The role of prominent individuals in the Nazi State

Question 1

Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945) - role

Answer 1

Minister for Propaganda 1933-1945

Chancellor for 1 day

Question 2

Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945) - role effect ??

Answer 2

Appointed minister for propaganda - allowed him to take control of the press, radio, theatre, films, literature, music, and the fine arts
Allowed him to spread Nazi ideology
As Propo minister, allowed him to keep nationalistic and anti-Semitic ideas in the population & indoctrinate the nation, particularly the young and impressionable, to Nazi ideology and the belief they were winning the war

Question 3

Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945) death

Answer 3

He and his wife Magda poisoned their six children and committed suicide May 7 1945

Question 4

Rudolf Hess (1894-1987) - role

Answer 4

Deputy Fuhrer

deputy leader of the nazi party in the reichstag

Question 5

Rudolf Hess (1894-1987) role effect

Answer 5

Spread nazi ideology
Kept Nazis in the government
Oversaw the party and its legislation

Question 6

Rudolf Hess (1894-1987) death

Answer 6

Spring 1941, decided to broker peace between Britain and Germany - wanted to end the war by means of a coup and thereby restore himself to prosperity
May 10 secretly flew to Scotland with peace proposals
Government ignored him, treated him like a POW and was rejected by Hitler
Tried at the Nuremberg trials, sentenced to life in prison.

Question 7

Hermann Goering (1893-1946)
 role

Answer 7

Reichsmarschall

Head of the Luftwaffe

Question 8

Hermann Goering (1893-1946) role effect

Answer 8

Ordered Reinhard Heydrich to order a “total solution” to the “Jewish Problem”
Active in the military
Considerable influence
His positions allowed the Nazi control of the po;racial landscape and lives of the people and the military

Question 9

Hermann Goering (1893-1946) death

Answer 9

International Military Tribunal charged him on all 4 counts (crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conspiracy to commit CAP, WC, & CAH)
Sentenced to death, but committed suicide the night before his scheduled execution in his prison cell

Question 10

Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945) - role

Answer 10

Head of the SS

Question 11

Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945) - role effect

Answer 11

Instrumental in the Night of the Long Knives → consolidation of Hitler’s power
He was responsible for carrying out Hitler’s anti-semitic policies in occupied Poland and Russia, which amplified and continues the persecution and violence against Jews (and other “undesirables”) and increased Nazi followers

Question 12

Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945) - death

Answer 12

Himmler started to negotiate peace with Western allies after the 20 July 1944 Assassination attempt of Hitler
April 1945, went to world Jewish Congress in Sweden to discuss negotiations. Allies would not negotiate because of his crimes.
Hitler found out, strpped him of his offices, ordered his arrest
Dressed in Secret Police Uniform, but captured by Russian soldiers on May 20 1945. Handed over to British, but committed suicide 23 May 1945 by cyanide capsule.

Question 13

Albert Speer (1905-1981) - role

Answer 13

Minister for Armaments and War Products

Question 14

Albert Speer (1905-1981) - role effect

Answer 14

Allocation of apartments belonging to Berlin Jews were collected
Aas Minister for Armament - became principal planner of German war economy, construction of strategic roads and defense products
Used POWs and civilian slave labour in munition factories - by Spet 1944, millions of slaves had been used

Question 15

Albert Speer (1905-1981) - death

Answer 15

Speer disobeyed hitler - relationship deteriorated
He later claimed to have been plotting to assassinate him but historians doubt he actually planned to execute this plan
He was found guilty of war crimes, and crimes against humanity at Nuremberg 1946.
Accepted responsibility for all in the Nazi regime and was sentenced to 20 years in Spandau prison
He died in London in 1981

Question 16

Ernst Rohm (1887-1934) - role

Answer 16

Chief organiser of the SA

Question 17

Ernst Rohm (1887-1934) - role effect

Answer 17

Rohm wanted SA to absorb/supplant the army and secure equality with the Nazi Party (differed to what HItler wanted)
As chief of the SA, he helped spread Nazi ideology but also the violence and fear that helped to elect Nazi party to government and Hitler to power
Encouraged violence and intimidation - conditions which led to the rise in Nazi followers/dictatorship

Question 18

Ernst Rohm (1887-1934) - death

Answer 18

Hitler decided to purge the SA
Was taken by Hitler personally from a hotel near Munich on pretext that they were preparing for a putsch
Rohm shot without trial the next day.