The various laws executed by the Nazi regime to exercise control Flashcards
LAWS
- Volksgerichtoshof
- Reichstag Fire Decree (1933
- The Nuremberg Laws (1935)
Other important Laws;
- Enabling Act (1933)
- The laws in the country underwent coordination to align them with Nazi ideals of Hitler being the supreme judicial force.
- As part of this, the Volksgerichtshof (People’s Courts) were created as a place where Hitler could try opponents outside of the regular legal system.
- The ultimate aim of utilizing laws was to allow Hitler to grant himself the power to enact any action.
- This created a smooth transition into total control where he gradually legislated more and power be given to himself and the Nazi Party.
LAWS
- Volksgerichtoshof
- Reichstag Fire Decree (1933
- The Nuremberg Laws (1935)
Other important Laws;
- Enabling Act (1933)
The Reichstag fire decree enacted Strict laws to prohibit political opposition and to deal with dissidents and resistance through the suspension of civil liberties.
SUCH AS the;
- Freedom of the press
- Freedom of association
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of expression
LAWS
- Volksgerichtoshof
- Reichstag Fire Decree (1933
- The Nuremberg Laws (1935)
Other important Laws;
- Enabling Act (1933)
What were the Nuremberg Laws? - 1935.
These were 2 main pieces of legislation which allowed racial and religious discrimination.
1. Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour
- Made marriage between Jews and Aryans illegal.
- This also meant that any sexual relations between the two were deemed a criminal act.
- The law also made it illegal for a Jew to employ a German woman below the age of 45.
- This would free up more jobs for men and ensure that women stayed home as part of his plan for the Volksgemeinschaft.
2. Reich Citizenship Law
- This made non-Aryans no longer German citizens.
- It also created two different categories of Germans, Reich Citizens (Aryans) and Nationals (Jews and other minorities).
REPRESSION
- Freedom of Speech
- Political Freedom
- Personal Freedom
- Freedom of Speech
Extra-legal courts could prosecute based on criticizing the Fuhrer Propaganda brainwashed people and they were forced to tout specific ideas
There was censorship of newspapers with the Editorial Law (1933) Artists were forced to join the Reich Chamber of Arts from 1933 to be allowed to create
- Political Freedom
Political opponents were hunted by the SA and SS State powers were taken away by Nazi figureheads appointed by Hitler All other political parties were banned
- Personal Freedom
Women were forced into very specific roles in society Children were forced to join Youth Movements which preached support of Hitler People feared their every move as the Gestapo, the secret police could be anywhere spying on them
REPRESSION
- Religon
- Information
- Trade unions
- Religon
Jews were discriminated against and eventually sent to concentration camps for labor or to be murdered Christian churches were forced to support Hitler or faced persecution
- Information
Events such as the burning of the books destroyed information Newspapers were censored Education systems were reformed and content was replaced with propaganda
- Trade Unions
The German Trade Unions were abolished and replaced with the DAF
TERROR
Hitler utilized organized terror groups to control the people through fear.
- The Sturmabteilung (SA or Stormtroopers)
- The Schutzstaffel (SS)
- The Sturmabteilung (SA or Storm Troopers)
The SA was created in the 1920s to intimidate political opponents. They were led by Rohm with approximately 2 million members who were fiercely loyal to Hitler.
They were made up of primarily lower class men and were notorious for street fighting and violence. The members of the SA were permitted to freely terrorize opponents of the Nazis.
- The Schutzstaffel (SS)
The SS were run by Himmler originally as the elite bodyguards to Hitler. They grew into a large organization which was effectively a private army comprised of fanatical Hitler supporters with a reputation for being ruthless.
They were utilized as an execution squad for any enemies and they wore a black uniform with a special swastika armband. By 1934 they operated both within and outside of Germany and by 1935 they had 200,000 members.
Their main duty eventually became enforcing the Nazi racial policies and running the concentration camps.
TERROR
Hitler utilized organized terror groups to control the people through fear
- The Sicherheitsdeinst (SD)
- The gestapo
- The Sicherheitsdeinst (SD)
The SD was an organization set up by Himmler in 1931 as an internal security service for the SS, yet they were increasingly tasked with intelligence.
