Volksgemeinschaft

Question 1

What was the idea of the Volksgemeinschaft?

Answer 1

The Volksgemeinschaft, or ‘people’s community’, was a vague theme in Nazi ideology that focused on creating a unified racial community of Germans out of the disparate religious, economic and regional identities that typified German society. In practice, it functioned as an ethnic welfare state that attempted to promote Nazi values.

Ethnic ‘untermensch’, asocials and those who did not or could not conform to the Nazi’s views of this community were excluded and persecuted.

Question 2

What ministry was Goebbels appointed to in March 1933? What were his aims?

Answer 2

Goebbels was appointed as the head of the Ministry of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda. He aimed to centralize all of the media of the country under the thumb of the state, and then use it to glorify the regime, spread Nazi values and try to create a unified ‘people’s community’.

Question 3

What percentage of German households owned a radio in 1932? What was the figure by 1939? How did this change occur?

Answer 3

In 1932, less 25% of German households owned a radio. The government, who had centralized control of radio broadcasting under the Reich Radio Company, produced a cheap and easily available unit, the Volksempfänger (People’s Reciever).

As a result of these efforts, by 1939 70% of German households owned a radio, and several were installed in public spaces such as restaurants, cafes and factories.

Question 4

What was the Editors’ Law? When was it passed?

Answer 4

The Editors’ Law, passed in October 1933, made the editor of a newspaper accountable for the content within it. As a result, editors began to self-censor newspapers in order to evade arrest from the Ministry of Propaganda.

Question 5

How was the 1936 Olympic Games used by the government?

Answer 5

The Nazis exploited the propaganda opportunities afforded by the Olympics, hosting the event with grandiose ceremonies and broadcasting it to the world through the medium of radio and television. The games were used to project the image of a new Germany that had recovered from the depression. The Nazis also restricted their antisemitism during this time due to foreign visitors.

Question 6

What arm of the government was placed in charge of culture?

Answer 6

The Reich Chamber of Culture, in turn supervised by the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda.

Question 7

What values did the Nazis attempt to promote through their control of German culture?

Answer 7

Anti-Semitism
Militarism
Nationalism and racism
The cult of the personality surrounding the Führer
Anti-modernism, ‘Blood and Soil’ agrarianism
Neo-paganism and the rejection of Christian values

Question 8

What new musical traditions were denigrated by the Nazis?

Answer 8

Jazz and dance-band music were both deprecated as ‘negroid’ and ‘decadent’ by the state. In their place, the Nazis promoted classical German composers such as Beethoven and Bach.

Question 9

How many German writers left fri. 1933-45?

Answer 9

From 1933-45, 2500 of Germany’s preferred to leave the country rather than continue to operate under censorship. German literature and theatre suffered greatly under these constraints.

Question 10

What was notable about an art display the Nazis hosted in 1937?

Answer 10

It contained sections labeled ‘Degenerate Art’, exhibited pieces of modern art considered by the Nazis to be degenerate, while another art display, titled ‘Great German Art’, contained pieces that stuck to classical styles and extolled Nazi themes such as Blood and Soil.

Question 11

Name some films that demonstrate the control the party had over Cinema.

Answer 11

Examples of Nazi control and use of the cinema for propaganda include the Eternal Jew (Der Ewige Jude) and Hitlerjunge Queux, which was centered around the murder of a Nazi at the hands of communists.

Question 12

In what ways can can it be argued that propaganda succeeded?

Answer 12

• Goebbels succeeded in centralizing German media under his ministry, removing any dissenting voices.
• The media successfully promoted the Führer myth, that Hitler was a humble leader destined to save Germany.
• Media managed to promote traditional family values and German nationalism.

Question 13

In what ways can it be said that the success of propaganda was limited?

Answer 13

• Although Goebbels managed to restrain German media, it is difficult to determine the extent to which the public believed in the propaganda given to them.
• Media succeeded in confirming existing values of nationalism and conservatism, without promoting Nazi values, such as their distaste for Christianity, thus failing to foster a ‘people’s community’.

Question 14

What did the SdA and KdF provide for workers?

Answer 14

The SdA (Beauty of Labour) was a subsection of the DAF responsible for improving working conditions, recreational facilities and meals.

The KdF (Strength through Joy) provided workers with cultural visits, education and holidays.

Question 15

How many workers attended holidays provided by the KdF in 1938?

Answer 15

10.3 million.

Question 16

How many members were in the DAF by 1939?

