Part 3 : The experience of Germans under the Nazis Flashcards
(180 cards)
1
Q
when hitler came to power in 1933, how many germans were unemployed?
A
over six million
2
Q
what did the nazis set up to get the germans back to work?
A
a number of schemes, programmes and organisations
3
Q
the national labour service (RAD)
A
- all men aged between 18 and 25 had to spend six months in the RAD
- they planted forests, mended hedges and dug drainage ditches on farms
- wore uniforms and lived in camps, but were given free meals and a small wage
4
Q
public work schemes
A
- a new network of autobahns (motorways) to link germany’s major towns and cities was built
- this gave work to nearly 100,000 people
- new schools and hospitals were built, creating even more jobs
5
Q
rearmament
A
- nazis ordered the rearmament of germany to rebuild its armed forces
- new tanks, battleships, fighter planes and guns were built, creating thousands of jobs
- huge government arms contracts made factory owners and industrial bosses a fortune
- conscription introduced in 1935
6
Q
when was conscription introduced?
A
1935
7
Q
what did the conscription introduced in 1935 state?
A
- all males aged between 18 and 25 had to join the armed forces for at least two years
- within five years, the army grew from 100,000 to 1,400,000, creating even more jobs
8
Q
unemployment rate in 1934
A
4.0 million
9
Q
unemployment rate in 1935
A
3.0 million
10
Q
unemployment rate in 1936
A
2.5 million
11
Q
unemployment rate in 1937
A
1.8 million
12
Q
unemployment rate in 1938
A
1.1 million
13
Q
DAF (german labour front)
A
- replaced trade unions
- strikes now illegal, workers needed permission to leave jobs
- promised to protect workers’ rights and improve conditions
- ran two schemes to improve germans’ lives : SDA and KDF
14
Q
two schemes run by the DAF to improve germans’ lives
A
- SDA - beauty of labour
- KDF - strength through joy
15
Q
SDA - beauty of labour
A
- tried to improve the workplace by installing better lighting, safety equipment, new washrooms, low-cost canteens and sports facilities
16
Q
KDF - strength through joy
A
- organised leisure activities to encourage hard work
- had a reward scheme with cheap holidays, theatre trips and football match tickets if workers met targets
17
Q
the DAF also had a scheme to help workers….
A
save for a car
18
Q
DAF’S scheme to help workers save for a car
A
- hitler himself helped design an affordable ‘people’s car’ - a volkswagen
- however, despite inspiring many people to work and save hard, the scheme was a swindle
- no ordinary germans ever received a car
- instead the money used to build more weapons
19
Q
what was one of the ways the nazis created jobs?
A
by sacking people like jews
20
Q
although the KDF did provide rewards for workers…
A
some holidays were still too expensive for most working-class germans
21
Q
self-sufficiency meant that…
A
food also cost more than it used to as self-sufficiency meant that germany was trying not to rely on foreign imports and with less food in the shops, shopkeepers charged more because of the high demand
22
Q
who was appointed as minister of economics when hitler came to power in 1933?
A
schacht
23
Q
the economy under schacht
A
- realised that imports of raw materials like iron, steel, rubber and wood were needed to build more weapons
- he signed deals with countries in south america and south-east europe to supply raw materials in return for german goods
24
Q
for a short time, economy under schacht…
A
went well
25
why was schacht sacked?
- germany was still dependent on foreign raw materials and changes were too slow for hitler
26
who was schacht replaced by?
goering
27
what did goering introduce in 1936?
the four-year plan
28
when was the four-year plan introduced?
1936
29
four-year plan
- to increase military production
- high targets set and met in industries such as steel and the production of explosives
- however, targets were not met in other key industries such as oil production
30
germany still needed foreign raw materials after the four-year plan so...
goering tried to make germany self-sufficient
31
by making germany self-sufficient....
the nazis hoped to stop being reliant on foreign goods
32
how would germany achieve self-sufficiency?
by finding alternatives to the things the country needed, or develop artificial substitutes
33
german scientists found ways to make...
