The Experiences of Germans under the Nazis pt 1 Flashcards
What were the aims of the Nazi Regime?
- Strengthen Germany: end ToV, make Germany self sufficient
- Remove racial minorities (e.g.: Jews) from positions of power, isolating them from pure Aryans - increase role of women as mums and guardians of the state
- The Volk/ People’s community: all other loyalties would be removed from people’s lives. Churches, schools, workplaces, would all have to come under Nazi control to ensure loyalty. Freedom of speech banished
How did the Nazis take control of Germany?
- dictatorship
- one-party state
- economic success: incentives given in exchange for loyalty
- police state: SS + police have absolute power to arrest, punish and ‘execute’ enemies
- Propoganda state - control what was heard and seen
How did Nazis reduce unemployment?
- reich labour service
- invisible unemployment
- employment schemes
- rearmament
What was the Reich Labour Service?
All men ages between 18-25 were enlisted for 6 months planting forests, mending hedges and digging drainage ditches on farms
Describe some of the Job Creation schemes
- Beauty of Labour: persuaded employers to improve working conditions
- Strength through Joy: incentives, eg: holidays to get workers to work harder for lower pay
What was invisible unemployment?
Groups of people were not counted in unemployment figures
Who came under invisible unemployment?
Jews and married women. Part time workers counted as full time
Who were the three other forces set up alongside the police?
- SS
- SD
- Gestapo
Who controlled the SS and the SD?
Himmler
Who controlled the Gestapo?
Goering
What did the SS do?
Controlled poice and ran concentration camps
What did the SD do?
Spied on Nazi opponents
What did the Gestapo do?
Tapped phones, spied on everyone, network of informers throughout Germany
How did the Nazis control the police and law courts?
Judges swore an oath of loyalty to Hitler + police controlled by SS
Who was Schact?
1933: Minister of Economics
Why did Nazis begin using concentration camps?
Set up to house ‘enemies of state’: as a re-education centre, where they did forced hard labour
What was Schact’s plan to keep up with Hitler’s demands of making Germany self sufficient?
Signed deals with other countries e.g.: South America and South-east Europe, to supply raw materials in exchage for German made goods
Why was Schact sacked?
Germany still dependant on others + changes occuring too slowly
Who was Schact replaced by?
Goering
What was the four year plan?
Prioritised increase in military production
What changes were made to farmers?
- taxes cut
- introduced laws to prevent farmers from dividing their land and giving a part to their children
Why did the changes that the Nazis make cause resentment amongst farmers?
Farmers not being able to divide land meant that children without an inheritance left to find better jobs in the city
What was the evidence that Germans were better off under Nazi regime?
- schemes such as Strength through Joy and Beauty of Labour
- Volkswagen scheme: workers could pay 5 marks a week to get a car
- wages rose by 20%
What was the evidence that Germans were worse off under Nazi regime?
- cost of living rose: food £ rose by 20%
- wages increased less than the cost of food
