Blah Flashcards
What was the spartacist uprising
The workers councils, USPD members and local officials attempted to overthrow the government
What date was the spartacist uprising
6th Jan 1919
Most successful Communist government takeovers, with years
Bavaria 1919
Thuringia and Saxony 1921
Two main Right Wing Putschs
Kapp Putsch 1920
Munich Putsch 1923
How were the two Putschs put down?
Kapp- workers revolt
Munich - Taken prisoner by police
Was the Putsch useful for hitler and why?
Yes, gave publicity to his views, got low prison time because of right wing beliefs, and wrote Mein Kampf whilst in prison
Why was it difficult to protest against Nazi regime
Other political parties were banned, public meetings were illegal, political prisoners were often taken without trial, protest was not helpful
Main ways of showing disapproval of Nazi regimes
Anti-Nazi campaigns
Sabotage
Disobedience
Hitler Assassination Attempts
Church Opposition
Spontaneous protests
What were anti nazi campaigns?
KPD, SPD and Trade Unions would print anti nazi leaflets and newspapers. Leaders were rounded up and sent to concentration camps.Example would be Red Shock Troup, which the SPD started in 1933 which had a membership rate of 3000
What was sabotage in Nazi Germany
“lightning strikes” only lasted a few hours, example autobahn workers in 1936
Sabotage production, calling in sick, damaging equipment were all common, which could lead to arrest but workers were in high demand
However, when groups were too large or successful they were arrested.
Disobedience in Nazi germany
Not joining hitler youth, joining other groups that went for western trends and listened to Jazz and Swing and formed their own bands. Generally stayed out of Nazis ways
Edelweiss Pirates were specifically anti nazi, working class, would express different levels of anti nazi. Wore uniforms opposite to HY. Would often do activities together, do anti nazi grafitti, post anti nazi leaflets.
Example was white rose group in Munich, who exposed the Nazi treatment of jews and encouraged non violent protest
Encouraged to take in people who the nazis wanted, protestant church did this a lot
Hitler Assassination Attempts
15 attempts
7 done by army
If found instantly executed
Many SS members disapproved of Jewish policy
Most serious July Plot, 20th July left a briefcase with a bomb in briefcase, although killed others, did not kill Hitler, 200 were arrested
Church Opposition in Nazi Germany
Originally kept out of Nazis way
Hitler agreed to leave the church if the church left Nazis alone
Developed a Nazi based church (“peoples church”)
1933 churches became more nazi and less christian
Demanded old testament removed as it was too Jewish, displayed Nazi banners
Confessing Church formed in 1934 which condemned Nazis for encouraging Atheism, being antisemitic and obeying the state
Many arrested
Spontaneous protests
Nazis paid attention when large numbers of people protested
Released 2 bishops when people protested to not annoy the church
People were unenthusiastic about invasion of Czechoslovakia, so he peacefully negotiated the land instead
Basics of the FRG
Democratic
Basic Law stated free speech, freedom of press and no censorship
Opposition had a voice
Biggest FRG issues
Rebuilding the government with coalitions and avoiding the Weimars problems
Building identity whilst trying to remerge with east germany
Rebuilding the economy and country
Establishing the FRG as a moderate member of Europe
Demonstrations - 1950s
If parties threatened democracy they were banned
The KPD were unable to gain enough votes to be represented in the Bundestag, and protested in Munich
Changes - 1960s
Economic miracle
Baby boom war
Youth protest against Year Zero and against ex nazis in positions of power, “What did you do in the war Daddy?”
Protests against the FRGs military and worry about nuclear weapons
Protests against Vietnam
What was the APO
Group of young left wing intellectuals who believed they were underrepresented after KPD banned from bundestag and SPD policies were less radical
Violent political protest on the verge of breaking out
Radical revolutionary theories about opposing government started
What was the SDS
Like APO, split from SPD when they became less radical.
Radical protest broke out in the 60s, Radical terrorism in the 70s, not only against FRG, but general world issues, like Vietnam and nuclear weapons, Ex Nazis in power and involvement in NATO.
After Shah of Iran came to FRG and protests broke about the human rights abuses, student was shot, and led to split in group
Leader of SDS was killed by a right wing fanatic, led to protests, riots and attacks on Springer Press who printed the paper that inspired the terrorist.
