Nazi: Nature Of Nazi Gov. 1934-39 Flashcards
How had Hitler created a vague, but spirit inducing and unsettled goverment structure
Civil service had been purged of Jews and opponents in 1933. Hitler also kept ministers who were not Nazis before the one-party system. They provided a useful level of continuity; officials and citizens felt they understood the system.
However, this was illusory. Not all ministries had the same amount of power. For example, Hitler kept the foreign minister and many German ambassadors after he came to power. But, Hitler set up several other ministries and authorities’. Some took over the responsibilities of established ministries, others were entirely new (eg. the Reich Propaganda Ministry, headed by Joseph Goebbels). Wether deliberate or not, Hitler often left details of who was responsible for what vague - this created a good deal of overlap, duplication of work and confusion.
Could have been done to introduce a spirit of competition among various ministries and departments - keeping people on their toes and showing them how too fell not so settled in their position and that they owed their situation to Hitler
Key features of Nazi goverment - Volkgemeinshaft
‘The people’s community’ and fact whole nation would work together for good of the state. They would unite as a racially united body, and sacrifice themselves for the nation
Key features of Nazi goverment - Führerprinzip
The whole state operated on the idea of the ‘Führerprinzip’ - a strict hierarchical order when every area of life someone had someone else above them. Seen as essential for people t work together, and not make their own decisions (initiative was frowned on)
Key features of Nazi goverment - decision making
Impossible for Hitler to make all decisions - hated paperwork and left it to others. But everyone had to be aware of hitlers principles and run their sphere accordingly. Known as ‘working towards the Führer’. Loyal ones were rewarded with better results and power, so people like Goebbels in the Ministry of Propaganda could be very powerful.
He also did his best to stop groups coming together to form policies allowing opposition to be formed. He stopped all cabinet meetings and ministers worked alone and sent draft laws/polices by paper
Key features of Nazi goverment - administration
Still largely done by civil service under Wilhelm Frick, but ran under ideas of the Nazi state. But they would often be confronted by by the Reich Special agencies and Nazi officials despite Nazi party saying they would only intervene in civil service matters when gaps in service provision.
Key features of Nazi goverment - 1 nation
They wanted centralised state with a centralised administration. On 30th Jan 1934, Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich officially terminated the Länder.
Key features of Nazi goverment - control
By use of Gestpo, they maintained tight control over political matters. The Gestapo was taken over by SS in 1936 - with control of Germany citizens important. However, the Gestapo and SS still ran separately. The Gestapo and the SS extended their own judiciary that ran alongside the existing court system for ‘political’ offences. Gestapo-controlled concentration camps set up to manage political prisoners.
Lebensraum
‘Living space’ - land taken from other countries to procure areas for resources for Germany
