Hitler & Nazi Germany Flashcards
Home Front in Germany 1918
America joined and helped allies
Germany lost 1 million soldiers
Bulgaria, Turkey & Austria-Hungary had surrendered
Coal in short supply, many power cuts
Food was scarce, people scavenging for scraps
British navy blockaded German ports to stop food getting to Germany
Mutiny - Why Did it Happen
As German navy chiefs ordered warships in Kiel to go to battle in North Sea against British but it would put 80,000 lives at risk
Reasons the Kaiser Abdicated
Lost support of military leaders
Public signed petitions for his removal
No peace deal if he remained in charge
Sailors mutinated
Workers & soldiers councils set up in Britain
All ports taken over by sailors, Germany was chaotic
The Spartacists Revolt - Events Leading up To
German army betrayed by politicians, cowards and government
New government said to be criminals as they signed the peace treaty named November Criminals
Peaceful protest in January 1919 the Freikorps killed 700 people
The Spartacists Revolt - Main Events
January 1919, peaceful demonstration attended by 100,000 people in Berlin which turned violent
Spartacist leaders didn’t know what to do and workers became tired and went home
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg were arrested and taken to Freikorps headquarters for investigation
Both were executed
Around 700 men and women were captured and executed by the Freikorps
Weimar Republic - Fundamental Laws
All men and women over age of 20 could vote
German citizens guaranteed freedom of speech and religion
All German citizens were equal
German citizens would elect the President and Reichstag
All communication via post or telephone is private
Nobody can be punished for an an act unless it was illegal under law at the time the act was committed
Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution
Allowed the President, under certain circumstances, to take emergency measures without the prior consent of the Reichstag
Strengths of the Weimar Government
Voting system is fair
Democratic
Fundamental laws - freedom guaranteed
President elected by the people
Weaknesses of the Weimar Government
Voting system allowed extreme parties to gain representation
Never a clear winner in elections - public unhappy
Germans never got who they voted for
Stabbed Germany in the back by signing Treaty of Versailles
German people didn’t like new politicians
Printed more money that became worthless and the Germans blamed the Weimar government
Hyperinflation
German government printed more money leading to prices increasing and money becoming worthless
Impact Hyperinflation had on Germans
All life saving became worthless
Workers wages increased rapidly
People queued for food
People started burning their money in order to keep warm
Couldn’t afford anything
People froze to death as they couldn’t afford heating
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Alsace and Lorraine returned to France
Army reduced to 100,000 men
No air force
Wartime warships melted down
Forced to pay 6.6 billion in reparations
War guilt clause
The Munich Putsch
A beer hall in Munich
Gustav von Kahr, General Otto von Lossow and Colonel von Siesser met to try and overthrow the government
Hitler arrived as he thought these men could help him succeed but they didn’t want him involved
Hitler & 600 supporters arrived and Hitler fired two shots
The men said they would support Hitler before leaving and calling the authorities
3000 Nazis marched behind Hitler and Luddendorf but were blocked by armed police
Hitler escaped but was later caught and made to stand trial
Golden Age of Weimar
Gustav Stresemann was Chancellor of Germany for 3 months and during this time he brought hyperinflation to an end
Called off passive resistance of German workers in Ruhr meaning production of goods could restart and the government could stop printing money to pay striking workers
Promised to start paying reparations again
Persuaded France & Belgium to end occupation of Ruhr by 1925
This angered Germans as they thought it showed signs of weakness from the Weimar
Introduced a new currency called the Rentenmark, stabilised prices throughout Germany
Gustav Stresemann 1924-29
Hitler’s Path to Chancellor
Discontent with Weimar
- People unhappy as gov not dealing with economic problems.
Role of Hitler
- Offered short and simple messages. Offered to solve problems.
Nazi Policies
- Offered something for everyone
Death of Stresemann
- Competent leader who got Germany out of hyperinflation.
