A new Reich 1933-35 Flashcards
Why did Brunings government of 1930-2 fail?
- Appointed by Hindenburg on General Schleicher’s advice
- Relied on presidential decrees, not Reichstag
- Hindenburg won the presidential election, but Hitler gained 37% of the vote
- Election in September, 1930, sees 107 Nazis and 77 KPD
- Proposal to break up bankrupt Prussian estates has Hindenburg dismiss him
How did Papen’s 1932 government fail?
- July 1932, Extremists won over half of the Reichstag seats, but Hindenburg denies Hitler chancellorship
- Nazis gained 37% of the vote in August, 1932. This fell to 33% in November
- Loses a no-confidence vote, 512-42. Election called by Schleicher’s advice.
- Schacht and other industrial leaders call for a Hitler government. Hindenburg only agrees if Hitler gets a majority
- Papen calls for an authoritarian constitution, and is deposed by Von Schleicher.
How did Von Schleicher’s government of 1932-3 fail?
- Alienated elite who warned Hindenburg of ‘Agrarian bolshevism’, and failed to win support of the Left
- January 1933, Papen agrees to work with Hitler as vice-Chancellor
- General Werner von Blomberg agreed to be defence minister in a Hitler government. Hindenburg appoints Hitler chancellor, with Papen as his deputy
What was Hitler’s initial cabinet?
Hitler as Chancellor, Frick as Minister for the Interior, and Göring as Minister without Portfolio (but with control over the Prussian police)
Papen was the vice-chancellor, Hugenberg (DNVP) was head of the Economics Ministry, and Franz Seldte of the Stahlhelm was Minister of Labour
Hitler became Chancellor on the 30th January, 1933. What did he do first?
Within 24 hours of being appointed, he called new elections for 5th March, 1933
Violence and terror dominated with the meetings of the far left being broken up by the Nazis. In Prussia, Göring used his authority to enrol an extra 50,000 into the police, nearly all from the SA or SS
As result, 69 people died during the 5 week campaign. Hitler would blame all these problems in Germany on the communists and the Nazi party was part of a ‘national uprising’
How well off was the Nazi Party as the new March election drew near in 1933?
At a meeting on the 20th Feb, 1933, 20 industrialists pledged 3 million Reichsmarks. With such a backing and Goebbels exploitation of the media, the Nazis were confident in securing a parliamentary majority
When was the Reichstag Fire, and what resulted from it?
27th Feb, 1933, the Reichstag building in Berlin was set on fire and a young, Dutch Communist, Marinus van der Lubbe was arrested. Some believe the fire was caused by the Nazis in a coup
28th Feb, 1933, Frick drew up the ‘Decree for the Protection of the People and State’, which, in a few short clauses, saw most civil and political liberties suspended.
The justification for this law was the threat posed by the Communists, and following this, hundreds of anti-Nazis were arrested, and the violence reached new heights
How much did the Nazi vote increase by in the March 1933 election?
Went from 33.1% to a high 43.9%, securing 288 seats. Hitler could now claim a majority with 52 seats going to the Nationalists.
How did Hitler attempt to gain further support following the Reichstag election in March, 1933?
Hitler knew he could not change the constitution without a 2/3 majority, and began a campaign of reassurance
The opening of the Reichstag in Potsdam on 21st March, 1933, was a propaganda triumph, with Hitler bowing in front of President Hindenburg
He successfully aligned the forces of Nazism with the forces of old Germany. The same day, Hitler would pass the Malicious Practices Law, which banned criticism of the regime and its policies
How did Hitler successfully pass the Enabling Act on the 23rd March, 1933, in the Kroll Opera House?
The Communists were refused entry to the house, and the SA intimidated attendees by surrounding the building.
In order to achieve the 2/3 majority, with the knowledge the SPD would vote against the bill, the Nazis promised to respect the rights of the Catholic church and to uphold moral and religious values for the Z party
These false promises deceived the Z party and in the end, only the SPD voted against the Enabling Act. It was passed 444 votes to 94
What did the Enabling Act of March, 1933, give Hitler and the Nazis the power to do?
