Download Nazis in Power

Higher History
Germany: The Nazis in Power
Why were the Nazis able to maintain
power between 1933-9?
We are learning to…
Explain why the Nazis were able to stay in
power between 1933 and 1939
I can…
Build up notes on the topic
Plan a 20 mark essay
Pass a 20 mark timed essay
Introduction
• In January 1933 Hitler was appointed
Chancellor of Germany and set about
dismantling democracy
• Historians debate the reasons why the
Nazis were able to stay in power – did
people enjoy living in Nazi Germany or
were people coerced into obedience?
• It is your job to decide this – but also to
judge which factors were more important
than others in the Nazis staying in power
Background (need for intro)
• In January 1933, the Nazis were the biggest party
in the Reichstag (196 seats) although they still had
never won a majority of the seats
• Ageing President Paul Hindenburg offered Hitler
the job of Chancellor which he accepted
• Hindenburg was convinced by the political right to
appoint Hitler but also did it because he felt he
could keep an eye on him if he had a position of
power
• Hitler was not as easily manipulated as was hoped
• On 27th February 1933 the Reichstag building went
on fire and it was blamed on a young Dutch
Communist
• The subsequent events allowed Hitler to take
supreme power in Germany and rule as a dictator;
the democratic Weimar years were over
The arguments for the Nazis maintaining power
‘The Factors’
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Establishment of a totalitarian state
Social Controls
Propaganda
Foreign Policy
Economic and Social Policies
You should aim to cover 4 of these in your
essay; but you must know all of them in case
it is the isolated factor.
1. Totalitarian State: Knowledge
The establishment of a totalitarian state
• After the Reichstag Fire on 27th February 1933
(apparently started by) the Communist party, Hitler used
his position as chancellor to persuade the President to
pass Article 48 – The Emergency Decree, removing all civil
liberties (rights) from the German people.
• The SA Brownshirts and SS ‘protective squadron’ acted as
a ‘temporary’ police auxiliary, arresting Communists,
Socialists and Trade Union officials so that Hitler could
call a new election and win a majority in the Reichstag
• With the Communists and Socialists ‘missing’ from the
Reichstag, Hitler passed the Enabling Act on 24th March
1933 which gave him power to pass laws without
Presidential authorisation, effectively allowing Hitler to
rule as sole dictator.
Establishment of a totalitarian
state: Analysis
Analysis (basic)
• The Reichstag Fire and Enabling Act were very
important in giving Hitler the power he needed to
pass laws to get rid of opposition groups and political
parties and was the first step in achieving a oneparty state
Analysis (+)
• However, even with the SPD arrested or ‘missing’
and Communists banned, Hitler still did not win a
majority vote in the March 1933 election (43.9%)
showing that there was still a lot of opposition in
Germany that Hitler would need to take strong
action against to stay in power
Totalitarian State: Knowledge
The crushing of opposition
• On 2nd May 1933, Trade Unions were banned. The Reich
Labour Front led by Robert Ley was set up to ‘protect the
Rights of Workers’ and strikes became illegal.
• Trade Union leaders who may have potentially led
uprisings or opposition groups were swiftly arrested and
interned at the new concentration camp Dachau, near
Munich.
• On the 22nd June 1933 the Socialist party was banned.
The Communists had already been banned after the
Reichstag Fire and most of the other parties broke up,
the last being the Catholic centre party.
• On the 14th July 1933, a new law was passed declaring the
Nazi party to be the only legal party in Germany.
Crushing of Opposition: Analysis
Analysis (basic)
• This shows Hitler had successfully established a
one-party dictatorship in Germany where the only
legal party were the Nazis and German civil rights
were removed; the visible crushing of opposition also
served the purpose of terrifying potential opponents
into obedience
Analysis (+)
• However, wages were low and working conditions
were very poor in the Reich Labour Front so it was
likely that Hitler would face opposition from working
men in Germany which showed the Nazis there would
have to be ‘incentives’ or rewards for peoples’
obedience
Totalitarian State: Knowledge
Living in Fear of the State (SQA call state terrorism)
• The SS ‘Schutzstaffel’ was the state’s internal security
service and led by Heinrich Himmler, their job was to root
out any opposition to the Fuhrer. The disciplined force
wore black uniforms and lightning flashes on their collar.
