Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and dictatorship Flashcards
Who was Kaiser Wilhelm II?
-Became King (total control) in 1888 at 29
-Wanted to build Germany’s industry
-Unstable with a chip on shoulder about Britain
-Wants WELTPOLITIK (Germany should have a say in the world)
Explain the Use and Growth of Parliamentary government (beginning of Kaiser’s reign)
-Germany unified as a single country in 1871
-25 previously independent states joined together to create the new German Empire
-The Empire’s constitution was federal
-Meant each state kept its own individual princes, constitutions and governments
Who/What had power in ruling Germany?
-Kaiser (ultimate power, inherited position, control over army and foreign policy)
-Chancellor (runs gov, proposes new legislation, doesn’t need others)
-Bundesrat (made up of representatives from each state in the German empire)
-Reichstag (members elected by the public every 3 yrs, pass/reject legislation passed down by the Bundesrat)
Explain the Influence of Prussian Nationalism
-German unification was led by Prussia (most powerful of the 25 unified countries)
-Army was led by Prussian officers
-Prussia provided 17 out of 58 representatives in the Bundesrat
3 main difficulties the Kaiser had when ruling Germany
-Industrialisation
-Navy Laws
-Growth of socialism
Industrialisation
-Germany became more industrial
-Production in factories got bigger
-Workers had low wages and poor working conditions
-1910, 60% of Germans live in towns and cities
Navy Laws
-Army massively expanded after 1898
-Building navy cost lots of money
-Annoyed socialists thinking money could be spent on working class
-Taxes rose
-Began naval race between Britain increasing tension
Growth of socialism and social reform
-The Social Democratic Party (SPD) party became the largest party in the Reichstag in 1912
-Social Democrats hoped Kaiser might share some of his power to allow Reichstag to make social reforms/ laws to improve workers’ rights
-Worked to ban Sunday work and children under 13 working
What was Germany like during and after World War Two?
-British used their large navy to blockade German ports
-30,000 civilians starved
-Germany lost WW1
What were the impacts on Germany after World War Two?
-Low morale after 1.8 mil German soldiers died
-Nationalistic feeling in 1914 had gone
-Desire to stop working got stronger
-Mass starvation made people extremely weak
-Deadly flu epidemic killed almost 800k
-Growth in extreme parties like communists
-Kaiser lost support
What events caused the Kaiser to abdicate the throne?
-28th Oct 1918= German navy ordered to sea from Kiel to attack British ships
-Sailors refused as they didn’t want to fight
-News of mutiny spread in ports nearby and other sailors/ workers followed them
-Soldiers sent to deal with it also joined in
-Protests took over towns+set up special councils
-In 6 days, workers and soldier councils governing cities all over Germany
-Kaiser couldn’t control chaos, decided to abdicate
Who took control after the Kaiser abdicated the throne?
-Friedrich Ebert, leader of largest party SPD, temporarily took over Germany as leader
-He promised to hold elections soon where people could vote for him if they wanted
-He ended WW1 which Germans wanted
-He ordered improvements to working conditions and guaranteed freedom of speech
-He declared Germany would be a democratic republic
What was the Weimar Constitution?
-The SPD won Jan 1919 elections and set up their new gov in Weimar, becoming known as the Weimar Gov
-There first job was to write a constitution (set of rules) for Germany
What were the 4 terms of the Weimar Constitution?
1) Over 20s could vote for MPs to sit in the Reichstag who would suggest new laws
2) Chancellor= head of Reichstag, voted for every 4 yrs
3) President= Chooses Chancellor, keeps control
of the army, voted for every 7 yrs
4) Germany would use Proportional Representation system meaning each party would get a fair share of the seats in the Reichstag (10% of votes= 10% of seats)
What were the problems with Proportional Representation?