Answer 16

22 million.

Question 17

In what ways did the lives of workers improve under the Nazis?

Answer 17

• Unemployment decreased dramatically due to Schacht’s economic guidance.
• The KdF and and SdA provided loyal workers with boons.

Question 18

In what ways did the benefits afforded to workers began to diminish as time wore on?

Answer 18

• Average workers’ wages only rose above 1929 levels in 1938. Taxes, including the cost of joining the DAF, also limited the tangible economic progress of workers.
• Consumer industries declined, particularly from 1936 onwards. Workers in these industries struggled to maintain their incomes.
• Working hours increased from 43 hours in 1933 to 47 hours in 1939. Workers were expected to work overtime during the war.

Question 19

How did the Nazi state try to support the peasantry?

Answer 19

The Nazis settled many of the debts owed by peasants and gave medium sized farmers security of tenure with the Reich Entailed Farm Law of 1933.

Question 20

Why did the Peasantry become more disillusioned with the party?

Answer 20

The peasantry began to loathe the extensive regulations placed upon them by the Reich Food Estate, who were able to control agricultural production and distribution.

The succession laws made compulsory by the Reich Entailed Farm Law, which prevented farmers from splitting their inheritance between their sons, caused family discontent and meant that many could no longer guarantee the livelihood of their younger children.

Question 21

What legislation was passed by the Nazis to support the struggling Mittelstand?

Answer 21

The Nazis offered low interest loans to businesses made from confiscated Jewish property. In 1938 Jewish businesses were forcibly purchased and ‘aryanised’.

The 1933 Law to Protect Retail Tarde also banned the opening of new department stores, and closed existing ones.

Question 22

What did the Nazis eventually have to do to the Mittelstand?

Answer 22

Due for the fact that the Mittelstand could not compete with larger firms, even with favourable legislation, the Nazis began to abandon their traditional base of support in order to curry favour with big businesses.

Question 23

How could businesses benefit from the new state?

Answer 23

Businesses in the armaments industry could profit greatly from rearmament, and after the string of victories early in the war could exploit the conquered territories.

Question 24

How much did the price charge index (the list of prices of shares) of German businesses increase from 1932 to 1940?

Answer 24

It increases from 41 points in 1932 to 106 in 1940.

Question 25

How much did management wages increase from 1934 to 1938?

Answer 25

Management wages increased from RM (Reichsmark)3700 to RM 5420.

Question 26

How many teachers were a part of the National Socialist League of Teachers (NSLB) by 1937? How many teachers had been subjected to a month long course on Nazi ideology?

Answer 26

By 1937, 97% of teachers had joined the NSLB and 2/3rd of teachers had attended month long courses on Nazi ideology. The party also removed those considered to be unreliable, political enemies, Jews and women, from the profession.

Question 27

How were some subjects used to promote Nazi ideology? What subject in particular was given greater emphasis under the Nazis?

Answer 27

Lessons on the German language used material intended to inspire a martial spirit among the youth; they read books such as The Battle of Tannenberg.

History was used to extol the accomplishments of the German nation.

Biology was used to inculcate students with Nazi racial ideals and population policy.

A greater emphasis was placed upon physical education under the Nazi party. 15% of school time was allocated to it.

Question 28

Name a quote attributed to Hitler regarding education.

Answer 28

‘When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side’, I calmly say ‘Your child belongs to us already… What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community’.

Question 29

How many people were enrolled in the Hitler Youth by 1938? What can this be attributed to?

Answer 29

Due to the pressure placed on parents to involve their children in Hitler Youth, By 1938, 7,100,000 children and young people were enrolled in Hitler Youth groups. In 1939, participation became compulsory.

Question 30

What activities did members of Hitler Youth Groups participate in?

Answer 30

Boys groups focused on military like exercises, such as target shooting, while girls were taught domestic skills such as cooking.

Question 31

What evidence is there of the decline in the quality of education during this period?

Answer 31

The emphasis placed upon physical activities degraded the overall standard of education.

Teaching evidently became a less attractive profession. By 1938 there were 8000 vacancies for teachers, and only 2500 became qualified from teacher training colleges.

The number of students in higher education halved even before the war.

The war, of course, only exacerbated these existing issues.

Question 32

Why did some young people become discontented with Hitler Youth? What groups did they establish? How were they dealt with by the state?