• The Gestapo were the secret police of the Nazi
Government. They read mail, opened letters and listened
at doors and seemed to be watching and listening
everywhere.
• The most feared institution of the Nazi state was the
concentration camps. Dachau (Munich) and Sachsenhausen
(Berlin) were supposed to be ‘re-education’ camps which
housed enemies of the state and most Germans would do
anything to avoid ending up in one.
State Terrorism: Analysis
Analysis (basic)
• This shows that the Nazis created the apparatus of
a police state in order to ensure people in Germany
were living in fear and would therefore obey and
accept Nazi rule in order to avoid the consequences
of being sent to be ‘re-educated’
Analysis (+)
• However, it must be acknowledged that sections of
German society were happy to see ‘undesirables’ like
Communists removed from society & punished and
the fact that around 160,000 German acted as
informants for the Gestapo shows that there was a
willingness to cooperate
2. Social Controls: Knowledge
The Nazification of society
• On 7 April 1933 the law for the Re-establishment
of the Civil Service allowed all opponents of the
Nazi regime to be sacked from government jobs
• The legal system became pro-Nazi; Nazi Judges
set up the People’s Court in 1934 and anti-Nazi
judges and lawyers were sacked
• All teachers, lecturers and professors had to sign
up to the National Socialist Teachers’ League or
they were sacked. Any opponents to the regime in
education were sacked.
Nazification: Analysis
Analysis (basic)
• This shows that the Nazis successfully wiped out any
opposition within influential sectors like justice and
education which was where opposition would be likely due
to a high number of academics. The professions were now
Nazi-dominated and loyal to the state.
• It shows German citizens no longer had an independent
judicial system to safeguard their rights
Analysis (+)
• However, it is not clear how many of these people
genuinely believed in Nazi ideology and it is likely that
many in education and justice cooperated in order to save
or further their career rather than any strong desire to
promote Nazi beliefs
• Some historians have said that many judges and lawyers
who were not staunch Nazis welcomed the Nazi regime
due to their promise to restore a more authoritarian
notion of ‘law and order’
2. Social Controls: Knowledge
Education and religion
• The entire school curriculum was redesigned to
reflect Nazi Ideology.
 PE replaced RE
 Geography taught the need for ‘living space’
 Biology taught ‘eugenics’ or ‘race studies
• The Nazis reached an agreement, or concordat,
with the Catholic church in July 1933 where
the church was granted religious freedom as
long as they did not interfere in politics
• The Protestant Church, with its 45million
German members, was taken under Nazi control.
The Nazis appointed their own bishop Ludwig
Muller and Mein Kampf became the Bible.
Religion and Education: Analysis
Analysis (basic)
• This shows that with full control of the
German education system the Nazis were able
to manipulate the curriculum to ensure an
obedient youth who had been conditioned into
Nazi beliefs which helped them stay in power
• This shows that even at Church, which most
Germans attended, people would hear positive
messages about the Nazis, or at least no
criticism, which helped ensure the majority of
the German population were compliant with
the Nazi government
Religion and Education: Analysis
Analysis (+)
• However, it is important that credit is given to
the youth and many German children and young
people were quite aware that their education was
being distorted and could see the Nazi bias in
their lessons. Many children rebelled in their own
way, such as listening to illegal jazz or swing
music.