-Seemed fair but had lots of problems
-So many parties in Reichstag meant no party ever had a majority
-They couldn’t pass laws by themselves
-Parties had to make deals which slowed the whole process down
Strengths of the Weimar Constitution
-Voting was fair
-Lots of people had their say
-State govs ensured local issues were adressed
-Not 1 person could take over (President and Chancellor)
-A poor Chancellor or President would only be around for a limited time
Weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution
-PR meant lots of parties in Reichstag= difficult to make agreements
-Article 48 could be abused to stop President listening to Reichstag
-State govs could pass laws going against what the Reichstag wanted
What was the Spartacists Uprising?
-Jan 1919, Spartacus League (Communist party) started a revolution in Berlin to take over Germany
-Revolt failed as Ebert brought in Friekorps (ex soldiers) to stop it and kill communists
Impact of the Spartacists Uprising
-Leaders of revolt Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg brutally murdered by the Friekorps
-Helpful for Ebert that they were no longer a threat but he had to rely on the Friekorps
-Made Weimar Gov look weak and unprotected
What was the Treaty of Versailles?
-Document signed 28th June 1919 by France, UK and US
-A number of terms to punish Germany for the role they played in WW1
-France were very angry and so were the UK but the US wanted a strong Germany for trade
What were the 4 main terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
-LAND= Germany lost 13% of its land (Alsace- Lorraine) along with 48% of its iron production and 6 million citizens
-ARMY= Army was limited to 100,000 men and they weren’t allowed to build tanks, planes, submarines etc
-MONEY= Germany had to pay £6.6 billion in reparations to the other countries
-BLAME= Article 231 meant Germany had to take full responsibility for starting the war
What was the Kapp Putsch?
-March 1920, right wing Fascist group led by Wolfgang Kapp gathered 5000 men (Friekorps) and took over Berlin
-Ebert and his gov were forced to flee and Kapp took over the country
-Kapp didn’t have support from workers of Berlin who went on strike meaning there was no water, gas, electricity etc
-After 100 hours, Kapp fled and Ebert returned to power
Impact of Kapp Putsch
-Govt fled immediately rather than trying to fight Wolfgang Kapp violently
-Showed workers were loyal to Weimar govt
Explain the beginnings of the Nazi Party
-Anton Drexler’s German Workers Party
-Hitler joined in 1920
-Aim was to get rid of the ToV
-Hitler became the leader, renaming it as National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP/Nazi Party)
-New flag and a new private army
to protect it (the SA/Brown shirts)
-Hitler made powerful speeches and SA beat up communists
-By 1923, Nazi party had 55k members
What was the invasion of the Ruhr?
-Germany couldn’t afford 2nd reparation of ToV
-Jan 1923= French & Belgian troops occupy Ruhr region taking goods to force them to pay
-German people of the Ruhr react with passive resistance
-They go on strike to force soldiers to leave but they react with violence, shooting Germans
-Weimar Govt support strikers by printing more money to support their striking
-Led to hyperinflation
Explain hyperinflation in Germany and its impacts
-Govt prints more money, making it worth less
-This escalates until in Nov 1923, a loaf of bread costs over 100 trillion marks
-People burnt money to heat fires
-Middle class lost their savings
-Elderly lost their pensions
What was the Munich Putsch?
-Nov 1923, Hitler tries to take advantage by trying to launch a revolution in Munich
-8th, Hitler and 600 SA members burst into a meeting that Kahr (politician) and Lossow (leader of Bavarian Army) were holding at a beer hall
-Hitler forced them to agree to rebel against gov
-The next day, Hitler and SA went to Munich thinking there would be a triumphant march
-However, Kahr had called the police who initiated a short scuffle with Hitler
-4 police and 16 SA were killed, Hitler fled but was arrested 2 days later and spent 9 months in prison where he wrote Mein Kampf (My strugle)
What did Gustav Stresemann do to save Germany?
-Fixed hyperinflation, replaced old currency with the temporary ‘Rentenmark’.
-Lasted a year before being replaced with the stable ‘Reichsmark’ lasting 25 yrs
-Dawes and Youngs Plan where US lent money to Germany to pay ToV reparations and help industry
-Locarno Pact promising to not invade each other
-Joined League of Nations
-Signed Kellogg-Briand Pact so they couldn’t go to war unless to defend themselves
Explain Germany’s Golden Age/ Weimar Culture?