- petrol from coal
- artificial wool from wood pulp
- make-up from flour
- coffee from acorns
34
how much of the german population was involved in agriculture and forestry?
around 30 %
35
good for farmers after hitler came to power
- farmers' taxes were reduced
- farmers could not be thrown off their land if they got into debt
- to keep farms large and controlled by the same families, farmers could not divide land between their children
- this was popular with some farmers as it meant farms would be secure for generations
36
bad for farmers after hitler came to power
- some farmers did not like the law that prevented the division of farms because their children had to look for jobs in cities instead
- in the late 1930s, the nazis controlled food prices
37
how did the second world war go at the beginning?
went well for germany - news from the war zones was always good as german forces won one great battle after another
38
ww2
1939-45
39
when did things begin to go bad for germany in the second world war?
- after defeat at the battle of stalingrad in russia, german forces were pushed back on the eastern front
- there were defeats elsewhere too, and then america joined on britain and russia's side
40
at the beginning of 1944, germany was facing...
defeat and life at home had become very hard for ordinary germans
41
factors of hardship on the home front
- rationing
- total war
- labour shortages
- bombing and refugees
42
rationing
- supplies were needed for soldiers, so there were severe food shortages
43
egs of rationing
- by nov 1939, food and clothing were rationed and people were limited to one egg per week
- goods like soap and toilet paper were in v short supply
- hot water rationed to two days per week
44
total war
- 1942
- albert speer = armaments minister
- organised the country for total war
- meant that everything was focused on making weapons and growing food for soliders
- anything that didn't contribute to the war was stopped
45
what was stopped as a result of preparing for total war?
- beer halls (pubs), dance halls and sweet shops were closed
- letter boxes were boarded up
- factories stayed open longer
46
who was made armaments minister in 1942?
albert speer
47
labour shortages
- women drafted in to work in factories as men were fighting the war
- by 1944, around seven million foreign workers had been brought in to work as slave labour in factories and came from the countries germany had conquered
48
how many foreign workers were brought in by 1944?
around seven million
49
bombing and refugees
- from 1942, britain and america began bombing german cities
- no electricity, water or transport in many german cities
- thousands lost their homes
- thousands more left their homes to find safety as refugees
50
from which year did britain and america begin bombing german cities?
from 1942
51
the nazis believed that if young people were...
brought up to believe in nazi ideas, they would become good nazis who would never rebel against the regime
52
teachers under the nazi regime
- teachers had to join the german teachers league
- teachers had to teach what the nazis wanted or be sacked
53
school subjects under the nazi regime
- every subject was used to put forward nazi propaganda and beliefs
- in history, students learned how badly germany was treated after the first world war
54
under the nazis, textbooks were....
rewritten to present nazi beliefs as facts
55
what was taught in schools?
- eugenics
- race studies
- students were taught that the aryan race was superior to others
56
what became important for boys to be educated in in nazi germany?
- PE
- to prepare boys for the army
57
what became important for girls to be taught in nazi germany?
- domestic skills
- such as cooking and sewing
- to prepare them for their roles as wives and mothers
58
what happened to students identified as potential future nazi leaders?
- sent to special academies known as 'Napolas'
- national political educational institutions
59
universities had to change their....
courses to reflect what the nazis believed
60
university professors under the nazis
- hand-picked by the nazis
- many lecturers were sacked, either for racial or political reasons
61
university lecturers by 1939
over 3000 had been dismissed
62
what did all university students have to do?
train as soldiers for a month each year
63
what was set up as part of hitler's campaign to indoctrinate the young with nazi beliefs?
- the hitler youth organisation
64
65
when were all other youth groups banned?
- 1933
66
number of members in HYO in 1933?
- 7.5 million
- 2.3 million aged 10-18
67
membership of HYO in 1939?
