpopular amongst Germans so Nazis persecuted them through the legal system
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How were Jews' legal rights removed?
- over time, number of jobs that Jews were banned from increased
- 1935, Nuremberg laws passed based on idea that Jews were racially inferior
- Jews later forced to close businesses and banned from employment
- 1938, Jews banned from public schools and many banned from public places
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What are some examples of the Nuremberg laws?
- stopped Jews being German citizens
- banned marriage between Jews and non-Jews
- banned sexual relationships between Jews and non-Jews
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What happened during Kristallnacht?
- November 1938, German diplomat murdered by a Jew in Paris
- anti-Jewish rioting throughout Germany, thousands of Jewish shops smashed and nearly every synagogue was burned down
- days that followed, thousands of Jews arrested and sent to concentration camps
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What happened in the aftermath of Kristallnacht?
- Nazis claimed that the event was an angry reaction by Germans, in reality it was entirely coordinated by the government and very few Germans actually took part
- turning point for Jews, first wide spread national use of violence, things would only get worse after
