TOPIC TWELVE Wartime Opposition To The Nazis 1939-45 Flashcards
Who opposed the Nazis?
Youth groups, the German churches, Jews, the army
What were the youth groups that opposed the Nazis?
Edelweiss pirates, white rose group
How did the edelweiss pirates oppose the Nazis?
During the war they distributed propaganda leaflets from the opposition (eg Britain), and blew up railway lines
What could happen to the edelweiss pirates if they were caught?
Arrested, or hanged (eg 12 in Cologne 1944)
Who led the white rose group?
Siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl. University students
When was the white rose group set up?
1942
What did the white rose group do?
Distributed anti-Nazi leaflets highlighting Nazi killings of Jews and urging Germans to stop their support of the war
What happened to the white rose group and its leaders?
The Nazis found out about the group after they were betrayed by a university caretaker who witnessed their distribution of leaflets in lecture halls. Hans and Sophie were executed
How did the confessional church oppose the Nazis? What was the result?
Bonhoeffer (a Lutheran pastor) was part of the assassination attempts of Hitler. He also passed secrets to the enemy. He was arrested, sent to concentration camps and eventually executed
What German churches opposed the Nazis?
Confessional and Roman Catholic
How did Roman Catholic priests oppose the Nazis?
They hid Jews during the holocaust
Who was Bishop Galen?
Part of the Roman Catholic Church. He spoke out against the Nazis’ use of euthanasia on mentally ill patients.
What followed Bishop Galen’s speeches?
The Nazis had to abandon their policy of euthanasia on mentally ill patients, however, Bishop Galen had to live under virtual house arrest from that time until the end of the war.
How did Jews oppose the Nazis?
There were Warsaw ghetto risings and Jewish partisan groups
Warsaw Ghetto risings
In 1943 Jews in the Warsaw ghetto revolted. They fought for a month. 300 Germans were killed yet 13,000 Jews died. This prompted dozens of other ghetto rebellions.
Jewish Partisan groups
In eastern Polish forests the Bielski brothers led a resistance group which attacked Nazis and helped more than 1300 jews escape in 1941 to 1944
Why did the army revolt against Hitler?
In 1943 Battle of Stalingrad was lost by Germany and the army knew World War II would be lost. To save soldiers and civilians lives, the army tried to kill Hitler. There were 10 assassination attempts carried out by the army in 1943 to 1944.
What was Operation Valkyrie? Who organised it, and what was the plan?
The most serious army threat to the Nazis. Organised by Beck, Von Stauffenberg and Goerdeler. The plan was to assassinate Hitler using a bomb in a briefcase planted by Von Stauffenberg in a military meeting, while the army seized Berlin
When was Operation Valkyrie?
20th July 1934
What was the result of Operation Valkyrie?
The bomb was moved and Hitler survived. 5,746 individuals were executed as a result (plotters were too slow to seize Berlin), including the organisers of the operation. This was due to Hitler not trusting the top Nazi leaders anymore.