- membership made compulsory
- 8.8 million members
- 7.2 million of those aged 10-18
68
german boys under the nazi regime
- boys went to hitler youth meetings several times a week after school, and to special weekend camps every month
- taught how to march, fight with knives, fire a gun and keep fit
- activities were based on competition, struggle, heroism and leadership
- nazis wanted to prepare the boys for their future role as soldiers
69
german girls under the nazi regime
- emphasis on how to keep fit, cook good meals and care for babies to prepare for motherhood
- went on tough marches and attended weekend camps
70
religion of most germans
christian
71
why did the nazis and christianity clash?
- because the beliefs and values of christianity were very different from those of the nazis
- traditional christianity did not prosper under nazi rule
72
germany's christians : 2 main groups
- 20 million catholics
- 40 million protestants
73
what fraction of germany's population were catholics?
1/3
74
what fraction of germany's population were protestants?
2/3
75
key differences between nazism and christianity
- nazis though strength and violence were glorious whereas most christians believe in love and forgiveness
- nazis hated the weak and the vulnerable whereas christians helped the weak and the vulnerable
- nazis believed that some races were superior to others whereas christians believe that all people are equal in god's eyes
- hitler was a god-like figure for the nazis whereas christians believed in god and the teachings of jesus christ
76
why did some christians support nazis?
- nazis believed in the importance of marriage, the family, and moral values and most christians believe in the importance of these too
- hitler had sworn to destroy communism which appealed to christians because communism was anti-religious
- hitler promised to respect the church
77
hitler and the catholic church in 1933
- concordat with the Pope said that the catholic church and the nazis wouldn't interfere with each other
- at first, hitler cooperated with the catholic leaders
78
what happened after the concordat between hitler and the catholic church?
- hitler broke this agreement
- catholic priests were harrassed and arrested and the catholic youth clubs and schools were closed down
79
hitler and the catholic church in 1937
- 1937 - pope issued his 'with burning anxiety' statement
- read out in catholic churches across germany
- said the nazis were 'hostile to christ and his church'
80
what did the Pope issue in 1937?
- his 'with burning anxiety' statement
81
even after the Pope's 'with burning anxiety' statement....
nazis continued to persecute catholic priests
82
hitler and the catholic church in august 1941
- catholic archbishop galen (one of germany's best-known religious leaders) openly criticised the nazis
- he was put under house arrest until the end of the war
83
nazis and german protestants
- he was admired by some protestants, known as 'german christians' who wanted to see their church under nazi control
- however, some protestants were totally opposed to the nazis
84
german christians
- protestants who admired hitler
- their leader - ludwig muller
- became the first 'Reich bishop' of the German christians in sep 1933
- they often wore nazi uniforms
85
slogan often used by the german christians
'the swastika on or chests and the cross in our hearts'
86
the confessional church
- group of protestants who were totally opposed to the nazis
- formed by pastor martin niemoller
- openly criticised the nazis
87
nazis and the confessional church
- nazis arrested around 800 pastors of the confessional church
- niemoller was sent to a concentration camp and the confessional church was banned
88
other religious groups against the nazis
- jehovah's witnesses
- the salvation army
- christian scientists
- the seventh day adventist church
- jewish people
89
jehovah's witnesses
- pacifists
- refused to serve in the army
- 1/3 of germany's jehovah's witnesses were killed in concentration camps
90
the salvation army, christian scientists and the seventh day adventist church
were also persecuted
91
jewish people
suffered relentless persecution in nazi germany
92
hitler believed that germans were...
the 'superior' master race - aryans
93
which groups were classed as 'inferior' in nazi germany?
- jews
- gypsies
- slavs
- black
- indian people
94
what did hitler want to do with the 'inferior' groups ?
he wanted to cleanse germany of these people
95
how did hitler cleanse germany of the 'inferior' groups?
- nazis began to persecute and later, murder members of these groups
- over half a million gypsies and over six million jews from across europe died in death camps in the years up to 1945
96
who were the 'undesirables'?
- hitler's term for people with mental and physical disabilities and those who did not, in his view contribute to society
- he believed they weakened germany and he wanted to get rid of them to create a stronger nation
97
what did the nazis do to the 'undesirables'?
