Life In Nazi Germany Flashcards
(30 cards)
What was the Gestapo?
This group formed the political police of Germany. They were tasked with investigating, interrogating and torturing those the Nazis didn’t believe fitted until their perfect society e.g. communist opponents and criminals.
What is the purpose of propaganda?
This was used by the Nazis to spread their ideas and allows them to control the press and what information Germans had access to.
What is the law for the protection of the people and the state?
Passed in 1933 this law allowed the Nazis to imprison communists and other political opponents as well as creating the first concentration camps.
Their newspapers were shut down and supporters were beaten up by the SA.
What is the Night of the long knives?
This event took place in June 1934 and led to the Murder of some SA leaders and other Nazi opponents.
Ernst Rohm wanted a second revolution, and to control the army (and combine it with the SA), which would make him the most powerful man in Germany.
The army believed Hitler supported them with the night of the long knives, and they would support him.
What is Gleichschaltung?
This means co-ordination and the Nazi takeover of all aspects of German Government and life, e.g trade unions, state governments, education.
What is Fuhrer?
The name given to Hitler when president Hindenburg died and he amalgamated the position of chancellor and president.
The army swore a personal oath to him, not Germany.
What is the enabling act?
Passed in 1933, this allowed Hitler to rule Germany without consulting the reichstag for 4 years.
What is the Reichstag fire?
This fire burned the Reichstag to the ground on 27 January 1933
Blamed on communists (specifically Van Der Lubbe), this event allowed Hitler to get Article 48 powers to pass the law for the protection of the people and state.
Who was the minister of popular-enlightenment and propaganda?
Dr Joseph Goebbels.
His role was to promote acceptable Nazi culture and censure and stop harmful ideas.
What forms did propaganda take?
Rallies
Annual Nuremberg rallies. Light, sound and costumes were used to create a unique atmosphere.
Media
Most newspapers were bought by Eher Verlag, the Nazi publishers. By 1939 they owned 69% of newspapers. Journalists had to be approved by the Nazis.
The editors law held editors responsible for what they put in their papers.
All radio stations were brought under Nazi control.
People were encouraged to buy cheap radios that could only pick up Nazi broadcasts.
What is Censorship.
Removing other sources of information so the people can only listen to Nazi propaganda.
What was the German faith movement?
The group sought to move Germany away from Christianity towards a religion based on Germanic paganism and Nazi ideas.
Hitler was seen as a new God.
Yeah most people didn’t take this seriously,
What was the confessional church?
Established by Protestant ministers who wanted to keep their church free of Nazi ideas.
Who was Robert Lay?
Leader and creator of the German Labour front (DAF) which controlled Workers’ pay and hours of work.
Who were the Edelweiss pirates?
An opposition youth group who didn’t support Nazi ideas and used to fight with the Hitler youth.
Who were the swing youth?
An opposition youth group that listened to banned music and radio stations whilst holding illegal dances in their houses.
Who was Niemollar?
A former U boat captain, this German was placed in a concentration camp for speaking out against the Nazis.
Who was Himmler?
This man was the leader of the SS and a very close friend of Hitler.
Who was Hindenburg?
This man was the president of Germany until his death in August 1934. He had appointed Hitler as Chancellor in January 1933.
Who was the SA?
Also known as the brown shirts this group had become the militant/ violent wing of the Nazi party.
Who was the SS?
Hitlers own personal bodyguards made up of pure blood Aryans. After 1934 they took over control of policing in Germany.
What was the SdA?
Beauty for Labour
An organisation that was formed to improve the working conditions for German workers in the factories.
What was the white rose group?
This was a student organisation that opposed the Nazis during WW2 by circulating anti-Nazi messages and propaganda. The leaders were tortured, put on trail and then had their heads removed.
How was rationing during WW2?
This became necessary in Germany during WW2 as supplies for the war effort were considered more important than goods for the average German. This meant that everything that Germany produced was being used to fight the war and rationing became worse.
