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Germany > Frontsheet 4 > Flashcards

Frontsheet 4 Flashcards

1
Q

Initial steps to consolidate Hitler’s position

A
  1. Reichstag Fire
    27 Feb 1933
    arrest van der Lubbe excuse to arrest communist opponents
  2. Decree for the Protection of the State & the People
    28 Feb 1933
    10,000 communists arrested
  3. General election
    5 Mar 1933
    44% vote Nazi
  4. Enabling Act
    23 Mar 1933
    temporary power to create laws w/out Reichstag/President
  5. Gestapo & local gov
    26 Apr 1933
    took over local gov/police
    started replacing anti-Nazi teachers/professors
    encouraged Germans report opponents/grumblers
  6. Trade Unions banned
    2 May 1933
  7. Law Against the Formation of New Parties
    14 Jul 1933
  8. Night of the Long Knives
    30 June 1934
  9. Death of Hindenburg
    2 Aug 1934
    took over office president/leader of army
  10. Oath of Allegiance
    20 Aug 1934
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2
Q

Removal of other parties

A

Repression KPD after Reichstag Fire

SPD outlawed Jun 1933

DNVP & Centre Party
voluntarily disband
July 1933
Centre signed concordat

Law Against the Formation of New Parties
14 Jul 1933

Trade Unions banned
2 May 1933

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3
Q

Centralisation of power

A

First Law for the Coordination of the Federal States
Mar 1933
state assemblies replaced w/ Nazi controlled

Second Law for the Coordination of the Federal States
Apr 1933
Reich Governor created to oversee state gov
& ensure central policies carried out

Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich
Jan 1934
Abolished state assemblies
Reich Governor not abolished

Reichsrat abolished
Feb 1934

Nazi intimidation & campaigns against local leaders
replaced with Nazis

Gauleiters were leaders of party at state level
role of different party & state officials never defined
constant rivalry & tension
between Gauleiters & other local leaders

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4
Q

Control of civil service

A

Nazis resented independent
many forced resign
& replaced by loyal Nazi members

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5
Q

Elimination of independent organisations

A

Local/national organisations dissolved
replaced w/ Nazi organisations
eg. trade unions/youth groups/women’s organisations

Restriction/repression of church/related groups

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6
Q

Night of the Long Knives
Overview

A

Purge of the SA

1000 arrested

84 killed
historians est. actually 200-400

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7
Q

Night of the Long Knives
Background - SA

A

SA terror crucial to rise of party

Membership grew to 3M by Jan 1934

SA leader Röhm & many members
radical & socialist
wanted ‘second revolution’
removal of conservative elites & army

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8
Q

Night of the Long Knives
Röhm & SA seen as problem

A

Middle class frightened by violence

Businessmen frightened by left views

Army/Hindenburg held contempt & refused to merge

Other Nazis
↳more right Nazis wanted consolidate power
not transform country
↳remove Röhm to increase own power

Hitler afraid Röhm trying take over

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9
Q

Night of the Long Knives
Causes

A

Uncontrolled violence of SA
↳embarrassment once Chancellor
↳threatened relations w/ Hindenburg
↳no longer need auxiliary police after Aug 1933
↳reputation of drinking/street brawling
damaged Hitler’s image of leadership

Rivalry between Hitler & Röhm

Pressure from army
↳loyal to Hindenburg
could remove Hitler from power
↳SA members threat to power
especially after summer 1934
SA stole weapons from army convoys

Pressure from conservative elites & other groups
↳threaten by violence & left views
↳17 June von Papen made speech
approved by Hindenburg
attacking Nazi excesses & SA violence
↳von Blomberg threatened resignation

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10
Q

Night of the Long Knives
Impact

A

SA threat neutralised
membership declined to 1.6M

Gained army support

Won public support
presented massacre as saving Germany
from threatened coup by SA

Complete control of army

Reduced threat of conservative elite
Von Papen under house arrest
others killed eg. Get. Schleicher

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11
Q

Characteristics of police state

A

No free elections

No free press

No opposition permitted

Potential enemies under surveillance

People live in fear of arrest

Harsh penalties imposed by state

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12
Q

How a police state was established

A

By 1934
anyone could be arrested
& imprisoned w/out trial

Opposition not done openly
fear of being caught & consequences

Large no. police forces
created rivalry & confusion

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13
Q

SS

A

Originally Hitler’s personal bodyguard

Led by Himmler

Carried out Night of the Long Knives
Controlled [camps]