-Mainly in Berlin and amongst young people, Weimar culture was established
-Cinema, Nightlife, Literature and Art all saw huge improvements in Germany
-Many Germans saw it as decadent, trashy and corrupt specifically Right wingers disagreed
Cinema in the Golden Age/Weimar Culture
-Became very popular
-Metropolis was the most technically advanced film of the decade
-German born actress Marlene Dietrich became a worldwide star
Nightlife in the Golden Age/Weimar Culture
-New plays, operas, and theatre shows during the time
-Kurt Weill’s ‘The Threepenny Opera’ (adapted by Bertolt Brecht) was a box office smash
-Musicians performed vulgar songs about politicians
-Live bands played American jazz music
-Transvestite evenings
Literature in the Golden Age/Weimar Culture
-People had 120 different newspapers and magazines to choose from
-A German anti-war novel ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ by Erich Remarque sold half a million copies in 3 months
Art in the Golden Age/Weimar Culture
-Avant garde artists such as Otto Dix and George Grosz believed art should show the reality of everyday life in particular the difference in social classes
-Painted in a way that criticised current events
What was the Wall Street Crash and how did it impact Germany?
-Stock market collapse in US, stock prices plummeted, wiped out billions of dollars in wealth
-US asks for Dawes Plan loan back
-Germany fell into a Depression
-6.5 million became unemployed
-Weimar Govt refused to print more money but raised taxes and cut wages instead
Explain the changes in the Nazi Party from 1924 to 1929
-Whilst Hitler was in prison, Party was banned but operated in secret
-Feb 1924, ban lifted and Party relaunched, Hitler slowly began to take control again
-Created SS (Blackshirts) as private bodyguards
-Hitler Youth set up to rival other youth groups
-Party members went from 27,000 to 100,000 from 1925-28
-Nazis only won 2.6% in 1928 election, so Hitler appointed Goebbels as Party Propaganda Leader
5 reasons why people began voting for the Nazi Party
-The Great Depression
-Unhappy with the Weimar Government
-Appeal of Adolf Hitler
-Nazis use of propaganda
-Role of the SA
Why did the Great Depression cause people to vote for the Nazi Party?
-Wall St Crash caused Depression in Germany
-Nazis promised ‘Work and Bread’ to give jobs to people so they could provide for their families
-Nazis offered simple but appealing promises
Why did being unhappy with the Weimar Government cause people to vote for the Nazi Party?
-Weimar Gov argued lots but didn’t achieve much
-After President Hindenburg withdrew support of Bruning showed the democratic party system wasn’t working
-Some who tried to support were drawn to extreme parties
Why did the appeal of Adolf Hitler cause people to vote for the Nazi Party?
-Hitler had a charismatic personality, made people believe he could be trusted to make Germany a strong nation
-Filled audiences with hope for change by making promises like getting rid of the ToV
Why did the Nazis use of propaganda cause people to vote for the Nazi Party?
-Nazis put Goebbels in charge of propaganda
-Nazis owned 120 daily/weekly newspapers read by hundreds of thousands of people
-Constantly put across positive message of Nazis
-Hitler made speeches on radio and at mass rallies
Why did the role of the SA cause people to vote for the Nazi Party?
-SA marched in cities encouraging people to vote for the the Nazis
-They were violent and beat up Nazi opposition
-Countless fights between SA and Red Front Fighters (Communist)
-Created organisation in the party
5 groups that voted for the Nazis
-Farmers
-Middle Class
-Upper Class
-Soldiers
-Women
Why did farmers vote for the Nazis?
-Nazis promised higher prices for crops, better quality of life and higher status to farmers in Germany after they had been badly affected by the Depression
-Nazis also hated communists so if they took over, they would seize the land families had farmed for generations
Why did the middle class vote for the Nazis?
-Feared law and order might break down or a communist takeover could destroy their life
-Wanted Weimar Gov but Nazis promised to deal with problems more decisively
Why did the upper class vote for the Nazis?
