control and terror (police state + army) Flashcards
what was the major reason why repression could be carried out so easily by the Nazis?
the Decree for the Protection of People and State still remained
gave unlimited emergency powers to the Nazi government
what were the methods by which repression and fear was generated by the Nazis?
the security state
concentration camps
the judiciary
when was the SS formed?
1925
when did Himmler become the leader of the SS?
1929
how many members of the SS in 1933?
52,000
who created the Sicherheitsdienst and when was this?
Himmler in 1931
what was the role of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD)?
acted as the Nazi Party’s internal security police
when did Himmler take command of the Gestapo?
April 1934
what was Himmler also appointed in April 1934?
chief of all German police outside of Prussia
who did Himmler hand control of the Gestapo to?
Reinhard Heydrich
what did the SS’s involvement in the Night of the Long Knives show Hitler?
it showed the SS as completely loyal to the Nazi Party
it showed the SS’s efficiency in purging the SA
what position was Himmler appointed in 1936 and what did it mean?
Reichsfuhrer SS and chief of all German police
all police powers were now unified under Himmler’s control
when was the RSHA formed?
September 1939
what was the RSHA?
the Reich Security Office
it was an amalgamation of all party and state police organisations involved in police and security
who did Himmler put in charge of the RSHA?
Heydrich
what were the main functions of the SS-Police system?
policing
intelligence
dealing with opponents
military action
how many Germans were arrested for political crimes between 1933-39?
225,000
what was the role of the Kripo?
Kriminalpolizei
was responsible for maintaining general law and order
when was the Kripo and Gestapo merged?
1936
into SiPo
what was the role of the Gestapo?
was the key policing organisation for dealing with political and social enemies of the state
what was the SD in charge of?
responsible for intelligence and security
kept files on suspected opponents to the state
how did the SD gain information?
through the use of blockwardens and informers
the SD had a large network of Nazi sympathisers in the workplace
how were opponents to the Nazi system dealt with?
concentration camps
Dachau was initially used to hold communist and socialist prisoners
which organisation was in charge of the concentration camps?
the Totenkopf-Verbände
death head units
after 1936, what changes were made to the prisoners held at camps?
the persecution of asocials, homosexuals, beggars and gypsies meant that the concentration camps grew in size
how did concentration camps create fear?
Germans would hear stories about camps such as Dachau and were afraid of ending up there
what was the SS split into?
Allgemeine SS
Waffen SS
SS Totenkopf-Verbände
when was the Waffen SS formed?
1938
how many Waffen SS by the end of the war?
1 million
what were the features of the Waffen SS?
racially pure
fanatically loyal
committed to Nazi ideologies