- around 350,000 physically and mentally disabled people were forcibly sterilised by the nazis
- from 1939, nazis began to kill them
- about 200,000 people, including 5000 children were murdered in specifically built 'nursing homes'
98
who else, apart from 'undesirables' and the 'inferior' groups were sent to concentration camps in 1933 ?
- half a million homeless people
- beggars
- alcoholics
- thousands of prostitutes, homosexuals and 'problem' families were sent to the camps too
99
what would happen in concentration camps?
many were worked to death
100
categories of early nazi policies against jews
- shops
- laws
- school
- work
- kristallnacht
101
nazi policies against jews: shops
- from jan 1934, all jewish shops were marked with a yellow star of david or the word juden
- soldiers stood outside shops turning people away
102
nazi policies against jews: laws
- the nuremburg laws of 1935
- banned marriages between jews and non-jews
- german citizenship was also removed
103
nazi policies against jews: school
- jewish children were forced out of german state schools
- eugenics (race studies) was introduced in schools
104
nazi policies against jews: work
- from march 1933 - all jewish lawyers, judges, teachers (and later doctors) were sacked
105
nazi policies against jews: kristallnacht
- november 1938
- jewish homes, synagogues, and businesses were attacked all over germany and austria
- around 100 jews killed
- 20,000 sent to concentration camps
106
when was kristallnacht?
november 1938
107
how many jews were killed in kristallnacht?
100
108
how many jews were sent to conc camps in kristallnacht?
20,000
109
persecution of jews when war broke out in 1939
- jews were rounded up in some of the countries under nazi occupation and forced to live in ghettos in major cities, or work in labour camps
- execution squads went out into the countryside and shot or gassed jews
110
what was the 'final solution'?
- death camps
- planned at the wannsee conference in 1942 by nazi leaders
- the mass murder of every jew in nazi-controlled territory
111
who oversaw the 'final solution'?
heinrich himmler, head of the SS
112
how many death camps were to be built as part of the final solution?
6
113
death/extermination camps
- contained gas chambers to carry out the murders
- large crematoriums to burn the bodies
114
jews killed as a result of the death camps
around six million
115
name given to nazi attempt to wipe out the jewish race
the holocaust
116
who else were killed in these death camps?
thousands of:
- gypsies
- homosexuals
- political opponents
- the disabled
- any other groups whom the nazis considered unfit to live
117
jewish resistance
- some jews fought back
- formed resistance groups, attacked german soldiers and blew up railway lines that the germans were using
118
ghetto resistance
- in some ghettos there was resistance
- warsaw ghetto uprising of 1943
- lasted 43 days
119
death camp rebellions
- occasional
- in treblinka camp - 1943 - 15 guards killed and 150 prisoners escaped
120
what did germany become after 1933?
a police state
121
what was a police state?
a country where the police and other organisations linked to the police are very powerful and act on behalf of the government
122
what were the elements of the nazi police state?
- himmler
- regular police and law courts
- the gestapo (secret police)
- the SS (schutzstaffel)
- concentration camps
123
himmler and his role in the nazi police state
- head of the SS
- a loyal nazi who personally reported to hitler, whom he had known since 1923
124
regular police and law courts and their role in the nazi police state
- ordinary police continued their work but ignored crimes committed by nazis
- top jobs in the ordinary police went to nazis
- law courts and judges were under nazi control
- new laws meant that the death penalty could be given for, among other things, telling an anti-Hitler joke, having sex with a Jew, listening to a foreign radio station
125
the gestapo and their role in the nazi police state
- no uniform
- spied on people they thought may be a threat
- tapped phone calls and opened mail
- had the power to arrest, imprison without trial and torture anyone
- set up a network of 'informers' who would report anyone who criticised the nazis
- children were encouraged to report their parents or teachers
126
the SS and their role in the nazi police state
- set up in 1925
- wore black uniforms
- originally Hitler's personal bodyguards, but over time divided into three sections
- the SD who looked after security
- the waffen SS
- the death's head units
127
the SD part of the SS
- they looked after security
- they could arrest anyone for any reason, search their homes and seize property
128
the waffen SS part of the SS
elite unit in the army
129
the death's head units part of the SS
ran the concentrations camps and later the death camps
130
concentration camps and their role in the nazi police state
- set up as soon as hitler took power
- large prisons where any 'enemies of the state' could be held for any length of time
- anyone who the nazis didn't like were sent there
- inmates were forced to work hard and some were even tortured or worked to death
131
examples of groups the nazis didn't like that were sent to concentration camps
- jews
- gypsies
- political opponents
- anyone who criticised hitler
132
what helped the nazis keep control?