240,000 member in 1939

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14
Q

RHSA

A

Reich Main Security Department
created 1939

Placed all party/police
security organisations
under Himmler’s control

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15
Q

SD

A

Set up to root out traitors within party

Led by Heydrich

Monitored public opinion
eg. identifying & eliminating anyone who voted no in phlebitides

50,000 party officers by 1939

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16
Q

Gestapo

A

20,000 members
public believed agents were everywhere

Each street had block leader
reported back to Gestapo
Denunciations often based on personal grudges

Arrested people w/out explanation
used torture as interrogation method

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17
Q

Courts & justice system

A

Judges & lawyers conservative
rarely outright Nazi

1933 all professional associations of
judges & lawyers merged w/
League of National Socialist Lawyers
formed Front of German Law

People’s Court set up 1934
to deal w/ political crimes
↳judges Nazis
↳no jury & no right to appeal
↳by 1939 3400 tried
those pronounced guilty
increasingly sentenced to death
over 100 each year 1937-39

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18
Q

Concentration camps

A

First camp Dachau
created 1933
run by SA then SS after 1934

Not extermination camps
↳most in camps for a few months
↳prisoners mostly political
after 1936 regime began to focus on asocials

Prisoners forced to do hard labour
many beaten & tortured
became more brutal
& deaths increasingly common by 1939

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19
Q

Resistance by workers

A

Strikes continued despite trade union ban
1935 37 reported in areas eg. Rhineland
1937 250 reported
↳due to low wage/poor working conditions/increasing food prices

Absenteeism & deliberate sabotage of machinery

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20
Q

Resistance by workers
Effectiveness

A

Of 25,000 workers in 1935 strikes
4,000 imprisoned

17 min strike at Opal car factory 1936
7 leaders arrested

1938
legislation introduced severe punishment for ‘slackers’
114 workers arrested for absenteeism

Sabotage became criminal offence
1938-39 increasing prosecution

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21
Q

Resistance by KPD

A

Organised underground networks
in some industrial areas

Recruited members

Published illegal newspapers

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22
Q

Resistance by KPD
Effectiveness

A

All cells/networks
discovered & disbanded by Gestapo

Activity continued
& information spread by word of mouth

Aimed to survive regime
not overthrow it

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23
Q

Resistance by SPD

A

End of 1933
thousands of activists
killed or in ‘protective custody’
& leaders fled in exile

Schumacher organised creation of
cells of supporters
in factories from exile
eg. Berlin Red Patrol

Pamphlets smuggled into Germany
contained anti-Nazi propaganda

SPD agents produced ‘Sopade reports’
to inform leaders abroad of situation

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24
Q

Resistance by SPD
Effectiveness

A

Fear of exposure/arrest limited scope

Priority not to seriously challenge
but survive & prepare for role
when regime collapses

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25
Q

Resistance by Protestant Church

A

Pastors Emergency League created 1933
developed into Confessional Church 1934
led by pastors - not party members
refused to become part of
coordinated state church
aimed:
↳maintain independence/ideology
↳resist imposing ‘Aryan paragraph’
from Law for the Reconstruction of the Professional Civil Service
insisted any pastor converted from Judaism purged from church

Pastors spoke out in sermons about regime & ‘Nazified Christ’
many churches refused display swastika
mass demonstrations following arrest of 2 pastors

Martin Niemoller welcomed Hitler’s appointment
but opposed interference in church
↳anti-Semitic but opposed Aryan paragraph
↳arrest 1937 acquitted but quickly rearrested
sent to [camp] - repudiated anti-Semitic views

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26
Q

Resistance by Protestant Church
Effectiveness

A

Pastors had salaries stopped
& banned from teaching

By end 1937
over 700 pastors imprisoned

Most members confessional church
swore loyalty to Hitler

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27
Q

Resistance by Catholic Church

A

1937 Pope issued
‘With Burning Grief’
condemning Nazis

Von Galen (Archbishop of Munster)
issued pamphlets
& gave sermons disagreeing w/ atheist ideologists
19,000 Catholics supported him
in annual July church procession in Munster

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28
Q

Resistance by Catholic Church
Effectiveness

A

Increased repression
& more priests charged w/ ‘abuse of the pulpit’

Some individual priests opposed
but church preferred to maintain own position

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29
Q

Resistance by elites

A

Gen. Blomberg (defence minister)
& Gen. Fritsch (Commander-in-chief)
expressed doubts
after plan to annex Austria
& invade Czechoslovakia announced
↳Hitler purged from army & replace w/ more compliant generals

