Nazi - German Lives during the war Flashcards
(16 cards)
When was German War Economy announced?
December 1939
What was the German War Economy?
All industry must support the war effort
23% (1939) of goods made in factories were for the war effort rose to 47% (1941)
55% of the German workforce was in war-related work
Inefficiency and lacks of control slowed down production
Albert Speer
In February 1942 he was made Minister of Armaments and War Production
His plan was to increase production by
1. Focusing factories on one product
2. Employing more women
3. Using concentration camp prisoners as workers
4. Excluding skilled workers from compulsory military service
How did the war affect ordinary people?
Led to food shortages
Rationing was introduced (food, clothing, shoes and coal was rationed)
Was made to ensure the German people were fed but it meant that the German people were queuing for long periods of time for poor quality food
Women in the war effort
Never forced to work in factories
In 1939 there was 760,000 women worked in the factories but rose to 1.5 million by 1941
Air Raids in the war effort
In spring 1940 the British were bombing the German cities
Air Raids 3 or 4 times a week
Built air raid shelters in the cities
September 1940 - all children under 14 were evacuated to the countryside and children under 10 could be accompanied by mothers
Children over 14 would go to camps run by Hitler Youth
Only 40,000 out of 260,000 eligible children evacuated from Berlin
July Bomb Plot (Opposition during the War)
Plot lead by Colonel Von Stauffenberg threatened to kill Hilter
Placed a briefcase with explosives under a table
It exploded but did not kill Hitler
Von Stauffenburg was executed
Cardinal Galen (Opposition during the War)
Continued to speak out against the Nazis (had a better understanding of the Nazi activities like taking church properties, use of terror and the Gestepo, and murder of disabled people)
Too famous to arrest
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Opposition during the War)
Protestant preacher that spoke out against the Nazis
Banned from speaking out or writing against the Nazis by the Gestepo
The White Rose Group (Opposition during the War)
Group at Munich University who wrote anti-Nazi leaflets
5th leaflet ‘Appeal to all Germans’ was distributed to 9 cities
Produced a 6th leaflet in 1943 but were caught and executed
Passive Resistance (Opposition during the War)
Anti-Nazi jokes
Good morning not Heil Hitler
Listened to BBC
Hid Jews from the Nazis
Read banned books
Otto and Elise Hampel wrote anonymous poscards
What was total war
Efforts to achieve final victory
Impacts of total war
3 million women called to work (only 1 million went to work)
Professional sports ended
Magazines closed down
Clothes rationing ended and production of civilian clothes was suspended
More propaganda
More air Raids (Nov 1943 Berlin bombings lead to 500,000 homeless)
How did Germans get more desperate?
Food and fuel shortages
Gestepo and SS arrested 7000 people in relation to the July Bombing
Goebells in total war
Rail and post were reduced
500,000 workers were ordered to become soldiers
Age limit for complaint workers increased to 50
Closed theatres
Forced labour increased (7.6 million foreigners forced to work in Germany)
Desperation to prevent defeat
Volksstrum was created (untrained males between 16 and 60 that were untrained and older men or members of the Hitler Youth)
Fought as they were faithful to Hitler and fearful of the SS
