Opposition to the Nazis Flashcards
The Political Left opposed Hitler, but this was divided and weak
1) The Nazis banned the KPD and SPD
2) Members of these parties formed underground groups to organise industrial unrest e.g. strikes
3) These were often infiltrated by the Gestapo and the ringleaders were executed
4) Their impact was also limited because the different parties of the left were divided and didn’t cooperate
The Church: Martin Niemoller
He was a protestant pastor and ex U-boat captain. He objected to Nazi interference in the Church and was a founder of the Confessing Church (protested against Hitler’s attempt to unite all Protestant Churches into one Reich Church) and spent several years in concentration camps as a result
The Church: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
He was another member of the Confessing Church. He was a protestant pastor and philosopher who opposed the Nazis. He joined the resistance, helped Jews escape from Germany and planned to assassinate Hitler. He was executed 2 weeks before the fall of the Nazis.
The Church: Clemens August Von Galen
He was the Catholic Bishop of Munster, who used his sermons to protest against Nazi racial policies and the murder of disabled people. His protests didn’t stop the killing, but they did force the Nazis to keep them secret. The only reason he wasn’t executed was because they needed him to maintain the support of German Catholics.
The Edelweiss Pirates
Groups of rebellious youth who rejected Nazi values. They helped army deserters, forced labourers and escaped concentration camp prisoners. At first, the Nazis ignored them but cracked down after anti-Nazi leaflets were distributed. Many members were arrested and publicly hanged.
The Swing Kids
Groups of young people who rebelled against the tight control that the Nazis had over German culture. They acted in ways considered degenerative such as drinking, smoking and listening to American jazz. They were mostly considered a nuisance rather than a threat, but many were sent to concentration camps nevertheless.
