Opposition Flashcards
(35 cards)
Brief context/ why so little internal opposition
Hitler did not size power in January 1933- up until 1933 population vote was volatile - vote climbed in 5 years from 2.65 in 1928 to 37.3% in July 1932-at time height of economic depression and political crisis- but didn’t maintain steep incline still failed to get majority 5th March 1933 but still largest party- following 12 years popularity first soared w/ economic recovery and foreign policy success- also apparatus of repression and terror to ensure conformity- but with reversal of fortunes in war- support declined-
Why so little internal opposition p2
-Propaganda- look at flashcards- bring media (press, film, radio etc) under Nazi control- especially during war- couldn’t escape- radio broadcasts in public places eg cafes/ squares- also controlled building design- Speer designing towns for ‘master race’ and art- look at themes shown in propaganda
- Hitler myth- used Hitlers role as charismatic Fuhrer- projected as saviour figure - even if people annoyed at other Nazi figures many would console selves with ‘if only the Fuhrer knew’ all would be set to rights- myth crafted by Hitler stayed clear of day to day policy but focussed on body language and how power is enacted at public presentations
Why so little internal opposition- terror- SA
Violence= integral part of Hitlers rise to power- brown shirted SA- beat up political opponents on streets/ contributed greatly to chaos of closing months for Weimar Republic- chaos which Hitler promised to solve- ‘solution’= outlawing political opponents and ‘legalise’ only Nazi use of force- - within weeks a system of informal prisons was set up- mainly for communists/ socialists - first more permanent camp= Dachau- - had much publicity and generally favourable actions- major balance of forces came with NOLK- needed backing of general army- Ernst Rohm/ other SA leaders assassinated along with around 85-200 other individuals - army gavve oath- later used to justify obedience- public largely either supportive or too scared to speak out- also look at SS/ Gestapo in notes
Other forms of terror
RSHA- Reich Security Main Office- headed by Heydrich- internal organisation of expansion of SS- specialised with different units in charge of concentration camps, economic enterprises, educational and reproductive centres-
also elite military units and Einsatzgruppen
Once SS had taken over camp system, smaller ‘wild camps’= closed and further camps established- while Dachau mainly held political prisoners- other camps expanded to ‘asocials’ and ‘habitual criminals’ but also anyone who didn’t conform despite breaking none of the new laws- major targets for SS from 1941= Jews
Dissent/ non conformity in everyday life
Peasants grumbled about Entailed farm law Sept 29 1933- land inherited whole- not divided- -workers sometimes engaged in unofficial strikes but lack of consistent opposition - but periodic grumbling= generally compatible with support for new developments eg foreign policy success such as anschluss- yet those who showed greater opposition
July bomb plot
Plot leaders= Ludwig Beck, Major Greneral Hemming Von Treskow, Colonel Geenral Freidrich Olbricht and several high ranking officers- Erwin Rommel (prestigious commander) agreed with removing Hitler from power but took no part in asassination attempt-ze Count Schenk von Stauffenberg took one for team- injured soldier- wouldn’t be called for combat/ had access to Hitler with meetings on a regular basis-
July bomb plot p2
July 20- Stauffenberg left bomb in briefcase in conference room
at Wolfschanze field headquarters- witnessed explosion at 12:42 pm and flew to Berlin to join plotters - but staff had moved briefcase and blast was shielded from Hitler due to table in way/ only half explosives being detonated- plotters meanwhile had acted on signal in Berlin- enacting Valkerie which they altered to make sure army take over- so rounded up 180-200 plotters shot/ hanged- opposed as felt war was turning toward defeat- after asassination would plan coup d’etat- millitary elites unseat Hitler- wanted to get more favourable peace terms with allies- also Stauffenberg saw atrocities on eastern front
Oskar Schindler
