Keeping control. Flashcards
What were the two methods that Hitler used to keep control once he was in power?
- Terror
2. Propaganda
Who was Heinrich Himmler?
He led the terror regime and was the head of all police in Germany in 1936. In 1941 he set up the Death’s Head Camp and was in charge of running concentration camps.
How did the SS help control Germany?`
- A protection squad who were originally Hitler’s personal bodyguards
- 1939- 240 000 members
- All recruits had to be recognisably Aryan
- They were trained to be ruthless and fiercely loyal
- They could arrest people without trail and search houses
How effective were the SS?
- They appeared organised and loyal
- They instilled terror in the public and were able to do anything they wanted to
- They hunted down opposition to Hitler which encouraged people to support Hitler and not voice their own opinions in fear of death.
How did the concentration camps help control Germany?
- At first, inmates were only held for short periods of time
- 1930s: run by Death’s Head as forced labour camps
- Some prisoners were forced to work for Nazi-owned businesses.
- Camps held anyone who posed a threat to the Nazi regime
How effective were concentration camps?
- Instilled fear into public so they did not oppose Hitler’s regime, in fear of being put into concentration camps.
How did the Gestapo help control Germany?
- The Nazi secret police
- Could tap telephones, open mail and collect info from informants
- Informers reported anyone who was ‘anti-Nazi’
- Arrested people without trail, tortured them and imprisoned people in concentration camps.
How effective were the Gestapo?
They kept control by using informants to stop free speech. They instilled fear, which was effective because it stopped people speaking out against the Nazis and posing a threat to their regime.
How did the police help control Germany?
- Continued regular work but Nazis controlled them.
- Police became part of the network of informers
- Collected information on everyone and ignored crimes committed by the Nazis.
How did the local wardens help to control Germany?
- Had strong local structure
- Each town was divided into blocks
- The Black Warden visited every home each week
- Black Warden wrote reports on everyone
- This affected whether or not you got a job and noted any signs of independent thinking or opposition to the Nazis
Who was in charge of propaganda?
Josef Goebbels.
How did newspapers help control Germany?
- Newspapers that opposed the Nazis were shut down
- Goebbels controlled what was printed by sending out daily instructions
- He banned Jews from working in or owning a newspaper
How did the use of radios help control Germany?
- Nazis controlled radio
- Goebbels decided what would be broadcast
- Hitler speeches were broadcast
- Radios were made really cheap and were mass produced to spread their message through the masses.
How did the use of films help control Germany?
- Films were strictly controlled by Goebbels
- Major propaganda films were made, expressing the Nazis opinions and views
- Newsreels were shown before main film which was made by Goebbels’ film makers
How did the use of books help control Germany?
- Organised official book burnings- public burnings on massive bonfires
- Burned books by communists/socialists, Jews and anyone who disapproved of the Nazi regime
- Prevented people from reading and thinking beyond the Nazi message
