Lesson 8: Early Nazi Rule Flashcards
Learning Inention: To understand how the Holocaust / persecution of the Jews slowly began in Nazi Germany
What aggressive action against Jews did the Nazis take on April 1, 1933
a nationwide boycott of Jewish businesses
How did the SA discourage Germans from entering Jewish businesses
they stood outside, painted anti-Jewish slogans and marked shops with the Star of David
How long did the Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses last
one day
Why was the April 1 boycott significant
it marked the beginning of escalating anti-Semitic policies
What major Nazi event took place on May 10, 1933
book burnings in 34 cities
How many books were destroyed during the Nazi book burnings
over 25 000 volumes
Who organized the book burnings
Nazi-dominated student groups
What types of books were burned
books by Jewish, liberal, socialist, and pacifist authors
How many people gathered in Berlin for the book burning
40 000
What did Joseph Goebbels call the burned books
‘decadent’ and ‘immoral’
Why were the books burned
to control culture, eliminate opposition and enforce Nazi ideology
What was the original purpose of the SS
they were a small personal bodyguard unit for Hitler
Who led the SS as it became more powerful
Heinrich Himmler
What were the main responsibilities of the SS
security, intelligence and enforcement of Nazi policies
How did the SS enforce Nazi racial policies
by operating concentration camps
What were the two main branches of the SS
- Allgemeine SS: enforced Nazi ideology and policies
- Waffen-SS: armed wing that participated in military operations
What was the relationship between the SS and the Gestapo
the SS controlled the Gestapo, the secret state police
How were SS members selected
they were indoctrinated with Aryan ‘master race’ ideals
What was the SA’s role in Hitler’s rise
they protected Nazi rallies, intimidated opponents and engaged in street violence
Who led the SA
Ernst Röhm
Why did the SA become a problem for Hitler
its membership grew into millions, threatening the German military and Nazi leadership
What was the Night of the Long Knives in June 1934
a purge where Röhm and other SA leaders were executed to curb their power
What happened to the SA after the Night of the Long Knives
its influence diminished and the SS took over as the dominant Nazi force
What does “Gestapo” stand for
Geheime Staatspolizei
