Strong Leader or Weak Dictator

Question 1

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Background Fact

Answer 1

After he took power, Hitler was clearly Germany’s leader, however there s debate wherever the decisions he made were his or if they were influenced by others.

Question 2

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Propaganda - National Figure

Answer 2

• Joseph Goebbels controlled all forms of media within Germany through the Reich Chamber of Culture. Their aim was to make Hitler the national figure of Germany.

x Hitler could not fully control what was put out into the public even if he had control over all media, people still had free will.

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Question 3

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Propaganda - Censorship

Answer 3

• The Nazis had control of the things like the radio, press, film and art and could censor any information within these types of media.

✔ This meant they could silence any voices which undermined Hitler’s power and position, reinforcing him as a strong leader.

x However, because much of propaganda was under the control of Goebbels, Hitler had little say in it and just as it easily built him image as a strong leader, it could just as easily destroy it.

Question 4

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Powers - Ministers/ governors

Answer 4

• Numerous people had different powers in Nazi Germany, not just Hitler. For example, each state had their own governor and government department were ran by ministers.

x The decisions made by these people in power could not be fully controlled by Hitler, which is why these positions were given to them in the first place.

Question 5

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Powers - Himmler

Answer 5

• Heinrich Himmler for example had a major position, being the head of the SS.

✔ The help of these powerful people meant that Hitler could control Germany with more ease.

x However, he could not control their decisions, meaning he had less control over Germany overall.

Question 6

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Hitler - Disinterest

Answer 6

• Hitler was mostly in charge of major decisions in running Germany, and was not interested in day-to-day decision making.

x This meant he had to rely on others to do so.

Question 7

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Hitler - Ministers

Answer 7

• Instead, he approved the decisions of ministers, often with a dismissive attitude like a grunt of approval or nodding.

✔ Leaving small decisions to others meant that Hitler could focus on the bigger picture instead of the details of running Germany, making him a strong leader.

x This unofficial way of running Germany caused confusion and misunderstanding. Decisions like these also lacked documentation, meaning they could easily be misinterpreted or taken back.

Question 8

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Historians - Personally insecure

Answer 8

Hans Mommsen - Hitler tended to agree with the last person he talked to.

Question 9

Strong Leader or Weak Dictator
Historians - Charismatic rule

Answer 9

Ian Kershaw - His charismatic leadership meant that the government was unstable.