chapter 5 nazi germany Flashcards
germany and the occupied territories during the second world war
What was the ‘Final Solution’?
The ‘Final Solution’ was the decision made by senior Nazi officials to resolve what they saw as the Jewish problem, once and for all.
When was the ‘Final Solution’ decision made to murder all Jews?
The ‘Final Solution’ was decided in January 1942 at the Wannsee Conference.
Why did the Nazis decide on the ‘Final Solution’?
❖As they gained more territory it brought more Jews under their control. This situation was worsened when Nazi Germany invaded the USSR in June 1941, which brought another 4 million Jews under their control.
❖They wanted a more permanent solution.
❖They also needed an efficient solution. Using the Einsatzgruppen to murder Jews was no longer an option. It was viewed as a waste of bullets and took too much time.
❖Himmler was also concerned about the psychological impact it was having on the Einsatzgruppen.
How were Jewish people murdered during the ‘Final Solution’?
Purpose-built extermination camps were created to murder Jews, including Auschwitz-Birkenau, Sobibor and Treblinka.
What were the death camps?
The death camps were purpose-built camps used to carry out the systematic mass murder of Jews as part of the ‘Final Solution’.
When were the death camps built?
Death camps were built from March 1942 onwards.
Where were the death camps built?
Death camps were mainly located in Poland, including at Belzec, Auschwitz, Sobibor and Treblinka.
What was the home front in Germany?
The vast majority of Germans reluctantly supported the war and signed up to play their part in the war effort. This eventually changed as it became clear Germany was not winning the war.
What happened to those who opposed the Nazis on the home front in Germany?
During the Second World War, opposition to the Nazis increased as it began to have a greater impact on the lives of ordinary Germans.
How were children evacuated on the German home front?
❖From 1942, about 2.5 million children were evacuated from major towns and cities to rural areas.
❖They stayed in camps that were supervised by Hitler Youth leaders and teachers.
What was ‘total war’?
‘Total war’ meant that all Germany’s people and resources were needed to fight their way to victory.
What was ‘total war’ like for Germany in the Second World War?
❖Workers were recruited from occupied countries. By 1944 there were over 7 million prisoners of war working in German industry.
❖From January 1943 onwards, men (16-65) and women (17-45) had to register for work.
❖Small businesses that were classed as non-essential were closed and their employees deployed for war work.
❖Holidays were banned from August 1944 and the working week increased.
❖Women were allowed to help with the war effort from 1943.
What other measures did Germany use for ‘total war’
❖Places of entertainment were closed, except for cinemas which continued to show propaganda films.
❖There was a reduction in postal services.
❖The formation of a Home Guard, or Volkssturm, in 1944 of boys from the Hitler Youth and men unfit for the regular army.
Who was in charge of the economy during ‘total war’ in Germany?
❖Göring was in charge of the Four Year Plan from 1936 to 1940, which aimed to make Germany self-sufficient for ‘total war’. However, by 1941 the army faced shortages in armaments.
❖In 1942, Albert Speer was appointed minister for armaments and war production to ensure the army had sufficient supplies.
What did Albert Speer do for ‘total war’?
❖He increased the department’s control of the war economy and used slave labour to increase production.
❖He stopped the production of consumer goods.
❖All factories focused on producing goods for the war effort. The production of munitions increased rapidly under Speer.
What was rationing in Germany?
Rationing was introduced to control supplies of food and other products
When was food rationing introduced in Germany in the Second World War?
❖Initially, rationing was introduced in August 1939.
❖The amount of rations for meat, fat and bread were decreased in May 1942 when food shortages became greater.
Why was food rationed in Germany in the Second World War?
Rationing was introduced to ensure all Germans had access to food, and that supplies were controlled to prevent discontent.
What was rationed in Germany during the Second World War?
Rationing included items such as bread, meat, dairy products and soap. Clothing was added in November. The German people were provided with food stamps to purchase goods.
Was Germany bombed during the Second World War
The British RAF carried out bombing attacks on German cities during the Second World War, at first targeting military and industrial production areas. From 1942, the Americans and the British bombed civilian areas to try and weaken German morale.
What was the impact of the bombings on Germany during the Second World War?
❖43 German cities were severely damaged between March and July, 1943.
❖In the summer of 1943, Hamburg was hit by a bombing raid that killed 42,600 civilians. Around a million people had to leave the city.
❖Despite the use of propaganda to reduce the impact on German people, the bombing had a negative impact on their morale.
❖Around 600,000 Germans died in Allied bombing raids.
Did the role of women change during the Second World War in Nazi Germany?
Although the Nazis believed a woman’s place was in the home, women were needed in industry to fill the shortages left by men joining the armed forces.
❖There were two ways the role of women changed during the Second World War.
❖From June 1941, women who had previously been in paid work and had no children were ordered to register for work.
❖From 1943, with the introduction of ‘total war’, all women aged between 17 and 45 had to register. This brought half a million women into the workforce.
❖By 1945, women made up 60% of the workforce.
❖It also affected them psychologically, such as living with the constant fear of hearing a loved one had died or dealing with food shortages.
Who were the Edelweiss Pirates?
The Edelweiss Pirates were a working class movement that started in 1937. They hated the Hitler Youth.
What happened to the Cologne Edelweiss Pirates?
A member of the Cologne Pirates was executed for planning to blow up a Gestapo building in 1944.