- Restrictions on liberty, speech, free expression, assembly, etc
- Reich Government may temporarily take over the powers of the supreme authority of a state in which security is not guaranteed
- Reich cabinet authorised to enact laws which may deviate from the constitution
- National laws enacted by the Reich cabinet shall be prepared by the Chancellor
What was the Gleichschaltung?
The gradual assimilation of all aspects of the state into the Nazi Party
This was a “co-ordination” or “switching on” of the German people
Which parts of society were controlled via the Gleichschaltung?
In the Judiciary political opponents and jews were removed
Control of the media by Joseph Goebbels, head of propaganda. Press, radio, and films disseminated the message
For professional reasons, associating with the Nazis was of great benefit
When and what was the Kopenick Blood Week?
Withing 4 months of the Enabling Act, all political opposition was abolished. The SPD suffered the most
This culminated in the Kopenick Blood Week between 21-26 June, 1933, where 500 SPD members and known political opponents were tortured by the SA, SS, and Gestapo.
What was the result of the Kopenick Blood Week?
23 died.
The SPD was dissolved on the 22 June, 1933, with the DNVP absorbed into the Nazis
The Z party was weakened by the Catholic Concordat, disbanded on the 5th July
14 July, Nazis were the only legal party
How were the unions in Germany dealt with by the Nazis, and how did they react?
Christian trade union dissolved by the concordat, socialist ones through violence
The Socialist unions had over 4 million members, but they promised to disassociate with the SPD and cooperate with the Nazis
How did the Nazis destroy the trade unions in Germany?
Nazis seemed agreeable, with the 1st May 1933 designated Day of National Labour and a holiday for workers. The following day, the SA raided union offices and arrested leaders
All unions were unified into the new DAF, the only legal trade union
Why did Papen depose the Socialist/Z coalition government in 1932?
Supposedly to control street violence that the coalition couldn’t.
It was actually to destroy the SPD base in Prussia and gain right wing support
How did the Nazis take over the regional governments?
Article of the Reichstag Fire Decrees enabled the Nazis to take control of any state which couldn’t enforce law and order. This replaced the governments of Wurttemberg, Berlin, Bremen, Bavaria, etc.
By the end of March, all regional governments were under Nazi control.
Which Nazi officials controlled regions of Germany?
31 March, 1933, Law for the Co-Ordination of the Länder, Gauleiters became regional dictators
Law for Reconstruction of the Reich ended the State parliaments
What was the SS?
Formed in 1925 as an elite bodyguard of Hitler, but remained a relatively minor section of the SA with only 250 members until Himmler became its leader in 1929
By 1933, the SS numbered 52,000 and had established a reputation for blind obedience
Himmler also created a special security service in 1931 called the SD to act as the party’s own internal police
How did Himmler and the SS take down the police and SA and integrate power into themselves?
1933-4, Himmler assumed control of all the police in the Länder, including the Gestapo in Prussia. Hitler turned to Himmler’s SS to carry out the purge on the Night of the Long Knives in June, 1934.
In 1936, all police powers were unified under Himmler’s control as ‘Reichsführer SS and Chief of all German Police’, including the Gestapo.
In 1939, all police organisations were amalgamated into the RSHA, overseen by Himmler but actually coordinated by his deputy, Heydrich
How large was the SS by 1939?
Numbering 250,000 in 1939, it eclipsed all other Nazi interest groups in terms of power and influence. This power spread with war, as it took all policing and intelligence responsibilities in the new territories
How did the SS become a military force?
The Waffen SS increased from 3 divisions in 1939 to 35 in 1945 which developed into a ‘second army’. Committed, brutal and, militarily, highly rated. By 1944, the SS was so powerful, it rivalled the power of the German army
What was the ‘New Order’ that the SS were responsible for in territories taken over in WW2?
The ‘New Order’ in Eastern Europe provided opportunities for plunder and power, which members of the SS exploited.