Late Sept 1938
army order prepare to invade Czechoslovakia
Gen. Beck (head of army) & other senior figures
plotted remove Hitler
↳abandoned when Britain/France allow take over of Sudetenland

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30
Q

Resistance by young people

A

Mid 1930s growing signs of disillusionment

Resentment at increased discipline of HJ

Act of non-conformity
eg. allowing HJ/BDM members lapse
not attending weekly parades
humming banned turned at meetings

Nothing more than teenage rebelliousness
but regime view non-conformity as threat

Formation of cliques
some criminal/some political
Meuten gangs (political group)
flourished in old communist strongholds

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31
Q

Josef Goebbels

A

Head of the Ministry of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda

All forms of media
had to register to get work approved

Hoped to indoctrinate public
& achieve Gleichschaltung/Volksgemeinschaft
through propaganda/censorship

32
Q

Propaganda
Newspapers

A

By end 1933
Nazis bought 27 daily newspapers
most important Völkischer Beobachter

News agencies that gave press information
merged into state-controlled organisations

33
Q

Propaganda
Radio

A

Hitler/Goebbels believed spoken word
more impactful than written communication

Hitler made 50 broadcasts in 1933 alone

Loud speakers set up in town squares/factories
so everyone could hear important speeches
work stopped so everyone could listen

Goebbels promoted mass production & sale of cheap radios
by 1939 70% households owned radio

Apr 1934
all stations brought under control of
Reich Radio Company

34
Q

Propaganda
Film

A

Goebbels personally approved
every film made in Germany after 1933
foreign films vetted for political/racial content
most American films banned

1933-45 over 1,000 feature films made in Germany
cinema audiences increased fourfold

14% approved films had political themes
↳leadership glorified
↳’Blood and soil’ common theme
↳Jews/communists demonised
↳films w/ anti-war messages banned

35
Q

Propaganda
Parades & rallies

A

Used to display
order/discipline of party/regime

Made theatrical by wearing
uniforms & medals
carrying banners & singing party songs

Torchlight processions effective in capturing public’s attention

Ordinary people expected show support
by hanging swastika flag
block leaders report failure to Gestapo

Images manipulated & result of ‘stage management’

Nuremberg rally most important
propanganda event
up to 100,000 party members attended
event choreographed to produce most impact

36
Q

Propaganda
Posters

A

Visually striking
to attract attention
to promote ideals & policies

Aimed at specific groups
helped indoctrination

Remained core method of promoting key themes

37
Q

Propaganda
Art

A

Hitler believed only Aryans
capable of producing true art

Viewed ‘degenerate’ art of Weimar
unpatriotic & evidence of racial decline

Promoted art that glorified
healthy/strong/heroic

38
Q

Propaganda
Book burning

A

May 1933
Nazi students led by SA
had bonfire of approx. 20,000 books
believed to be ‘un-German’

Replicated in 19 other uni towns

Reasons for burning inc.:
written by Jewish/Marist/Socialist authors
promoted birth control/feminism

39
Q

Propaganda
Hitler Myth

A

Hitler presented as distinguished from other politicians

Portrayed as ‘man of the people’

Aimed to convince people
↳hard-working/tough/uncompromising
in defeating internal/external enemies
↳political genius responsible
for ‘national reawakening’ & saving nation from Weimar & shackles of ToV
↳strong & led nation w/ strength
compared to weak leadership of Weimar politicians
↳sacrificed own happiness to devote himself to his people
↳he was guardian of trad morality & justice

40
Q

Propaganda
Hitler Myth
Reality

A

Allowed other Nazis to lead policy
& rarely involved himself

He surrounded himself w/ officials fighting to gain his attention

Supplied vague visions
& they turned it into detailed
& ensure implementation
(“working towards the Fürher”)

He avoided Berlin & discussion of policy
stayed up late & got out of bed around mid-day
spent most time eating/walking around country retreat

Speeches were long/rambling/often abstract
avoided specific detail

Officials had difficulty getting him to make decisions

41
Q

Nazi idea of economic miracle

A

High output/investment/confidence/agricultural production

No unemployment

Stable currency

Self-sufficiency (autarky)

42
Q

Hitler’s aims for the economy

A

Recovery from depression (short-term)

Long term:
Build economy ready for way (militarism)

All area of economy under state control (corporatism)
conflicts w/ popularity

Self-sufficiency (autarky)
conflicts w/ rearmament
Removal of Jewish people from all aspects of economy (Aryanisation)
conflicts w/ recovery

