Germany In Transition (1919-1939) - Terror And Persuasion Flashcards
Who were the SS?
Originally set up in 1925 as Hitler’s private bodyguard of 240 men led by Himmler.
Wore black.
During the 1930s, it expanded to 240,000 and was put in charge of all other police and security.
Didn’t have to act within the law.
Racially pure with racially pure wives.
Responsible for running concentration camps for enemies of the state.
Fanatically loyal to Hitler.
In charge of removing all opposition
What were concentration camps?
After the Enabling Act passed, Hitler started setting up concentration camps.
To begin with, they contained political opponents including communists and socialists.
In 1939, more than 150,000 under arrest for political offence
Jews, Catholics/ Protestants who opposed Nazi regime and work shy were also imprisoned
Underfed and treated with great brutality. Mortality rates were high.
Eventually foreign-forced labour groups, criminals, sexual offenders and anyone else who opposed the Nazi regime was imprisoned.
Only Gestapo had power to send anyone there.
Who were the SD?
The intelligence and security group formed in August 1931, by Heinrich Himmler. Reinhard Heydrich was appointed head of the SD.
Discover potential and actual enemies of the Nazi Party and ensure they were removed.
Attracted professionals and highly educated people e.g lawyers and professors
Organisation of agents and informants through Germany
SD would report back to SS and Gestapo
What happened in the Law Courts?
All judges to join National Socialist League for the Maintenance of the Law
Any judge Hitler did not like was denied membership
Interest of the Nazi Party was more important than the law.
Judges decided innocent or guilty and punishment, not jury
Hitler was known to alter sentences to make them more harsh
What are examples of Nazis controlling people?
Indoctrinating children
SS and SA instilling terror and intimidation
Acting violently in secret
Nuremberg Laws
Propaganda
Hitler Youth and League of German Maidens
Nazi curriculum
Blamed the Reichstag fire on Communists
Banned all other political parties
Not knowing who was an informant
How was fear created?
Gestapo inform on you
Woken up in middle of night and leave immediately
Put in police cell
Interview and sign form D11
Signing consent to be held in a concentration camp
Handed over to SS
6 months of hard physical labour
Released and tell everyone
How did the Gestapo operate?
28 secret police operators for 1 million people
Fear what neighbours might tell Gestapo
“On every corner”
Neighbours asked to keep an eye on each other
Don’t need solid evidence
Get info from gossip
Relied on German citizens
Indoctrinated citizens to believe they would be rewarded
90% info came from German citizens
Created files
What was the role of the Gestapo in the Nazi Police State?
Gestapo did not answer to the law
Feared
National agency in 1936
Heinrich Himmler was chief
Who was Heinrich Himmler?
Born in 1900, served in World War One and conducted the Night of the Long Knives.
Built up SS
Feared for his power, leadership and control
Who were the Gestapo?
Set up in 1933 by Goering and in 1936 came under SS control
Could arrest and imprison anyone suspected of opposing the state
The majority of the public would try and publicly show Nazi support
Those arrested often got sent to concentration camps
Fear of concentration camps
Who were informers?
Had to find and actual and suspected enemies of the state
SD were employed to find suspects
Anyone could be an informer as no actual evidence was required
What was the role of police, courts and prisons?
Hitler took control of existing police and legal systems
Police run by Ss and judges took an oath of loyalty to Hitler
Any judge, lawmen or police officer who disagreed with Nazism was removed
Did not protect ordinary people
New court set up in 1934 - The People’s Court - to try enemies of the state, by 1939 it had sentenced over 500 people to death
How did Goebbels use newspapers as propaganda?
In 1933, there were no national newspapers, only local newspapers and the circulation of the Nazi newspaper was small.
Non-Nazi newspapers and magazines were banned
Censored information
By the mid-1930s, 1,600 newspapers had been closed down and the Reich Press Law of 1933 removed all Jewish and non-right wing journalists.
How did Goebbels use radio as propaganda?
Radio was still local in many states. Goebbels wanted to control them all under the Reich Radio company.
All radios placed under Nazi control so Hitler and Goebbels could make frequent appearance broadcasts.
Radios became cheaper and more widely available due to mass production so that people could install them in schools, workplaces, offices, factories and 70% of homes by 1939.
Loudspeakers set up in public places.
How did Goebbels use Films as propaganda?
Goebbels approved or declined plots before they went into cinema, even changing love stories and thrillers into a pro-Nazi plot. Films could still be enjoyed while conforming and spreading Nazi beliefs.
Accompanied by a 45 minute newsreel about power and strength of Nazi Party