By the end of the war, the SS was a massive commercial enterprise of over 150 firms which exploited slave labour to extract raw materials and to manufacture textiles, armaments, and household goods
How did the SS enact its ideology during WW2?
The racial policy of extermination and resettlement was pursued with vigour and the system of concentration camps was widely established and run by the SS’ Death’s-Head Units
How did the Gestapo control the people of Germany?
The Gestapo imposed terror on their enemies, while at the same time creating a grim ‘pact’ with the German people such that civilians would comply willingly
It was for this reason that people felt the Gestapo were everywhere. Despite this, there were only 28 Gestapo officials covering the million people in Würzburg and surrounding Lower Franconia
How many Gestapo officials were there?
Manpower was limited, with only 40,000 agents for all of Germany. Large cities, like Frankfurt or Hamburg, with over 500,000 people, were policed by just 40-50 agents
In 1942, there were only 30,000 officials.
How cooperative were the German people with the Gestapo?
Intending to intimidate the opposition, its meagre resources were aided by a willing populace
Local studies reveal that over 50%, and sometimes 80%, of investigation stemmed from voluntary denunciations. And these were just the cases where the Gestapo actually investigated!
How did living standard for workers improve under the Nazi regime?
Only 35,000 of 25 million male workers were classed as ‘unemployed’. Wage freezes in 1933 bypassed by Christmas bonuses and providing insurance schemes
By 1936 average wage for a worker was 35 marks/week, 10x more than dole money 6 million had received
Did workers in Nazi Germany get holidays?
Average paid holidays rose from 3 days per year in 1933 to between 6 and 12 days per year in 1939
Lazy bums
What were some limits to the improvements in living standards under Nazi rule?
Wages only really rose by 1% a year under Nazi rule
Taxation and deductions rose from 15% to 18% (Weimar to Nazis)
1938, govt took power to direct workers where to work, rather than choose where
What did workers lose under Nazi rule?
Loss of political freedoms, and in Feb. 1935, workers needed a ‘workbook’ to find employment
What was the DAF?
Set up on the 6th May, 1933, the DAF was the nationally recognised trade union. Membership included employers as well as employees.
Membership grew from 5 million in 1933 to 22 million in 1939, and was intended to sway workers towards Nazism
Who led the DAF?
Robert Ley, the leader of the largest organisation in the Third Reich
He was an incompetent man, seen as the “Reich Drunkard”, and was notoriously unstable and very corrupt
In 1938 the DAF organised the Volkswagen scheme. What was it?
The scheme gave workers the opportunity to subscribe 5 marks a week to a fund eventually allowing them to acquire a car. The scheme’s chief impact was to reduce the danger of inflation by boosting savings
No worker actually received a car, and in 1939 production was switched to military needs
What was the RAD?
The Reichsarbeitsdienst started as a voluntary scheme under the Weimar Republic. In June 1935, a law made six months labour compulsory for all men aged between 19 and 35.
This was extended to women in 1939, and the scheme was intended for the working class. Most members were employed in agriculture or public works
Why did Hitler decide to purge the SA in the Night of the Long Knives on the 30th June, 1934?
The SA had become too radical and violent, disliked by the middle class and military, whom Hitler needed support from. As such, the radical, revolutionary SA had to be dealt with
tfw when you’re too radical for Hitler
What was the impact of the Night of the Long Knives?
Very positive for the dictatorship; destroyed conservative opposition and appealed to the military and industrialists. Military even swore an oath to Hitler on the 20th August, 1934
SA violence was unpopular, so the German people were also fans of his actions, with many seeing Hitler as decisive. Opposition saw this as how Hitler treated opponents
How did Goebbels utilise the radio after all of its was brought under control of the Reich Radio Company?
13% of radio staff were sacked on racial grounds and replaced with sympathetic Germans. In 1932, less than 25% of Germans had a radio, by 1939 70% did
The Nazis made cheap radio sets, the People’s Receiver.
Broadcasting was directed at public places -restaurants, cafes, factories, and offices had loudspeakers so all could hear the Nazi’s message
How did the Nazis take control of the press?
