Nazi control and dictatorship Flashcards
1
Q
What was The Reichstag fire like?
A
- Election called for MArch 1933 by Hitler soon after became chancellor January 1933
- Hitler hoped to gain majority in Reichstag to consilidate position as leader of Germany
- 27th February 1933, Reichstag building set on fire and Dutch communist arrested who ‘confessed’ to crime but many believe NAzi started fire themselves
2
Q
What was the enabaling act like?
A
- Passed by Hitler after not winning majority in reichstag election
- said communist members of Reichstag not allowed to vote
- SA intimidated members as they entered chambber
- Absentees counted as present to make sure bill ratified
3
Q
What was the banning of Nazi opposition like?
A
- all other political parties banned
- ‘co-ordination, control lives of German people
- Any political prisoners sent for re-education at concentration camps
- Hitler broke up federal structure of Germany (different regions having power to govern themselves) they were now controlled by Reich governs loyal to hitler
4
Q
Why did the Nazi’s ban trade union?
A
- claimed that a national community had been created so no longer needed
- strikes banned and Nazi Labour Front set up to oversee wages and working conditions
- Nazi’s gained control over workers
5
Q
What were the causes of the night of long knives?
A
- SA had many left-wing socialist views that conflicted with Nazi ideaologies
- Himmler told Hitler that Rohm was plotting to seize control
- The army were pressuring Hitler to ‘deal’ with Rohm
6
Q
What were the key features of the night of long knives?
A
- Leaders of SA shot by SS (new group set up by Hitler
- Approximately 400 opponents murdered
- Key opponents such as Schleicher, Rohm, and Stasser were arrested/killed
7
Q
What were the consequences of the night of long knives?
A
- secured loyalty of SA due to fear
- wins support of key arms leaders
- opponents removed or too scared to oppose - many into exile
- Shows Hitler use of terror = power
8
Q
What was the threat from the SA?
A
- Tensions between Hitler and Rohm, leader of SA as mainly working class and hoped for a socialist revolution which Hitler was unwilling to do
- Rohm wanted to incorporate army into SA but the Army leaders hated Rohm and were the only group capable of removing Hiter from power so important to keep them happy
- Hitler also faced pressure from Himmler leader of SS to break away from SS
9
Q
Why was the death of Hindenburg important?
A
- Hindenburg detested Hitler and was pro-democracy
- would do everything in his power to stop Germany falling completely into the hands of Hitler
- Hindenburg’s death removed major obstacle
- Hitler absorbed power of President into his Fuhrer position and army swore loyalty to Hitler
10
Q
What was the Role of the Gestapo like?
A
- Gestapo were German secret police set up in 1933 later controlled by Himmler as part of the SS
- Gestapo could arrest and imprison anyone it suspected of opposing the state
- By 1939 over 160,000 people imprisoned by Gestapo
11
Q
What was the role of SS and concentration camps like?
A
- group of over 50,000 men Aryan men totally loyal to Hitler and loyal and wore black
- Responsible for removal of all opposition in Germany
- Oversaw network of concentration camps and work of Gestapo
12
Q
How did Nazi’s control the legal system?
A
- all judges had to be part of National Socialist League
- German lawyers front set up in 1933 and had over 10,000 members
- people’s court established to try cases for treason, judges were loyal Nazi’s and treated accused harshly
- Hitler would alter sentences he thought were too lenient
13
Q
How did Hitler persecute the catholic church?
A
- large threat to Hitler as 1/3 population Catholic
- Hitler signed a concordat agreement, stating Nazi wouldn’t interfere with church if they didn’t interfere with politics
- Hitler broke agreement by harrasing and arresting priests, many sent to concentration camps
- Catholic schools eventually abolished, youth movements and monasteries closed down
14
Q
How did the Nazi’s persecute the protestant church?
A
- tolerated longer than catholic church as some protestants admired Hitler
- Those that opposed him imprisoned or sent to concentration camps
- large protestant opposition group Pastor’s Emergncy leaguea banned and leader, PAstor Martin Niemoller, arrested and sent to camp
15
Q
What was the Ministry of Propaaganda?
A
- Used by Goebells to control thoughts, beliefs and opinions of the German people
16
Q
How did Goebbels control media?
A
- all radio stations uder NAzi control
- Cheap radios mass produced and sold so most Germans had one
- Radios installed in cafes, factories, etc. and loudspeakers in public so everyone heard Nazi messages
17
Q
How was Cinema controlled by Goebbels?
A
- All film trailers had to be approved by Goebbels
- films had to have pro-Nazi tone e.g Aryans falling in love
- PRo-Nazi reels shown before film to further add indoctrination
18
Q
How were posters controlled by Goebbels?
A
- everywhere in Germany
- gave clea, simple messages targetted at audiences
19
Q
How were newspaper’s controlled by Goebbels?
