life in nazi germany 1933-39

Question 1

What did the Nazi Party publicly claim about religious freedom?

Answer 1

The Nazi Party publicly supported religious freedom but saw Christianity as a threat.

Question 2

What was Hitler’s view on the Church’s power?

Answer 2

Hitler wanted to reduce the Church’s power.

Question 3

During the Weimar Republic, how did the state and the Church interact?

Answer 3

The state and the Church worked closely together, with the Church involved in national matters like education.

Question 4

How did some prominent Nazis view Christianity?

Answer 4

Some prominent Nazis were anti-Christian.

Question 5

What was Hitler’s expectation regarding religion and the state?

Answer 5

Hitler thought religion should comply with the state and promote Nazi ideals.

Question 6

What was the initial relationship between the Nazi Party and the Churches during its rise to power?

Answer 6

The Nazi Party maintained support from the Catholic and Protestant Churches because they were popular.

Question 7

What happened to the Catholic Church’s power as Hitler consolidated his totalitarian state?

Answer 7

Hitler’s control over churches increased.

Question 8

What was the Concordat signed in July 1933?

Answer 8

An agreement between the Pope and the Nazi government where Hitler promised not to interfere with the Catholic Church.

Question 9

What did the Catholic Church agree to in the Concordat?

Answer 9

The Church agreed to stay out of German politics.

Question 10

What was one outcome of the Concordat for the Catholic Church?

Answer 10

The Catholic Church was banned from speaking out against the Nazi Party.

Question 11

What were some actions taken by the Nazis against the Catholic Church?

Answer 11

• Restricted the Church’s role in education
• Removed crucifixes from schools in 1936
• Arrested priests from 1935
• Suppressed Catholic newspapers
• Disbanded Catholic Youth groups

Question 12

What significant action did the Pope take in 1937?

Answer 12

The Pope spoke out against Hitler in a letter to Catholic Churches in Germany.

Question 13

How did many German Catholics react to the Nazi Party?

Answer 13

Many were too scared to speak out against the Nazi Party.

Question 14

What was the state of the Protestant Church when Hitler became Chancellor in 1933?

Answer 14

There were 28 independent Protestant Churches that were politically divided.

Question 15

What group formed among Protestant Churches that supported Hitler?

Answer 15

A group known as the ‘German Christians’.

Question 16

What significant change occurred in the Protestant Churches in 1936?

Answer 16

All Protestant Churches were merged to form the Reich Church.

Question 17

What was the goal of the Reich Church?

Answer 17

To ‘Nazify’ Christianity and increase state control over the Protestant Church.

Question 18

What symbols were changed in the Reich Church?

Answer 18

• The cross was replaced with the Nazi Swastika
• The Bible was replaced by ‘Mein Kampf’

Question 19

Who was allowed to give sermons in the Reich Church?

Answer 19

Only Nazis could give sermons.

Question 20

What happened to non-Aryan ministers in the Reich Church?

Answer 20

The Church suspended non-Aryan ministers.

Question 21

What was the Confessing Church?

Answer 21

A Protestant group that opposed the Reich Church.

Question 22

What was the primary opposition to the Nazis in Germany?

Answer 22

The Political Left and some Church members

The Political Left included the Communist Party (KPD) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which were banned by the Nazis.

Question 23

What happened to political parties on the Left after the Nazis came to power?

Answer 23

They were banned and formed underground groups

These groups aimed to organize industrial unrest but were often infiltrated by the Gestapo.

Question 24

Who was Martin Niemöller?

Answer 24

A Protestant pastor and founder of the Confessing Church

He opposed Nazi interference in the Church and was imprisoned for his protests.

Question 25

What did Martin Niemöller protest against in his sermons?

Answer 25

Persecution of Church members ## Footnote His protests led to his imprisonment in concentration camps.

Question 26

Who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer?

Answer 26

A Protestant theologian and pastor who opposed the Nazis ## Footnote He was involved in resistance activities and was executed shortly before the fall of the Nazis.

Question 27

What did Clemens August von Galen protest against?

Answer 27

Nazi racial policies and euthanasia of people with disabilities ## Footnote His protests forced the Nazis to keep the killings secret.

Question 28

What was the Edelweiss Pirates?

Answer 28

Groups of rebellious youths opposing Nazi values ## Footnote They helped army deserters and distributed anti-Nazi leaflets.

Question 29

What actions did the Edelweiss Pirates take against the Nazis?

Answer 29

Helped army deserters and distributed anti-Nazi leaflets ## Footnote Many members were arrested, and some were publicly hanged.

Question 30

Who were the Swing Kids?

Answer 30

Groups of young people rebelling against Nazi cultural control ## Footnote They engaged in activities considered 'degenerate' by the regime.

Question 31

What kind of activities did the Swing Kids engage in?