Answer 32

Although many enjoyed the activities provided by the groups, some young people loathed the regimental structure imposed upon them by the Hitler Youth, particularly from 1939 onwards. As a result, they established groups such as the Navajos, Edelweiss Pirates and to crazes such as the Swing Youth trend, which emulated American and British music and clothing.

As a result a special youth section of the Gestapo was created, a youth concentration camp was established at Neuwied.

Question 33

What agreement was signed in July 1933 regarding the Catholic Church? Why was it signed?

Answer 33

The Catholic Church, fearing another era of Kulturkampf by the German state, came to an agreement with the Nazi government which was codified in the Concordat with Rome in July 1933.

In it the Catholic church agreed to veer away from politics, and the state would in turn respect the church’s ecclesiastical and educational independence.

Question 34

How did the Nazi party try to assert its control over the Protestant Church?

Answer 34

The Nazi party promoted the German Christians, a controversial group that attempted to reconcile Christianity with Nazi values, and in 1933 managed to elect Ludwig Muller, a Nazi sympathizer, as the head of the German Evangelical Church and as Reich Bishop.

Question 35

What resistance group did attempts to coordinate the Protestant church produce?

Answer 35

In 1934, Pastor Martin Niemöller established the Confessing Church, an independent body that upheld traditional Protestantism; by 1937, 7000 pastors out of 17,000 supported the organization.

Niemöller was detained in a concentration camp from 1937 to the end of the war after stating that ‘we must obey God rather than man’ in a speech.

Question 36

What ministry was established to suppress the churches?

Answer 36

In 1935, the Ministry of Church Affairs was established. It discredited and harassed churches by accusing them of financial and sexual misconduct, closing church schools and youth groups and confiscating church funds.

Question 37

How did Catholics resist Nazi attempts to undermine their religion?

Answer 37

Nazi attempts to remove crucifixes from schools and replace them with portraits of Hitler through the Crucifix Decrees were met with wide public backlash, particularly from Catholics in Bavaria. Some Gauleiters caved under public pressure.

In 1937 Pope Pius XI released an encyclical titled Mit Brennender Sorge (With Burning Concern) which criticized some elements of the Nazi system but did not criticize the ideology as a whole. Distribution of the encyclical was suppressed.

Question 38

How many Germans were a part of the pagan German Faith Movement by 1939?

Answer 38

Only 5% of Germans had joined the German Faith Movement, a neo-pagan group created according to Nazi values, according to a 1939 census. The movement had little impact upon the wider populace.

Question 39

Why were many churches willing to tolerate the Nazi Party?

Answer 39

In spite of the apparent conflict between Nazi and Christian values, many churches and churchgoers sympathized with the nationalism of the new state (particularly Lutherans, whose church used to be the state religion of the German Empire) and feared atheistic Communism, just as the Nazis did.

There was also the fear of more wholesale persecution of the church if they came out in opposition to the government.

Question 40

What was Church opposition focused on?

Answer 40

Opposition from the Church was triggered in response to infringements upon their established autonomy. Churches, who could have been a hub of resistance to the state, left criticisms of Nazi ideology as a whole to a few brave individuals.

Question 41

What were some incentives provided by the Nazi government for women to start families?

Answer 41

The state provided RM600 (Reichsmark) in interest free loans to women willing to leave the workplace to get married.

Question 42

What was the percentage of employed females in 1933? What was that same figure by 1937 and 1939?

Answer 42

In 1933, 37% of German women were employed. By 1937, this had decreased to 31%, however it increased once more to 33% with the increasing demands of rearmament in 1939.

Question 43

What loans were provided to married families?

Answer 43

The state provided marriage loans, worth over half of a yearly salary, to married couples. A quarter of the loan was converted into a gift for every child born.

Question 44

What were some benefits of the Nazi state for (particularly, large) families?

Answer 44

The income tax was reduced progressively as more children were born. Families with six children or more paid none.

Maternity benefits were also improved.

Question 45

What was the number of births per 1000 inhabitants in 1933? How much did this increase to in 1939?

Answer 45

The number of births per 1000 inhabitants in Germany was 14.7 in 1933; by 1939 this had increased to 20.3. Whether this can be attributed to Nazi population policies can be debated, as Germany also brought itself out of the Great Depression during this time.

Question 46

What were the awards given to women who gave birth to a certain number of children?

Answer 46

The Honour Cross of the German Mother was given to those women who gave birth to certain numbers of children. It came in bronze, for four children, silver, for six children, and gold, for eight children.