The Establishment of the Nazi Dictatorship and its Domestic Policies Flashcards
What was the Reichstag Fire?
- The Reichstag building was set on fire on 27 February 1933
- Young Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe was arrested but may have been innocent as many believe it was part of a Nazi plot
What was the effect of the Reichstag Fire for the Nazis?
- Supported the Nazis’ claim of a communist coup
- Allowed them to demonise and sidelined Communism through propaganda
- Justified future Nazi repression and other extreme actions Nazis took in order to consolidate power
- Justified the Decree for the Protection of People and the State signed the next day
What problem was the Enabling Law trying to overcome?
Nazis needed a 2/3 majority in the Reichstag for any changes to be made to the Weimar constitution but only secured 288
What was the aim of the Enabling Law?
- Get rid of parliamentary procedure and legislation
- Transfer full powers to the chancellor and his government for four years
- Make Hitler’s dictatorship a “legal revolution” and therefore harder to oppose
When was the Enabling Law passed?
March 1933
What happened at the Kroll Opera House Reichstag meeting?
- Communists who weren’t yet imprisoned were refused entry by the SA
- Deputies in attendance faced a barrage of intimidation from SA ranks surrounding the building
- Hitler made a speech in which he promised to respect the Catholic Church and uphold religious and moral values, which the ZP believed
- Only the SPD voted against the Enabling Law
- The law was passed by 444 to 94 votes
In what ways was the Enabling Law a turning point for the Nazis?
- Within a few weeks Hitler was able to legally dismantle the Weimar constitution, create a one-party dictatorship and end parliamentary procedure
- Full power was given to Hitler but not the presidency
- Secured Hitler’s position as chancellor
- Reduced the threat of Papen taking control “behind the scenes”
In what ways was the Enabling Law not a turning point for the Nazis?
- Hindenburg could still ask Hitler to stand down
- Opposition still existed, possibility of a military coup and opposition from the SA, trade unions or other parties
What is “Gleichschaltung”?
- “Coordination” or “bringing into line”
- The way German society was “Nazified” and dictatorship established
What did Gleichschaltung involve?
Coordinating the “revolution from below” and “revolution from above”
What was “revolution from below”?
SA ranks exploiting their freedom and power at a local level
What was “revolution from above”?
Direction by Nazi leadership from the political centre in Berlin?
What was the aim of Gleichschaltung?
Coordinate as many aspects of German life as possible among German lines
How did Gleichschaltung limit the powers of the Lander?
- The political climate was unstable February and March 1933 so regional state governments could be infiltrated and opponents intimidated easily
- Enabling Law dissolved regional governments and reformed them with Nazi-dominant Gauleiter
- In April 1933 the Law for Restoration of Professional Civil Service created Reich governors who were mostly local party Gauleiter with full powers
- January 1934 regional state governments abolished and central government gained control of all Lande
How did Gleichschaltung limit the power of trade unions?
- First of May declared a national holiday but the following day the SA and SS occupied trade union premises, confiscated union funds, arrested leaders and sent many to early concentration camps
- Independent trade unions were banned, workers’ organisations became part of the DAF (German Labour Front) led by Robert Ley
- DAF had 22 million members but was only used as an instrument of control, had no right to negotiate wages or conditions of work
How did Gleichschaltung limit the power of other political parties?
- Communism outlawed since the Reichstag Fire
- On 22 June 1933 SPD was officially banned
- In late June most major remaining parties agreed to dissolve themselves out of fear of concentration camps or arrest
- On 5th July the ZP also gave up the struggle and also dissolved
How did Gleichschaltung affect the KPD and SPD after WWII?
Gained credibility as they had opposed the Enabling Law and had been forced to shut down by the Nazi Party
In what ways was Gleichschaltung successful?
- By the end of 1933 it had advanced in many areas of public life in Germany
- Many in the lower ranks of the party contributed to the revolution from below and wanted to extend the process
In what ways was Gleichschaltung unsuccessful?
- Created internal party conflicts, which laid the basis for the Night of the Long Knives in June 1934
- Made little impression on the role of the army, big business and the churches
- Civil service and education were only partially coordinated
- Limited by Hitler’s desire to shape events through revolution from above and avoid antagonising powerful vested interests
Why was the SA a threat to Hitler’s power?
- SA leader Ernst Rohm wanted to join the army and the SA to create the “people’s army” through a “second revolution”
- The SA called for a genuine National Socialist revolution focusing on fundamental social and economic reforms, especially the young, unemployed, working class members
- Rohm wanted a more political role for the SA and to lead the people’s army
- SA membership was 3 million, army’s was 100,000
- SA weren’t skilled enough to be part of Germany’s official military
Why did Hitler need the backing of the army?
- They were the one organisation that could unseat Hitler
- The officer class had close social ties with the Junkers
- Only the army had the military skills Hitler needed to succeed
Why did the Night of the Long Knives take place?
