Social Groups Flashcards
(25 cards)
Nazi views on society- Volksgemeinschaft
Hitler always claimed Nazism was not just a political ideology but a movement- aimed at transforming German society- to do this Hitler wanted to implement the concept of Volksgemeinschaft- vaguest element- hard to define- essential purpose of Nazi Volksgemeinschaft was to overcome old German divisions of class, religion and politics- bring about new national identity- encourage Germans to work together- build society on Nazi ideas of race and struggle
Nazis view on race
Nazism was based on the concept of race- consequently it was only those who were considered ‘racially pure’ who could be members of the volk- Nazism advocated that humanity consisted of heirarchy of races and life was no more than survival of the fittest- taught that concept of Social Darwinism/ considered it vital to maintain racial purity- blood of the weak wouldn’t undermine blood of strong- master race= Aryan race- task of Aryan was to remain pure- dominate the inferior
Nazis- Traditional German values
Very closely associated with Nazi racism= aim to get people working together for the benefit of the nation by promoting ‘German values’- the ideal German image was a traditional peasant working on the soil in the rural community- was exemplified by the concept of Blood and Soil and upholding traditional roles of the 2 sexes
Nazis- Authoritarianism
Nazi Volksgemeinschaft not only excluded racial groups but also those who were politically unacceptable eg Communists- Nazis therefore rejected alternative concepts eg democracy, socialism and Christianity- in place of democracy and its liberal values- Hitler wanted an all embracing 1 party state- run on the Fuhrerprinzip
Society- Education and Youth
To Hitler and the Nazis education= vital in achieving Volksgemeinschaft- education= intended to indoctrinate its youth so completely that 1000 year Reich is achieved- but not simply enough to adopt policy in schools- needed youth movements
Schools
Organisation of state educational system was not fundamentally altered but law of 1934- control was taken from regional states- centralised under Reich ministry- Education, Culture and Science taken over by Reich minister Bernhard Rust- existing school system adapted for Nazi purpose
Schools- teachers
- Any poltically unreliable/ Jewish teachers= removed and many women teachers encouraged to give up work start family- can’t teach how women shouldn’t be working Special courses organised for teachers who remained unconvinced- National Socialist Teachers League (NSLB) established - by 1937 it included 97% of all teachers and tow- thirds of the profession had been on month long courses- needed to make sure all teachers in schools were following Nazi ideology and policy- fact that some were unconvinced- wasn’t as successful as intended?
School subjects
Curricula and syllabus adapted- to fit Aryan ideal- much greater emphasis- on PE- 15% of school time given to it- games teachers assumed increased status and importance in school heirarchy- RE dropped to downgrade importance of Christianity- German, Biology and History became focus
School subjects
German language and literature studied to create ‘a conscious of being German’ and to encourage a marital and nationalistic spirit- Biology was opportunity to teach Nazi racial theory- ethnic classification, population policy (aim of gov to increase birth rate) and racial genetics were all integrated into syllabus History used to emphasise glories of German nationalism Also creation of elite schools- aim to prepare German youth for future political leadership- 21 Napolas (National Political Education institutions and 10 Adolf Hitler Schools were for boys of Secondary school age, Ordensburgen for college age- elite courses not for girls- no political involvement- unis only offered 10% spaces for girls- needed some women workers but wanted no. reduced
How successful was school indoctrination
Difficult to assess the success of the education system- depends on criteria chosen and the ‘evidence’ is often open to conflicting interpretations- teaching profession felt its status under threat- 32%= members of party by 1936, far more than were members of the Reich civil service- anti academic ethos and crude indoctrination alienated many- standards of traditional academic subjects fell by early years of war- by 1938 recruitment of teachers had declined- 8000 vacancies- only 2500 were coming out of teacher training colleges- higher education- no. students had halved even before the onset of war
Hitler youth
It had been long established tradition of youth organisation in Germany before 1933 but at that time HJ only represented 1% of total HJ embraced a range of youth groups under control of its leader Baldur von Schirch- in next 6 years structure and membership of HJ grew significantly- partly because parents were under pressure to enrol children- by 1939- enrolment= compulsory
HJ p2
In HJ great stress on political indoctrination- emphasising life and achievements of the Fuhrer- German patriotism, athletics and camping. Additionally, the sexes were moulded for future roles in Nazi society- boys engaged in endless physical and military-type activities eg target shooting and girls were prepared for domestic and maternal tasks eg cooking
Impact of HJ
Very mixed- in some respects the emphasis on teamwork/ extracurricular activities was to be commended- especially in comparison to limited provision of these in other European countries- So provision of sports, camping and music generally excited many youths - also offered opportunities for those from poorer backgrounds- way to indoctrinate outside of school-but organisation suffered from mass expansion and leadership was inadequate-when war started- became even more difficult to run movement effectively- increasing emphasis on drill/ discipline- resented by many youths
Women