-Promised strong leadership and more powerful nation
-Promised them allowance to run factories how they wanted and his plans to use these factories to build weapons and planes could make them even more money
Why did soldiers vote for the Nazis?
-Hitler promised to tear up the ToV to make the country strong again
-Many young people want to be a part of Germany’s bright future and get jobs in armed forces
-Won over by sheer force of Hitler’s beliefs
Why did women vote for the Nazis?
-Nazis say family life, good morals and self-discipline are important
-Women appreciated this
What were the Nazis votes like during the Great Depression years (1928-1930)?
-During the 1930s, the Nazis votes grew
-1928= 12 seats
-1930= 107 seats
July 1932 election
-Nazis win 37% of votes
-Largest party in the Reichstag but didn’t have majority so couldn’t take control
-Hitler demands to be chancellor but Hindenburg refuses
-He appoints unpopular Von-Papen but offs Hitler vice-chancellor
-Hitler rejects the offer
-Nazi party lose lots of elections and start to go bankrupt
Nov 1932 election
-Nazis win 33% of the vote, losing 2 million votes in 4 months
-This was due to the Nazi party having troubles and the SA’s violence starting to have a negative impact
-Hitler thinks Nazis are over, considering suicide
How does Hitler eventually become chancellor after the 1932 elections?
-Von Papen (VP) was unpopular, he didn’t have largest party so couldn’t pass any laws without majority vote
-VP holds election in Nov but fails, Hindenburg appoints his rival Von Schliecher (VS)
-VP is furious, in an attempt to return to power, he has a private meeting with Hitler saying Hitler could be chancellor if VP is vice chancellor and 70% of Hitler’s gov are non-nazis
-Initially Hindenburg refuses but after VS is also so unpopular, he knows to stay in power he must appoint Hitler (largest party in the Reichstag)
-Hitler becomes chancellor 30th of Jan 1933
How does Hitler begin to eliminate his opposition after becoming Chancellor?
-Although Hitler was chancellor and leader of largest political party, Nazis still didn’t have majority in the Reichstag
-Hitler still needs support of other political
parties to pass laws so he couldn’t do what he wanted
-Hitler decided to call another election for March 1933 hoping to get a majority this time
What was the Reichstag Fire?
-27th Feb 1933, Reichstag burns down supposedly by 17 year old Dutch communist Marius Van der Lubbe
-Hitler claims fire was started by Communists and was meant as a symbol for communists to start a revolution in Germany
What was the Reichstag Fire Decree?
-On the 28th Feb, Hindenburg allowed Nazis to pass Reichstag Fire Decree which was temporary but lasted 12 yrs
-It banned freedom of speech and assembly
-It gave the Nazis the power to ban rival political parties
-A person could be imprisoned without trial
-Number of crimes punishable by death was increased from 2 to 30
What happened on the election on March 5th 1933?
-Hitler’s aims to win 66% of votes to change the constitution but would be happy with 50% to rule without other parties and VP
-Nazis only win 44% so they cannot change anything
What was the Enabling Act?
-Hitler formed coalition with Nationalist Party to get majority in the Reichstag
-23rd of March, he passed the Enabling Act using tactics including not letting communist party members vote, anyone absent voted in favour of the act, SA intimidated members to vote in favour, Hitler made promises with Catholics to vote in favour
-Due to the pressure, he passed the law 444 votes to 94
-Meant he could make laws without consulting the Reichstag for the next 4 years
What did Hitler do as a result of passing the Enabling Act?
-Banned trade unions
-Banned opposing parties and put leaders in concentration camps
-Put Nazis in charge of all state governments
-Used fear and intimidation to make sure people didn’t challenge the Nazis
What was the Night of the Long Knives?
-Hitler turned his attention to threats within his own Party
-SA (led by Röhm) became a threat due to their numbers and military training
-Röhm wanted SA to join with army but this scared Hitler
-30th June 1934= Röhm and 400 SA shot by members of the SS
-Hitler also used opportunity to get rid of other enemies like Von Schleicher
What happened due to President Hindenburg’s death?
