Terror

Question 1

Who were the Gestapo?

Answer 1

A secret police. led by Himmler.

Question 2

What was the main aim of the Gestapo?

Answer 2

Hunt down threats to the Nazi regime.

Question 3

How did the Gestapo help Hitler control Germany?

Answer 3

1. Able to use spies and informants to ensure that the Nazi regime was being followed
2. Secrecy of identities played on people’s fears and made it difficult to speak out against Hitler

Question 4

What was the Gestapo Law?

Answer 4

The Gestapo were free from review from the courts of law. This essentially legalised all/any of the Gestapo’s actions.

Question 5

What were the two main sections of the courts of law?

Answer 5

1. Sondergerichte

2. People’s Court

Question 6

Why was the Sondergerichte created?

Answer 6

It ensured opponents of the Nazis would always be charged and found guilty of treason. It was used to intimidate the public and other political opponents.

Question 7

How successful was the Sondergerichte?

Answer 7

It had a strong deterrent effect until other countries were invaded because the court became more diluted and less strict. However, the trials created a façade of justice and the predetermined guilty charge discouraged opposition.

Question 8

What was the aim of the People’s Court?

Answer 8

It was used to target cases of treason. Created in 1934 in response to the Reichstag Fire.

Question 9

Who was Reinhard Heydrich?

Answer 9

He was part of the Freikorps and became one of the most powerful Nazi officials. He was the senior officer at the ‘Final Solution’ meeting and was involved in the ‘Night and Fog’ and the SD.

Question 10

What was the SD?

Answer 10

It was a security organisation that reported to Himmler. It played a critical role in consolidating political police powers to the hands of Himmler and Heydrich himself.

Question 11

What was the ‘Night and Fog’?

Answer 11

It was a decrees that meant ‘persons endangering German security’ would be arrested in a maximally discreet manner. Heydrich was given the responsibility of enforcing this law.

Question 12

Who were the S.A?

Answer 12

• Led by Ernst Rohm

- Prompted a strong, proud Nazi identity during tough times.

Question 13

What did the S.A do?

Answer 13

1. Disrupted political opponents’ meetings; this discredited opponents and made it difficult for their views to be heard
2. Started and stopped fights at NSDAP meetings; demonstrated Nazi power and control

Question 14

Why did the S.A not exist by the time Hitler’s dictatorship was over?

Answer 14

Hitler became worried by the size and the influence of the S.A so he had al members and their families murdered in the ‘Night of the Long Knives’.

Question 15

When did the ‘Night of the Long Knives’ occur?

Answer 15

1934

Question 16

Who was Heinrich Himmler?

Answer 16

A high-ranking Nazi official placed in charge of the SS and the Gestapo by Hitler. He joined the Nazi Party in 1920 and was involved in the Munich Putsch.

Question 17

What did Himmler do?

Answer 17

1. His main task was to ensure the protection of Hitler
2. He designed the concentration camps to contain and kill Jews/untermenschen.
3. Designed the Holocaust

Question 18

Was Himmler successful?

Answer 18

Yes. This is proven by the lack of rebellions against Hitler and the regime; people would have rebelled without the fear from Himmler, the SS, the Gestapo and the S.A.