The Nazi Regime to 1939 Flashcards
Failure of Weimar state
Weak democratic institutions, increased political fragmentation reducing power of Reichstag.
-> Article 48 = dictatorial powers of President undermined Muller coalition government which struggled to pass legislation effectively.
Economic challenges, opposition movements from the Left and Right against SPD, growth in KPD56
-> 100,000 communists in Berlin attempt to overthrow government.
Payment of workers in Ruhr occupation’s ‘passive resistance’, lead to hyperinflation.
-> 1923 1 USD = 109,000+ marks
Rise of NSDAP and Hitler
NAZI’s capitalised on economic issues caused by the great depression
-> J Hiden: “More than any other party the NSDAP depended on the crisis [GD] for its successful growth”
-> Following 1929 GD, Unemployment rose 200%, industrial production fell 31%
‘Perpetual campaigning’, propaganda and media increased public support (middle class and rural voters) → NAZI, growing vote 1928→30→32 (1)
-> Hitler charisma, made 3-4 speeches a day prior to 1933
-> Stab-in-the-back theory, Hitler promised to abandon ToV
NAZI’s anti-communist ideology appealed to industrialists and farmers who feared capitalism, as a result gained further seats in Reichstag.
-> 1930: 107 seats
-> 1932: 230 seats
The lack of any majority government → conservative coalition→Hitler Chancellor in 1933
The initial consolidation of Nazi power 1933–1934
Political
4 February 1933: ‘the protection of the German people’ decree, banned political meetings and the newspapers of political rivals (KPD)
Capitalising on social instability NAZI caused by Reichstag fire 28/02/24), allowed nazis to implement anti-democratic and restrict freedoms through article 48 -> enabling act 1933 March -> NAZI complete control over Law.
Nazi’s would eliminate political parties from Riechstag. After it’s dissolvement, members were imprisoned through the Law against the formation of parties 1933 -> 60,000 political prisoners mostly SPD and KPD.
The initial consolidation of Nazi power 1933–1934
Military
The SA’s power was increasing holding 1 million members, Rohm wanted SA to merge with the army, who due to TOV only had 100,000 men.
NoLK shifted SA power to SS → army support for hitler. Through the assassination of key SA members such as Rohm who was order to be killed by Hitler.
NoLK would affirm the military support for Hitler/ The SA were sworn in as an auxiliary police force in response to May day (NAZI’s taking over trade unions).
Gleichschaltung -> authoritarian
Consolidation of Nazi power 1933-34
Labour Front created (October 1933), put NAZI officials in the workplace, tight controls on workers and designed to eliminate the ‘marxism in trade unions.
-> prohibited worker strikes and removed worker right, while installing Nazis into the economy which leads to greater state control.
NAZI concordat with the Vatican →ameliorating Catholic opposition → drop church’s ban of NAZI membership
Trade unions abolished (May 1933), intended to eliminate communist/marxist influence and decrease economic opposition
-> the workers were the foundation of communist support in Germany and were a mechanism for influence.
-> KPD called for a general strike after Hitler’s appointment in 1933.
Civil Service Law 1933 excluded non-aryans from civil service
The nature of Nazi ideology - Myth, space and race
Political
NAZI ideology was centrally dictated and implemented into various institutions of society → suppression of freedoms and persecution minorities
Anti-democratic, authoritarianism
-> Enabling act
Anti Marxist and capitalist
-> German Labour front of 1933
Return of Militarism -> foundation for a strong state
-> Night of Long knives and forced conscription
Autarky, the NAZIs strived for economic self-sufficiency achieved through centrally-planned economic policy and territorial expansion.
The nature of Nazi ideology - Myth, space and race
Aryanism:
Volksgemeinschaft = homogeneity of German society as ‘aryan’ → lead to a utopia in NAZI ideology.
-> “Volk community by bringing an awareness of race, blood and soil among the Germans” Kuntz and Sax
Hegemony of the Aryan race superseded the strength of the German nation above others.
