Nazi Totalitarian State 1933-1939

Question 1

Hitler’s stages in taking control

Answer 1

1. Became Chancellor
2. Used the power of Chancellor to ensure a majority in elections
3. Used huge support to push through the Enabling Act
4. Renewed the Enabling Act in 1937, ending the Weimar Government

Question 2

How was a totalitarian state created between 1933-1934

Answer 2

May 1933 - Trade Unions were banned
May - July 1933: Political parties banned; KPD and SPD newspapers destroyed.
By 1934 - Local governments organised to make sure Nazi governors ran every region.
30th June 1934 - The Night of the Long Knives

Question 3

What was the Night of the Long Knives

Answer 3

Hitler heard about the possibility of Rohm rivalling his leadership.
Hitler then killed him and destroyed the SA.

Question 4

The Night of the Long Knives

TNOTLK

Answer 4

30th June 1934 - Hitler met with Rohm and 100 SA leaders at a hotel. They were arrested, imprisoned and shot.
1st July 1934 - Rohm was killed in his prison cell after refusing to kill himself

Question 5

What happened to Von Papen on TNOTLK?

Answer 5

Was placed under house arrest after complaining about what wa happening to Goering.

Question 6

Result of the killings

Answer 6

The SS became more important.

The German army were forced to swear loyalty to Hitler.

Question 7

The SS

Answer 7

• Expanded from Hitler’s private army to 240,000 men.
• There were different ‘branches’ (SD and Gestapo)
• By 1936 they controlled all the police and security services

Question 8

The SD

Answer 8

Spied on all known opponents and critics of the Nazi party

Question 9

The Gestapo

Answer 9

• Identify any and all critics of the Nazi Party.
• Spied on people, tapped phones and used informants to identify suspects.
• 1939 = 160,000 people were arrested.

Question 10

Concentration camps

Answer 10

People were placed in these when suspected of being opponents of the Nazis.
First camp = Dachau (1933)

Question 11

Catholic churches early on

Answer 11

• Catholic Churches could worship freely if they did not criticise the Nazis.
• The Catholic Church agreed its priests would not interfere in politics and ordered German bishops to sweat loyalty to the Nazis.

Question 12

Catholic churches as the 1930s went on

Answer 12

• Catholic Priests were harassed and arrested.
• Catholic schools began to be shut down.
• Catholic youth groups were banned.
• In 1937 - the Pope officially criticised the Nazis.

Question 13

Protestant churches

Answer 13

• Protestant leaders who supported Hitler’s views were allowed to continue providing Church services.
• Some Protestant Church leaders allowed Nazi flags to hang inside Churches.
• The Nazis insisted that no Jewish Old Testament readings be used in services.

Question 14

Protestant leaders speaking out against the Nazis

Answer 14

• Pastor Martin Niemoller set up the Pastors’ Emergency League to campaign against the actions of the Nazis.
• In 1937, the PEL was banned and Niemoller was sent to a Concentration Camp.

Question 15

Propaganda:

The People’s Receiver

Answer 15

Cheap radios so everyone could hear Hitler’s speeches

Question 16

Propaganda:

The Chamber of Culture

Answer 16

1933:

Made sure all art and music was to the taste of the Nazis

Question 17

Propaganda:

Nuremberg rally, 1934

Answer 17

• Used to promote Nazi values.

- A “hollywood” style film was made of it called “The Triumph of the Will”

Question 18

Propaganda:

Berlin Olympics, 1936

Answer 18

All events and the stadium was designed to show Nazi efficiency.

The stadium was deliberately designed to look like a Roman coliseum.

Question 19

Propaganda:

Press

Answer 19

Journalists were told what they could and couldn’t publish.

Monthly meetings with Government where they were told what stories to publish.

Question 20

Propaganda:

Radio

Answer 20

• All radio stations were under Nazi control
• Hitler’s speeches advertised as ‘must listen’ events.
• Speakers in town squares to play speeches by Hitler.

Question 21

Propaganda:

Art

Answer 21

• Weimar art was unacceptable

- Art needed to reflect romantic ideas about Germany’s past and its values

Question 22

Propaganda:

Architecture

Answer 22

• Albert Speer (main architect) wanted to buildings to look strong, reflect dominance, power and importance.
• Example; the Chancellor’s offices opened in 1938.

Question 23

Propaganda:

Film and Music

Answer 23

• Films had a 45 minute newsreel beforehand that showcased Germany’s achievements.
• All filmmakers had to get Goebbels approval on plot details.
• Jazz music banned; traditional German music = good.

Question 24

Propaganda:

Literature

Answer 24

• Existing books with conflicting ideologies were censored. 2,500 authors banned.
• Millions of books were burnt in public bonfires. Including the works of Jewish writers like Freud and Einstein.