Answer 31

Listening to American music and drinking alcohol ## Footnote They were seen as a nuisance by the Nazis.

Question 32

Did the opposition to the Nazis threaten their dominance?

Answer 32

No, it did not threaten their dominance ## Footnote Opposition kept the Gestapo busy tracking down dissidents.

Question 33

What is considered 'low level' opposition to the Nazis?

Answer 33

Grumbling about the government and spreading rumors ## Footnote This type of opposition was risky but not always seen as genuine.

Question 34

Fill in the blank: The Nazis had banned the _______ and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Answer 34

Communist Party (KPD)

Question 35

True or False: The Edelweiss Pirates were initially taken seriously as a threat by the Nazis.

Answer 35

False ## Footnote The Nazis initially ignored them until they began distributing anti-Nazi leaflets.

Question 36

What role did the Nazis believe women should have?

Answer 36

Women were expected to be homemakers, raise large families, and support their families at home ## Footnote The Nazis discouraged women from having too much freedom and sought to limit their professional opportunities.

Question 37

What was the impact of the worker shortage after 1937 on women's employment?

Answer 37

More women had to go back to work ## Footnote This was due to a shortage of workers as men were recruited for military service.

Question 38

In what year were women banned from being lawyers in Nazi Germany?

Answer 38

1936 ## Footnote The Nazis aimed to restrict women's participation in various professions.

Question 39

What did the League of German Maidens promote?

Answer 39

The idea that it was an honour for 'Aryan' women to produce large families for Germany ## Footnote Awards were given to women for having large families.

Question 40

What were the physical characteristics of the ideal 'Aryan' German woman according to Nazi ideology?

Answer 40

Tall, blonde hair, and blue eyes ## Footnote These traits were propagated as part of the Nazi racial ideology.

Question 41

What subjects were girls encouraged to study in Nazi schools?

Answer 41

Cookery and domestic skills ## Footnote They were also encouraged to choose 'Aryan' husbands.

Question 42

What was one major public works program initiated by Hitler?

Answer 42

The construction of autobahns (motorways) ## Footnote This program helped to reduce unemployment.

Question 43

Who could be recruited into the National Labour Service?

Answer 43

All men between 18 and 25 ## Footnote This recruitment aimed to provide jobs and reduce unemployment.

Question 44

What was the effect of military conscription on unemployment?

Answer 44

It contributed to further falls in unemployment ## Footnote Conscription increased the workforce available for military and industrial production.

Question 45

What did the Nazis do with unemployment statistics?

Answer 45

They fiddled with the statistics to make unemployment appear lower ## Footnote They excluded women and Jewish people from the official counts.

Question 46

What was the purpose of the 'Strength through Joy' scheme?

Answer 46

To provide workers with cheap holidays and leisure activities ## Footnote This scheme aimed to improve workers' morale and loyalty to the regime.

Question 47

What was the Volkswagen also known as?

Answer 47

The 'people's car' ## Footnote It symbolized the luxury that workers could aspire to own.

Question 48

What did the 'Beauty of Labour' scheme encourage?

Answer 48

Improvement of conditions for workers in factories ## Footnote This was aimed at enhancing the workplace environment.

Question 49

What was the meaning of Volksgemeinschaft?

Answer 49

A community of people working hard towards the same aims ## Footnote It emphasized collective effort and unity among the German people.

Question 50

How did the cost of living change during the Nazi regime?

Answer 50

It rose by about 25% ## Footnote Despite this rise, wages did not increase correspondingly.

Question 51

What rights did workers lose under the Nazis?

Answer 51

The right to strike or resign ## Footnote This was part of the control exerted by the Nazi regime over the workforce.

Question 52

How did small businesses fare under the Nazi regime?

Answer 52

They had to pay high taxes ## Footnote Despite some advancements, small-business owners faced financial pressures.

Question 53

True or False: Many Germans felt genuinely better off under the Nazis despite some hardships.

Answer 53

True ## Footnote Life under the Nazis felt better for many due to the context of the preceding Depression.

Question 54

What was a key to Nazi success regarding youth?

Answer 54

Controlling the minds of German youth ## Footnote This involved loyalty from young people to ensure the Nazis remained strong.

Question 55

What was the purpose of youth movements under the Nazis?

Answer 55

To teach children Nazi ideas so they would be loyal to the Nazi Party when they grew up ## Footnote This was essential for the longevity of Nazi influence.

Question 56

When was the Hitler Youth founded?

Answer 56

1926 ## Footnote It became nearly compulsory in 1936 and lasted until 1945.

Question 57

What activities did boys in the Hitler Youth participate in?

Answer 57

* Wearing military-style uniforms * Physical exercise * Camping trips * Sports competitions ## Footnote High-achieving boys might also be sent to Hitler Schools.

