Summary 7 - The Nazi State and totalitarian control

Question 1

How did the Nazis alter the existing state apparatus when they came to power?

Answer 1

When the Nazis came to power they took over the existing state apparatus and created a number of overlapping Party organisations.

Question 2

What was the impact of the Nazis creating overlapping party organisations?

Answer 2

There were rivalries at times between people in overlapping roles.

Question 3

Give examples of rivalries between people in overlapping roles?

Answer 3

Goering was in charge of the Reich’s 1936 Four Year Plan (for the economy) but there were already the Ministries of Economics, Labour and Agriculture controlling the economy.
Himmler often clashed with the Minister of the Interior, Wilhelm Frick over police control.

Question 4

How much interest did Hitler take in co-ordinating policy?

Answer 4

Hitler took little interest in policy details or co-ordinating policy.

Question 5

Ministers and party officials had to work towards what?

Answer 5

Ministers and party officials had to ‘work towards the Fϋhrer’, they had to work out what Hitler wanted and how to get his approval.

Question 6

When did Nazi government become more stable?

Answer 6

By 1941, the SS were at the heart of the Nazi state and this brought some order to the rather chaotic system of Nazi government.