When the Nazis took control of Germany, there were 4,700 daily newspapers. The Nazi publishing house, Eher-Verlag, bought up many newspapers and controlled 2/3 of the German press by 1939
News agencies were merged into one state controlled DNB which vetted news before it was given to journalists
What did Goebbels introduce to the press?
Goebbels introduced a daily press conference at the Propaganda Ministry to provide editorial guidance.
The Editors Law of October, 1933, made newspaper content the responsibility of the editor who had to meet strict guidelines
The Nazi newspaper, the Völkischer Beobachter, had 1.7 million readers by 1944
How did the Nazis engage in cinema?
Banning Jewish film makers, Goebbels recognised the power of propaganda films and 1,097 films were made from 1933-45
For example, The Eternal Jew, The Adventures of Baron von Münchhauen
Who was Leni Riefenstahl?
A female film maker who helped create several Nazi propaganda pictures. She filmed the 1936 Olympics and shot over 1 million feet of film. This was released in her film, Olympia, in April 1938.
She also made a film called Triumph of the Will, also very nationalistic.
What was Hitler’s character like?
Appeared as a charismatic and magnetic figure, portrayed as an “ordinary man” with the will to transform Germany. He liked to cultivate the image of an artist, but in reality was quite lazy, absent from Berlin
He was immersed in pet projects, and became more neurotic, moody, and obsessive with his health
He wasn’t well educated, no experience in governance. Loathed paperwork and formalities, believing will power was enough
What was Hitler’s leadership like?
Not very decisive, never showing inclination to co-ordinate government. In 1933, cabinet met 72 times, but only 4 times in 1936. Last official cabinet meeting was in February 1938.
Rivalry between factions, following will of the Führer. Despite this, he had no real effective opposition
His underlings took part in an environment to “work towards the Führer”.
What was the Reich Chancellery like?
Responsible for coordinating the government, as the role of cabinet declined, chancellor became more important
Head was Hans-Heinrich Lammers. He drew up all govt. legislation, and controlled information from organisations to Hitler
However, even the very organised Lammers found it impossible to coordinate the growing number of organisations
What were the Government Ministries like?
Transport, education, and economics were run by leading civil servants. The Foreign Office was very conservative.
Under pressure by Nazis, with Economics ministry affected by 4 year plans, and foreign offices losing control to the Ribbentrop Bureau
Aristocratic foreign minister Neurath is sacked and replaced in 1938 by the Nazi Joachim von Ribbentrop
What was the Judiciary under the Nazis like?
Judges and lawyers were co-ordinated although the justice minister, Franz Gürtner, was not a Nazi and in power until 1941
Nazis established ‘special courts’ in 1933 to convict political opponents without Jury (1933)
In 1934, Peoples court established to try cases of high treason, with Nazi jury. From 1934-45, this results in 7,000/16,000 results as death sentences
Nacht und Nebel of 1941 gave SS power above the law
What were the Regional Governments like?
By early 1934, the Gleichschaltung had destroyed the federal principle of government, with Nazi Governors there to “execute the will of the supreme leadership of the Reich”
These were mostly local party Gauleiters with full powers, but their role in the party structure was not clear
What was Hitler’s approach to government?
By August 1933, it was clear Hitler had no interest in discussions or designing new legislation. Hitler didn’t coordinate the ministerial departments, so different ministers could be working on legislation which contradicted or replicated other departments work.
This system enabled Hitler to focus upon rearmament and reversing Versailles.
What did work like in government, and how did he expect other departments to work?
Hitler had no experience in political legislation. He was disorganised, slept in late, and hated Berlin
He began to apply the idea of evolution on his governing style in that competition between departments may lead to the best results.
He would ignore many important ministers, choosing to spend time with his favourites
What did the Nazis perpetuate about Hitlers leadership?
The Nazis perpetuated a myth that Hitler could never be wrong and laws could never fail so even ridiculous ideas that were made into law were never ended
This meant that enforcing this chaotic system was difficult for the police and impossible for the Germans to understand. The fear and uncertainty created through this ensured that few opposed the Nazi state
How did the Nazis hope to realise Hitler’s vision?