-2nd Aug 1934, Hindenburg dies (2 weeks after Night of Long Knives)
-Hitler declares himself President, making him chancellor and head of state
-It took 18 months for Hitler to become dictator with total power to make any new laws he liked
-He was given the new title ‘Der Fuhrer’ (The leader)
4 ways Hitler and the Nazis tried to solve unemployment
-National Labour Service (RAD)
-Public work schemes
-Rearmament
-Invisible Unemployment
National Labour Service (RAD)
-All men aged 18-25 spent 6 months in the RAD
-Planted forests and dug drainage ditches on farms
-Wore uniforms, lived in camps, given free meals
-Paid pocket money but it was still a job
-As more people were working, unemployment figures dropped rapidly
Public work schemes
-June 1933, Nazis ordered creation of autobahns (motorways) to link main towns and cities
-Gave work to nearly 100,000 and by 1938 around 38,000 km of highway was built
-At the same time, many schools and hospitals were built, giving more work to people
Rearmament
-Hitler was determined to have a powerful military again so he ordered the building of new tanks, battleships, guns and fighter planes
-Thousands of jobs created
-Made factory owners and large businesses a fortune
-From 1935, all men aged 18-25 were forced to join armed forces for at least 2 years
-Within 5 years, army grew from 100,000 to 1.4 mil giving even more jobs (breaking the ToV)
Invisible Unemployment
-Women who gave up work to have a family didn’t count in official figures
-Part time workers were counted as full time
-Nazis created jobs by sacking jews and replacing them and then didn’t count these newly unemployed jews in their figures
3 schemes ran by the German Labour Front (DAF)
-Beauty through Labour (SDA)
-Strength through Joy (KDF)
-Save for a family Volkswagen car
Beauty through Labour (SDA)
-Tried to improve working environments by installing better lighting, safety equipment, new washrooms, low cost canteens and sports facilities
Strength through Joy (KDF)
-Organised leisure activities to encourage hard work
-Reward scheme offering cheap holidays, trips to theatre and tickets to football matches if workers met targets
What was Germany’s economy like under Schact?
-Schact appointed as Minister of Econ in 1933
-He realised plans to build more weapons would cost a lot and needed lots of raw materials
-These had to be bought from other countries which could be very expensive
-He signed deals with countries in South America and Europe to supply materials
-Went well but meant they were still dependant on other countries
-Schact was sacked and replaced by Goerring
What was Germany’s economy like under Goering?
-1936, Goerring introduced a 4 yr plan preparing Germany for war
-Main priority was to increase military production
-Created jobs in factories and building yards
-Some high production targets were met (steel) but not in others (oil)
-Germany still wasn’t ready for war and still needed materials from abroad
-Goerring attempted to make Germany self-sufficient
How were the lives of women affected by the Nazis (1933-1939)?
-Expected to be housewives and mothers
-Role of 3K’s: Kinder,Kuche, Kirche
-Encouraged large families to increase birth rate and ensure the future of the master race
-Medals awarded for women with lots of children (Honour Cross of German Mother)
-Couples lent 1,000 marks when and allowed to keep 250 for each child they have
-Women discouraged from wearing make-up, smoking and dieting
-Lebensborns set up where women could ‘donate’ a baby to the Führer by becoming pregnant by racially pure SS men
-Women banned from jury service
How did the Hitler Youth affect the lives of young people (1933-1939)?
-Students identified by teachers as potential future Nazi leaders sent to special academies
-Set up Adolf Hitler Schools
-After intense training they graduated as ‘Ideal Nazis’
-BOYS 10-13= German Young People/ 13-18= Hitler Youth
-GIRLS 10-13= League of Young girls/ 13-18= League of German maidens
-1935= Youth movements not related to Nazi party banned
-1936= HY is made compulsory. Students can be expelled from school for not attending HY
-1938= Children can be put in foster care for not attending
-Members increased by 8 million in 1 year
How did Nazi education affect the lives of young people (1933-1939)?
