Resistance from the Workers and Church Flashcards
(27 cards)
What was the status of the German working class before 1933?
The largest and most unionised in Europe
Had links to the SPD – Opposition to the Nazi Party.
What happened to trade unions after January 1933?
They were absorbed into the German Labour Front (DAF)
Nazi propaganda promoted national solidarity instead of class solidarity.
How many strikes occurred in September 1935 in Rhineland-Westphalia, Silesia, and Württemberg?
37 strikes
How many strikes were there in 1937?
250 strikes
What was the outcome of the 1935 strike involving 25,000 workers?
4,000 imprisoned
What was the duration of the Opel Car Factory strike in 1936?
17 minutes
7 ringleaders were arrested by Gestapo.
What was a common form of resistance by the workforce against long working hours?
Absenteeism
What were the consequences of absenteeism introduced in 1938?
Labour regulations against ‘slackers’ were introduced
What happened at the Gleiwitz munitions plant in 1938?
114 arrested
What was the status of sabotage as a criminal offense between 1938-1939?
Increasing prosecutions for sabotage
What percentage of the German population was Protestant?
58%
How did German Evangelicalism generally view the state?
Respected and cooperated with the State
What was the 1934 Confessional Church?
A movement within German Protestantism opposed to the Reich Church
Why did Protestants resist the Reich Church?
They wanted independence from the Nazi regime and to defend orthodox Lutheran theology
What was the Aryan paragraph?
A paragraph stating those not of Aryan birth had to be dismissed from their jobs
Included pastors who converted from Judaism.
How did the Nazi State suppress dissenting pastors?
Increased repression, stopped salaries, banned from teaching, and imprisoned pastors
How many pastors had been imprisoned by the end of 1937?
Over 700 pastors
What was one form of Protestant resistance against the Nazis?
Formation of the Confessional Church and mass support for arrested bishops
What was the Concordat signed in July 1933?
An agreement where the Vatican recognized the Nazi regime and the Church would not interfere in politics
What was the importance of the Concordat to the Nazis?
Catholicism was one of the largest religions; appeased a large population (32%)
What was the significance of the Concordat for Catholics?
Allowed them to continue practicing their religion without interference
What happened to Catholic organizations in 1933?
Seizure of property and forced closure
What did the Papal Encyclical Letter ‘Mit brennender Sorge’ condemn?
Nazi paganism, lack of human rights, absence of law, and racial policies
What was Hitler’s reaction to the Papal Encyclical Letter?
Told Catholic Germans to choose between their religion or Nazism