43
Q

Hjalmar Schacht

A

Helped Nazi’s raise funds from industrialists

Mar 1933
made President of Reichsbank
resigned 1939

Aug 1934
made Economics Minister
resigned 1937

Supported anti-Nazi resistance
sent to [camp] 1945

44
Q

The New Plan 1933-37
Unemployment

A

Jobs created through public works schemes
gov investment increased threefold 1933-36
↳unemployment falling pre-1933
policy reduced faster
2M 1935
↳stats excluded married women/Jews

Employed building autobahns
success exaggerated in propaganda
↳only 125,000 employed at once
building slowed 1938
↳few owned cars

Reich Labour Service (RAD)
created 1935
men 19-25 sent to do 6 months labours
↳involved 400,000 men

Conscription reintroduced
broke ToV
↳removed 1.8M men from labour force

45
Q

The New Plan 1933-37
Industrial output

A

58% fall 1929-33

Public works programmes

Grant/subsidies for businesses
↳even Jewish department store Bertie’s received until 1938

State control of wages & prices

Suspended all public debt repayments

Industrial production increased 60% 1933-36
GNP increased 40%

Food shortages/rising prices/lower standard of living
↳people started to become disillusioned

46
Q

The New Plan 1933-37
Agriculture

A

Tax relief for farmers
tariffs on food imports

Created Reich Food Estate
planned production & delivered subsidies

Laws guaranteed farmers
security from eviction

1929-39 output increased 20%
1933-38 farmers income increased 41%

Self-sufficient in bread/grain/potatoes/sugar/meat by 1939

Increased output led to
labour shortages
food consumption fell c 5% per person

47
Q

The New Plan 1933-37
Trade

A

Exports fell 61% 1929-33

Exports grew as economy recovered
Imports remained higher
led to shortage foreign currency
& balance of trade deficit

Imposed control of imports
gov prioritised goods
eg. raw cotton imports forbidden - metal encouraged
relied on imports eg. rubber

Bilateral trade agreement
w/ Romania & Hungary
Germany import food/raw materials
but paid in Reichsmarks
↳increased demand for goods
& supply of foreign currency

48
Q

The New Plan 1933-37
Rearmament

A

By 1935
Hitler ordered faster pace
had to borrow money & control inflation

Gov issued Mefo Bills
could be converted into Reichsmarks
in 5 yrs w/ 4% interest
1937 - 12B marks of bills issued
allowed immediate/secret rearmament

Gov incentives for private industry
to produce armaments
increased jobs & output
expenditure increased 70%
↳firms used up resources
that could be used for consumer goods
known as choice between “guns or butter”

49
Q

Turing point in economic policy

A

1936

Propaganda declared
‘battle for work’ done

Hitler wanted expansion of rearmament

Hitler wanted full mobilisation for war by 1940
to achieve Lebensraum

50
Q

Four Year Plan

A

Göring

Gov control of labour/prices/raw materials
/foreign currency
↳wages rose - so did prices
↳workers had compulsory contribution to DAF taken
↳had divert resources away to consumer goods
to avoid resentment
↳2/3 self-sufficiency in raw materials

Gov set production targets for private companies
failed led to denial of raw materials/closure
↳Göring not meet explosives target
target 223,000t
produced 45,000t 1938 (1936 = 18,000t)

Establish state owned industrial plants

Increased output essential products
eg. iron/steel/chemicals
shortage of workers by 1939
in some industries - hampered increase

Encouraged R&D in production of ersatz goods
to replace need for imports
eg. artificial rubber/extraction oil from coal

Increased grants for fertilisers/machinery
to increased agricultural output/replace imports
↳virtually self-sufficient in production food
except fats by 1939
↳consumption of food declined
eg. meat/fruits/eggs

Propaganda encouraged all help achieve autarky
↳scrape metal collected from homes/fences/railing/iron lampposts
to be melted down
↳HJ coordinated collection pots/pans
↳Gestapo reported resentment at sacrifices

51
Q

Relations with industrial elites

A

Hitler reassured
socialist elements suppressed initially
eg. banning trade unions

Revival of economy helped businesses thrive

4 yr plan led to increased to increased profits
IG. Farben profits increased
71M (1935) -> 240M (1940)

Many business leaders
not welcome state intervention
eg. wished access cheaper/higher quality
imported iron ore
↳Göring overcame by creating
‘Hermann Göring Steelworks’
nationalised control of iron ore/coal mining/smelting process

