Support for the Nazi's

Question 1

What was the effect on unemployment?

Answer 1

Unemployment fell from 4.8 million in 1933 to 0.3 million in 1939

Question 2

National Labour Service

Answer 2

Started in 1933 to provide paid work for the unemployed in public works. Made compulsory in 1935 for all young men to serve 6 months in the RAD - unpopular, organised like an army (uniforms, marches, camps) and food/ working conditions were poor

Question 3

When did the National Labour Service start?

Answer 3

1933

Question 4

When was it made compulsory to serve 6 months in the RAD?

Answer 4

1935

Question 5

What did the Nazi’s believe about unemployment?

Answer 5

The unemployed were a waste of resources and a burden to society

Question 6

How many were employed in the RAD in 1935?

Answer 6

422,000

Question 7

Autobahns

Answer 7

A public works scheme, aiming to build a 7,000 mile network of dual carriage ways, began in September 1933 and the first stretch was opened in 1935

Question 8

Positive effects of Autobahns

Answer 8

Improved transport for industry and agriculture which boosted the sale of German goods

Question 9

How many were employed in Autobahns in 1935?

Answer 9

125,000

Question 10

How were employment statistics manipulated?

Answer 10

Women and Jews were forced to give up work but did not appear in unemployment statistics, people with part-time jobs were counted as full-time employment, many put in prisons or concentration camps which lowered unemployment, in normal peace-times those working in rearmament would need proper jobs, unemployment was falling everywhere as countries recovered from the Great Depression

Question 11

How did government spending on public works change?

Answer 11

Spending on public works grew from 18 billion marks in 1933 to 38 billion marks in 1939

Question 12

Rearmament

Answer 12

Made compulsory in 1935 for all young men to spend a period of time in the armed forces

Question 13

How many men were in the armed forces by 1939?

Answer 13

1,360,000

Question 14

How did the increasing size of the armed forces affect government spending on arms?

Answer 14

Bigger armed forces needed more weaponry so government spending on arms rose from 3.5 billion in 1933 to 26 billion in 1939 - caused an increase of employment in the arms industry

Question 15

Affect on wages

Answer 15

Wages were 20% higher in 1939 than in 1933 however price of goods was 45% higher in 1939 than in 1933 so wages had to compensate for this - low earners had to use their extra wages to cover the higher cost of essentials

Question 16

Due to the increase in wages, higher earners had money to spend on luxury goods…

Answer 16

Number of car owners trebled in the 1930’s

Question 17

The Labour Front (DAF)

Answer 17

Set up in 1933 to protect the rights of workers (in replacement of trade unions)

Question 18

When were trade unions banned?

Answer 18

1933

Question 19

Negative effects of the DAF

Answer 19

Under the DAF workers lost their right to negotiate improvements in pay/ working conditions, maximum length of working week increased by 6 hours and the DAF could punish workers who disrupted production

Question 20

How did the maximum length of working week change under the DAF?

Answer 20

The maximum length of the working week increased by 6 hours

Question 21

Strength through Joy (KdF)

Answer 21

Division of the DAF set up in 1933 to make the benefits of work more enjoyable - provided leisure activities (sports events, films, shows) - mostly low-key but well supported

Question 22

How many members in the KdF were there by 1939?

Answer 22

35 million members by 1939

Question 23

Voltswagen (the people’s car)

Answer 23

The KdF encouraged workers to give 5 marks a week which would eventually entitle them to a Voltswagen - money was used to set up factories

Question 24

Why did German workers never receive their Voltswagen?

Answer 24

In 1938 Voltswagen factories switched to arms production - no worker received their car or money back

Question 25

Beauty of Labour (SdA)

Answer 25

Encouraged better working facilities by giving employers tax breaks to help with building and decoration costs - however it was normal for employees to do the building decoration themselves outside of working hours at no extra pay

Question 26

The Swing Youth

Answer 26

Emerged from wealthier families. Rebelled against Nazi control over culture - danced, drank alcohol, smoked, listened to jazz (considered Negro music)

Question 27

The Edelweiss Pirates

Answer 27

Emerged from working class districts of cities. Resented the military discipline over youth groups and the lack of freedom - wore American style clothing and sang pre-1933 folk songs

Question 28

How many members of the Hitler Youth were there?

Answer 28

8 million

Question 29

How many members of the Edelweiss Pirates were there?

Answer 29

2,000

Question 30

Why didn’t opposition from the young pose much of a threat?

Answer 30

Seen as a nuisance rather than a threat, concerned about cultural issues rather than political

Question 31

Catholic opposition

Answer 31

Priests spoke out against Nazi ideas - 400 send to the Preists’ block at Dachau Concentration Camp

Question 32

Protestant opposition

Answer 32

Pastors Emergency League (PEL) founded in 1933, Confessing Church founded in 1934 by the PEL opposing Nazi interference in religion

Question 33

How many Pastors joined the Confessing Church?

Answer 33

6,000 joined, 800 arrested and sent to concentration camps

Question 34

Martin Niemoller

Answer 34

Opposed Nazi interference in the running of the Protestant Church, opposed the ban on Jews becoming Christians - founded the PEL in 1933