Life In Nazi Germany

Question 1

What changes did nazis make to the legal system?

Answer 1

Judges didn’t have to be fair or unbiased, they were instead expected to make rulings that were in line with the nazi party policy.

In 1933 the nazis set up special courts where the rights of the accused were suspended, they couldn’t appeal or question evidence against them.

In 1934 hitler established the peoples court in Berlin, which held trials against political crimes. Defendants were nearly always found guilty.

Question 2

When were concentration camps made and what was their purpose?

Answer 2

They were made in 1933, and it’s purpose was to hold political prisoners and anyone else considered dangerous to the nazis.

Question 3

What did goebbels found in 1933?

Answer 3

The ministry of public enlightenment and propaganda. It had departments for music, theatre, film, literature and radio. All artists had to register to get their work approved.

Question 4

How did nazis use media as a tool of propaganda?

Answer 4

They sold cheap radios to people, and by 1939 approximately 70% of households had a radio.

The nazis also produced hundreds of films, showing the strengths of nazis and hitler.

By 1944, the number of newspapers controlled by the nazis was 82%.

Question 5

What was a popular and simple slogan used in nazi propaganda?

Answer 5

One people, one empire, on leader.

Question 6

How did the nazis used the 1936 Berlin olympics?

Answer 6

They were used to show off German wealth and power, but the success of non aryan athletes undermined hitlers message of aryan superiority.

Nazi power was also shown through art and architecture and grand new buildings appeared in Nuremberg and Berlin.

Question 7

How did nazis use propaganda to change culture and society?

Answer 7

The nazis promised an empire that would last thousands of years, and was based on traditional values.

Modern art was banned was replaced with paintings that fit with Nazi ideology. German composers such as Wagner were successful, but works by Jewish composers and jazz music were all under attack.

School textbooks were rewritten to doctrinate students into nazi ideology.

Question 8

How did Hitler deal with the Catholic Church?

Answer 8

In July 1933, an agreement called the concordat was signed between the pope and the nazi government. Both promised not to interfere with each other. The catholic church was effectively banned from speaking out against the nazis, however hitler soon broke his side of the deal.

The nazi party started to restrict the Catholic Church role in education. By 1936 all crucifixes were removed form schools and by 1939 all catholic education had been disbanded. Catholic newspapers were suspended and the catholic youth group was disbanded.

Question 9

What were the German Christians?

Answer 9

A group of Christian’s in the Protestant churches, who supported the nazi beliefs and anti-Semitic ideas.

Question 10

What was the reich church?

Answer 10

In 1936 all protest and churches were merged to form the reich church.

The reich church replaced the symbol of the cross with the nazi swastika, and the bible was replaced with mein Kampf. Only nazis could give sermons and any non-aryan ministers were banned.

The reich church was an attempt to increase state control.

Question 11

Who was Martin Niemoller?

Answer 11

A Protestant pastor and a one time nazi supporter. He objected to nazi interference with the church. He was one of the founders of the confessional church. He used a sermon in 1937 to protest against persecution of the church. As a result he spent seven years in concentration camps.

Question 12

Who were the Edelweiss pirates?

Answer 12

Name given to a group of rebellious youths who rejected to nazi policies. They helped nazi deserters, forced labourers and escaped concentration camp prisoners. They also attacked members of the hitler youth.

At first the nazis mainly ignored them, but cracked down after they started publishing anti-nazi leaflets. Many members were then arrested and several were publicly hanged.

Question 13

Who were the swing youth?

Answer 13

Groups of kids who oppose date strict nazi control. They would act in ways considered degenerate by the nazi regime, such as drinking alcohol and listening to American and jazz music. They were mainly considered a nuisance rather than a threat, but some were arrested and even sent to concentration camps.

Question 14

What did nazis believe the role of women was?

Answer 14

They believed the role of a woman was of raise kids and support their families at home.

Women were banned from being lawyers in 1936, and nazis tried to stop them entering other professions.

Question 15

What was the league of German maidens?