A
- editors told what they could and couldn’t print
- opposition newspapers shut down
20
Q
How were rallies used by Goebbels?
A
- aAnnual mass rally held in Nuremburg to show strength
- special parades and marches to mark special occasions
21
Q
How were books controlled by Goebbels?
A
- All books carefully censored to ensure had NAzi messages
- Goebbels encouraged students to burn books written by Jewish or communist authors
- Writers persuaded or forced to write books praising Hitler
22
Q
What was the NAzi’s use of sport like?
A
- encouraged in schools to produce extremely fit citizens ready for war
- Success in sport important to promote Nazi regime
- 1936 Berlin olympics to impress world with organised, modern society with Ayrans superior
- major success for international relations
23
Q
How did Goebbel’s control culture and arts?
A
- Set up Reich chamber of culture - arts used as Nazi propaganda
- Musicians, artists, actors and writers had to join Reich Chamber of culture
- Any unsuitable banned - many left Germany in protest
24
Q
How did Goebbels control Music?
A
- encouraged traditional German Folk Music and classical music of Bach and Beethoven
25
Q
How did Goebbels control Theatre?
A
- plays had to concentrate on German History and political drama
- often had Nazi political or racial theme
26
Q
How did Goebbels control Architeture?
A
- Hitler saw himself as an expert and encouraged monumental design based on ancient Greek and Roman designs to show power of third Reich
- Traditional German buildings encouraged to provoke pride in German past
27
Q
How did Goebbels control Art?
A
- Hitler wanted art to highlight Germany’s glorious past and strength of third reich
- art to promote strong Aryan heroes over weaker, inferior races
28
Q
How did Nazi’s use education to control youth?
A
- Teachers had to swear oath of loyalty to Hitler and join Nazi teachers league
- Had to promote Nazi ideals and sent on month long courses about Nazi ideaology
- textbooks rewritten in line with Nazi ideaology, e.g science books containing ‘scientific information on why jews inferior
- Cirriculum tailored to Nazi aims, 15% PE, boys prepared for military, girls prepared to be home makers
- no RE lessons but lessons such as race studies which reinforced Nazi beliefs about Aryan superiority
29
Q
How did the Nazi’s use youth groups to control youth?
A
- set up to control spare time of young generation, Hitler saw as extremely important in maintaining control
- Boys joined German Young people’s group ages ten, Hitler youth 14-18
- learned Nazi songs, took part in lots of exercise, hicking and athletics, emphasis on fitness and preparing for military, many enjoyed as made lots of friends
- Girls joined young girls age 10, German League of Maidens from 14-18
- similar activity to boys yet larger focus on developing skills for house keeping and being mothers
30
Q
What were Nazi youth opposition movements like?
A
- gang culture amongst some teenagers
- hung out on street corners, played music hitler didnt approve e.g Jazzz, and mixed girls and boys
- created anti-nazi graffiti and seeked out Hitler youth and SS and beat them up
- membership of Edelweiss pirates over 2000 by 1939
31
Q
What were Nazi policies towards women like?
A
- didn’t like how women had become in 1920’s : fashionable clothes, makeup, involved in politics, increasingly getting higher powered jobs
- Nazi’s wanted women to stay at home and be housewives and mothers
- ideal women:
-didn’t wear makeup- blonde, heavy hipped, athletic
- flat shoes and full skirt
- didn’t smoke
- didn’t work, was a housewife
- no intrest in politics
32
Q
What were the Nazi’s policies towards families like?
A
- concerned about decline in birth rate, 2 million 1900 to under 1 million in 1933
- huge propaganda campaign to promote motherhood and families
- Laws of encouragement of Marriage - gave loans to young couples, 25% less to repay per child they had
- medals given to mothers with large families on Hitler’s mothers birthday
- divorce law change - couple could divorce if either unable to reproduce
- Lebensborn set up - chosen unmarried women could donate a child to Fuhrer, father would be SS member
- German woman’s enterprise set up to teach women how to be good housewives and mothers
- give up work, stick to 3 K’s - Kinder, Kuche, Kirche (Children, Kitchen, Church)
- professional women forced to leave job’s and discouraged from attending higher education
33
Q
What was Germany’s Economic recovery aims?
A
- phase 1 - recovery - reduce unemployment, get people back to work
- phase 2 - self-sufficiency - wanted Germany to be able to produce everything needed to support themselves to prepare for war
- phase 3 - rearmament - Nazi’s wanted Germany to be ready to launch war with strong army and economy
- war came too early - economy not ready
- Germany not producing enough resources to be self-sufficient
34
Q
What was the Labour Service Corps?
A
- provided young men with manual labour jobs
- compulsory for all men aged 18-25 by 1935, had to serve for 6 months
-lived in camps, wore uniforms, carried out military exercises as well as work, receiving very low pay
35
Q
How did Nazi’s reduce unemployment using Autobahns?
