Nazi Germany 1933-39 Flashcards
How did the Nazis enforce Gleichschaltung:
Churches - signed concordat with Pope
Trade Unions - banned TU and workers were forced to join the DAF
Political parties - banned or forced into dissolution in July 1933
Reichstag and cabinet - enabling act, March 1933
Army - swear an oath to Hitler after the night of the long knives as it eliminated the SA, happened in 1934
Aims of Nazi economic policy:
Reduce unemployment
Rearm
Autarky (self-sufficient)
Help for Mittelstand and farmers
Aryanisation of businesses
What were the policies of recovery 1933-36 by Schacht and the New Plan:
Deficit financing
Investment in public works - motorways, reforestation, building, RAD
Unemployment down to 1.6 million by 1936 - nearly 6 million in 1932
Industrial production increased 60% 1933-39
Balance of trade deficit
What was Nazi policy of rearmament in 1936-39: Goering and the Office of the four year plan
Schacht concerned over rearmament distorting the economy and making balance of payments deficit - replaced by Goering
‘Guns over butter’ - priorities military spending over consumer goods
Germany had to be ready for war within 4 years
Expand rearmament and autarky e.g. Artificial rubber, synthetic oil
Successes of Nazi economic policy:
Reduced unemployment - unemployment eradicated by 1938 from 6 million in 1932
Rearm - 28% of economy on war
Measures to protect German agriculture - tariffs on imports
Living standards improved for many aryans since the depression
Failures of Nazi economic policy:
Borrowing increased - national debt trebled between 1933-39
Don’t achieve autarky - imports exceed exports
Goering has no expertise
What does Gleichschaltung mean:
Co-ordination or bringing into line
Successes of the Nazis policy of Gleichschaltung after 1933:
Decree of the Reich President for the protection of the people and state plus the control of the police enabled Nazis to terrorise and arrest their opponents without legal process
Enabling Act, March 1933, enabled Hitler to pass laws without the Reichstag’s consent; a free election in Novemeber 1933 created a 100% Nazi Reichstag
Trade Unions were banned in 1933 and all workers forced to join the DAF
Night of the Long Knives and death of Hindenburg led to the army swearing on oath to Hitler in August 1934
Hitler youth gained increasing control over young people
Failures of the Nazis policy of Gleichschaltung after 1933:
Hitler had to tolerate a predominately conservative cabinet and share power with the DNVP after only getting 44% of the vote in the March 1933 election
Hindenburg had the power to remove Hitler
Takeover of Jewish businesses had to be delayed to preserve the jobs of the Aryan employees
Hitlers attempt to control Protestant churches failed
Army had power to overthrow Hitler
Why were the Nazis able to stay in control?
Terror: Gestapo, SS, Courts
Censorship and propaganda: radio and newspapers
Economic recovery: fall in unemployment
Policy successes: restoration of prestige abroad, restoration of political stability and social policy
Why were the Nazis able to stay in control?
Terror - Gestapo
Political police; freedom to operate outside the law
Small, only 20,000 in 1939, but feared
Dependent on informers
Controlled by Himmler after 1936
Why were the Nazis able to stay in control?
Terror - SS
Created as Hitler’s personal bodyguard
Led by Himmler
Chief police arm of Nazi party
Ran concentration and death camps
240,000 members in 1939
Night of the Long Knives (1934) removed their opposition (SA) and silenced conservative opposition
Why were the Nazis able to stay in control?
Terror - Courts
People’s courts to try communists and enemies of regime so the Nazis could bypass traditional courts
Judges swore an oath of loyalty and were instructed to be tougher in sentencing criminals
Senior officials in the Ministry of Justice indicated to judges what their sentences should be
Why were the Nazis able to stay in control?
Censorship and propaganda - Radio and Newspapers
Nazi controlled
Use of volksempfanger - cheap radios
Films - Olympia and Jud Suss
Self-censoring editors
‘Hitler myth’
Indoctrination of the youth
Why were the Nazis able to stay in control?
Economic recovery
Fall in unemployment
Improvement in standard of living
Farmers incomes rose by 41%