Even without direction, Nazi officials used Mein Kampf and Hitler’s speeches to understand the ideology and form legislation.
Hitler had to sign off an each law and only chose those that he favoured therefore ensuring his ideas became a reality. Only a few ministers (Himmler, Göring, Göbbels) could gain personal meetings with Hitler. Everyone else went through Lammers
Lammers power lay in the choice of legislation he presented to Hitler, thus it was important to win favour with him
What was the Cumulative Radicalisation in the Nazi regime?
Hitler tended to prefer far more radical laws. Competition between departments meant that legislation became increasingly radical in order to gain Hitler’s favour
This is well seen with anti-Semitic laws. Hitler never set out a clear policy for Jews in Nazi Germany but this radicalisation ensured the policies became more extreme in short time
Hitler’s method of leadership therefore ensured his most terrifying ideas became a reality during the 1930s
What were Hitler’s preferences in governance, and what did he avoid?
Hitler had a preference for creating new organs of state to carry out specific projects. His personal popularity was a source of power, however it was not much help in the practical business of selecting goals
Hitler’s sense of dependence on his own popularity was so great that the cult of the Führer may well have contributed to government inaction in domestic affairs
Hitler was certainly careful not to associate himself with any measure that he thought might be unpopular
How did Hitler actions hope to please the military?
February 1933, Hitler proclaimed only members of the army could carry weapons, not the SA. January 1934, he ordered the SA limit their political agitation activities
Hitler focused on rearmament, and generals particularly liked when conscription was introduced in 1935
What ensured that the leader of the SA, Ernst Röhm, would be killed in the Night of the Long Knives?
He called for a people’s militia, which ran counter to Hitler’s ideas. Such an idea also contrasted the military, who Hitler wanted on-side
How did Hitler keep the army under heel?
Soldiers were to be educated in Nazi ideology, diluting traditional Prussian values that had shaped the army since 1871.
The army was concerned that they had no say over developments in the military (such as introducing conscription) but this was Hitler’s way of limiting their influence
Moreover, Himmler’s SS grew increasingly powerful as they grew, as the heads of the Nazis racial extermination policies.
When did President Hindenburg, one of Hitler’s opponents, die?
On the 2nd August, 1934, President Hindenburg. God rest his soul. There was no political crisis.
Hitler merged the offices of the Chancellor and President and took the new, official title of Führer. The Nazi regime had been stabilised and the threat of a ‘second revolution’ by the SA had been removed
What was the Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the Nation and State?
Suspended constitutional and civil rights
Gave secret police power to hold people indefinitely in protective custody
When and what was the Concordat?
20th July, 1933, the Concordat agreement between the State and the Vatican
Church was to be banned from political activity, but state protected religious freedoms
Why did Hjalmar Schacht resign?
Once the problems of the Great Depression had been overcome through Schacht’s shrewd actions, Hitler appointed Göring Plenipotentiary of the Four Year Plan in 1936 resulting in Schacht’s resignation
His economic policies were being overruled by Göring’s clumsy handling of the economy
How did Hjalmar Schacht run contrary to most in Nazi Germany, and who opposed this?
Robert Ley tried to utilise the DAF to influence economics affairs but from 1934-7 the minister for economics, was in charge
He wasn’t a member of the Nazi party
Why did Frick and Himmler clash?
Lines between party and state were blurred when the SS, SA, and Stahlhelm were induced into the Prussian police force. From 1933-6, the minister for the interior, Frick, and Himmler argued over who controlled the police
Eventually, Himmler was placed in charge of the police in 1936. This made the police an instrument of the Nazis rather than an independent organisation upholding the rule of law
Which group of people did Frick oppose?
The Gauleiters, who were in charge of the regions of Germany, were largely independent and clashed with the minister of the interior, Frick, who couldn’t control them
What was the Volksgemeinschaft supposed to be?