Small businesses squeezed out by big
coal/steel dominated economy

52
Q

Aims for workers

A

Volksgemeinschaft
needed ordinary people
forgo personal freedoms & give labour

Gleischaltung
tries to trade unions/left parties
most not vote NSDAP
↳made biggest threat to Gleichscaltung

Rearmament
needed workers
so could not be ignored

53
Q

German Labour Front
Role

A

DAF
est. 6 May 1933
leader Robert Ley

Took over role trade unions
Membership not compulsory
↳only official body representing workers
Main aim increased production to support rearmament

54
Q

DAF
Differences to trade unions

A

Included employees & employers
worked in interest of employers/state

Gave workers no role
in bargaining wages

Had propaganda department
spread ideology through working class

Built up business empire
inc. banks/travel&housing associations/construction companies

By 1936 ove 35M members
By 1939 44,500 paid employees

55
Q

Strength through Joy
Aims

A

KdF
Subgroup DAF
organised leisure time
∴ more productive/efficient at work

Encouraged workers see bigger picture
Volksgemeinschaft

Leave no time for non-Nazi coordinated activities
main aim indoctrination

Bring together people from across country
bring into Volksgemeinschaft

Encourage participation in sport
employed youth requ. 2hr PE a week
rearmament

Encourage competition/ambition
competition for apprentices
improves skill/standard of work

56
Q

KdF
Membership

A

KdF wardens in every workplace
w/ >20 people

7,000 paid employees

Membership automatic w/ DAF

57
Q

KdF
Popularity

A

Offered opportunities not available before
helped gain support for regime

Gap between propaganda/reality
tickets for cruises/holidays
too expensive for working class
10% cruise passengers working class
littler mixing between classes
despite Volksgemeinschaft

58
Q

The Beauty of Labour

A

SdA
Department of KdF
devoted to improving working conditions

Aim
make workers work harder/more productive

Encouraged
better washing facilities in factories
canteens provide hot nutritious food

Resulted 34,000 companies
improve facilities by 1938
↳workers had to bear costs
& build/decorate in own time for no extra pay

59
Q

Aims towards youth

A

Indoctrinate
so they were:

ready to serve nation

completely committed to Nazi values

Obedient to Nazis/Führer

All organisations Nazified

60
Q

Methods of indoctrination of youth
Creation of youth movements

A

Hitler Youth created 1926
↳after 1933 all groups banned/taken over by HJ (except Catholic church’s)
↳1936
Law for the Incorporation of German Youth
gave HJ status official education movement
& banned Catholic groups
↳1939 membership compulsory
↳boys prepared for future as soldiers
& asked swear oath of allegiance to Führer
↳Jan 1933 60,000 members
1939 9M members
↳initially well received
late 1930s enthusiasm waned
poor attendance at weekly parades
became more rigid/bureaucratic

League of German Girls
↳aimed prepare girls to be housewives/mothers
↳membership compulsory 1939
↳many found liberating
doing things mothers not allowed to
↳racial awareness important element
Jutta Rüdiger (leader)
told girls responsible for
ensuring partner carried German blood
↳after 1934 up to age 25
expected do yrs work on land/domestic service
made compulsory 1939
city girls tried avoiding

61
Q

Methods of indoctrinating children
Control of schools

A

1933
Law for the Reconstruction of the Professional Civil Service
dismissed politically unreliable/Jewish teachers

Teachers pressured into National Socialist Teachers’ League
many happily joined

Textbooks vetted & rewritten

From 1935
Ministry of Education
issued directives on what’s taught
by 1938 directives covered every yr & most subjects

Curriculum to inculcate
PE - prepare for military service & practice military drills
German - study trad stories to instil shared heritage (‘German consciousness’)
Biology - discussion race/heredity emphasised survival of the fittest
Geography - develop Lebensraum ‘blood & soil’ racial superiority ideas

62
Q

Methods of indoctrinating youth
Control of universities

A

Less importance in academics
stressed importance of PE/political indoctrination

Attendance decreased 1933-39
↳10% female students
↳1.5% Jewish

Access rationed & selected on political reliability

Law for the Reconstruction of the Professional Civil Service
dismissed 1,200 staff on racial/political grounds

All teachers made sign
Declaration in Support of Hitler and the National Socialist State

Students had to join
German Students League
25% managed not join

Students forced complete
4 months labour service
& 2 months in SA camps
Nazis considered more important than academics