Past involvement- born in Czech, when Hitler wanted to take control of Czech- joined the Nazis- became traitor- 1938- became spy for Germany in Czech- arrested but released when Nazis invaded- helped Hitler invade Poland and became industrialist in Krakow as a reward- but began to oppose as saw children in the creche being sent to Auschwitz whilst parents were working, hated seeing people hurt unjustifiably, formed relations with many of his Jewish workers and became dissolusioned to Nazi ideology
Oskar Schindler p2
How did Schindler oppose- to save Jewish people from persecution would hire them into his factory to shield them from the abuse - would give nearly full packets of cigarettes on desks which they could use to sell to get food- also created Schindler’s list- list of Jewish workers he claimed were essential to his factory- saving them from death- 1200 Jews saved
Opposition protestant church
Motivation- Nazis created own church called Reich Church- did this by merging a collection of Protestant churches- allowed Nazi flags hung up inside the church and created their own Nazified version of the lords prayer- aim to promote Nazi ideas through church- attempted to stop use of old testament as they saw it to be Jewish- also decided that anyone who was baptised Christian but had Jewish descent was Jewish-
Protestant church p2
demonstrated opposition by Martin Neimoller forming confessional church along with many other protestant churches to oppose Reich church in October 1934 stated anyone baptised Christian was Christian no matter descent - members did not always oppose Nazism and were often members but believed gov should not interfere with faith practices -Confessional church had around 5000 clergy. Member Dietrich Bonhoffer openly condemned Fuhrerprinzip which he regarded as hostile toward Christianity in 1933- later linked to assassination attempt in 1945-
Protestant church p3
Impact= practise faith without it being tainted but on 1st July 1937 confessional church shut down/ banned- early on into creation Neimoller and 2 other religious pastors met w/ Hitler- affirmed support for Hitlers foreign/ domestic policy but asked to disagree with religious policy- Hitler made them sign oath of unconditional loyalty to him- Neimoller didn’t sign- targeted- held in camp 1937-45. Deitrich Bonhoffer executed April 5th 1945- estimated 800 of 17000 protestant pastors arrested and 50% of those given major prison sentences
Catholic church
Motivation- emphasised dignity of human person, importance of family and necessity of moral order guided by god’s law- but Nazi regime wanted to control all aspects of public/ private life demanding total loyalty to state and leader- Totallitarian vision clashed with Catholic belief in autonomy of church and moral right of individuals- opposition= complex- Vatican and some Church leaders criticised for not being more outspoken many actively resistance- including public condemnations, diplomatic interventions, clandestine support for persecuted
Catholic church impact p2
Galen became prominent opponent of Euthanasia programme which involved systematic killing of disabled, elderly and those deemed ‘unfit’ by regime- he led Catholic protest against euthanasia and denounced Gestapo lawlessness and persecution of Church in Nazi Germany- also those involved in White Rose was part of Catholic opposition- Nazi reaction- tried to suppress and discredit church via violence, intimidation and censorship- also careful not to push too far- especially w/ high profile figures eg Galen- saw Church as formidable institution- not easily controlled also one of biggest allies= Italy/ Austria= predominantly Catholic- so not able to fully silence
SOPADE
Operated Prague 1933-38, Paris 38-40 and London 40-45- non violent opposition- use of propaganda and allied forces- motive- 1933 Hitler came to power and SPD= banned after voting enabling act of 1933- from then on underground in exile- opposition- created document known as Prague manifesto 1934- penned by Rudolf Hilferding- called to overthrow Hitler/ Nazi regime- had job of maintaining illegal party structures- supporting political persecution and educating people about Nazi dictatorship - SOPADE printed brochures/ newspapers ‘Neue Vorwarts’ to oppose-1934 to 1940 reached circulations between 500 and 1700 copies- achieved via use of border secretariats= crucial for communication/ smuggling info- also short lived group- Red Shock group and new beginnings
SOPADE- Nazi reaction
