Aims and results of policies (March 1933-1945) Flashcards
Autarky
The policy of autarky involved the idea of ‘self-sufficiency’. The basis of this policy was removing dependency on foreign investment, imports and trade. The goal was to make Germany self-sufficient to fight a war within 4 years.
Autarky impact
imports were slashed, and wages and prices were controlled under the penalty of being sent to a concentration camp
full employment in the 1930’s but also caused real wages to drop by around 25%.
shortages of essential goods that could not be produced domestically such as rubber and oil, which hindered Germany’s war efforts during WWII and also led to a lack of investment in research and development which limited technological progress
food imports were curtailed and prices of many agricultural products were controlled leading to a nutritional crisis in Germany from 1933-1937.
Schacht’s debt financing
Schact’s debt financing involved methods to fund the government’s rearmament program without violating treaties or triggering inflation.
Schacht’s debt financing impact
This financing strategy funded rearmament, reduced unemployment and prevented inflationary pressure. However, it also involved forcefully seizing funds from Jewish citizens and business, alongside an eventual resurfacing of inflation.
Rearmament
Rearmament was the way Nazi Germany aimed to rebuild the country’s military capabilities in defiance of the TOV.
Rearmament impact
Rearmament created many jobs, leading to a decrease in unemployment, and a reduction in inflationary pressures. Additionally, it expanded the military, induced industrial growth and acted as a way to restore national pride and unity.
The German Labour Front
The German labour front was established in 1933 and was a system that promised to put an end to class differences and conflict, while also building the foundation for a national community marked by harmony and solidarity.
The german labour front impact
workers had lost institutions that had represented them as parties such as the KPD were prohibited, and all trade unions were dissolved and replaced by the German labour front. As a result, workers lost the ‘organs’ that represented their political interest, their right to form independent organisations and their right to strike. Control over working conditions lay entirely with the employers and the trustees
Reichskulturkammer
The RKK was linked to the ministry for public enlightenment and propaganda and was created to ensure that al forms of artistic creation reflected the Nazi viewpoint.
Reichskulturkammer impact
Membership in one of the RKK sub chambers was compulsory for those wishing to engage in intellectual pursuits and non-Aryans were not permitted to engage in this activity. Additionally, before engaging in intellectual pursuits, every applicant had to meet the ‘reliability and aptitude’ standards.
Great German Art
The Nazi government wanted to return the country to traditional German and Nordic values, to shape a racial community which aligned with Nazi ideals. The nazi aesthetic embraced the genre of classical realism.
Great german art
The visual arts and other modes of ‘high’ cultures employment of this form glorified peasant life, family and community, alongside heroism on the battlefield. They promoted German virtues as industry, self-sacrifice and Aryan racial purity. Every form of art had a calculated propagandistic undercurrent.
Degenerate Art
Degenerate art referred to art that took on the trends of modern art in the 1920’s and 1930’s. This included abstract, expressionist or surrealist tenets.
Degenerate art impact
Hitler would display these forms of art in order to demonstrate to the German public the ‘demoralising’ and ‘corruptive’ influences of modern art. Additionally, thousands of degenerate artworks from museums and collections throughout Germany were confiscated. Many pieces were destroyed or sold at public auctions.
Christianity
The Nazi’s controlled churches, restricted religious practices, closed down youth groups, had priests and pastors harassed, had crucifixes removed from classrooms and removed the Old Testament despite initial promise to respect Catholics and such in March 1933. Furthermore, the Nazi’s established the Reich church and established the Reich ministry of affairs in 1935.
German Faith Movement
Wilhelm Hauer was the founder of the GFM who served in British India from 1907-1911 where he lost his faith in Christianity and pursued further studies in religious studies. In the GFM Hitler was worshiped as God-like. There were rituals for births, deaths and marriages. Additionally religious holidays were created marking Nazi milestones.
German faith movement
The GFM did not become a widespread religion and did not gain endorsement from the state, peaking with around 200,000 members in the mid 1930’s.
The Cult of the Mother
The cult of mother aimed to elevate the role of mothers as the foundation of the German nation as a way of promoting a specific view on womanhood and family life in alignment with Nazi racial goals and demographical goals.
Cult of mothers impact
The cult of mothers created many pressures on women to conform to the Nazi ideals. It also limited and decreased women’s participation in society, solely confining and controlling their role as figures of motherhood.
Lebensborn
Lebensborn was an initiative created and established by Heinrich Himmler with the goal to increase the population and number of racially pure children within Germany. This was established on December 12, 1935.
Lebensborn impacy
The Lebensborn program led to racially pure women being encouraged to give birth and involved the kidnappings of thousands of foreign children who had German ancestry or the appropriate racial features. Lebensborn broke many homes, devasted parents, and left many children with an identity crisis
Kinder, Kuche, Kirche
Kinder, Kuche, Kirche translates to children, kitchen, church and was used to describe and outline woman’s roles in society.
Kinder, Kuche, Kirche impact
This advocacy in relation to depiction of woman’s societal roles restricted their career opportunities and generated both social pressures and expectations. In addition, due to the emphasise on child birth the population in Germany grew, as did conservative values.
Nazi persecution of Jews
Nazi persecution of Jews embodied the idea of exterminating the Jewish population. The Nazi’s isolated them and marginalised them through laws such as the Nuremberg law 1935 and applied their antisemitic beliefs within their propaganda to convey and spread this belief into society,