The purpose of the Volksgemeinschaft was intended to overcome the old German division of class, religion, and politics and bring about a collective national identity by encouraging people to work together but on the Nazi ideas of race and struggle
What was the ideal German image in Nazi Germany?
The ideal German image was that of a classic peasant working on the soil in the rural community: exemplified by the Nazi concept of ‘Blood and Soil’ (Blut und Boden) and by upholding the traditional roles of the two sexes
What was the NSV?
The National Socialist Peoples Welfare
In 1934, it distributed 25,800L of mil, 1,500 grocery parcels, and 172 sets of baby clothes
The charity was intended to help mothers
Who were the Lebensborn?
State mandated prostitutes from 1933-45
11,000 children were born from these women.
What were mothers awarded in Nazi Germany?
Financial incentives for birth and marriage, such as in 1933 a 600RM marriage loan if unemployed. There was also the 1937 loan extended to women in work.
Propaganda to raise status of mothers, with awards like the Mother’s Cross. 1938 Marriage Law extended the grounds for divorce, but tighter penalties on abortion
How did female employment reduce?
In 1933, Women in top civil service and medical jobs were dismissed. In 1936, women were banned from being judges, lawyers
In 1939, unmarried women under 25 had to take part in Compulsory Agricultural Labour service. In 1943, Speer’s proposal to conscript women was opposed due to the potential impact on morale.
When was schooling centralised in Nazi Germany and what came about of it?
Schooling was centralised in 1934 under the Reich Minister Bernhard Rust. Politically unreliable individuals were removed and Jewish teachers banned.
Special training courses were arranged for those teacher who remained unconvinced. The NSLB (Nazi teachers league) included 97% of all teachers by 1937, and 2/3 had been on the one-month long course
What did Nazi schooling hope to teach in young people?
Emphasis was placed on PE, with 15% of school time being given to it, and games teachers had higher status. RE was scrapped, whereas German, Biology (eugenics), and History became the focus
Lang and Lit emphasised German nationalism, Biology delivered racial theories such as ethnic classifications and population control. History was given special status to illustrate the glories of German nationalism
How many members of the Hitler youth between 1932 and 1938?
In 1932, there were 200,000 members of the Hitler Youth, or 1.5% of kids
In 1938, there were 7,100,000 members, or 77.2% of kids
What was the Hitler Youth?
Collective name for a number of youth groups under the control of Baldur von Schirach and from 1933, membership grew greatly due to pressure on parents
By 1939, membership was compulsory
Who were the Edelweiss Pirates?
A youth group which opposed Nazi ideas. They exhibited banned behaviour, such as jazz and dance bands. They organised their own events at odds with the Hitler Youth
There was a youth concentration camp at Neuwied and in 1944, 12 Edelweiss Pirates were hanged because of their attacks on military targets and the assassination of a Gestapo officer
How did big business benefit under the Nazis?
The value of German industry steadily increased from the share price index and improvement of management salaries.
From 1938, annexations/conquests of war provided enormous opportunities for taking over foreign property, land, and companies
How was big business limited under the Nazis?
Increasing range of government controls over operations.
For example, the Law to Protect Retail Trade, 1933, banned the opening of new department stores, which benefited the Mittelstand
What were the first cases of the Nazis going against Jews while in power?
Racial policy lacked direction. Hitler was concerned with random acts of violence against Jews since this was unpopular with the general public. In March 1933, the SA began rampaging against Jewish business and peoples
In attempt to rein in the violence, Hitler ordered a boycott of Jewish shops which the SA agreed on the 1st April, 1933. SA men stood outside Jewish shops but the boycott was unsuccessful
What was the Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service?
Removed 5% of the so-called alien elements in the civil service
President Hindenburg stopped the law from targeting any Jews who had fought in WW1 or had family that died in the war
Who called for and opposed the 1935 Nuremburg Laws?
In 1935 thee was pressure from within the party to remove Jews from citizenship with a wave of attacks on Jews.
Others, like Schacht, the Wizard (this joke is very specific), saw this as distasteful and worried about the effect of such an action on exports
How were the 1935 Nuremberg Laws introduced?
