Volksgemeinschaft

Question 1

What does Volksgemeinschaft mean?

Answer 1

“People’s Community”

A racially pure, obedient society (what Hitler and the Nazis desired to build in Germany)

Question 2

How did the Nazis aim to achieve volksgemeinschaft?

Answer 2

Through their policies towards the youth, women, workers and religion

Question 3

What were the aims of Nazi policy to the youth in education?

Answer 3

To consolidate the Nazi system

To indoctrinate the youth in the principles and ethos National Socialism

Question 4

How did the Nazis/ their policy change education?

Answer 4

Teachers told they had to reinforce Nazi beliefs + values-removed from profession if considered ‘unreliable’
Curriculum changes to reflect Nazi ideals
Brought in new types of schools to produce a new elite
Schools centralised under the Reich Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Head teachers had to be member of Nazi party
National Socialist Teachers’ League was established

Question 5

How did the Nazis change the curriculum to reflect Nazi ideals?

Answer 5

Greater emphasis on physical education as the regime looked to increase fitness and strength-essential in the soldiers of the future
More emphasis on German history-used to stress German nationalism and heroism
Religious studies removed-they didn’t uphold Nazi values

Question 6

What were the aims of the Nazis’ new schools?

Answer 6

To prepare the best of Germany’s youth for leading the regime.

Emphasis on physical education and political indoctrination

Question 7

What did the new schools consist of?

Answer 7

The Napolas = state boarding schools ran by SS

Adolf Hitler schools ran by Hitler Youth

Ordensburgen=for boys at College age

Question 8

What were the impacts/results of Nazi policy in education?

Answer 8

Many failures in education programme:
Nazis opened few new schools
The numbers joining the teaching profession declined, many disapproved of Nazi ideology + felt under pressure
Anti-academic ethos led to fall in standards-caused resentment
Professional classes chose to send their children to grammar schools instead of Nazi schools

Question 9

What were the aims of the Hitler youth?

Answer 9

To indoctrinate the young, as they were the future of the regime

Question 10

What did Nazi policy do to Hitler Youth?

Answer 10

Made it compulsory in 1939
Strengthened its position by abolishing all other youth groups except the Catholic Youth Movement
Activities emphasised the greatness of the Fuhrer and German patriotism
Activities varied for boys and girls but both received political indoctrination

Question 11

What were the activities like in the boys’ organisations?

Answer 11

Emphasis on preparing them for military life with large amounts of physical and military-style activities

Question 12

What were the activities like in girls’ organisations?

Answer 12

Uniforms and marching but emphasis was to be prepared for their domestic role and being mothers

Question 13

Why did the potential for success for the Hitler Youth appear to be there ?

Answer 13

Membership rose from just 1% of the youth in 1933 to 60% by 1936
before becoming compulsory in 1939

Question 14

What was the result/impact of Hitler Youth?

Answer 14

mixed; those from poorer backgrounds enjoyed activities-had never left home before
Organisation + leadership was often poor particularly with rapid expansion in numbers
Lost some appeal when made compulsory + military emphasis increased
Some simply ignored the indoctrination (not achieving aim)
Others enjoyed other aspects, others formed alternative groups

Question 15

What are two examples of the alternative groups that opposed the Hitler Youth?

Answer 15

The Swing Youth and Edelweiss Pirates
Both were hostile to the ethos of Hitler Youth + clear indication that the regimentation and military drill associated with Hitler Youth was not universally popular

Question 16

What does recent research suggest about reactions to Hitler Youth?

Answer 16

By 1939, there was lots of resentment with many young not won over.
Alienation + dissent grew, seen more clearly in war years
However this shouldn’t be overemphasised as many still saw Hitler Youth as providing them with new opportunities

Question 17

Why did the Nazis create religious policies?

Answer 17

Nazi ideology was a direct challenge to Christian values, this made it a problem
Churches were powerful
Most Germans were Christians, those with strong religious beliefs were less likely to ‘worship’ Hitler
Trying to have more power than Church

Question 18

Why did Protestants support Nazis?

Answer 18

Because they agreed with their family values

Question 19

What was Hitler’s aim/policy to gain control over Protestant Church?

Answer 19

He wanted to reorganise the Protestant Church as one united Reich Church to make it easier to control

Question 20

What did Nazi policy do about Protestant Churches?

Answer 20

Established one united Reich Church in 1933 under Ludwig Muller

Question 21

What was the result of Nazi policies (Protestant Church) ?

Answer 21

Resulted in the alienation of many Protestants
1934 two Protestant Bishops arrested for opposing the Reich Church
Other Pastors established the Confessional Church -this was independent of the state + attracted 7000 out of 17000 Pastors
This demonstrated the ineffectiveness of Nazi policies when deeply held religious traditional beliefs were threatened

Question 22

What was Hitler concerned about the Catholic Church?

Answer 22

Concerned by the potential threat posed by Catholic church as its followers might put loyalty to the Pope before state

However he didn’t want to provoke a conflict with the church

Question 23

What was the Catholic Church concerned about?

Answer 23

Preserving its independence, so signed the Concordat with the state in July 1933

Question 24

What did the Concordat do?

Answer 24

Guaranteed religious freedom eg could run itself + appoint own ministers
In return for the church keeping out of politics, Nazis agreed to not interfere with the legal + property rights of the church

Question 25

What caused opposition from both Protestant and Catholic churches?

