SYSTEM OF GOV Flashcards
Where is there evidence of Hitler being a ‘lazy’ leader?
Sleeping pattern and absence from Berlin for long periods of time made effective government difficult.
What area of government was not clear and established?
The system for Cabinet government. Meaning government and law emerged in a very haphazard way.
What was the process of members of the Nazi party making decisions by interpreting Hitler’s wishes?
“Working towards the führer”
How many times did the cabinet meet in 1933? How many times in 1936?
72 times in 1933.
4 times in 1936.
What did the decline in the Cabinet result in?
The radicalisation of policy, most clearly seen in the policy of terror, genocide and foreign policy.
How did established state institutions limit Nazi power?
Old institutions were not destroyed and the civil servants who ran these bodies were often conservative in outlook and remained in post.
How did the SS represent confusion and overlap between state institutions and party organisations?
The SS was a strictly party organisation but in practice had police powers and ran alongside police organisations.
‘State in a State’ - held same powers of police force yet often acted above the law
What was the principle basis of the Nazi party?
Based on hierarchy and Fuhrerprinzip. This did not lead to effective government despite being effective at attracting support.
What did Rudolf Hess do?
1938 -All civil servants had to be Nazi party members.
How was Nazi power limited in terms of administration?
Established state institutes remained, and there was division within the actual party itself.
Why did frictions between party and state institutions cause problems in Nazi gov administration?
As old institutions weren’t removed, the established bureaucracy of state was already established - with efficient and experienced staff.
Many were conservative in outlook yet remained in post -leading to contradictions
Give a few examples of when there were party and state frictions
Reich Chancellery - struggled to coordinate gov due to growing numbers of institutions - gov ministries e.g economy were unstable due to pressure of 4YP
Law and Nazis - Himmler, and establishments of new courts (Special Courts, People’s courts etc) allowed Nazis to circumvent the law
From Nazi propaganda, what kind of leader was Hitler?
all-powerful
charismatic
How many positions did Hitler hold after Hindenburg’s death?
combined office of chancellor, president, head of armed forces and one-party state
Things in Nazi government that demonstrated its haphazard nature:
- frictions in rivalry and state
- policy based on informal conversations than set plans - escalation of genocide laws
- Hitler - lazy and often away from Berlin - Speer ‘his rare appointments’
- limited role in daily gov - fear to make decisions
- decline of cabinet
