Political extremism under Nazi Germany (2) Flashcards
(18 cards)
How did the Nazis prevent opposition + dissent politically?
- By August 1933 = banned all opposition parties - unable to oppose the Nazis in the Reichstag (one-party state).
- Party members (esp. SPD/KPD) fled the country or in concentration camps w/o trial as political prisoners.
Why was opposition so difficult for many groups?
- People saw protests as impossible and dangerous, risking discovery and punishment.
- Believed that politics weren’t for everyday people.
- Had to overcome the feeling they were disloyal to Germany by conspiring against the Govt.
- Many army members broke their personal oath of loyalty to the Nazis + Hitler.
Hindenburg’s opposition to Hitler - any impact?
- Few people who openly opposed Hitler, in the early days of his chancellorship.
- Hindeburg wrote to him on 4th April 1933 urging to reconsider the proposed law to dismiss non-Aryans (Jews) civil servants - stated many fought in WW1.
- Hitler wrote back - remained stubborn. Hindenburg’s death on 7th April meant there was nobody else to challenge Hitler.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Anti-Nazi Campaigns
- Early 1930s, the KPD, SPD and trade unions printed pamphlets and other anti-Nazi Literature.
- In 1933, the SPD group Red Shock Troop published a newspaper almost every ten days and built up a membership of around 3000. Yet, in December, their leaders were arrested and sent to concentration camp.
- Decreased after 1938, it became so easy to trace groups by their publications - risked punishment.
The effect of Operation Barborossa in June 1941 on anti-Nazi campaigns
- Communist groups revived.
- The Uhring groups leafleted factories and put up posters urging workers to sabotage.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Sabotage from workers
- Lightning strikes (lasted a few hours).
- Sabotaged production by working slowly, damaging machinery or reporting in sick when they weren’t.
- Could have led to arrest if reported or too organised or successful (the Anti-Facist Workers’ Group 1944).
- Once Germany was at war, several resistance groups (some helped by the Allies) became violent by blowing up bridges or railway lines.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Disobedience - Swing types
- Mostly wealthy, upper or middle class youth joined clubs to listen to jazz music and dressed in clothes like the Weimar period.
- Banned in 1940 - called it degenerate music - but the clubs went underground.
- Nazis made occasional arrests, but often left alone - refused to conform but no active anti-Nazi sentiments..
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Disobedience - Edelweiss Pirates
- A working-class movement, were actively anti-Nazi, although to varying degrees.
Activities:
- Wore their own uniform in protest of the Hitler Youth.
- Ranged from peaceful activities like singing anti-Nazi songs to beating up HY members.
- Wrote anti-Nazi slogans on walls and posted any leaflets dropped by Allies through letterboxes.
- Actively helped Allied airmen evade capture - in 1944, 13 were caught in Colonge for helping the enemy and were hanged.
- Over 700 were arrested during the period.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Disobedience - White Rose Group
- Student-led group at the University of Munich.
- Operated in secret, distributing anti-Nazi material, while urging passive, non-violent resistance to the Nazis.
- But eventually caught and executed in 1934.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Disobedience - supporting the enemies
- Widespread method to help those whom the Nazis wanted to arrest (politically or racially).
- By themselves or part of a more organised escape line (the Protestant Church ran one).
- Difficult to estimate how many people had escaped by way. However, it was in the thousands.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Disobedience - inside the organisation
- Some worked within the Nazi organisation.
- Hans von Dohnanyi worked in the justice system + worked with his brother in law Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Protestant pastor, to help escapees.
- Both arrested and sent to concentration camps in 1943.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Attempts to assassinate Hitler
- Between 1921-1944 = 15 known attempts - 7 after 1939 by army members or groups led by a army members.
- Despite swearing an oath of loyalty to him, Hitler had his own military groups (SS).
- Disapproved of the extreme Nazi beliefs and actions (extermination of Jews/’undesirables’).
- After D-Day, more soldiers lost more faith in Hitler.
- All were likely caught, executed or sent to concentration camps.
The July Plot of 1944
- Most serious assassination plot - German army attempted a govt take over to negotiate ending the war with the Allies.
- On the 20th July, Lieutenant von Stauffenberg left a bomb in his briefcase in a conference room with Hitler. Believed reports Hitler died but he survived with only minor injuries. Fromme, despite being a protestor himself, arrested the chief plotters to prove his loyalty (either shot or suicide).
- An investigation led to the imprisonment and execution of about 200 people’s involvement (wrongly or rightly) - including Fromme.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
How did Hitler deal with religion in the Regime?
- Hitler, for political reasons, had to associate Nazism with Christianity to gain the support of Church hierarchies. Although, privately he wanted to replace Christianity with a new assertive, Aryan faith (German Faith Movement).
- Controlled the Protestant Churches = traditionally nationalist and had supported extremist parties during Weimar.
- Hitler set up a Concordat with the Vatican, promising to leave the Catholic Church alone if it didn’t interfere with politics.
- Developed a Nazi-influenced ‘People’s Church’ (supported by the Protestant Movement) with introducing a Reichbishop (Muller) in July 1933.
What was the reaction of the People’s Church?
- Sept 1933: 100 pastors broke away to form the Confessional Church (preserve Protestantism from political control and indoctrination).
- Increased public outcry = forced pastors to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler + arrested and killed members.
Example of Church Opposition:
Bishop Clemens von Galen (1878-1946)
- The Catholic Bishop of Munster initially welcomed Hitler’s nationalism, but criticised Hitler’s racist ideology and he preached several sermons from 1934 critising his policies (1941 - euthanasia).
- Seen as too powerful to punish - called the ‘Lion of Munster’ as he was considered the only effective protester in the regime.
- Arrested after the July Plot 1944 - released in 1945.
How did people express opposition + dissent?
Spontaneous protests
Still had to conform to public opinion (to an extent):
- The imprisonment of two bishops speaking against the regime caused public outcry and forced the Govt to back down and release them.
- People’s unenthusiastic response to Hitler’s military processions when he considered invading Czechoslovakia (1938) prompted Hitler to work peacefully with Chamberlin at the Munich Conference.
How did Hitler deal with political extremism?
Censorship + Repression