Racial ideology → Lebensraum = expansion of territory to facilitate expansion of aryan race
Adolf Hitler - Safeguard the purity of our blood and independence of the fatherland to achieve our mission allotted to us by the universe.
Goebbels
In charge of Ministry of Propaganda and Enlightenment which was created by Hitler: art, film, music, theatre, literature, press, freedom
-> “Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.”— Goebbles
Goebbels was responsible for the motivation and planning of various social and NAZI acts of political aggression →Kristallnacht
-> “Whoever can conquer the street will one day conquer the state” - Goebbels
Book Burnings May 1933 + Kristallnacht
Himmler:
Participated in Beer hall Putsch (1923), become 2nd most powerful
Himmler designed and controlled the NAZi police state
-> Head of unified police service on Hitler decree in 1936
-> Evans: “Himmler was the architect of terror
Instrumental role in holocaust and concentration camps.
-> in charge of Dachau in 1933
Goring
Was apart of the failed Beer hall putsch in 1923
Established concentration camps for political prisoner
Built up the power of the Gestapo -> established them in 1923
Was responsible for the planning of german mobilisation and Autarky prior to the war
-> Richard J. Evans “principal architect of the Nazi police state.” through his four year plan 1936
‘Propaganda machine’ & indoctrination
Promotion of Volksgemeinschaft and the creation of a harmonious Aryan society, built upon terror. (links to fuhrer myth)
Gleichschaltung of radio -> use of ‘peoples’ radio’ to indoctrinate the German populace.
-> 1935: 1.5 million radios sold -> reached 70% of population = creation of Volksgemeinschaft
Film pushed Further myth and anti-semitic ideals -> converting neutral citizens to embrace Nazism
-> Mein Kampf: propaganda must be used on a tremendous scale, clear and precise and targeting emotions to be effective.
Censorship:
1933 Reich Chamber of culture: restricted or banned media deemed opposition of Nazi ideology -> book burnings.
-> “cleansing of German spirit”
1933: Editorial law, only Aryan allowed to write articles -> suppression of ‘Racial Aliens’ by the Reich association of Press.
-> “calculated to weaken the strength of the Reich abroad or at home.”
Introduction of new textbooks with messages of loving Hitler, complete obedience to the Party and anti-semtic ideals.
Cult of Personality:
Goebells propagated the ‘fuhrer myth’ through propaganda and Hitler charisma.
-> Propaganda poster 1943: “One people, one nation, one leader”
-> “Was a crucial element of the political integration in the Third Reich” - Ian Kershaw
Contrasted the disorder of the Weimer republic, creating an image, one that would rescue Germany -> back to an ‘authoritarian tradition’
Fuhrer ideals must be carried out, higher than the written law -> Enabled radical legislative changes.
Terror and Repression:
Terror and Repression intensified from 1933 - 1939, to reinforce Nazi doctrine pushed in propaganda
-> 1933: First concentration camp Dachau -> 100,000 political prisoners.
Enabling act: Construction of concentration camps + run by SS. Prisoners were ideological opposition-> SPD & KPD members.
Later evolved into extermination camps
No opposition parties -> authoritarian regime.
-> Hitler states they were the “most effective instruments” in fostering terror.
SS, SA & Gestapo terrorised the ‘non-Aryan’ public.
-> 30,000 Jewish men imprisoned in Kristalunch
Gestapo carried out mass sullivans effectively and ruthlessly, reliant upon public informers -> ‘self policing society’.
-> 1936: Gestapo law, an individual could be arrested,questioned and imprisoned or executed without legal repercussions-> transformation of Germany into a police state.
Cultural expression
Gleichschaltung rejected liberal arts -> transforming art into a restricted ideologically driven propaganda tool.
-> over 5,000 modern artwork were removed from German Museum.
Similar to the media, the arts were monitored by the Reich chamber of commerce -> banning of ‘disruptive’ artists.
-> Exhibition of Degenerate art 1937: free exhibition to prompt the perspective of the corruption of ‘non-Aryan’ art + 1938 ‘Degenerate music’.