A
- used job creation schemes to get men to work, such as 7,000km of Autobahns (motorways)
- Nazi’s increased spending on job creation schemes from 18.4bil marks to 37.1bil marks in 1938
- subsidised private firms to employ people
36
Q
How did Nazi’s use Rearmament to reduce unemployment?
A
- Nazi’s determined to build up an army and be ready for war
- conscription re-introduced in 1935- army grew from 100,000 in 1933 to 1.4mil 1939, massively reduced unemployment
- heavy industry expanded to meet demands for weapon building
- coal and chemical production doubled from 1933-1939, oil and steel production trebled
- more tanks, aircrafts and ships were built, government spending on this increased from 3.5 bil marks in 1933 to 26 billion by 1939
37
Q
How did Nazi’s use invisible unemployment to reduce unemployment?
A
- many people still unemployed but didn’t count towards unemployment figures e.g millions of Jewish forced to leave their jobs, but didn’t count on statistics as they were forced
- every person forced to leave their job that didn’t count towards statistics, a person that did count on unemployment statics got a job
38
Q
What was the German Labour Front?
A
- Nazi versions of trade unions, set up to oversee working conditions and pay
- aim supposedly to improve German people’s standard of living
- Germans worse off - no one to represent their demands such as higher pay and better working conditions - strikes banned and any opposition sent for ‘re-education’
39
Q
What was the Strength through joy (kdF) scheme?
A
- set up to replace trade unions
- aimed to offer wide range of leisure and cultural trips at low prices workers could afford
- includes things like holidays, sporting events etc.
- Germans better off - millions took part
- very few could afford more expensive trips such as cruises
40
Q
What was the Beauty of Work scheme?
A
- run by Strength through Joy
- improve working conditions
- organised improvements in workplace such as canteens, swimming pools, sports facilities
- working conditions improved
- caused resentment from German workers as they had to carry out building work and repairs themselves in their spare time and not be paid
41
Q
What were German wages like under the Nazi’s?
A
- average weekly wage rose from 86 marks in 1932 to 109 marks 1938
- wages increased but so did cost of living so real wages decreased
- working week increased from 42.9 hours per week 1933 47 hours per week 1939
42
Q
What was the volkswagen scheme?
A
- workers paid 5 marks a week and would receive a new Volkswagen once they paid enough
- turned out to be a con, by 1939 no cars given out and none of the money returned
- lost 5 marks a week with no return on investment
43
Q
Why did the Nazi’s persecute minorities?
A
- aimed to create pure German state, all non-germans second-class citizens
- theory of master race (Ayran)
- Ayran’s tall, athletically built, blonde with blue eyes, superior intelligence
- beleieved Ayran’s contaminated by subhuman races such Jews and Slavs
- Hitler hated Jews and blamed them for global economic crisis in 1929 and that they wanted to destroy civillisation
- wanted to purify German race via selective breeding and elimination of Jews
44
Q
What was the persecution of Jewish people like pre 1933?
A
- had been a history of anti-semitism in Germany, Jewish people were well integrated into society with many different types of jobs
45
Q
How did the Nazi’s persecute the Jews?
A
1933 - SA organised boycott of Jewish shops and businesses
- Jewish professionals sacked
- Jewish books burnt
1934 - Local councils banned Jews from public places
1935 - Jews no longer drafted into army
- Restraunts all over Germany closed to jews
- Nuremberg laws meant jews no longer citizens, could not vote or have relationships with Germans
1936 - Law passed banning Jewish people from being professionals
1937 - Many Jewish businesses taken over by state without compensation
1938 - Jewish men had to add Israel to first names, women had to add Sarah
- letter J stamped on passports of jews
- Kristallnact carried out by SA and jewss fined for it
1939 - Jews forced to move into ghettos and eventually concentration camps, over 6mil murdered using gas chambers
46
Q
What was the Nazi persecution of gypsies like?
A
- Gypsies removed from German society
- included in Nuremburg Laws
- ‘struggle against Gypsy Plague’ decree issued meaning all Gypsys had to register with authorities
- Many gypsys deported to Eastern Europe
47
Q
What was the Nazi’s persecution of disabled people like?
A
- German’s had to be ‘socially useful’ so anyone who couldn’t work, was unhealthy, mentally disabled, tramp orr beggar seen as burden to dociety and removed
- alcoholics, homosexuals, juvenile delinquents also removed
- 1933 Sterlisation laws - groups above sterilised so couldnt reproduce, over 700,000 by 1945
- many sent to concentration camps to remove from society
- Euthanasia campaigns - Nazi’s secretly euthanised mentally ill and disabled men, women, children in 1939
- around 6,000 disabled babies, children and teenagers mudered using lethal injection
