How did Hitler maintain control in Germany in the years 1933-45? Flashcards
What was the Police State?
When the police are used to control every aspect of people’s lives.
What were the 4 elements of the Nazi Police State?
The SS - Hitler’s personal bodyguards and elite army units. They were feared as they ran the concentration camps.
The Gestapo - The secret police tapped people’s phones and had spies everywhere, encouraging people to report each other.
The Law Courts - Judges were hand-picked by Hitler so people rarely got away with something they were accused of. ‘The People’s Court’ was Hitler’s own court where he dealt with enemies.
Concentration camps - used to punish those Hitler deemed to be ‘enemies of the state’ e.g. political opponents, Jews, grumblers, homosexuals, work-shy.
How was propaganda used to maintain control?
Josef Goebbels used propaganda to make Germans permanently grateful to Adolf Hitler. Germans were made to feel part of a great and successful country, the 1936 Olympic Games were a prime example of this.
The Nazis used new technology to get their message across such as cinema, radio, loud-speakers, TV, newspapers, marches, posters and mass rallies.
How was censorship used to maintain control?
People were only able to hear the message the Nazi’s wanted. Some books were banned and burned, foreign radio and newspapers were illegal, jazz music was banned, films and plays had to be vetted first by the government.
How were changes to young people used to maintain control?
The Nazis replaced anti-Nazi teachers and University professors, young people were indoctrinated (brain washed) at school with a Nazi curriculum including ‘Race Studies’ which taught how Jews were inferior.
Young people had to attend the Hitler Youth groups, which mixed exciting activities and Nazi theory. Young people learned how to be good soldiers & mothers, and to love Hitler.
How were changes to workers used to maintain control?
Hitler banned all Trade Unions in 1933. The German Labour Front (DAF) replaced them which reduced workers’ pay and took away the right to strike.
The National Labour Service (RAD) sent men on public works programmes to build motorways etc.
To keep the workers happy, the Nazis set up the Strength through Joy movement, which offered good workers picnics, free trips to the cinema and (for the very few) free holidays.
How were changes to the church used to maintain control?
Hitler signed a Concordat with the Pope, agreeing to leave the Roman Catholic Church alone if it stayed out of politics so most Catholics were happy to accept the Nazis.
Non-Nazi Catholic priests and Protestant pastors such as Martin Niemöller and Dietrich Bonhöffer were sent to concentration camps.
Hitler set up a state Reich Church, which replaced the Bible with Main Kampf and the cross with the swastika .
