Opposition, resistance and conformity

Question 1

Opposition to the Nazis - Secret trade union opposition

Answer 1

The KPD continued to encourage workers to oppose the Nazis. Workers sometimes undermined Nazi building projects by staying off work sick or deliberately damaging machinery.

Question 2

Opposition to the Nazis - Secret political opposition

Answer 2

In 1933, the SPD printed an opposition printed newspaper, the Red Shock Troop, with a circulation of 3000 copies. The organisers were arrested and sent to concentration camps. SPD leader then set up SOPADE - the SPD abroad - to campaign against the Nazis.

Question 3

Opposition to the Nazis - Secret army opposition

Answer 3

Some army officers opposed the Nazis. General Ludwig Beck was Chief of Staff of the German army. In 1938, he tried to get fellow officers to arrest Hitler. He even sent. message to the British, saying that the German Army wouldn’t fight if Britain attacked Germany. Beck led plots to kill Hitler in 1943 and 1944.

Question 4

Opposition from churches

Answer 4

Hitler tried to control religion in Germany:

• Catholic Bishops had to swear allegiance to the Nazi regime
• Protestant pastors were told to join the German Christian Church, which accepted Nazi interference in the running of Protestant churches