They were also responsible for tracking foreign opposition to the Nazis and censoring the media.
- The Gestapo
The Gestapo was the secret state police. It was set up by Goering in 1933 and eventually came under Himmler’s control.
Their main duty was to enforce political conformity. They relied on denunciations from the public as they had 150,000 informants.
This ensured fear and tension amongst people who were never sure who to trust and these feelings were amplified by the fact they did not wear uniforms. They had the power to arrest and detain anyone who was considered an enemy of the state.
Those who were arrested were often treated poorly being subject to violence before either release or imprisonment.
- Other institutions included the army and concentration camps
CENSORSHIP
- Restrictions to control
Censorship was an extremely important aspect of the Nazi Party’s ability to control the people of Germany.
Through censorship, the Nazis could have all aspects of expression under their control to promote themes of Nazi strength and unity.
- Any ideas which did not align with the party, such as found in American or British radio, were restricted.
- This allowed for only one point of view to be available making public opinion easy to control.
CENSORSHIP
- Editorial Law (1933)
An important law which enabled censorship was the Editorial Law (1933)
- Required newspaper editors to follow the Government policy approved by Goebbels. This meant that by 1934, 1,600 newspapers had been shut down.
- In their place two main Nazi newspapers were promoted, “DerStrumer’ and ‘Der Volkische Beobachler’.
- This was very effective as a collective reading of these newspapers created like-mindedness.
This like-mindedness was also amplified by 20,000 books being burned in Berlin and a further 2,500 books being banned. Music was also censored with any Jewish composers being banned. Jazz or “black’ music was also banned.
This was supported by the Reich Chamber of Culture which censored the arts as artists had to be part of the Chamber to be allowed to work.
PROPAGANDA
Utilising Radio and cinema
Effective means of spreading propaganda included radio and cinema.
By 1942, there were 16 million radios in factories, cafes, workplaces and streets around Germany.
Films produced by the Ministry for Propaganda were made embedded with specific messages and tickets were sold for cheap making it very accessible to the public in the same way as radio and newspapers.
- ‘Jude Suss’ (Jews as Rats) and ‘Ewige Jude’ (Eternal Jew).
- Two notable successfull films were ‘The Triumph of the Will (1934) and ‘Olympia’ (1936).
The former depicted the Nuremberg rally whilst the latter the Olympic Games. Riefenstahl was mesmerized by Hitler and had a close relationship with him.
Her films depicted him as a messianic figure and they embodied the essence of Nazi ideals. These films won many awards and were critically acclaimed. This added legitimacy to their subject matter.
PROPAGANDA
The Use of Red, and Furher myth.
The colour red was used frequently as a symbol of a bright and strong future. It also was attention grabbing and symbolized power.
- Messages were simplified to make them easily accessible and to have them intensify any already existing beliefs.
- The magnitude of Nazi propaganda indicates the role it had in Nazi Germany in shaping public opinion.
The promotion of Nazi ideals influenced those who may have been neutral to follow the popular opinion about the Nazis.
This propaganda machine was used to promote the Volksgemeinschaft and the Fuhrer Myth.
The Fuhrer myth in particular championed Hitler as the saviour of the people and all who were against the Volk were vilified.
CULT OF PERSONALITY
As part of Nazi ideology and as an aspect of Nazi control Hitler himself became crucial as the image of the Nazi Party.
The term Fuhrer itself allowed him to assume the role of the all-knowing and all-powerful leader of Germany. It became a myth where he was heroic, embodying national superiority.
This was achieved through propaganda and censorship by portraying Hitler as the answer to all of Germany’s problems.
Hitler was able to maintain these ideas through his presence. He had exceptional oratory skills which conveyed him as strong. His speeches were dynamic and charismatic as he spoke with momentum and passion.
Hitler knew his audience very well and was able to exploit their fears and desires by telling them what they wanted to hear.
This cult of personality ultimately made Hitler a very powerful man and united the people under the ideas of one very powerful and revered man.
