Opposition to the Nazi Regime Flashcards
what were the gorups of opposition
youth, churches, army, left-wing groups, individuals
name 2 youth groups
Edelweiss Pirates, Swing Kids
who were the edelweiss pirates
young political activists, rise up against NSDAP, predominantly working class
how effective were the EP as opposition
not effective
As the war went on & some Pirates’ activities became more extreme, so did the punishments meted out. Individuals identified by the Gestapo were often rounded up and released with their heads shaved to shame them.
In some cases, young people were sent to camps specifically organised for youths, or temporarily detained in regular prison.
25 October 1944: Heinrich Himmler ordered a crackdown on the Pirates & in November a group of thirteen people were publicly hanged in Cologne
what did both the pirates and swing kids do
engaged in physical confrontations w/ Hitler Youth patrols & engaged in deviant behaviour
who were the swing kids
liked American culture (ie music, food), weren’t politically opposed but were discontented as their lifestyle was being disrupted
predominantly middle class
Challenged the Nazi image of youth by growing their hair and wearing fashionable clothes.
Listened to swing music, which was seen by the Nazis as Black music and met at secret dance halls = often led to clashes with the Hitler Youth and the security forces
what went wrong with the 1833 concordat w the church
This concordat did not hold it’s integrity for very long as the Nazis closed down the Catholic Youth League
what happened to priests
Priests and lay people were attacked when they spoke out and detested
what program (1940) was opposed by catholic churches and was halted due to popular protest
NP’s programme of euthansia
what Complicated the ability to launch an opposition campaign for churches
Germany’s Protestant Churches were invariably divided = due to the split within the main sects (Lutheran, Reformed & United
what was the Confessing Church & what happened to them
movement within German Protestantism during Nazi Germany opposing government-sponsored efforts to unify all Protestant churches into a single pro-Nazi Protestant Reich Church
The Gestapo beat, tortured and arrested pastors = effective in shutting down any opposition to Hitler and the Nazi party with brutal force.
Why did Hitler and the Nazis not immediately eradicate the churches.
strategic move, Hitler needed the numbers and support of groups, such as Zentrum
why did members of the army oppose hitler
Opposition appeared when it was clear Hitler was steering G towards war → ring-wing nationalists in army saw it as their duty to quickly end the war by sending secret emissaries to the Allies or attempting Hitler’s assasinatiom
what did the army do 2 months after knight of long knives
army swears allegiance to Hitler - not Germany/the state
what did hitler do in 1938 (army)
Hitler removed War Minister General von Blomberg + 17 generals (opposing plans to Hitler) and installed men he believed to be loyal to him = prospect of army resistance
what were 2 left-wing opposition groups
Communists, social democrats
what election showed the degree of left wing opposition
March 1933 election: 12 million left votes vs 17 million for Nazis
where did communists spread opposition
Communists later pursued more active campaign of spreading discontent amongst factory workers
what event shut down the communists
Reichstag Fire Decree 1933 effectively destroyed the Communists → scapegoats
what groups were banned by the NP in 1933 & what did they do after
communists. still worked underground to print & distribute anti-Nazi leaflets & newspapers
June 1933: Social Democrats banned; leaders arrested & sent to camps. Rest fled the country, but maintained a loose network of groups
individuals had Had no legal recourse nor formal way to protest , so what did they do
Uncooperative through absenteeism, discreet sabotage, strikes, refusal to send children to youth groups, graffiti writing, circulating anti-Nazi leaflets
why did majority of people not protest & side w nazis
fear of gestapo & SS, Many pleased with what the party was doing due to successful propaganda campaigns, to provide Bulwark against communism, Those openly opposed risked being labelled a traitor
