Nazi policies Flashcards
What was the enabling act?
The enabling act (24th March 1933) allowed Hitler to pass decrees without the presidents involvement - making him a legal dictator
What happened on the 7th April 1933?
Hitler ‘purged’ civil services, courts and education of ‘alien elements’; Jews, Nazi opposition and other ‘undesirables’
What else did Hitler ban in 1933?
Trade unions (May) , new parties (July)
When was the ‘night of the long knives’?
30th June 1934
Who was Hitler particularly suspicious of in the SA?
Ernst Rohm; he led the SA and his 4 million me seemed to obey him, not Hitler. He was also openly gay- Hitler opposed this and this may have fuelled his suspicion
Why did Hitler want to lessen the SA?
The German army were suspicious of the SA and Hitler wanted the army more than the SA
Why did the German army dislike the SA?
The SA were badly disciplined and Ernst Rohm, their leader, talked of making them the “second German army”
What happened on the ‘Night of the Long Knives’?
Squads of SS men broke into the homes of Rohm and other SA leaders; accused Rohm of trying to overthrow and kill Hitler.
What happened over the weekend of the ‘Night of the Long Knives’?
Rohm and 400 others were executed- including Chancellor Von Schleicher; a fierce critic of Hitler, and others with no connection to Rohm
When did Hindenburg die?
August 1934
What did Hitler declare after Hindenburg’s death?
He declared himself “supreme leader”(Fuhrer) of Germany
What did the Nazis aim to create in Germany?
A totalitarian state; with no opposition, no rival parties, no political debate
Who led the SS?
Heinrich Himmler
What were two key branches of the SS?
Waffen SS; who assisted the German army
Death ‘s Head: Concentration camp units
What were the death’s head units responsible for?
Concentration camps and the slaughter of Jews and other ‘undesirables’
Who were the Gestapo?
The secret state police; a force of terror to the German people.
What powers did the Gestapo have?
They could send anyone under suspicion to a concentration camp with no trial or explanation
How did the Gestapo get their knowledge?
Informants; who could be anyone. A key reason that uprisings were few and far between. Many informed, believing that the Gestapo would find out anyway
When were concentration camps first set up?
Almost immediately after Hitler took control of Germany in 1933- soon they were being purpose built
What happened in concentration camps?
Prisoners were forced to do hard labour, had little food and suffered harsh discipline, beatings and random executions- few emerged alive
What were the key reasons that there was little opposition to the Nazi regime?
Fear (of job loss, being sent to a concentration camp or even execution), Nazi propaganda and Nazi successes
What Nazi successes helped to prevent uprisings?
Economic recovery, discipline, traditional values, Germany becoming superpower again
Why did propaganda prevent uprisings?
The German people often did not hear of any bad happenings, only heard pro Nazi views, and were fed beliefs that Hitler was all powerful - almost a god.
What was the July bomb plot?
The July bomb plot (1944) was the closest that anyone (knowingly) got to assassinating Hitler. Some army officers planted a bomb, planning to kill Hitler and take over Germany- they failed.
What happened after the failure of the July bomb plot?
The Nazis took revenge- killing 5000 in reprisal
What religion did the Nazis encourage?
They supposedly believed in the protestant church- forming a state approved church (the Reich church), however they also encouraged the German faith movement (non-christian; based on worship of the sun)
Who was a key religious opposition to the Nazis?
Catholic Bishop Galen criticised the Nazis throughout the 1930s and led a popular protest in 1941 against the Nazis executions of the mentally ill/disabled. He was so popular that the Nazis had to temporarily stop the kill
lings and could not execute him (and risk a revolt)
How long did the Nazis rule for?
12 years
What were the Nuremberg rallies?
The Nuremberg rally was held every summer; there were bands, marches, flying displays and Hitler’s speeches. They were very effective in showing that “everyone else” supported the Nazis and the power of the state
When and why were the Berlin Olympics held?
They were held in 1936, the Nazis wanted to showcase the superiority of the ‘Aryan race’.
How the Olympics backfire for the Nazis?
Although the German team topped the medal table; Jesse Owens- a black athlete- was the star of the games (breaking 11 world records and winning 4 golds) The 10 black members of the US team won 13 medals. The blatant propaganda also shocked foreign visitors.
What types of media did the Nazis use to control the German people?
Press, rallies, film, literature, art, radio, music
Who were Hitler’s key ‘henchmen’?
Joseph Goebbels, Heinrich Himmler, Martin Bormann, Hermann Goering, Reinhard Heydrich
What were 4 key reasons for the lack of opposition to the Nazi party?
Propaganda/indoctrination, economic fears (losing jobs/family unable to cope if they are taken), Nazi successes, Terror
What were the 3 youth opposition groups in Nazi Germany?
The Edelweiss Pirates, The white rose movement, The swing movement
Who were the Edelweiss pirates?
Working class children/teens who refused to attend the Hitler Youth, drank, listened to jazz, mocked Nazi songs/propaganda
What was the Kreisau circle?
An upper class opposition to Hitler- responsible for the July bomb plot (came the closest to assassinating Hitler)
Why did the Kreisau circle oppose Hitler?
They did not like his working class background and were disgusted by the SS
How were the Kreisau circle dealt with by the Nazis?
The plotters were rounded up and executed
What was the KDF?
The Nazi’s ‘Strength Through Joy’ programme
What did the KDF programme do?
It provided cruises, evening classes, skiing/walking holidays, sports matches at cheap prices for the ‘hardest workers’
What was the significance of the Volkswagen Beetle?
It was promised to be the “people’s car”; workers could put 5 marks a week into a savings scheme until they reached 750 marks (buying them the car)
What was the reality of the “people’s car”?
In reality when workers reached 750 marks they received an ‘order number’- but the cars weren’t made a few were sent out but the money went to making weapons
What were the 3 groups for boys aged 6-18 in the Hitler Youth?
Little fellows 6-10
Young Folk 10-14
Hitler Youth 14-18
What were the 3 groups for girls aged 10-21 in the Nazi youth?
Young girls 10-14
League of German maidens 14-17
Glaube + Schoenheit (belief and beauty) 17-21
What were the male Hitler youth taught?
Marching, knife fighting, shooting, sports and fitness
What were females in the Nazi youth groups taught?
Marches, cooking, childcare and fitness
What were the membership numbers of the Hitler youth in 1932?
108,000
What were the membership numbers of the Hitler youth in 1939?
7.3 million
What year were Jewish children banned from schools?
1935
Why were Jewish children supposedly banned from education?
The government said that they would ‘contaminate’ German children
What were girls taught in school?
Eugenics, childcare, sport, needlework etc - they were only raised to create perfect ‘Aryan’ children and be “good wives”
What were boys taught in school?
Shooting, only German history, maths, sciences, fitness
What were “order castles”?
The very brightest and best German boys would attend these elite schools, leaving to become SS officials, or high ranks in the army or become part of the Nazi party
What were Lebensborn?
Maternity homes for unmarried women to stay at, established in 1935- with the purpose of increasing birth rate
In reality what were the Lebensborn homes like?
They were essentially brothels; ‘racially pure’ SS soldiers could visit and ‘donate the baby to the Fuhrer’ (although it is unlikely the women had any choice)
What was the gold cross award?
It was awarded to German women who had eight children or more
