Opposition of the Nazi regime Flashcards
Why was there a lack of resistance?
MAJORITY HAPPENED AFTER 1939
Active resistance failed as the Third
Reich only collapsed when germany as defeated by the Allies
Reasons for lack of opposition:
○ Long history of authoritarian rule - accepted by most people
○ Nazis effectively neutralised opposition during consolidation period, 1933-34
○ Used fear and terror to make opposition development difficult
○ Propaganda encourage support for the party
○ Fear of unemployment
Why was opposition unsuccessful:
● Effectiveness of regime’s methods of control
● Hitler was supported
● Each group had different motives and visions
Why did the workers oppose nazis?
Method to prevent:
Hitler popularity as he ensured workers benefited from the from the fall in unemployment
Methods of opposition:
-Absenteeism
-Some workers tried to sabotage their work to slow production
Why did youth groups oppose nazis?
Method to prevent:
Hitler youth
Methods of opposition:
- Meuten were more politically driven and were socialist
- swing movement went against nazi culture of german nationalism, uniformity, military regulation
- Edelweiss pirates rejected militarism of hitler youth and would engage in physical confrontations with hitler youth patrol
Effectiveness:
- localised violence and social deviance which provided to be more of an annoyance than a threat to the regime
Why did Left wing groups oppose the Nazis?
Methods to prevent:
- reichstag fire decree 1933 - outlaws communist and SPD
- Gleichshlatung
- Gestapo locate and destroy
Methods of opposition:
- Formed underground organisations to distribute anti-nazi leaflets and newspapers to sway workers by infiltrating the German labour front
- Linked with the US and USSR to pass sensitive information to spy rings
Effectiveness:
- Effectiveness of the nazi terror campaign led left-wing groups like the communist party and the socialist party to flee the country to form underground networks. Repression under the gestapo undermined the effectiveness of any opposition
Why did Church groups oppose the nazi regime?
Methods to prevent:
- Mit brennender sorge 1937
- catholic league shut down
priests arrested and attacked
Methods of operations:
- Pope issued a statement condemning Hitler violation with the concordat to stay true to their beliefs
- Some catholics reserve nazi bans on the display of religious symbols
Effectiveness:
Spoke out against nazi policies that affected them or their core teachings directly but were silent against Semitic actions
Why did the military oppose the nazis?
Methods to prevent:
- all members swore an oath to hitler of loyalty
- threat of loosing friends
Method of operation: became concerned with the rise of a new war
Summary:
Had potential to overthrow Hitler but didn’t attempt until the war had turned against Germany
Individuals opposition to the nazis?
Methods to prevent:
Threat by SS, SA, Gestapo, Concentration camps
Method of operation: by being uncooperative, sabotage, strikes, refusal to send children to nazi youth, circulating leaflets
Effectiveness:
many lost their life