Nazism opposed social and economic independence for women- Nazi view= 2 distinct roles for sexes- job of state was to ensure these roles remained distinct- aims for women- have more children/ take responsibility for raising them, care for house and husband, stop paid employment except for very specialist positions eg midwifery- summed up 3 K’s- Kinde, Kuche, Kirche- children, kitchen, church- rigid views of women held long before 1933 to point where many women accepted this-not new-could be why there was no female opposition groups
women p2
Nazi view of women tied in w/ concern over demographic trends- growing population was viewed as sign of national strength/ status- 3K’s exploited the romantic ideals of domestic bliss- women=banned from professional employment in 1933- offered interest free loans in return for not seeking employment - restricted from university Efforts to increase population= tax concessions/ medals- eight=gold, six=silver and four= bronze- symbolism done bit for country like soldier
more on women cos the Nazis just love to restrict people’s rights
Abortion= banned- except if deemed as genetically inferior- was forced sterilisations/ abortion- attempts to breed perfect aryan specimens by selection through the Lebensborn programme in 1935- cared for unmarried mothers of good racial credentials but also made arrangements for girls to be impregnated by members of SS in organised brothels- believed 11,000 conceived this way by end of regime State organisations eg Nationalist Socialist Womanhood and German Woman’s enterprise- collectively 11mil ppts- not compulsory (lack of opposition)- promoted ideas eg denouncing make up, wearing trousers etc
Nazi policies toward women examples- p1
Education: Aim-Prepare women for their ‘proper role’/ restrict opportunities- Measures- limited university enrolment of women to 10%- effect- drop in no.s women at uni until war- 1939-45- restrictions dropped as great demand for well educated workers-
Nazi policies toward women examples- p2
Increase suitable marriages: 1933- 600RM marriage loan if unemployed-1937-loan extended to employed women- 1935- Oct Blood protection law- marriage to Jews, Black people, gypsies= forbidden- during war- 1941- couples found cohabiting after their marriage had been banned= sent to concentration camps- effect- 1932- 516,000 marriages-1934-740,000- divorces increased after 1938- but might have been more due to economic optimism than to gov policies eg average size of family fell
Nazi policies toward women examples- p3
Public life- no female members of Nazi Reichstag permitted/ women’s organisations created: NSF, DFW - 1939-45-Nazi women’s organisation support the war effort (eg clothes collections for the Russian front)- Effects- increased participation in Nazi policies- in many ways gave opportunities for (mainly middle class women) to be involved in public life- but excluded from decision making
Church- overall approach
Hitler’s overall approach to the churches of Germany was firstly to seek to control, then reduce influence (weaken) and finally replace with faith reflecting Nazi values- would be easier to control divided Protestant churches than international Catholic church- (many allies largely Catholic- also prestige)- gov gave support for growing movement among protestantscalled German Christians- wanted imbue Christianity w/ spirit of Nazism- Aug 1933- 2/3 of those attending the Prussian synod showed leanings by wearing Nazi uniforms Gov established new Reich church- hoped to combine all Protestants in 1 structure- hoped german Christians could be used to co-ordinate Protestant churches
Hitler and Protestants- more
Ludwig Muller, Hitler’s adviser on Protestant church affairs, was elected to the new post of Reich Bishop in 1933- But- clear attempt to control and Nazify protestantism aroused much opposition- Sept 1933- over 100 pastors created breakaway movement- Oct 1934 was organised into confessional church- not explicitly anti Nazi but wanted to preserve protestantism from political control- German Christian actions/ arrest of 2 protestant bishops caused more outcry-Hitler distanced self from Muller- attempt to create 1 unified church w/ Nazi ideals failed- 3 churches- official Reich church, German Christians and Confessional
Catholic church
Hitler realised it would be even harder to establish control- instead looked for agreement to gain its support- both sides were initially counsillitory- Papacy agreed to dissolution of centre party (Z)- July 1933 the Vatican signed a Concordat- Catholics don’t interfere w/ government eg dissolve parties and Nazis don’t interfere with religion
Catholicism p2
Catholic leaders generally remained concerned not to provoke government- but Nazis soon went against Concordat- tried to reduce influence of Churches, partly by attacking what he saw as Church interference in politics- discredit- don’t attack head on- relationship complicated (que Avril Lavigne) partly due to disorganisation of Nazi state- Hitler didn’t impose clear strategy with all Nazi authorities - some local Gauleiters= extreme- but decisions abandoned to to backlash eg Bavarians kept saying ‘God greet you’ (‘Gruss Gott’) not ‘Heil Hitler’ when greeting
Young people and churches
Nazis especially targeted youth- encouraged to join HJ not Catholic groups- 1936 church groups were disbanded and HJ made compulsory- parents pressurised to send children to state schools not denominational (mainly catholic) ones 65% in Catholic schools 1935- only 5%-1937 mid 1930’s Nazi party launched church session campaign- encourage Germans to abandon their churches- had some success with German employees- 1939- 100,000 Christians left church and 3.5 mil partook in neo pagan movement- thus rejected what was described as ‘Germany’s religious Versailles’ but many wanted names kept secret- feared ostracism- during war tide away from Christianity was reversed