-School system indoctrinated young Germans
-New curriculum where all subjects put forward Nazi propaganda and beliefs
-Dying for Germany is good, Nazis are more important than your parents and undivided loyalty to Hitler was a must
-History books rewritten and story books written warning children about Jews
-Boys educated to be soldiers, girls to be mothers
-Teachers joined Nazi Teachers’ Association or would lose their jobs
-Jewish pupils persecuted and left schools 1938
What was Nazi propaganda like?
-Hitler’s image used only ever shown serving Germany
-Goebbels made sure people were bombarded with info to keep them loyal to the Nazis
-Posters, pictures and films
-Hitler’s speeches broadcast on the radio
-Cheap radios sold/connected to loudspeakers
-Newspapers banned from printing anything not checked by Nazis first (censorship)
-Rallies held, such as Nuremberg, to show how organised Party was
-1936, Hitler used Olympics to show how efficient and advanced Germany was
What was Nazi art and culture like?
-Encouraged ‘Aryan art’ showing military power Aryan race
-Ceremonially burned thousands of books in 1933 viewed as subversive or representing ideologies opposed to Nazism
-Nazis gradually took over film production and distribution and used stars to promote the popularity of the party
-Nazis strongly opposed to jazz music (degenerate)
What was the relationship like between the Nazis and Christianity?
-1933, Hitler signed Concordat with Pope agreeing to keep out of each others’ affairs
-1933, Protestant Church reorganised into National Reich Church where Church was Nazified: Bible-> Mein Kampf and cross-> swastika
-Hitler broke promise with Catholic Church by closing down catholic schools and youth groups
-Hitler tried to control the church but was not able to get them rid of them
-In later years, Church publicly opposed the Nazis
How did the Nazis treat minorities (1933-1939)?
-Homeless taken to camps to be re-educated so they could become useful German citizens
-Homosexuals, gypsies, tramps, alcoholics and prostitutes were sent to concentration camps
-Blacks and the mentally ill sterilised so that they couldn’t reproduce or killed
70k disabled (mentally and physically) were murdered
How did the Nazis treat the Jews (1933-1939 timeline)?
-1933: SA organised boycotts of Jewish shops and businesses
-1934: Jews banned from public places such as parks
-1935: Nuremburg Laws took away their German citizenship
-1938: Kristallnacht
What was the Nazis racial policy (1933-1945)?
-Aryans were master race (Aryans and non-Aryans shouldn’t have children)
-Selective breeding and destroying the Jews
-Hitler and Nazis believed Jews were inferior
-They could be blamed for all of Germany’s problems such as the ToV, hyperinflation and Great Depression
What were the Anti-Semitic Nuremberg Laws?
-A series of laws in Sep 1935
-Jews could not marry Germans or have sex with Germans
-Jews could not vote
-Took away their German citizenship
-Jews had to wear the Star of David in public
What was Kristallnacht?
-The Night of Broken Glass where around 10k Jewish shops had their windows broke
-100 Jews were killed
-7000 Jewish businesses shut down
-20,000 sent to concentration camps
-200 synagogues burnt down
What was life like in Nazi Germany during the early war years (1939-41)?
-At first the war had very little impact on people.
-In fact supplies increased; as the Nazis took over other countries supplies of raw materials and luxuries sent back to Germany
-Rationing introduced in 1939 to control supplies, meaning 2/5 Germans followed a healthier diet than before the war
-Women were needed in industry, 1939= 6.2 mil were working
-Goebbels made effective use of propaganda
What was life like in Nazi Germany during the latter war years (1942-45)?
-Germany defeated at Stalingrad in USSR and forced to retreat, (turning point for Germany)
-1942, Germans experienced bombing raids on major cities, from Britain and America
-1944, all workers had to go into armaments production
-By 1945= 3.5 mil civilians killed
-Food shortages and rationing increased
What were ghettos like?