Answer 25

By the end of 1933, Nazis disregarded the Concordat

Their interference in religious affairs caused resentment and disillusionment

Question 26

What policies did the Nazis use to undermine the Church?

Answer 26

Closure of some church schools
removed crucifixes from school walls + replaced them with swastikas
arrests of pastors and priests

This may have weakened churches but didn’t destroy opposition
Papacy criticised regime
Individual clergy who spoke out were sent to camps to silence them but their popularity meant the Nazis could not do much more

Question 27

How did the Papacy criticise the regime?

Answer 27

With its public letter of 1937, ‘With Burning Concern’

Question 28

What was the aim of the German Faith movement?

Answer 28

To establish an alternative to Christianity

Non-Christian based on beliefs of Germans in ancient history

Question 29

What was the result of religious policy?

Answer 29

Success was limited, only 5% of Germans joined German faith movement
Loyalty to churches survived, although their position was restricted it was not destroyed
Still powerful + important, religious beliefs were strong + regime couldn’t afford to alienate churches as they played valuable role in maintaining morale at home +supported people after bomb raids
Churches were willing to compromise in order to survive

Question 30

How did workers benefit from Nazi rule?

Answer 30

Nazis provided many workers with jobs

Allowed them to provide for their families

Question 31

How did workers not benefit from Nazi rule?

Answer 31

The jobs they provided were gov programmes - had poor pay
Real wages were slow to recover + working hours were longer
Workers lost rights eg negotiating pay, other than having a job life had not improved

Question 32

What reasons show that life had not improved for workers?

Answer 32

Little investment in housing for ordinary people
Meat and dairy products declined
Schemes such as ‘strength through joy campaign’ were only available to loyal workers
Schemes such as Volkswagen cars were no more than Propaganda

Question 33

How did farmers benefit from Nazi rule?

Answer 33

Gov wrote off some debts and fixed prices at which produce was sold to boost prices

Question 34

How did farmers not benefit from Nazi rule?

Answer 34

After 1935, the gov introduced price controls so farmers didn’t benefit from food shortages and agriculture remained largely unprofitable

Question 35

How did big businesses benefit from Nazi rule?

Answer 35

The rearmament programme brought considerable profits to a number of firms

Question 36

How did big businesses not benefit from Nazi rule?

Answer 36

Gov controlled prices, wages + imports

Not having say

Question 37

How did small businesses not benefit from Nazi rule ?

Answer 37

Department stores not closed down - gov actually helped them

meant the number of small craftsmen declined

Question 38

What were the aims of Nazi policies towards women?

Answer 38

To increase the birth rate and reduce the number of women in employment

Question 39

What were Nazis’ beliefs about women?

Answer 39

A woman’s place was at home
They were expected to have large families- to increase pop + provide soldiers
Expected women to be devoted to the ‘three K’s’ children, kitchen, church

Question 40

What was the Nazi Ideal woman?

Answer 40

blonde, athletic, fit, big hips (better for child bearing)

Expected to not smoke, not use makeup, be a good cook + use leftovers

Question 41

What policies did the Nazis use to attempt to increase the population?

Answer 41

Introduced strict anti-abortion laws
Limited contraception, maternity benefits and family allowance
1935 Policy of Lebensborn
Rewards such as the Mother’s Cross was implemented

Question 42

What was the 1935 Policy of Lebensborn ?

Answer 42

Unmarried mothers of ‘good racial background’ were cared for
Aryan girls were made pregnant by members of the SS

Question 43

What were the Nazi policies towards women up to 1937?

Answer 43

Married women prevented from entering many professions between 1933-36
Number of girls allowed to enter higher education was limited
Grammar school education abolished for girls
Girls forbidden to study Latin-requirement for uni

Question 44

What policies did the Nazis implement to persuade women to give up work and return to the home?

Answer 44

June 1933, interest-free loans were offered to women to marry and give up work
Labour exchanges were encouraged to discriminate in favour of men
Meant the percentage of women in employment fell from 37% in 1932 to 31% by 1938

Question 45

What was the Mother’s Cross?

Answer 45

Given out in bronze, silver and gold depending on how many children you had

Rewarding women for ‘donating child to Fuhrer’

Question 46

Why did policies have to change after 1937?

Answer 46

There was a labour shortage and the four year plan required more workers

Question 47

What were the Nazi policies towards women after 1937?

Answer 47

Encouraged women to work in factories + allowed to re-join professions
Number of working women rose from 5.7 million in 1937 to 7.1 million in 1939
War also meant women were needed for work, in 1942 women made up 52% of the workforce

Question 48

What were the impacts/results of Nazi policy towards women?

Answer 48

Increasing the birth rate had very limited success as regime failed to get the 4 children from each marriage that it wanted
Women didn’t gain from Nazi rule, they were declined many opportunities
Marriage figures didn’t increase, divorce rates rose

Question 49

What Nazi Women’s organisations were set up?

Answer 49

National Socialist Womanhood

German Women’s Enterprise

Question 50

What did Nazi Women’s organisations do?

Answer 50

Ran Mothers’ Schools which offered courses in household management + motherhood skills

Used to propagate anti-feminist ideology