Nature of Nazi Government Flashcards
Nature of Nazi Government 1934-1939
Nazi One-Party state solved the problem of election majorities and coalitions at a stroke and the Reichstag only passed 7 laws between 1934 and 1945 ; Nazi Government made and enforced laws
How did Hitler change the government?
Not much change - kept the existing bureaucracy of government
Partly because many areas such as the civil service had already been purged of Jews and opponents in 1933 and many clerks had been Nazis
But also kept those who were not Nazis before the one party system for an elementary of continuity - LINK TO DAY AT POTSDAM
But this was illusory and many ministries didn’t have power - Hitler kept same foreign ministry but from 1934 the Bureau ribbentrip operated alongside foreign ministry and it was Ribbentrop who was entrusted with important foreign diplomatic missions as “special envoy”
Did Hitler set up new ministries?
Yes - many new authorities such as the Reich Propaganda Ministry (Goebbels) ; often left details on who was responsible vague, created duplication of work and confusion but it could’ve sparked competitions among ministries and departments and ultimately reinforcing the idea that they all OWED THEIR SITUATION TO HITLER
Nazification of civil service
1933 - all Jews were removed through Law for Reconstruction of civil service
From 1938 onwards it became compulsory for all civil servants to join Nazi Party
Key Features of the Nazi Government
Leadership Decision-making Administration One Nation Control
What did the Nazis work on?
The principle of Volksgemeinschaft - whole nation would work together for a common good ; “people’s community” - Germans as a racially United body working for the good of the nation. Expected to obey the Nazi government and make sacrifices for the nation
Leadership
Acknowledgment of the fact that Hitler, as Führer, was leader of the nation with absolute power - operated on the policy of Führerprinzip, a strict hierarchical order where every area of life had someone in charge to tell people what to do. No will. Essential for people not to make their own decisions - initiative was frowned upon and it was important to work for the good of the nation as outlined by the Nazis who spread Hitler’s word. At each level of government, Hitler down, there was one person in charge who took responsibility for any problems and reported to the level up
Decision-making
Impossible for Hitler to make every decision and thus everyone needed to be aware of his intentions and run their sphere accordingly - idea of “working towards the Fuhrer”. Classic example was the Nuremberg laws of 1935 where members were left arguing for months. Those who were loyal to him got promoted and given more power - people like Goebbels could become very powerful by twisting their policies to favour Hitler ; did his best to individualise all policies as groups would make it easier for opposition - he abolished cabinet meetings and ministers worked individually
Administration
This was largely done by the civil service - but as Wilhelm Frick was a Nazi (previously of Thuringia), it operated on Nazi ideology and ran on Fuhrerprinzip. Although they did sometimes clash with Reich Special agencies, civil service decisions were regularly overruled by Nazi principle
Judiciary
Had always been ultra-conservative and hostile to Weimar thus judiciary reasonably content to work with regime ; judges and lawyers were co-ordinated but not many were replaced and till 1941, justice Minister Gürtner was not a Nazi
BUT NOT IMMUNE TO NAZI INFLUENCE
1933 - special courts set up to try political offences without a jury
1934 - people’ court set up to try cases of high treason with Jury full of Nazi party members (7000/16000 cases resulted in death sentence)
How else did legal authorities lose power?
To the arbitrary power of SS-Police System who increasingly behaved above the law - Nacht und Nebel of 1941 decree gave SS the right to imprison without question thus role of judiciary was severely subverted
All judges had to wear Nazi symbol of power and only lip service paid to the Law
One Nation
Nazis against the division of Germany and they wanted a centralised state - Länder stripped off many of their powers and law for reconstruction of Reich terminated them in Jan 1934 - Frick, minister of Interior, ran both regional and local government but they too came in conflict with Gauleiters
Gleichschaltung of Federal States
Had a strong history ever since 1871 but this did not agree with Nazi Policy
7th April 1933 they created Reich Governors who were often the Gauleiters - simply existed to execute the will of the supreme leadership of the Reich
Gauleiters power?
No regional autonomy - fusion of party and the state
Centralisation - building upon Von Papen stripping Prussia of its autonomy
Control
Used the Gestapo extensively to establish tight levels of control ; this was taken over by the SS IN 1936 (Himmler led it) - gestapo controlled concentration camps (starting with Dachau - took in socially undesirables) set up to manage political prisoners - could be held indefinitely without trial