-Designed as holding camps so Jews could easily
be transported to next destination
-Jews were not allowed to leave
-Conditions were terrible; serious food and fuel shortages and overcrowding
-Thousands died from cold, hunger and disease
-55,000 Jews died in Warsaw ghetto alone
What was Einsatzgruppen?
-As German army invaded Russia, ‘Jewish problem’
-Nazis organised special murder squads called Einsatzgruppen -They followed the advancing German armies and rounded up all the Jews.
- Jews were taken to the outskirts of villages and forced to dig their own graves before being shot
-1943= 2 mil Russians, mainly Jews, were murdered this way
What was the Final Solution and the Wannasee Conference?
-Each new victory brought more Jews under their control and they didn’t know what to do with them
-Shooting them wasted bullets in the war
-Jan 1942, Nazis met at Wannsee to work out ‘Final Solution’
-6 death camps were built
- Jews split into 2 groups; those who could work and those killed immediately
-Gas chambers disguised as showers
-6 million Jews had been worked to death, gassed or shot
What were the 3 groups that opposed the Nazis?
-Young people
-The Church
-The Army
What were the 3 Anti Nazi youth movements?
-Edelweiss Pirates
-The White Rose Group
-The ‘Swing’ movement
The Edelweiss Pirates
-Working class movement
-Hoped to beat up the Hitler Youth
-Sheltered concentration camp refugees and attacked military targets
-A group killed the head of the Cologne Gestapo but were publicly hung after in Nov 1944
The White Rose Group
-Started by Munich University students Hans and Sophie Scholl
-Spread anti-Nazi leaflets attacking Nazis slaughter of the Jews and urged Germans not to help the war effort
-By 1943, most of the leaders had been executed
The ‘Swing’ movement
-Middle class youth movement who listened to jazz music and clubbing
-Went to swing clubs during the war where Jews were accepted
-Many members were punished
-Nazis were furious and and closed down the bars
How did the Church oppose the Nazis?
-Protestants set up anti-Nazi Confessional Church
-Protestant pastors like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemoller spoke out against the Nazis
-Both were arrested and sent to concentration camps
-1937 Pope made famous statement ‘with Burning Anxiety’ attacking Nazis for their abuse of human rights
-As a result 400 Catholic Priests were arrested and sent to concentration camps
July 1944 bomb plot
- 20th July 1944, Count von Stauffenberg (army) attempted to assassinate Hitler with a bomb in a suitcase
-Somebody at the meeting moved the briefcase too far away
-Bomb exploded killing 4 people, but Hitler survived with minor injuries
-Stauffenberg was arrested
-Hitler took revenge on all involved in the plot, and 6000 people were executed
What was the Nazi Germany police state like (parts of Police state) ?
-Police have the right to arrest you for little/ no reason
-Different parts of the police state included concentration camps, the SS and the Gestapo
Who was Hienrich Himmler?
-Led SS, most powerful org in Nazi Germany
-Helped orchestrate the Holocaust
-Deeply involved in Nazi ideology
-He committed suicide in May 1945
Who were the SS?
-Hitler’s blackshirt bodyguards
-Responsible for the Night of the Long Knives
-Controlled the police, acted outside the law, ran concentration camps and were very loyal to Hitler
Who were the Gestapo?
-Hitler’s secret police who had no uniform and would spy on and torture people
-Arrested people for no reason, investigated anti-Nazi crimes and were the most feared force
-Had 30k members
Explain the defeat of the German army and the death of Hitler
-End of 1944, German army had been pushed back out of the USSR
-30th April, Hitler committed suicide in his bunker
-1st May, Goebbels committed suicide
-8th May Germany surrendered
What were the Nuremberg Trials?
-Allies put leading members of Nazi Party on trial
-Nazis were accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity and committing war crimes such as abuse and murder of prisoners
-142 were found guilty and 4 more committed suicide
What was Denazification?
-Allies’ policy to remove traces of the Nazi regime
from German society, culture, press, economy, education and politics.
-Nazi Party banned in Oct 1945
-Allies controlled the media to make sure only negative messages were made about the Nazis