80,000 people protested the new law which was seen as a violation of the basic law of surveillance of the people, was passed anyway
Challenges in the 1970s
Police found it difficult to control terrorism initially and then developed harder lines against them, putting up wanted posters of Terrorists
Terrorist groups fluid, with members joining different group, merging, acting alone and with others, changing names, etc
Regular gun battles
Accompanied by articles about why they do what they do
RAF largest groups
Hunger strikes when arrested led to bombings of lawyers houses who were involved in trials
Books published on Guerilla War tactics
Bombings slowed down when they realised it wasnt making any progress and government was making more strict laws
Extremism control in Weimar
Key reforms such as the army, education and judiciary system and stop revolutionary extreme ideas from both the left and right
Concessions in Weimar
Ebert Groener pact guaranteed army support as long as it opposed left wing ideals
Stinnes-Legiens agreement with labour leaders to supply fair working hours and on union representation
Neither knew about the other
Regional Disputes in Weimar
Communists often set up governments by themselves
Trouble with all areas adopting the Weimar constitutions , with Thurungia not holding elections til June 1920
Lopsided control in Weimar
Army dealt with left wing threats as Ebert Groener pact viciously
Right wing threats went ignored
This angered the left
Censorship in Nazi Germany
All communication was subject to Nazi control
Radio was pro nazi
Offices purged of jews and jew relatives (including marriage) and anyone who belonged to KPD or SPD
Although press was more difficult, anything that weakened Nazi Germany wasnt allowed to be published
Made a list of accredited journalists
End of 1932 59 Nazi Newspapers with 780,000 readers
End of 1933 86 newspapers with over 3 million readers
Lists were made of articles illegal to publish
Repression
All parties other than Nazi Party banned
500,000 non jewish people were sent to camps for political crimes, which was a severe deterrent
Policing
Gestapo didnt wear uniform, was secret police and was in charge of weeding out people who were enemies of the state
SS was initially Hitlers own police force, after SA’s elimination they also ran concentration camps
Peoples court tried people who were said to be traitors to the third reich
Nazi Party officials reported the smallest infringements of Nazi rules
How severe was political extremism in the FRG?
Political extremism became very severe, turning to terrorism in the 1970’s. In some ways, the increase in the extremity of protests was linked to how the government responded to them.
Were terrorist actions committed in large groups, and did they get any sympathy?
While people did not turn to terrorism in large numbers, there was a surprising level of sympathy for terrorist groups in the early 1970s. A public poll showed that at least 1 in 5 Germans felt some sympathy for the Baader-Meinhof gang, and five percent of them would be willing to let a group member stay in their house for the night if they were on the run.
In what way was the current Government (1970s) similar to the Weimar republic?
It wanted to uphold democracy and free speech whilst not wanting either side to take control. Rather like the Weimar Government, it came down more heavily on left-wing extremists.
What is the BfV, and when was it set up?
The Bundesamt fur Verfassungsschutz. Created to investigate people they suspected of working against the Basic Law. Worked only inside Germany and reported to the minister of the interior. Set up in 1950.
What is the BND, and when was it set up?
The Bundesnachrichtendienst. Created to investigate people they suspected of working against the Basic Law. Worked abroad and in Germany. Reported directly to the chancellor. Set up in 1956.
When was the Emergency Law passed, and what did it allow?
Passed in 1968. Gov attempted to pass it in 1960, 62 and 65. Allowed police to open mail, monitor phones, search homes etc.
What is the BEFA?
Beobachtende Fahndung. Gave the BND centralised access to all police information in the FRG.
What is the GSG-9, and when/why was it created?
Grenzschutzgruppe 9. Set up in 1972 after Israeli athletes were shot and killed at the Munich Olympics. Set up as a special operations unit to act against terrorists. Had close links with the SAS and the US Army’s Delta force. Operated worldwide.
Which political parties supported the Weimar constitution?
The SPD consistently supported it. The more moderate parties that played a part in forming a coalition also supported it. These moderate parties were The Centre Party, the DDP and the DVP.
How did the Nazi’s win support?
Simple propaganda, e.g. One people, one Reich, one Fuhrer. Control over media. Manipulated the news to make people believe that the Nazi policies were working or that prejudices were correct. Nazis punished the opposition and rewarded conformity.
Support during the war.
Was initially ‘lukewarm’ but eventually gained traction after Germany swept through Europe and the East. Support stayed even after making the mistake of invading the USSR because of the ‘Fuhrer myth’
When did the first Nuremberg trial take place, how many defendants were there and what happened to them?
18th of Oct 1945. 22. 12 were sentenced to death, 3 to life in prison, 3 acquitted. Rest went to prison
How many people were arrested in allied zones by the end of 1946?
250,000
What issues did the allies face when deciding who was a Nazi?
Many people became Nazi’s to keep their job but did not sympathise. More involved Nazi’s could remove themselves from records. The sheer scale of the process.
What issues did the Allies face in the west during the De-Nazification stage, and what did they do to combat this?
The youth, many were indoctrinated because of the Hitler Youth. General support due to heavy propaganda. Not enough non-Nazis to do jobs. Banned Nazi schoolbooks, films and slides in May 1946. Teachers were vetted to weed out Nazis, librarians had to go through a similar process.
What were the reactions to de-Nazification?
Resigned acceptance, they had lost so the Allies were bound to want to punish Germany and eradicate Nazism.
Indignation, why were only they being punished for war crimes, most of the Allies had also done horrible things.
Avoidance, regardless of involvement, many wanted to avoid saying who did what during the war.
Cynicism, many stated that the punishment of ex-Nazis was patchy and not done good enough.
Desire to move on, many just wanted to keep moving forward and forget about what had happened.
