Police State Flashcards
What is a police state
When a government uses the the police to do control everyones lives
The Nazis used the SS, SD and the gestapo to do this
Anyone the Nazis were suspicious of could disappear at any time
They could be killed or taken to concentration camps
Why did hitler set up his own security forces
He realised not all the existing German police supported him
What was the SS (protection squad)
Set up by Heinrich Himmler In 1925
We’re led by himmler
They wore black uniforms
Controlled all germanys police and security forces
They acted outside the law
Members had to Marry racially pure wives
They ran the concentration camps
What did the SD (security service ) do
Set up by Heinrich himmler in 1931
They were led by Reinhard Heydrich
They wire uniforms
Spied on all opponents of the Nazi party both at home and abroad
Who were the Gestapo (secret state police)
Set up by Hermann Goering in 1933
They were led by renihard heydrich
Wore plain clothes
Spied on people
Prosecuted people for speaking out against the Nazis
Sent people to concentration camps and used to torture
The legal system
Hitler controlled the legal system that meant it was very difficult for anyone to oppose him
How did hitler control the judges
All judges had to belong to the national socialist league for maintenance of the law
All judges had to favour the Nazi party in any decision
How did hitler control the law courts
He abolished trial by jury only the judges were able to decide wether someone was innocent or guilty
He set up a peoples court to hear all treason cases , trials were held in secret and judges were hand picked
Where was the first concentration camp built
At dachau in 1933 to house growing number of people being arrested
Where were camps built
In isolated areas so no one could see what was going on
Inmates were made up of:
Political prisoners
Undesirables such as prostitutes homosexuals and minority groups like Jews
How were inmates treated
Very badly and forced to do hard labour
