Nazi Politics

Question 1

When Hitler was first appointed chancellor in 1933, what were some of his most serious threats?

Answer 1

• The Chancellor was subject to the ‘whim’ of Hindenburg
• There were only 2 other Nazis in the Cabinet, meaning it was more of a Conservative Government
• The army were suspicious of the NSDAP and might not co-operate with them

Question 2

When was the Reichstag fire and what were its results?

Answer 2

February 1933
•Reichstag fire decree: suspended peoples civil liberties like freedom of speech and right of a trial
•Used The SA, SS and police to attack, imprison and murder over 4,000 communists
•Goebbles used the media to exaggerate the Communist threat and present Nazi leadership as the saviours of Germany

Question 3

What happened in the March 1933 elections?

Answer 3

Nazis only got 44% of the vote and even with the DNVP they didn’t have a large enough majority. Hitler decided to gain support from the church

Question 4

When was the Enabling Act and what did it mean?

Answer 4

March 1933
•Allowed the cabinet to introduce laws without needing permission from the Reichstag or the President
•It gave Hitler the power to rule by decree for 4 years, and all his powers are legal

Question 5

Why did the Night of the Long Knives happen?

Answer 5

SA leader Rohm wanted a genuine National Socialist Revolution and was not fully interested in the Nazi Party, Hitler feared his authority could be threatened. Hitler said change would not be forced through, he wanted to expand the army and rearmament so didn’t want to antagonise the army.

Question 6

When was the Night of the Long Knives and what happened?

Answer 6

June 1934
•SA were eliminated and Rohm was shot by the SS, the weapons and transport were provided by the army due to their dislike of the SA
• 400 people were murdered, the media said it was the suppression of a high treason plot

Question 7

What did the Night of the Long Knives and Hindenburgs death mean for Hitler?

Answer 7

Hitler had persuaded the army to support him and after Hindenburg died he merged the positions of President and Chancellor into Fuhrer. Civil servants took an oath of loyalty to Hitler and Von Papen was from removed from German Politics. Hitler had destroyed democracy and ensured his unrivalled dominance in Germany.

Question 8

When was the first concentration camp made and what was it called?

Answer 8

Dachu In 1933 for political prisoners

Question 9

When was the seizure and closure of the trade union offices and what was it replaced with?

Answer 9

May 1933 and replaced with the DAF (Nazi trade union)

Question 10

What happened to the Landtag (federal state) in the Nazi government?

Answer 10

It was abolished and rights of separate states were taken away. Despite the government of Prussia being removed by Von Papen and Hindenburg in 1932, the federal system was respected during the Weimar years

Question 11

How did the institutions change under Nazi rule?

Answer 11

•Judiciary: People’s court was set up in 1933, loyalty oath was imposed and non cooperative judges were forced to retire
•Civil service: Purged of jews and socialists in 1933, all had to be Nazi Party members by 1934
Education Ministry: Undermined by Hitler Youth Organisations

Question 12

What is a prerogative state?

Answer 12

Exclusive right which is separate from the body of rights enjoyed under the general law of the normative state

Question 13

What is a polycratic regime?

Answer 13

Governed by many people or groups

Question 14

What is cumulative radicalisation?

Answer 14

Working towards the Fuhrer gets more extreme as they try to compete with each other

Question 15

What are Gauleiters?

Answer 15

A political official governing a district under Nazi rule

Question 16

What is Fuhrerprinzip?

Answer 16

Hierarchy of leaders where each one has a responsibility in his own area and only answers to his superiors

Question 17

What is Gleichschaltung?

Answer 17

Process of Nazification which established a system of totalitarian control

Question 18

What is a federal state?

Answer 18

Partially self governing states under a central power

Question 19

How big a role did Hitler play in the government?

Answer 19

Played a little role as was lazy and let his officers compete with each other to get the best work done. He left the economics to Schact from 1933-36 and gave his lieutenants important jobs.

Question 20

How did the role of Hitler change during the war years?

Answer 20

• Became commander in chief of armed forces in 1938
• Made no cabinet meetings
• Made key decisions like the invasion of the USSR in 1941
• Became increasingly isolated in his Berlin bunker
• Gave Bormann more and more control over his diary and appointments

Question 21

How did the Nazi Party change in the war years?

Answer 21

• The Party and SS drew up plans to colonise Eastern Europe
• Government administration had broken down
• Nazism came to an end in May 1945

Question 22

How did the Army change during the war years?

Answer 22

• Occupied Northern France and turned it into a Nazi State (Southern France was a puppet state)
• The Committee of Three bought all senior figures from the army together

Question 23

How did the Lieutenants change during the war years?

Answer 23

• Himmler spent most of his time running concentration camps
• Didn’t give any co-ordination roles to his lieutenants due to fear of them threatening his authority
• Conflict between Himmler (SS) and Bormann (Nazi Party)

Question 24

What is Militarism?

Answer 24

That a country should have a strong military and be prepared to use it

Question 25

What does Volksgemeinschaft mean?

Answer 25

Peoples community (radically pure)

Question 26

What is authoritarism?

Answer 26

Strict obedience to authority at the expense of freedom

Question 27

What is Social Darwinism?

Answer 27

The idea that natural selection applies to humans and eradicated the weaker races while breeding the strong ones