Third Reich

Question 1

Martin Broszat on Nazi ideology

Answer 1

Nazism lacked a distinct ideology. Nazism was merely a branch of Fascism, sharing a Europe-wide militarism, hatred of communism and stressing centralism within the state.

Question 2

Allan Bullock on Nazi ideology

Answer 2

Bullock accepts that Nazi ideology was not clearly defined, but that the “Führer Principle” was of particular importance to German fascism. Hitler provided Nazism with a unique racial and anti-semitic programme.

Question 3

Daniel Goldhagen on anti-semitism

Answer 3

German people were, and, had been for centuries, virulently and uniquely anti-semitic and that ordinary Germans did not just stand by whilst the Jews were persecuted but took pleasure in it (criticised for selective use of evidence)

Question 4

Richard Overy

Answer 4

Hitler was planning for total war, rather than blitzkrieg campaigns, but miscalculated in 1939 as he did not think his invasion of Poland would provoke a general European war.

Question 5

Alan Bullock on Hitler

Answer 5

Hitler was an entirely unprincipled opportunist who was prepared to say, and do anything necessary to get power

Question 6

Hugh Trevor-Roper on Hitler

Answer 6

Hitler was a man convinced of his own rectitude, and Hitler genuinely believed what he told the German people

Question 7

German conservative historians Görlitz and Quint

Answer 7

Hitler was a fanatical radical who rose to power because of the weakness of his political opponents.

Question 8

Rainer Zitelmann on Hitler

Answer 8

Hitler came to power because his ideas were radically revolutionary and he had a sound understanding of the economy

Question 9

Ian Kershaw

Answer 9

Hitler was created by his environment and propelled to power by it. He came to power because developments in Germany created an environment in which Germans were seeking a saviour.