Question 58

What was the League of German Maidens?

Answer 58

The female branch of the Hitler Youth aimed at girls aged between fourteen and eighteen ## Footnote It focused on training girls in domestic skills and offered some physical activities.

Question 59

What skills were taught to girls in the League of German Maidens?

Answer 59

* Sewing * Cooking ## Footnote They also participated in camping and hiking.

Question 60

What happened to other youth organizations after 1936?

Answer 60

They were banned ## Footnote This made it almost impossible for children to avoid joining the Hitler Youth.

Question 61

What was the focus of education in Nazi Germany?

Answer 61

Learning Nazi propaganda ## Footnote Most teachers joined the Nazi Teachers' Association and were trained in Nazi methods.

Question 62

What subjects were rewritten in Nazi schools?

Answer 62

* Biology * History ## Footnote Biology taught that Jewish people were inferior, while history claimed Jews and communists caused Germany's defeat in WWI.

Question 63

How did physical education change in Nazi Germany?

Answer 63

It became more important for boys to prepare them for joining the army ## Footnote This sometimes included playing games with live ammunition.

Question 64

What was a common phrase children had to say daily in Nazi Germany?

Answer 64

'Heil Hitler!' ## Footnote Children were required by law to say it multiple times a day.

Question 65

What happened to Jewish lecturers and teachers in universities and schools?

Answer 65

They were dismissed ## Footnote This included the burning of anti-Nazi and Jewish books.

Question 66

How did members of the Hitler Youth contribute during the Second World War?

Answer 66

* Air defence work * Farm work * Collecting donations for Nazi charities ## Footnote Many ended up fighting alongside adults towards the end of the war.

Question 67

What were Hitler Youth members known for during the war?

Answer 67

Being fierce and fanatical fighters ## Footnote Their involvement reflected the Nazis' attempts to impose ideology on children.

Question 68

True or False: The Nazis' attempts to impose their ideology on children were always effective.

Answer 68

False ## Footnote There were unofficial youth movements that resisted Hitler and the Nazis.

Question 69

What did the Nazis believe about the 'Aryans'?

Answer 69

Nazis believed that Germans were members of a superior ancient race called 'Aryans' ## Footnote This belief led to the oppression of those deemed 'inferior', especially Jewish people.

Question 70

Who did Hitler consider 'inferior' and sought to remove from Germany?

Answer 70

Hitler considered Jewish people and other groups like Roma, Sinti, and Slavs as 'inferior' ## Footnote He aimed to 'cleanse' the German population of these groups.

Question 71

What actions were taken against Jewish people by the Nazis?

Answer 71

Jewish people were targeted through various means, including: * Sent to concentration camps * Murdered or sterilised * Banned from jobs and schools * Forced to sell businesses * Stripped of citizenship rights

Question 72

What were the Nuremberg Laws?

Answer 72

The Nuremberg Laws were laws that removed legal rights from Jewish people and defined them as biologically different from 'Aryan' Germans ## Footnote They were enacted in 1935.

Question 73

What did the Nuremberg Laws prohibit?

Answer 73

The Nuremberg Laws prohibited: * Jewish people from being German citizens * Marriage between Jews and non-Jews * Sexual relationships between Jews and non-Jews

Question 74

What event is referred to as 'Kristallnacht'?

Answer 74

'Kristallnacht' refers to the 'Night of the Broken Glass' on November 9-10, 1938, when anti-Jewish riots occurred across Germany ## Footnote Thousands of Jewish shops were vandalized and synagogues were burned.

Question 75

What was the result of Kristallnacht for Jewish people?

Answer 75

Following Kristallnacht, thousands of Jewish people were arrested and sent to concentration camps ## Footnote It marked a turning point in the Nazi persecution of Jews.

Question 76

True or False: The violence during Kristallnacht was spontaneous and unplanned.

Answer 76

False ## Footnote The events were actually planned and organized by the Nazi government.

Question 77

Fill in the blank: The Nazis' racial policies aimed to ______ Jewish people from the rest of society.

Answer 77

[isolate]

Question 78

What was the purpose of the SA-organized boycott of Jewish businesses in April 1933?

Answer 78

The purpose was to initiate violence against Jewish people and businesses ## Footnote This violence was not well-received by the German public, leading to a shift in tactics.

Question 79

What was the role of Himmler regarding homosexuality during the Nazi regime?

Answer 79

Himmler, Head of the SS, began the Central Office for the Combating of Homosexuality and Abortion in 1936 ## Footnote This led to the persecution of homosexual people.

Question 80

By 1938, what restrictions were placed on Jewish children in Germany?

Answer 80

All Jewish children were banned from attending German schools ## Footnote This was part of the broader policy to exclude Jewish people from public life.