63
Q

Aims towards women

A

Increase birth rate

Establish trad role
↳Regime discouraged women holding jobs
slogan ‘Kinder, Küche, Kirche’

64
Q

Policy towards women

A

Propaganda raised status housewives/mothers
portrayed ‘new women’ degenerate/un-German

1933
women dismissed from senior civil service roles/medical profession
1936
banned from being judges/lawyers/teachers

Offered 600 marks loan if left work
& married Aryan man
repayment reduced by 1/4 for every child had

Maternity services/childcare improved

Taxes lowered for couples w/ children

Birth control discouraged
& abortions severely restricted

‘Mother’s Cross’ given to those ‘donated’ baby to Führer
Bronze=4/5 Silver=6/7 Gold=8+

From 1935
Lebensborn programme paired
unmarried women (that could prove Aryan background)
w/ SS officers to get pregnant
c. 8,000 children born

‘undesirable’ women forced sterilisation

Encouraged healthy lifestyle

65
Q

Nazi organisation for women

A

German Women’s League (DFW)
coordinated women’s groups
domestic science department
advised on cooking/healthy eating

The National Socialist Women’s Organisation (NS-F)
select elite organisation
promoted ‘love life, marriage, family, blood and race’

The Reich Mother’s Service (RMD)
branch DFW
trained women to understand importance of motherhood

66
Q

Who may have supported policy towards women

A

Middle class
probably suffered from restriction

Many happy to stay at home
than work long hours

Nazi ideas extreme views
of conservative organisation/Catholic Church
before Nazis came to power
no significant change until after 1939

67
Q

Policies towards women
Impact

A

1933-39
birth rate increased
14 babies per 1000 women -> 21

Marriages increased
516,000 (1932) -> 740,000 (1934)

Only 10% university students

Divorce rate increased from 1938

DFW had 6M members by 1939
70% not party of NSDAP

1.7M trained by RMD

Marriage/birth increases may be due to
prosperity not specific policy

Workers shortage meant
after 1937
expected to do ‘duty year’ of work

68
Q

Religious background

A

58% Protestant
32% Catholic

Catholicism stronger organisation

69
Q

Reasons policy towards churches may not be straight forward

A

Germany Christian nation

Christianity presented powerful rival set of belief

Churches independent/well organised/influential bodies

Common ground between Nazis & church

70
Q

Policy towards Catholic Church
Initial agreement

A

1933
signed concordat
Nazis not interfere w/ church
& church not involved in politics

Catholic trade union voluntarily disbanded

71
Q

Policy towards Catholic Church
Breakdown of agreement

A

Hitler increasingly dictated policy

Leading Catholics killed in
Night of the Long Knives

Catholic organisations shut down
& priests watched by Gestapo

72
Q

Policy towards Catholic
Opposition

A

Initially not opposed

1935-36 individual priests expressed criticism
Catholic newspapers censored & meetings restricted

1937 Pope issues
‘With Burning Grief’
declaring Nazis hostile to Christ

Von Galen used sermons to protest euthanasia of disabled
Retaliation - schools/organisation closed down
200 priests arrested on sex charges

Did not mount organised resistance as a whole

By 1939 lost influence
particularly among youth & most believed in Hitler myth
older Catholics privately retained support for Church

73
Q

Policy towards Protestant Church
Areas of agreement

A

Anti-Semitism
Anti-communism

Regime turned 450th anniversary of
Martin Luther’s birthday into mass celebration

74
Q

Policy towards Protestant Church
The Reich Church

A

1933
Hitler pressured all to unite into ‘Reich Church’

Adopted Ayran paragraph
& removed 18 non-Aryan ministers

Some pastors wore Nazi uniforms

75
Q

Policy towards the Protestant Church
Resistance

A

Ministers led by Niemöller & Bonhoeffer
set up ‘Confessional Church’
based on bible not Nazi ideas
↳over 6,000 ministers joined
only 2,000 left in Reich Church
↳800 ministers arrested inc. Niemöller

Nazis abolished church schools
& party members not allowed hold position in Church

But 1939 Protestant population fell to 54%

76
Q

Policy towards the Protestant Church
The German Faith Movement

A

Nazis tried introduce own religion

Involved pagan style worship of nature/the seasons/Hitler

Not receive much support

77
Q

Policy towards religion sects

A

Jehovah’s Witnesses refused to join army/support Nazis
many sent to [camps]

Salvation Army, Christian Scientists & 7th Day Adventists
suppressed

Germany (7 decks)

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