“Nazi Consolidation of power in 1933 was primarily due to the use of terror and violence” How far do you agree with this judgement? Flashcards
How far do you agree with this question’s judgement?
Whilst the Nazi’s terror and violence is certainly the most memorable aspect of their consolidation, it would be wrong to conclude that was in fact the primary method. Always limited by Hindenburg, and always specifically targeted.
When terror and violence was used, what was it often accompanied with?
Conciliatory methods
What fact from may 1939 demonstrates that terror and violence was often accompanied by conciliatory methods?
Whilst 1st May workers were given a holiday and the Labour day became the National Labour day, the 2nd May saw the seizure of trade union offices and the creation of the DAF.
What are the four factors that should be discussed?
1) Terror and violence
2) Concessions to different groups
3) Gleichschaltung
4) Wide improvements and appeal
What fact from march 1939 demonstrates that terror and violence was often accompanied by conciliatory methods?
The March 24th enabling act followed Hitler’s acts of conciliation at the Potsdam Day March 1933.
What is perhaps the single most significant act in the Nazi consolidation?
March 24th enabling act
How was the march 24th enabling act passed?
It was passed by targeted terror at those voting, with the SA and SS surrounding the Kroll Opera house to intimidate voting deputies. The centre party also supported it.
What did the enabling act do?
It gave the government four year’s worth of emergency powers which allows the further use of terror and violence, even though not much terror and violence were necessary to allow it to pass.
When was the one day boycott of Jewish shops?
1st April
When was the ministry of propaganda established, exercising complete control of the media?
13th March
Who headed the propaganda ministry, established 13th march 1933?
Joseph Göbbels
When was the night of the long knives?
30th June 1934
Why the night of the long knives?
The SA had become excessively powerful and Hitler needed to regain control of them
What about the night of the long knives 30th June 1934 shows that terror and violence were highly targeted?
Ernst Röhm, as well as around 200 others, were executed but the vast majority were not
How did Jospeh Göbbel’s propaganda ministry portray the night of the long knives?
not as a political purge, but as a ploy by Hitler to stop revolution
What fact demonstrates the limited capability of the gestapo in creating terror and violence and shows the power of specifically targeted violence?
There were just 28 Gestapo agents covering the million people in Würzburg.
What did the presence of Hindenburg mandate?
a veneer of legality that inhibited extensive violence in the consolidation
When was the concordat between state and vatican?
20th july 1933
What did the 20th july 1933 concordat do?
banned church from political activity but meant that their religious freedom was protected, and meant that the Nazi’s authority was never challenged by Rome
Support from which groups meant that Hitler was keen to limit internal violence in the party?
german middle classes
What two things allowed the German economy to do very well under Hitler?
Schact’s help and Hitler’s concessiosn to big industry
What and when was the day that Hitler bowed in front of Hindenburg?
Potsdam day 21st March 1933
What two youth groups were effective at instilling nationalism?
The Hitler Youth and the League of German Maidens
When did Gemrna Youth Groups become compulsory?
1939
Despite the fact that they were not compulsory until 1939, by how many members did German youth groups increase by over the period of consolidation?
3.2 million
What were the ease with which the Nazis passed the Reichstag fire decrees emblematic of?
General fear of socialism and communism
Give a judgement about Gleichschaltung
Whilst the aspects of Gleichschaltung individually were not using fear, the implications - such as with the Judiciary- did create terror.
How many communists arrested and sent to Dachau as a result of the Reichstag fire decrees?
30 000
What did the Reichstag fire decrees exploit?
A genuine fear of communism
When were the Reichstag fire decrees?
February 27th 1933
What decree was behind the Reichstag fire decrees?
Decree for the protection of state
Nazi membership increased by how many million between 1933 and 1935?
3 million
What were the June employment laws?
An attractive and successful scheme reminiscent of the New Deal
When was KDF established?
November 1933
What decree was used to repress the KPD?
Decree for the protection of state (Reichstag fire decrees)
What was the RAD?
The RAD was a labour scheme following the June 1935 Law that made 6 month’s labour service compulsory for all men and in 1939 this was extended to women.
How did schemes such as the RAD and HJ mean that the Nazis did not have to use terror and violence?
It provided, like so many other aspects of the Nazi coordination, a platform for indoctrination that meant terror and violence was not necessary.
Judgement!
The consolidation was fundamentally limited in its ability to use terror and violence by the moderating force of Hindenburg. This was not, however, and impediment to the Coordination’s success as it meant that the Nazis used highly targeted terror and violence that would be sufficient to create a culture of fear that would allow co-operation to be much more forthcoming.
What means that terror and violence cannot be considered to be them most important factor?
It was simply not extensive enough
What did Robert Ley say about KDF holidays?
“The quickest way to bring National Socialism to the Workers”
What does Robert Ley’s quote “The quickest way to bring National Socialism to the Workers” suggest?
Even amongst leading Nazis, violence was not the most important part of the consolidation.
What was the official newspaper?
Volisher Beöbachter
What does was the October decree regarding press censorship and when exactly was this?
4 October 1933 decree making content of paper responsibility of editor and crime to publish anything that could weaken the Third Reich/harm German economy, culture or people