Promotion of Aryan superiority, significance of traditional values & nationalism -> evident in focus on conservative style art.
-> All films were strictly censored, ‘Triumph of the Will’ -> promoted Nazi strengths and German nationalism.
Often used by the Reichsadler (The German imperial eagle), to promote traditional values and their Aryan superiority.
Youth:
1933: Hiter forced the mandatory enrollment of youth into the ‘Nazi Youth’ -> prior Nazis to mandatory would socially ostracised those who wouldn’t volunteer.
-> 80% of children aged 14-18 by 1939 were apart of Hilter youth or league of German girls
Indoctrination of belief in the ‘master-race’ & obey all instructions from the fuhrer.
-> Participation in 1933 book burnings
Boys: Developed into fit soldiers through physical fitness -> rearmentent preparation.
-> Hitler at Nuremberg rally 1935: “must educate a new type of man
Girls: were forced into the league of German girls -> prepared them for motherhood
Worker:
1933: Removed all independent trade unions -> established Nazi party labour front.
-> Maximum working hours per week were raised from 60 to 72 = lack of worker rights.
Pushed women & minority groups out of the workforce
Rearmament, National Labour service & public works projects -> created millions of employment opportunities for Germans.
-> 1934: Germany had 3.3 million unemployed -> 1939 no unemployment
Women:
Pushed for the ideal that women should be seen, but not heard -> diminished their social role.
-> Overy: “The new women idealised … a contented and complete helpmate for her man”
Use of propaganda to push for Volksgemeinschaft + lebensborn (exploitation of women).
-> Propaganda: “children, kitchen & church”
=> Promotion of Mayden Goebbels on propaganda in traditional female roles.
Forced out of higher public service jobs & limited entry to university.
Introduce Mothering day & financial benefits for childbirth & homemaking + a ‘Cross of honour for German mothers’.
Education & religion:
Used both as a tool of indoctrination into Nazism -> textbooks promoted a love of Hilter, obedience to state, militarism, racism & anti-semitism.
-> 1933 Reich Law for the Re-Establishment of a Professional Civil Service: Removed non-Nazi’s from teacher positions.
Nazism was designated an official religion, however, the Catholic church was protected due to the concordat treaty 1933.
-> The NAZI broke the treaty 1938 , merging the church into the Reich Church -> those of the ‘confessing church’ and catholic church were persecuted by Nazis.
Nazi eliminated all religious opposition
Minorities:
Aryan paragraph (complete isolation of non aryans) + all minorities were sent to concentration camps.
“Law for the protection of German Blood (1935)” - banned the marriage between jews and aryans
+ 1939: ‘The Eternal Jew’ film -> promotes anti-semetic ideals, that the Jews will corrupt the pure Aryan blood.
Mentally ill were euthanized through 1933 legislation ‘Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased Offspring’
Romani & Santi prevented to marry Aryans -> 1935 Nuremberg laws.
Individual opposition to the Nazi’s
Assassination attempts were made but unsuccessful
-> 1939: George Elser failed assassination attempt on Hitler at Hitler’s anniversary attendance of beer hall putsch
Methods of individual opposition; non conformity with NAZI laws and programs (reading literature), underperforming at the workplace, creating Anti-Nazi material or oppostion groups.
-> Julius Leber was a socialist politician, lead the underground SPD movement from 1937, later executed
Distribution of Anti-NAZI media prominent form of opposition.
-> Sophie Scholl was a student apart of white rose movement who published anti-Nazi media, later executed
Group opposition to the NAZI’s
Political groups; SPD→SOPADE operated outside of Germany, published reports about the inside of Nazi regime, Limited effectiveness
Members of military attempted coups, assassinations or organised putsch either due to Hitler’s power or self-motivation
Edelweiss Pirates were youth aged 14-18, who rebelled against Nazism and Nazi youth programs
Catholic church criticised NAZI Euthanasia, although the concordat sufficiently protected the Church which inhibited greater opposition
