2. Control And Opposition Flashcards
Who was the leader of the SS?
Heinrich Himmler.
What were the 3 main branches of the SS?
The Kripo, the Gestapo and the SD.
What was the Kripo?
It was the German general police force.
What was the Gestapo and what did they do?
The Nazis secret police. The Gestapo Law of 1936 essentially allowed the Gestapo to be above the law. Although its membership was not huge, it was feared because it was powerful. They listened to phone calls, intercepted letters and encouraged ordinary Germans to inform on their fellow citizens.
What was the SD and what did they do?
The intelligence-gathering agency of the SS. It was responsible for the security of Hitler and other top Nazis and was led by Himmler’s right-hand man, Reinhard Heydrich.
What was set up to help the organisations of the SS, what were the 2 levels and what did they do?
A spy network was set up made of ordinary people across Germany.
- At a local level, Blockleiters were in charge of listening to gossip, keeping an eye on neighbours and informing on anything suspicious in a block of flats or a group of houses.
-At the top of the network were the 42 regional Gauleiters.
What did the Nazis change about the legal system as a result of their control of it?
- 1934 saw the establishment of ‘People’s Courts’.
- Judges swore an oath of loyalty to Hitler.
- There were no juries.
- Crimes carrying the death penalty rose from 3 to 46.
These changes made opposition to the regime very difficult.
What was the first, how many concentration camps were created by the Nazis and who were they run by?
In 1933, Dachau was the first camp to be opened. By 1939 there were 6. They were run by the SS’s Death Head Units’.
What people were sent to the concentration camps?
-Many convicted criminals were not released at the end of their sentences but were moved to the concentration camps.
-Political opponents, like communists, as well as Jews, ministers and priests were also sent there.
-People regarded by the Nazis as “asocial” also ended up in these camps. Nazis classified the “work-shy”, prostitutes and homosexuals as “asocial”.
What did the police state mean for Nazi opposition?
The police state meant that there was little opposition to the Nazis. Most people complied with regulations. They became fearful of being arrested for no reason, particularly as a result of protective custody.
What did the police state mean for justice?
Justice disappeared. Many did not receive fair trials because of changes to defence regulations. On the other hand, convicted Nazis often had their sentences squashed by the intervention of Hitler.
What did the police state mean for society?
Society became more suspicious and tense. Some people publicly criticised or informed on their neighbours to make themselves look more loyal. Children were encouraged to report on their parents and teachers.
What did the police state do to criminals?
The number of criminal offences committed was halved by 1939, but the number of people in prison increased. By 1939, there were over 600,000 in prisons or concentration camps. Many innocent people were detained as “enemies of the state”.
How did the Nazis use propaganda, who led it and what did he believe about propaganda?
The Nazis used propaganda in many ways. Joseph Goebbels was the Minister for Propaganda and Enlightenment and believed that the best propaganda was when people didn’t know they were seeing propaganda.
What examples are there of Nazi Propaganda? (x5)
-The Reich Radio Company sold cheap radios that broadcast Hitler’s speeches.
-Loudspeakers were set up in public areas.
-The Nuremberg rallies were organised yearly and showed Nazi power and order.
-The 1936 Olympic Games were used to show the world how much Germany had received.
-The Nazis also used cinema, such as the film the ‘Triumph of the Will’ to show Nazi strength.
