Political And Governmanrt Change Nazisn Flashcards
What was the key feature of the nazi government?
The Nazis worked on the principle of volksgemeinschaft (peoples community). The German nation as a racially United body working for the good of the nation. Individuals were expected to obey the nazi government and make sacrifices for the nation.
What was the leadership of the nazi party?
Hitler, as the Führer, was the leader of the whole nation and had ultimate power. Sometimes referred to as ‘führer power’. However the whole state operated on the policy of the Führerprinzip, a strict hierarchical order, where every area of life had someone in charge to tell them what to do.
This was essential for people to work together and not act out of autonomy. Autonomy was frowned upon.
What was decision making like in nazi Germany?
It was impossible for Hitler to coordinate every decision in running the country. However everyone needed to be made aware of the broad principles of what hitler wanted and to run their sphere accordingly, ‘working towards the fuhrer’. Those who were loyal and got him good results got given more power and responsibility. Through this people love Goebbels became very powerful. He also stopped people to work in groups as this made it easier for opposition to form. E.g. he kept the cabinet but banned meetings and got them to work on their own
Administration in nazi Germany
Largely still carried out by the civil service under their new minister - Wilhelm Frick in the ministry of the interior. However it operated within nazi ideology and ran on Führerprinzip. However, fricks civil service frequently came into conflict with the Reich special agencies and other ministries as well as nazi party officials, despite the fact that the nazi party insisted they would only intervene in civil service matters where there were gaps to fill in the civil service provision
Civil service decisions were often overrun by nazi opinion
Did Nazis want Germany divided into states?
No - they wanted one nation. A centralised state, nation and administration. By March 1933, all länder were stripped of their powers and on the 30 jan 1934, the law for the reconstruction of the Reich officially terminated them that said German people now had a unity that overcame regional differences, so there was no need for länder.
The civil service did have the job of reconstructing länder but it was never fully achieved
What was control like in nazi Germany
Nazis established tight levels of control using the gestapo - the secret police, set up under goering on the 26 April 1933 but taken under the control of himmlers SS in 1936. Control of citizens was an important feature of nazi Germany. As the gestapo and SS grew they developed their own judiciary that ran alongside the national dieting one and the gestapo began to control concentration camps
What happened to government during the war?
Women were encouraged to work. More SS took over government administration. Anyone who worked for the govt had to be a nazi party member. SS went from 240 000 in 1939 - over 1m in 1944
How did the structure of the government change in the war?
It grew, with new bodies being set up at all levels. Each of the armed forces were given its own ministry to coordinate supplies, troops etc… . All controlled by the new high commander of thr armed forces called Wilhelm Keitel
What happened to most poles?
Hitler made it clear all poles were untrustworthy and were to be only used for hard labour. Polish leaders to be shot so that they don’t cause resistance. Southern Poland was treated as a colony and not part of the third reich. It was used as a dumping ground for all poles and undesirables. Other parts of Poland Germanised and over half a million ethnic Germans, mostly from Baltic or USSR went to the warthegau area of west Poland and a similar number of poles deported to make room for them.
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Why was the increased Germanisation a problem
Lots more land needed to be governed and centralised govt became harder. Gauleiters became more powerful and from 1942 due to British bombing raids they were given full control of all civil defence measures, including firefighting, bomb damage clearance rehousing, rationing… . In 1944 Gauleiters had control over all local bureaucracy
When did Germany invade the ussr?
22 June 1941 Germany invaded her ally the USSR. Big mistake. The army didn’t collapse as the Nazis thought they would and now they were fighting a war on two fronts and then USA joined the war in December and from here the German army and people began to suffer. Boys as young as 16 were being conscripted in 1944 and some as young as 12 by the end of the war.
What happened to rationing after 1941
It became a lot tighter and due to total war, unnecessary shops were banned such as sweet and cake shops.
Why did the government begin to lose support near the end of the war?
It became harder to convince the people that the army was invincible as German families lost their men and struggled with worsening living conditions. The government lost support and resistance grew
When did the nazi dictatorship end?
In June 1944 the allies landed in Normandy and allied troops moved towards Berlin from both east and west. Hitler moved to a safe bunker in Berlin with Goebbels. He married Eva Braun then committed suicide on 30 April 1945. Goebbels and his family committed suicide the next day. Many other Nazis suicided or captured. The government had collapsed
