Nazi dictatorship Flashcards
(22 cards)
describe administrative anarchy
-sectors of government had to fight for resources/attention from hitler
-hitler preoccupied with military strategy but unwilling to delegate control
-senior nazis failed to bring order
-committee of three brought senior figures but only met 11 times in 1943 as hitler limited their power
describe faction fighting
-bormann (hitler’s secretary) used his power to deny goebbels and goering access to hitler
-bormann and goebbels used their power to ensure hitler turned against himmler/goering
what did himmler and the SS to create an effective government
-1934-39 ran concentration camps to remove ‘asocials’
-waffen SS grew from 100,000 men in 1942 to over 900,000 men in 1944
-ran death camps e.g. treblinka, auschwitz
-took over admin in occupied territory
-polish and ukrainians seen as ‘helotenvolk’, they provided cheap labour
-reduced schooling for ‘helotenvolk’ so they can only carry out nazi work and nothing more
-extracted raw materials from occupied territories
describe nazi government in 1945
-more fragmented when allied invaded
-bombing raids meant ministries had to evacuate so disrupted admin
-april+may destruction of roads and power supplies affected communication
what were main elements of disintegration of government
-administrative anarchy
-faction fighting
-lawlessness/radicalisation
-ganleiter
what did otto dietrich say about the regime
Otto Dietrich- “In the twelve years of his rule in Germany, Hitler produced the biggest confusion in Government that has ever existed.”
what organisations were there that causes chaos and disoganisation and when were they made
1936
Ministries, Nazi party departments, Supreme Reich Authorities
what were consequences of too many departments/organisations
-conflict/chaos
-e.g. ministry of economics encouraged trade in south america, 4 yr plan organisation didnt want trade so could focus on rearmament/autarky
what type of leadership was in the nazi regime
fuhrerprinzip - leadership principle
-leaders would set direction without discussion
-fanatical nazis see hitler as ubermensch (unique genius) so hitlers will was superior to policies emerged from democracy
what was a prerogative state
-hitler abandoned rule of law so hitler could do whatever he wanted
what an example of when hitler made something illegal - seem legal
-wanted to keep up idea that Hitler’s choices are legal
passed laws that made his acts legal
-e.g. Night of Long
knives illegal but then passed law to make it legal
-Law Regarding Measures of State Self-Defence
what law made night of long knives legal
Law Regarding Measures of State Self-Defence
what were consequences of a prerogative state
chaotic - in government based on leaders prerogatives,
no clear limit to government power (clear rules defining how to operate
power Iimitless- Hitler could act arbitrarily
whats an example of personal rivalries
1933-34 himmler and goering worked well together, goering appointed him head of gestapo
-end of 1934 himmler and heydrich collabed to end goerings supervision of the gestapo
-1936 goering lost control after meeting hitler
whats cumulative radicalisation
-as hitler the main leader, people wanted to impress him by making policies that would win his favour and to safeguard their position
-e.g. harsher antisemitic policies
what are examples of cumulative radicalisation
-1937 Goering’s policy of Aryanisation-stipped their wealth
-1938 Heydrich SD programme of forced emigration
-1938 Goebbels persuaded Hitler to allow SA street killing of Jeers -) Kristallnacht
-1938 Goering process of Anyoursation -755 forced Jens into Ghettos
what phrase describes senior nazis trying to kiss up to hitler
working towards the fuhrer
describe hitler’s personality
-disliked formal meetings, only met 4 times in 1936, 1938 no meetings
-unwilling to to discuss detailed policies
-left the economics side to schacht, hitler more involved in foreign policy e.g. declared war, remilitarisation of rhineland
describe hitlers of rejection of formality
-1933 refused to chair any government committees
-preferred to communicate verbally, more difficult to discuss with him
-senior nazis wanted clear rules to coordinate but hitler didnt want
why did hitler allow chaos
-allowed him to rule easier
-faction fighting made nazis busy, no one could challenge him
-heightened authority, only he coud settle disputes
-thought faction fighting good as it brings fit ones above and weak go under, leads to evolution of better system / social darwinism
describe non interventionist aspect of hitlers leadership
-rarely used power to intervene day-to-day issues
-e.g. night of long knives didnt do anything until there was a crisis when he intervened