Reichstag Fire
Reichstag building burned down
Communist Van der Lubbe admitted to starting the fire
Beheaded
Hitler blamed communists so they lost supporters
Expelled communists from parliament
Granted this as an act of terror, people supported the Nazis as they were against communism
Used article 48 to censor newspapers and spy on letters and phonecalls
Nazi Government of 1930’s
One single leader - Adolf Hitler
- Complete power
Germans were “master race”
- Descended from Aryans, all other races inferior
Minorities were sub human
- Jews, slavs, disabled people, Roma, Sinti ect, racist policies
Lebensraum (living space)
- Territorial expansion was needed for master race to grow
- All inferior races must be removed
Self Sufficient
- Germany doesn’t need exports
- Only rely on German produced goods
The SS
Formed - April 1925
Powers - Police & military
Members - Must be racially pure, believed they were better than anyone else
Why this created fear - Loyal & obedient Nazis, hardened hearts to human suffering, carried out mass executions of prisoners
Gestapo
Formed - April 1933
Informants - 150,000
Purpose - Report any anti-Nazi acts
Why this created fear - Had power to arrest people, violent and just looked like ordinary people but were actually spies
The Church
Prisoners - Catholic youth league, Catholic priests
Why banning created fear - Massive organisation that is peaceful, no limits to who they targeted
Concentration Camps
First Established - March 1933
Prisoners - Political opponents, gay people, Jews, criminals outspoken critics of the Nazis
Why this created fear - People knew about the mass murders
Propaganda/Censorship
Purpose - Brain wash people to idolise Hitler
Examples - Control media & arts, load speakers & radios, simple slogans
Why this created fear - Anti-Nazi newspapers were destroyed, books were burned, didn’t know what was happening outside
Persecution of Jewish People
SA prevented citizens entering Jewish shops
Jewish civil servants, lawyers & teachers fired
Relationships between Germans and Jews made illlegal
Jews couldn’t be doctors, forced to carry identity cards
Jewish children banned from school, denied an education
Had to wear Star of David so they could be identified
Treatment of Minority Groups
Jehovahs Witnesses
- Didn’t accept Nazi regime & opposed to war
- Sent to concentration camps but kept seperate from everyone else
Black People
- Seen as sub human & a threat to Aryan race
- Not allowed to go to uni, sterilised so they couldn’t have kids
Gay People
- Couldn’t contribute to Aryan race
- They were arrested, law against them and sent to concentration camps
Disabled People
- Not measured up to “master race” seen as useless
- Murdered, taken to killing centres, bodies burned in ovens
Why There Wasn’t Much Opposition
People were afraid of being killed by them
People didn’t want to speak out because of Gestapo
People were very threatened by them because of their power
Why There Wasn’t Much Opposition Within the Party
Members knew if they spoke out against Hitler then they would be killed like his best friend
Edelweiss Pirates
Young men & women aged 14-18
Disagreed with Hitler Youth
Trusted each other
Attacked hiking & camping groups in the countryside
The Swing Kids
Teenagers who loved jazz, swing & blues music
Nazism banned the “black music”
Wore English & American clothes
Accepted Jewish people
White Rose Group
Printed leaflets attacking slaughter of Jewish people
Communists
Opposed Nazi regime
Put out of parliament as they were a threat
Resistance From Adults
Some groups resisted where communism had been strong
Wanted to destroy Nazi control & faced ruthless attacks
What Happened to Those Who Resisted
Captured & tortured
Sent to concentration camps & killed
Hanged
Caught & executed
Methods Used by the Church to Oppose Nazis
Pope issued anti Hitler message
Niemoller formed confessional church opposing Hitler’s church
Protestant pastor linked to an assassination attempt
Opposed euthanasia programmes
Didn’t agree with discrimination
Reich Labour Service
Men aged 16-25 got jobs in public work schemes such as digging drains in farms, planting trees & building schools & hospitals
1935 - became compulsory to join if unemployed
Men lived in camps, had to wear military uniform & were only given pocket money as a wage
German Labour Front
Nazi trade unions
Protecting workers - given wages and security of work
Couldn’t be sacked on the spot
Benefitted from leisure programmes
To get benefits you had to be loyal to Nazi state
Strength Through Joy
Leisure activities - plays, concerts, holidays
Workers promised cars
Cruise liners were built - over 180,000 people went on these
Nazi Control Over Youth
Young people not allowed in bars
Boys raised as soldiers
Girls raised as wives
Music banned
Had to follow certain appearance
No cigarettes
Education
History
- Taught that Jews were the reason for Germany’s defeat in WW1 & to glorify Germany
- This was to show Germany as a dominant power and isolate Jews by blaming them for Germany’s hardships post war
Biology
- Taught that Aryan Germans were scientifically superior to any other race
- This was to show they were a superior race & should be in control of all other races due to being genetically healthier & fitter
Chemistry
- Taught to develop knowledge of chemical warfare & explosives
- This was to show that Germany was ready for war & above all other countries when it came to military tech
PE
- To have regular exercise & create culture of competition
- This was to show that Germans were fittest & healthiest race
Youth Movements
Boys 10-14
- German Young People
Girls 10-14
- League of Young Girls
Boys 14-18
- Hitler Youth
Girls 14-18
- League of German Girls
Life for Youths
Brainwashed
Looked up to Hitler
Given a role to play
Marches
Taught Germans were superior & Jews were inferior
Fighting & part of military
What Boys Focused On
Military techniques
Knowledge of Nazism
Practicing with weapons
Cross country hikes & runs
Pressured to join Hitler Youth
What Girls Focused On
Motherhood
Lots of children
To take care of their body & bear as many children as they could
Be loyal to Hitler
To be a good wife
The Mother’s Cross
Role of Women - Appearance
Wear plain clothes
Flat shoes
Hair in bun or plaits
No makeup, trousers or short skirts
No hair dye
No smoking in public
Role of Women - Employment
Trained to be housewives
Law for Reduction of Unemployment
- Given financial incentives to stay at home
Took away women’s civil service jobs
Barred women from being judges
Not allowed to do jury service
Put pressure on single women to give men their jobs
Role of Women - The 3 C’s
Children
- Women should have as many as possible
Church
- Only social thing they could do
Cooking
- So they could feed their family
Nuremberg Rallies
Half a million people attending, Nazi ideas being listened to
Life better under Hitler
Foreign visitors impressed & intimidated
Shows a tolerant society
Highlights they are ready for war
Hitler’s speeches highly effective