Answer 15

Spread the nazi idea that it was an honour to produce large families. Nazis gave awards to women for providing families with 8 children. They encouraged marriage by offering financial aid to married couples.

Question 16

How did groups in society feel under nazi regime.

Answer 16

Many felt better off. The nazis wanted workers to feel and this was encouraged through the strength through joy and beauty of labour scheme.

Many of the middle classes also felt better off as small business owners would advance more in society.

However workers and small business owners lost out in some ways. The cost of living had gone up by 25% but wages didn’t increase. Workers also didn’t have the right to resign and trade unions were banned.

Question 17

What was hitler youth?

Answer 17

The hitler youth was founded in 1926. Boys fourteen and over were recruited. It became compulsory in 1939. Boys wore military style uniforms, and took part in physical exercises to prepare for war.

Question 18

What was the league of German maidens?

Answer 18

A female branch of the hitler youth. Girls were trained with domestic skills like sewing and cooking. They would sometimes take part in physical activities like camping and hiking.

Question 19

How did the nazis affect education?

Answer 19

Education in schools meant learning nazi propaganda. Most teachers joined nazi teachers association, and were trained in nazi methods. Children had to report teachers who did not use them.
Subjects were rewritten to fit with nazi ideas. Children were taught to be anti semetic. For example in biology lesson they were taught of the superiority of the aryan race, and in history lessons they were taught that they lost ww1 due to Jews and communists.
Pe also became more important for boys to prepare for joining the army.

Question 20

What were the Nuremberg laws of 1935?

Answer 20

They were based in the idea that aryans and Jews weren’t biologically similar. They reduced legal rights for Jews and encouraged Aryan German to see them as inferior. For example they prevented Jews from being classed as German citizens, banned marriage between Jews and non Jews.

Question 21

How did nazis act against Jews?

Answer 21

In 1933 the SA organised a national boycott of Jewish businesses. After the Nuremberg laws Jews were forced to seek or close their businesses. By 1938 all Jewish children had been banned from attending German schools and Jews weren’t allowed in many public places, including theatres.

Question 22

How did the nazi economy prepare for war?

Answer 22

A four year plan was set up in 1936, which concentrated on war preparations. The nazis needed to quickly develop industries making weapons and chemicals.
Herman Goring was put in charge of the economy. He aimed to make Germany self sufficient, which meant not needing products from other countries.

Question 23

What changes did Albert Speer make in 1942?

Answer 23

Speer was in charge of war economy. He focused completely on focusing the German public on total war. He improved the efficiency of weapons production. Germany also used its raw materials from occupied lands to support its production.

Question 24

How was daily life in Germany affected by the war?

Answer 24

Wages were less and hours increased. Rationing affected peoples quality of life. Food and clothes rationing began in 1939. This meant that it soon became impossible to eat meat every day.

Things alter became harder in 1942. German civilians were living of rations of bread, potatoes and vegetables these rations decreased as the war progressed and were much worst than the British rations.

Also many women and children had to work in factories especially after Germany suffered heavy defeats in Russia in 1941.

Question 25

His did German people get affected by war later on?

Answer 25

Any production deemed not vital to the war effort was closed, workers were usually in war related industries instead.

Civilian clothes and consumer goods were no longer manufactured. Food supplies for the ordinary people became further restricted further on into the war.

Eventually all males between the ages of 13 and 60 not already serving in the military had to join the Volkssturm - a part time defence force.

Question 26

How did bombing affect the German people?

Answer 26

From 1942 British and American forces began bombing German cities heavily. Around half a million German civilians were killed and many more made homeless. Germany was later flooded with refugees form German territories, and key German cities were heavily bombed.

Question 27

What was the white rose group?

Answer 27

Between 1942 and 1943 there was opposition from students and lecturers at Munich university. Among the leaders were brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl. Some male members had been in the army and were horrified by the atrocities committed by the German army.

The group used non violent methods to protest against nazi discrimination against minorities, they distributed anti nazi leaflets. In 1943 they organised their first public anti nazi demonstration.

Many of the group were later arrested by the gestapo. Several were tortured and executed, including Hans and Sophie School.