Prompted by a speech by the Reich Doctors’ leader, Gerhard Wagner, which hinted that a new racial policy was imminent, Hitler switched his Nuremburg speech from foreign policy to anti-Jewish legislation leading to the so-called Nuremburg laws.
Four draft laws were written overnight by civil servants, presented to Hitler and passed by the Reichstag, meeting at Nuremburg on 15th September
What was included in the Nuremburg Laws?
- Illegal for Germans and Jews to be married or have sex
- Jews were no longer German citizens but were designated ‘subjects’, enforced by the Reich Citizenship Act
- Jews were classed as anyone with three Jewish grandparents, or two Jewish grandparents if they were a practising Jew, if they they had a Jewish spouse
- Jews were therefore legally second-class citizens living under legal repression
How did the Germans enforce emigration after the Anschluss in 1938?
Central Office for Jewish Emigration established in Vienna, run by Eichmann. Property was confiscated to finance poor Jewish emigrants.
In 6 months, 45,000 emigrated. January 1939, Goring created the Reich Central Office for Jewish Emigration, run by Heydrich and Eichmann
Half of Jews left Germany before the war, such that from 1933-9 there were 257,000 emigrants
What newspapers did Goebbels help have published to spread propaganda?
Der Angriff and Der Stürmer
How did peasants benefit under the Nazis?
Many debts and mortgages were written off and small farms were given low interest rates + tax allowances
Increase in prices from 1933-6 helped finance the farms
Production also increased by 20% from 1928-1938
How were Peasants limited under Nazi rule?
1933, the Reich Food Estate supervised agricultural distribution, setting quotas e.g. each hen lay 65 eggs per year
Agriculture wasn’t as competitive as other sectors
Shortage of labour as more and more were conscripted
What were some benefits for Industrial Workers under Nazi rule?
Training schemes for apprenticeships, and the supervising of conditions through the SdA of the DAF which aimed to provide cleaning, meals, and exercise
There were 10.3 million KdF holidays in 1938, by full employment by the end of the 1930s
How were industrial workers limited under Nazi rule?
Established trade unions closed down and loss the right of industrial bargaining. Management and government controlled pay increases and limit freedom of movement
Real wages only rose above 1929 levels in 1938.
The Average working week went from 43 to 47 hours from 1933-1939
How did Landowners benefit under Nazi rule?
Economic interest was not threatened before 1939
German victories offered the chance of acquiring more cheap land
How were landowners limited under Nazi rule?
Resented political interference of the party, and feared land redistribution.
1945, East Germany occupation by USSR saw the nationalisation of the land, leading to the traditional social and economic supremacy of the Junkers being broken
How did the Mittelstand benefit under Nazi rule?
Money from the confiscation of Jewish businesses was used to offer low interest rate loans.
The Law to Protect Retail Trade 1933 banned the opening of new department stores
Trading regulations to protect small craftsmen
How were the Mittelstand limited under Nazi rule?
They continued to decline, as the costs of doing small business could not compete with economies of scale of large department stores
1933, 20% of small business owners under 30, 14% of 60. By 1939, 10% under and 19% over.
In 1936-9. the number of traditional skilled craftsmen fell by 10%
Who was killed in the Night of the Long Knives?
- Ernst Röhm, leader of the SA, and gay, which is shocking for the Nazis
- Gregor Strasser, leader of the Strasserist movement
- Gustav Ritter von Kahr, who had helped suppress Hitler’s Munich Beer Hall Putsch
- Former chancellor, General Kurt von Schleicher
Why did General Kurt von Schleicher resign in 1933?
He faced a political impasse, and declining health. As such, he recommended the appointment of Hitler in his stead
Upon recovering, he sought a return to politics as to exploit the divisions between the Ernst Röhm and the Nazis in 1934
Why was the Ministry of the Reichswehr in opposition to Göring?
The military was angered that the new Luftwaffe was placed under the control of the Reich Aviation Ministry under Göring, rather than the Ministry of the Reichswehr
