Opposition Flashcards
How did the Roman Catholic and Lutheran church firstly react to the Nazis ?
At first after the signing of a concordat with the Nazis in July 1933, the Catholic Church chose not to involve itself in German politics as long as the church was permitted to continue to run its own schools and activities.
However the Lutheran church was split over his attitude to Nazism. Pro Nazi Lutherans were known as the German Christians (led by Ludwig Müller who became the first Reich Bishop in July 1933) and the lutherans who disagreed with nazism set up the confessional church
Who were the German churches?
- The Roman Catholic Church
- The Lutheran church
- The confessional church (anti Nazi)
- the German faith movement (Nazi)
How and why did the church’s oppose the Nazis?
- By 1936 some of the terms of the Concordat were being ignored. Therefore in 1937 Pope Pius XI responded by condemning the Nazi regime because the rights of the Catholic organisations such as youth groups were being ignored
- Lutheran church - 1934 Lutherans opposed to nazism set up by the Confessional church
- Some German Church leaders such as Bishop von Galen of Münster spoke out strongly and successfully against Nazi policies, preaching a number of strongly worded sermons in 1941 (particularly against the Nazis use of euthanasia)
Why was Hitler concerned about the loyalty of German Christians ?
- the churches had more members than the NSDAP
- he believed Christians were unlikely to easily abandon their faith for Nazism
How effective and successful was the church’s opposition? (4)
- Niemöller And Bonhoeffer participated in anti-Nazi activities, passed secrets to the Allies and was part of the assassination attempts of Hitler in 1943 and 1944
- In 1937 he was sent to Dachau concentration camp.
- Von Galen speaking out against Nazi euthanasia of mentally ill patients resulted in an outcry and Nazis were forced to abandon this policy
- As a result he lived under virtual house arrest from that time until the end of the war
Who were the opposition from the youth groups?
The edelweiss pirates
They painted anti Nazi slogans, sheltered deserters and beat up Nazi officials. In 1944, the Cologne Pirates killed the Gestapo chief
Give evidence of Germans supporting Nazis by choice (6)
- turnout of Nuremberg rallies
- following of the German faith movement
- elections: popular vote in elections and plebiscites
- popular plans that were followed (breaking of ToV, bread and work)
- Nazi organisations appealed e,g HYM
- benefits e,g cheap radio, KDF
Give evidence that Germans were forced to support the Nazis (4)
- creation of concentration camps
- control of media (unable to criticise Nazis, censoring)
- the police state (SS, SD, Gestapo) frightened Germans into obeying Nazis
- People’s Court (1934) scared Germans, it executed ‘opponents’ after show trials
Youth opponents of the Nazis
The swing movement
The edelweiss pirates
Describe what the German faith movement was like (2)
- It was a religious movement in Nazi germany which sought to move Germany away from Christianity towards a religion based on Germanic paganism and the Hitler Myth.
- Hitler hoped that it would draw people away from their loyalty to Christianity but it only had around 200,000 followers and Hitler was forced to deal with the established churches
How did the swing movement show opposition?
- They gathered together and acted in a manner that they knew would anger the local Nazi leaders.
- They wore bohemian clothing and sang songs that the Nazis had banned
- Grew their hair long and danced to jazz
How did the White Rose show opposition?
The non-violet White Rose movement was set up in 1942 by Munich University undergraduates Hans and Sophie Scholl. They distributed anti-Nazi leaflets which outlined the atrocities being carried out by the Nazis. The main members were executed by the Gestapo following their betrayal by a university caretaker who saw them distributing these leaflets
When did the Reichstag fire burn?
27th February 1933
How did the Reichstag fire allow the Nazis to remove certain enemies? (4)
- the Reichstag fire gave Hitler his best chance of destroying the KPD’s election campaign
- Since a Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lübbe, was captured at the scene the Nazis blamed the communists for the blaze and suggested it was a communist rebellion
- Hitler used the fire to exploit President von Hindenburg’s fear of a communist takeover
- He persuaded him to approve the Decree for the Protection of People and State, which gave the government the right to suspend many civil rights
List Hitler’s list of enemies (5)
- President
- Reichstag and the army
- Opposition from other parties
- Germany’s state governments
- Trade union movement