- fear of arrest and imprisonment by the gestapo or the SS
133
many germans did not....
fear the nazis at all and supported them fully
134
which methods of control did nazis use to make sure as many people as possible continued to support them?
propaganda and censorship
135
what is propaganda?
the spreading of information and ideas in the hope that it influences how people think and behave
136
who led propaganda?
- leading nazi, joseph goebbels, was put in charge of nazi propaganda
- he was a powerful speaker and very good at his job
137
how was propaganda used?
he understoord that propaganda worked best if people were repeatedly given some basic ideas with short messages and powerful images
138
what were the key messages put across in propganda?
- blaming jews for germany's problems
- criticising the treaty of versailles
- making germany great again
139
how did propaganda work?
these messages continuously appeared all over germany on posters, in newspapers, speeches, films and on the radio
140
example of propaganda in nazi germany in newspapers
- only stories which showed the nazis doing good things were permitted
- there were negative stories about germany's enemies
- newspapers that didn't comply were closed down
141
example of propaganda in nazi germany in films
- all films had to show nazis in a good way, and their enemies in a bad way
- goebbels approved all storylines
142
example of propaganda in nazi germany in books, at the theatre and in music
- writers were forced to write books, plays and songs that praised hitler and the nazis
143
example of propaganda in nazi germany on the radio
- all radio stations were under nazi control to broadcast nazi ideas
- cheap radios were produced that could only tune in to nazi-controlled stations
- loudspeakers were placed in the streets, in factories and cafes to air broadcasts
144
example of propaganda in nazi germany in public
- impressive mass rallies were held to celebrate hitler's greatness
- huge areas were built where carefully choreographed shows were put on with choirs, bands, speeches, fireworks and air displays. they were designed to impress and show how well organised the nazis were
- posters appeared all over germany showing hitler's power and the good things the nazis were doing
145
what was censorship?
the tight government control of what people hear, read, see or say
146
why did the nazis use censorship?
- goebbels felt that propaganda wasn't enough to control what people thought
- he wanted to stop ideas being shared that might challenge the nazi message
147
how was censorship introduced?
- the nazis introduced strict censorship laws
- books, films, news aricles, even jokes were banned if they were viewed as harmful to the nazis or hitler
148
what was set up for cultural activities to reflect nazi ideas and beliefs?
the chamber of culture
149
the chamber of culture
- led by joseph goebbels
- all musicians, writers, artists and actors had to be members
- anyone who refused would not be allowed to work
- some people, such as jews, were banned from joining
150
cinema under the chamber of culture
- nazi supporters such as alfred hugenberg owned film studios, so the nazis had a direct influence on exactly which films were made
- goebbels read and approved all film scripts
- all films had to carry a pro-nazi message
- news reports of nazi achievements were always shown before the main film
151
music under the chamber of culture
- official approval was given to traditional marching music, folk songs and classical music by german and austrian composers such as bach, beethoven, mozart and wagner
- some music that was popular in weimar germany was not permitted
- jewish composers were banned and so was jazz music due to its origins among african americans
152
theatre under the chamber of culture
- in the weimar era, nazis founded the militant league for german culture to protest against 'modern' plays and films they disapproved of
- when the nazis took over, they ruled that plays should mainly focus on german history and politics
- songs about sex and politics were common in germany's cabaret clubs but the nazis closed them down
153
sports and leisure under the chamber of culture
- health and physical fitness was important to the nazis so success in sport was used to promote the nazi regime
- the olympic games, held in berlin in 1936, was a propaganda opportunity
- the german team came top of the medals table
- during the games, anti-semitic posters and newspapers were temporarily stopped
154
filmmaker who filmed the olympic games in berlin in 1936
- leni riefenstahl
- made a groundbreaking film of the games using the latest german technology
155
the fact that the german team came top of the medals table in the olympic games in berlin showed....
