The various methods used by the Nazi regime to exercise control Flashcards
Outline the significance of the SS in exercising control
(Terror and Repression)
SS: arbitrarily removing regime opponents (eg. murder)
Outline the significance fo the Gestapo in exercising control
(Terror and Repression)
- Gestapo (secret police),
- Surveillance to identify enemies of the state
- Propaganda: image that anyone could be mistreated by them + sent to a camp
- Power to imprison people extrajudicially
- Wiretapping phones
- Only 15,000 staff, so relied on citizens reporting on each other, disclose private matters (criticisms, relationships)
Outline how print media and its various restriction imposed, increased the Nazi’s control over Germans
(Propaganda and Censorship)
(Print Media)
Max Amann (head of Nazis’ publishing company Eher Verlag) took control of the Reich Press Chamber in Nov 1933. By 1936, ⅔ of newspapers were banned or acquired.
Editors’ Law of 4 October 1933: owners/editors are directly liable for their papers’ content, limited material covered.
All journalists required to join the Reich Association of the German Press. Goebbels’ ministry briefed journalists daily on the contents which could be published.
All news agencies merged: state-owned German News Agency.
Outline the significance of radio to Nazi control
(Propaganda and Censorship)
(Radio)
- Emphasised government success, perpetuated the Fuhrer myth.
- Mass-produced cheap radios, People’s Receiver
- Nazi Germany mass-produced low-cost radios to increase listening volume and by 1938, almost 70% of all Germans had radios.
- 6000 loudspeakers in public places to broadcast important rallies. Workers could not return to work until the broadcasts finished.
Outline the main principles of the Fuhrer Myth
(Cult of Personality)
(Fuhrer Myth)
Committed to restoring German pride; cared for ordinary Germans; able to remove corrupt, radical elements of Nazi Party.
Outline how the Fuhrer myth was promoted for the purposes of expanding Nazi control over Germans
(Cult of Personality)
(Promotion of the Fuhrer Myth)
- Triumph of the Will of the 1934 Nuremberg Rally:
- low-angle shot to make Hitler seem god-like, bringing Germany stability
- Encouraged national unity (99.08% on Anschluss vote)
- Successful due to fear of being labelled treasonous, Hitler’s success in economic miracle, removing Treaty of Versailles.
Summarise the various methods used by the Nazi regime to exercise control
Through the power of the SS and Gestapo to surveil and remove suspected enemies of the state, Nazis instilled fear into the German populace. Censorship was maintained by requiring journalists to join a Nazi association. Mass-produced radio and film also disseminated their Social Darwinist philosophy and emphasised Nazi triumph.
Outline the methods of control
Posters, mass media - a tool (radio, tightly controlled - restrictions), speeches, rallies, culture (national holidays, removal of modernist work and replacement with traditional work)
Display of ‘degenerate art’ aimed to show how ugly new art was- failed as it was popular → taken down
Modernist art is communist
Outline the Nazi programs in place (methods of control)
Programs - strength through Joy (holidays, volkswagen - hardly any people got either)
Baby bonuses, rewards
Hitler youth
Plebiscites - asking the people if they approved of Hitler
These were mostly not free
Do we need a fuhrer was free
The results were published
Outline the 4 organs of terror
(SA)
- Brown shirts open to anyone - anyone can join
- Stormtroopers
- After 1934, mainly guards in concentration camps
(SS)
- (Schutzstaffel) most feared after 1934 - black uniform
(Gestapo) - Rough, feared (however, there wasn’t that many of them → debate, how effective were they? Fear of the threat of them or their actual actions?
(SD) - Intelligence agency of SS
Nazi claender events
Heros remembrance day
- honouring the military and reminding people about what the republic did (stab in the back)
- Soldiers as heroes (presents war as a good thing)
→ going to war makes you a hero
Fuhrer’s birthday
- Linking into fuhrer princip
- Classic totalitarian
National labour day
- But with a Nazi twist
Celebration of the Summer Solstice
- Folk celebration
Mothering Day
- Nazi ideology of the traditional family - promoting childbearing
Nuremberg party
- 3 days to celebrate the Nazis
Anniversary of the munich putsch
- Saying the previous gov was bad and it was a good thing that people overthrew the gov.
- Enforcing social darwanism
- Struggle is good - must be on your guard and the strong will win (survival of the fittest)
The strong (Nazi) have survived
Autumn Harvest
- Cultural
- Celebrating the rural - volksgemeinshaft (praising of the purity of the rural people)
Winter Solstice
Attempt to replace Christmas
Attempt to remove chirstianity later???
Propaganda (controlled by Reich Chamber of culture)
Der sturmer
Censorship of newspaper
Radio and film
Speeches
Night of the long knives
Fuhrer prinzip
Education
Gleichscultung
Public stunts
Book burning
Not night of the long knives because it is more of an internal thing
Boycott of Jewish businesses