Red Shock group arrested by Gestapo and imprisoned in camps in Dec 1933 and New Beginnings were under pressure from Gestapo and eventually ended up arrested in 1935-38- Social Democratic politician and trade unionist Wilhelm Leuschner= executed after assassination attempt on Hitler in 1944 - still lots of Social Democrats and trade Unions didn’t give up in opposition- however due to terror- torture, murder, camps only small minority willing to resist - SPD re-established 1945 after allied occupants allowed 4 parties to be established
Georg Elser
Was carpenter, factory worker and communist who attempted to assasinate Hitler and other high ranking Nazis on the 8th Nov 1939 like Goebbels and Himmler at Burgerbraukeller beer hall- Hitler and Nazis celebrated 16th anniversary of Munich Beer Hall Putsch- Elser had opposed the Nazi regime since 1933- refused to do Hitler salute and listen to radio speeches - until 1933 had voted for KPD- hoped death of Hitler would disrupt Nazi Party- stop impending war
Georg Elser p2
Year before attempt went to 15th anniversary of Munich Beer Hall Putsch to find best way to complete assassination attempt- stole clock components and explosive material from factory that he worked in to build bomb- hid bomb in hollowed out column behind speakers podium which he hollowed weeks leading up to attempt- speech delivered by Hitler 8 Sept 1939- but Hitler left 13 mins before bomb detonated due to forecasted fog- had to leave for Berlin early- - failed to eliminate Hitler but showed internal opposition= possible- did end up killing 7- 5 of which= long term Nazi supporters
Georg Elser consequences
Initially officials suspected British wanting to undermine Hitler but Elser caught attempting to cross border to Switzerland - confessed after torture by Himmler- at first kept prisoner in Berlin Gestapo Headquarters- more torture- Gestapo refused to believe he acted alone until they had Elser reconstruct bomb- design incorporated into Gestapo training guides- Hitler wanted Elser for show trial after war- held at Dachau camp 1941-45- given extra rations as ‘special interest prisoner’ but executed just weeks before end of war- day after bombing SS guards at Buchenwald killed 21 Jews and deprived all Jews of food for 3 days
Swing Youth
Reason- rejected system but weren’t political- more about expressing selves as teenagers than resisting regime- methods- first members appeared around 1935 in Hamburg, Berlin and Frankfurt- shared a love for swing music and Anglo American culture - danced in private quarters and rented halls - wore British and American styles Boys wore Union Jack pins as well as oversised sports jackets, girls wore makeup, polish and kept hair long and not in German style braids- dances considered vulgar and used English slang like ‘Old hot boy’ and greeted with ‘Swing Heil’ not ‘sieg Heil’- also engaged in confrontations wth HJ members- while not overtly political did support allies in war- listened to banned BBC broadcasts
Swing youth p2
Nazi reaction- over time swing youth became more political just by existing even if they didn’t perceive themselves that way Nazi authorities certainly perceived it that way- despite raids/ arrests swing youth kept going- worried Nazi officials- January 26th 1942 Himmler ordered all ringleaders, teachers and supporters be sent to concentration camps- believed extreme measures needed especially during wartime-
Swing youth p3- what happened to them
Treatment varied by location- Vienna police began raiding swing youth events in March 1940- between Oct 1940 and Dec 1942- 383 arrested in Hamburg- some released after hair cut and jazz records seized, others sent to front lines- political leaders sent to concentration camps/ Jewish swing kids like Coco Shuman faced horrors of holocaust- police repression in 1941-42 sparked second wave of swing kids- much more politically aware eg distributed anti-fascist propaganda- overall provided whole new culture/ escape from wartime but after wartime swing youth’s immersion in jazz ended.
Edelweiss pirates p1
Part of German youth movement which emerged late 1930s aged mainly 14-17 had ‘eternal war on HJ’ and league of German girls- aware of indoctrination that occurred in paramilitary youth schemes/ lack of freedom of expression- also opposed authoritarianism in Nazi regime- opposed by-non conformity-left school at 14 so could avoid HJ but also avoiding conscription of army - beat HJ members up- received anti Nazi propaganda and posting it through letterboxes- also provided aid to army deserters