the superiority of the german race
156
why were anti-semitic posters and newspapers temporarily stopped during the olympic games in berlin in 1936?
to give the world an impression of a more tolerant germany
157
design under the chamber of culture
- hitler had clear ideas about the design of big, public buildings like libraries, government offices and parade grounds
- he favoured huge, stone structures, often copies of buildings from ancient greece or rome
- 'bauhaus' was an important architectural and design movement in weimar germany
158
bauhaus
- used new technology to design simple, practical buildings and objects
- hitler did not approve of such modern design and closed the movement down in 1933
159
art under the chamber of culture
- the nazis wanted art to be clearly understandable to ordinary people
- should show healthy, heroic german figures and family scenes of happy, strong, pure germans
160
what art did hitler hate?
modern art - he called it 'degenerative'
161
nazi action against art in 1936
publicly burned 5000 paintings they disapproved of and put it on an exhibition of 'degenerate' art to mock it and opened another of officially approved paintings
162
how many paintings did the nazis burn down in 1936 that they disapproved of?
5000 and publically
163
literature under the chamber of culture
- a list of banned books created
- goebbels organised events in which books were gathered and burned
- he encouraged books about race, the glory of war and the brilliance of the nazis
164
what sort of books were removed from libraries and workshops?
'un-german' books or those by jewish authors
165
which books were banned? (examples)
- some popular books written in weimar germany
- e.g. erich remarque's 'all quiet on the western front'
166
best-selling book in germany
hitler's mein kampf
167
how many writers left germany between 1933 and 1945?
around 2500
168
types of resistance against nazis
- 'grumbling' or moaning
- passive resistance
- open opposition
- attempts to kill hitler
169
'grumbling' or moaning opposition
- lowest type of opposition
- in the privacy of their own homes, people might tell an anti-Nazi joke or complain about the Nazi regime
170
passive resistance
- public show of opposition
- often by refusing to do what most of the population were doing
- some may refuse to give the 'heil hitler' salute or to give money to HYO members who were collecting funds
171
open opposition
- some germans organised themselves into groups to openly oppose the nazis
- e.g. swing youth, white rose group, edelweiss pirates, navajos
- e.g. protestant and catholic church leaders made some open criticism of the nazis too
172
swing youth
declared their dislike of nazi ideas and policies by listening to jazz music and having jewish friends
173
white rose group
- led by brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl
- urged germans to get rid of hitler
- handed out anti-nazi leaflets, put up posters and wrote graffiti on walls
174
edelweiss pirates and navajos
beat up nazi officials and helped army deserters
175
other resistance groups
sabotaged railway lines and passed on military secrets to other countries
176
catholic church's resistance
spoke out in 1941 against the killing of physically and mentally disabled people
177
attempts to kill hitler
- there were around 50 attempts on hitler's life
- e.g. the kreisau circle, the beck-goerdeler group, the july 1944 bomb plot
178
the kreisau circle : attempts to kill hitler
a group of army officers, university professors and aristocrats who discussed assassinating hitler but didn't actually do anything
179
the beck-goerdeler group : attempts to kill hitler
- contacted the british about removing hitler
- no agreement reached
- the group did try to kill hitler in march and nov 1943 and was behind the july bomb plot of 1944
180
the july 1944 bomb plot : attempts to kill hitler
- army officer colonel claus von stauffenberg
- part of a group that detonated a bomb where hitler was meeting other nazi leaders
- despite killing four men and injuring hitler, the bomb failed to kill him