- In April 1934 it became clear that Hindenburg didn’t have much longer to live and Hitler wanted to assume presidency without opposition
- Came to an agreement on the Battleship Deutschland with Fritsch and Blomberg against Rohm and the SA
- Goring and Himmler were working towards this aim “behind the scenes” so at first Hitler did not make a move to solve the problem
- Papen called for an end to SA excesses and criticised the policy of Gleichschaltung, so Hitler had to destroy the power of the SA immediately to satisfy conservative forces
What happened at the Night of the Long Knives?
- 30 June 1934
- Rohm and main SA leaders were shot by members of the SS with weapons and transport provided by the army
- Former chancellor Schleicher and leader of the radical socialist wing of the NSDAP Strasser were also killed
- There was no resistance
- Altogether an estimated 200 people were murdered
In what ways was the Night of the Long Knives a turning point for the Nazis?
- Removed the threat of the SA
- Hitler able to succeed Hindenburg and become Fuhrer
- Satisfied army generals and led to them swearing an oath of allegiance to Hitler and Hitler’s total control of the army
- Dissolving the SA have the Nazis security and respect
- Led to the emergence of the SS as a powerful elite force
How did Hindenburg’s death lead to Hitler’s consolidation of power?
- On 1 August 1934 the Law Concerning the Head of State of the German Reich merges the offices of the president (Hindenburg) and the chancellor (Hitler) to form the new position of “Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor”
- 2 August Hindenburg dies, Hitler succeeds him as Fuhrer, army takes an oath of personal loyalty to Hitler
What was the Hitler Myth?
The propaganda image of Hitler
How was the Hitler Myth created?
- Rallies: created unity amongst the Nazi Party and German people
- Propaganda: focused on ideas and symbols of permanence, especially from the Roman Empire
- Hitler Youth: Hitler presented to HJ as a safe, paternal, trustworthy figure
- Mein Kampf: manifesto for Germany, Hitler became synonymous with German people and empire
How did Hitler’s style of government help him consolidate power and contribute to the Hitler Myth?
- “Fuhrerprinzip”: the Fuhrer cannot be wrong so must always be obeyed
- Vagueness: Hitler didn’t share the direction of government with officials, had few concrete policies and was generally vague in leading, meaning that nothing could be held against him and others had to work hard to please him
- “Working towards the Fuhrer”: cabinet had to try and please the Fuhrer but were given no specific instructions, making government efficient
- “Divide and rule”: deliberately caused competition and rivalry within government and made people more disposable so everyone was kept in control
- No cabinet meetings after February 1938: harder to disagree
How was propaganda and censorship used to consolidate Nazi power?
- Goebbels became minister of public enlightenment and propaganda in 1933
- Glorified war and the Aryan race and spread Nazi ideology whilst censoring the unacceptable
- All means of communication brought under state control
How was radio used for propaganda and censored?
- 13% of staff dismissed on racial/political grounds and replaced by Nazis
- Cheap “People’s Receiver” radios produced so ownership increased from 25% in 1932 to 70% by 1939 and more people could access Nazi propaganda
- Loudspeakers were installed at restaurants/cafes/factories/offices
- Radio wardens were appointed to coordinate listening
How was the press used for propaganda and censored?
- Germany had over 4700 daily newspapers in 1933
- Nazi publishing house Eher Verlag bought up 2/3 of German press by 1939
- News agencies merged into the state-controlled DNB which vetted material before it got to journalists
- Goebbels introduced a daily press conference at the Propaganda Ministry to provide guidance on editorial policy
- Editors’ Law of October 1933 gave all responsibility for which content was published to the editor so they would face the consequences if it did not meet the requirements of the Propaganda Ministry, government did not have to censor as editors ensured this was done
- Party’s official newspaper, Volkisher Beobachter, reached 1.7 million in 1944
- Journalism was bland and sterile, there was a 10% decline in newspaper circulation before 1939
How were the Berlin Olympics used for propaganda?
- Anti-Jewish messages in posters and newspapers were removed and the regime was glorified worldwide as well as to Germans
- Over 42 million Reichsmarks spent on building a sports complex and the world’s largest stadium at the time which could seat 110,000 spectators
- Media coverage was meticulously prepared, radio broadcasts given in 28 languages, a 2-part 4 hour film by Riefenstahl called Olympia was promoted and financed, television broadcasts were seen by 150,000 people in Berlin
- Siegfried Eifrig lit the torch at the start of the games and represented the Nazi Aryan ideal
- Germany gained the most medals (89), although black American Jesse Owens marred Nazi success by winning 4 gold medals
How was drama used for propaganda and censored?
- Theatres and plays had to have a licence and were subject to police supervision
- Experimental plays and music were banned
- Jazz was labelled “degenerate” and forbidden
- Music by Jews was forbidden and Jewish conductors/musicians were dismissed
