Hitler's Cultural Revolution

Question 1

To what extent did Nazi propaganda increase the popularity of the regime?

Answer 1

• Although the regime deployed a formidable apparatus of terror it is clear that it was based on a large measure of consensus from broad sections of the populaiton
• the Nazi’s success in creating a positive image of Hitler as Fuhrer
• and in identifying the regime with that fuhrer image was of crucial importance
• this was in part result of skillful propaganda by Goebbels and his ministry who portayed Hitler as a national leader
• hoewever without concrete success hitler would not have been able to maintain this image
• the fact that he was associated with the solving of the unemployment problem and with the restoration of germany’s position as a european power appeared to confirm goebbel’s propaganda
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Question 2

What evidence is there to demonstrate to what extent Nazi propaganda increased the popularity of the regime?

Question 3

What are Ian Kershaw’s 8 main point on Hitler’s popularity in exploring the Hitler myth?

Answer 3

1. The Hitler myth is a reflection of mentalities, value-systems, and socio-political structures which conditioned the acceptance of a ‘Superman’ image of political leadership. German culture had celbrated the hero myth, arising from the people, and only built on by propaganda

• The spread of chauvinistic imperialist ideology clamouring for a rightful ‘place in the sun’ for germany a have not country
• the way had been paved for goebbel’s by the constant exposure chauvinistic-imperialist values by a variety of forms; socialisation in schools, bourjeois youth movement, the army and a panopoly of ‘patriotic’ clubs, league and associations
• image of a leader ubholding public morality corresponding closely with commonly-held values and prejudices suchas condemnation of jews and homosexuals
• glorification of military values before and especially during the First World War promoted the transformation of ‘heroic’ leadership images in the 1920

2. for those who voted for nazi in 1932 hitler symbolised the various facets of nazism which they found appealing such as his humble origins that emphasised a willing rejection of prvilege. a one-time ordinary ‘Front soldier’ conveyed the message that people and nation found their ‘incarnation’ in the person of the Fuhrer. once an ordinary worker the characteristics with which everyone could find points of reference.
3. growing-readiness to distance Hitler himself from the dangerous elements in his movement. after 1933 propaganda succeeded in in isolating Hitler from the growing unpopularity of the Nazi party itself
4. failed democratic system led to a belief that a strong authoritarian leadership was necessary
5. Germany had been badly wronged at Versailles and was threatened by enemies on all sides. This pre-existing wide consensus offered the potential for strong support for a national leader to offer absolute commitment and personal sacrifice. tearing up versailles settlement restoring military sovereignity anf recovering land won support from all sectors of the public and unparalled popularity
6. by 1933 Nazi-propaganda had been highly successful in establishing ‘charismatic authority’
7. 1934 Nazi propaganda monopoly of germany established an omni-present fuhrer cult
8. Hitler’s achievements: ‘order’ had been restored; reduced unemployment with rapid work creation popular with worker; architect of germany’s economic miracle of the 1930s. the image of of the economic miracle-worker had its greatest appeal among sectors if the population who benefited most from the rearmament period: the middle class. they continued to provide main base of support for the regime

Question 4

How did social institutions for women become nazified?

Answer 4

• Women joined the National Socialist Women’s Group
• the German Women’s Entreprise founded in september 1933 as an umbrella organisation for all women organisation that had been dissolved- the largest non compulsory organisation in the country
• women surpassed men in their degree of support for the regime- by 1938 the consensus state was attained in Germany

Question 5

What evidence is there to demonstrate how social institutions for women were nazified?

Answer 5

• 1932 the National Women’s Socialist Group had a membership of 110,000 which grew to 1.5 million in the course of 1934
• the German Women’s Entreprise had 2.7 million members by 1935 ad by 1938 nearly 4 million

Question 6

What is a reason for the Hitler’s popularity suggested but discarded by Robert Gellately?

Answer 6

it may seem comprehensible by relying on a cultural view of the germans as a uniquely odd people peculiarly susceptible to a crazed authority figure