• In addition, despite all attempts to silence the
churches in Germany some of the most vehement
opposition came from clergy such as minister
Martin Niemoller who was sent to Sachsenhausen
and Dachau for speaking out against the Nazis
3. Propaganda: Knowledge
Propaganda
As propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels’ job was
to rid Germany of its old class divisions and create
a sense of ‘national community’ (volksgemeinschaft)
Propaganda during the Nazi reign came in three
main forms (and was usually posters/ cinema)
 Promoting the benefits of living in Nazi Germany – how
lucky people were for what Hitler gave them i.e. The
Peoples’ Car
 Promoting Nazi beliefs/ persecuting minorities – Jews,
the disables
 Enforcing the Fuhrer Cult – showing Hitler as a God and
the ‘Father’ of Germany
Propaganda: Analysis
Analysis (basic)
• Propaganda could not be avoided living in Nazi
Germany and people were bombarded with Nazi
messages, helping promote the positives that
Hitler brought to Germany and gained loyalty
from the German people
• Historians believe that propaganda was most
effective amongst young people and they
enthusiastically embraced the idea of the
‘thousand year Reich’
Propaganda: Analysis
Analysis (+)
• However, more recent research has suggested that
propaganda was not able to change peoples’ minds
about minority groups but instead built on existing
prejudices, so it only made people more prejudiced
rather than created prejudice
• Historians have also concluded that propaganda was
largely unsuccessful in the working class but that it is
very difficult to measure how far anyone was
influenced by propaganda due to the system of fear
in place which would have stifled peoples’ true opinion
• In addition, many Germans were quite aware they
were being bombarded with Nazi propaganda and
actually intentionally avoided it, such as showing up at
the cinema late to avoid the propaganda films
4. Foreign Policy: Knowledge
An anti Versailles Foreign policy – hugely popular in
Germany
• Hitler’s decision to end all reparations payments was
portrayed as a great foreign policy achievement even
though it was actually the work of Weimar
• In 1933 Hitler withdrew from the League of Nations,
a group intended to keep peace in Europe
• In 1935 Hitler announced rearmament; the army
increased in size, planes and tanks were built,
conscription was reintroduced
• In March 1936, Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland
• In 1938, Hitler accomplished the Anschluss with
Austria as part of his bid for lebensraum – ‘living
space’ for German speaking people in Europe
Foreign Policy: Analysis
Analysis (basic)
• This is important because Hitler’s foreign policy
was extremely popular in Germany and he
received a huge amount of support from Germans
for reversing the humiliation of the Treaty of
Versailles and re-establishing Germany as a world
power
• Some historians have called Hitler’s foreign policy
victories a ‘sweetener’ of life in Nazi Germany
and said that much of Hitler’s popularity while he
was in power rested on his achievements in
foreign policy
Foreign Policy: Analysis
Analysis (+)
However, it is clear that not every German
supported the aggressive foreign policy adopted by
Hitler and many could see he was leading Germany
into another war – the Nazis published propaganda
postcards claiming ‘we thank our leader’ after the
invasion of the Sudetenland which shows they had
to convince Germans they were thankful
5. Social and Economic Policies: Knowledge
Economic – ‘The Nazi Economic Miracle’
• Through a programme of forced labour, public works,
excluding Jews from the workforce as well as the building
of the Autobahn system, unemployment reduced
dramatically.
• In 1933 it was over 6 million. By 1936 it was 1 million. By
1939 it was 0.
Social – ‘Strength Through Joy’
• The KDF or ‘Strength through Joy’ organisation was set up
to avoid worker discontent. It gave workers free holidays,
cruises, concert tickets and even the chance to obtain a
Peoples’ Car via a savings system
Youth (Social) – The Hitler Youth Movements
• Youth movements were set up for young people – The Hitler
Jugend for boys where camping, shooting and digging
trenches prepared the boys for the next German conflict
• The League of German Maidens (BDM) taught girls to
accept the role of mothers and wives and focussed on the
‘three Ks’ – church, children and kitchen’
Economic and Social Policies: Analysis
Analysis (basic)
• This is important because the Nazis received a great deal
of support and praise for providing jobs for all and a
regular income for German families after the
unemployment and misery of the Weimar years, even if
working conditions were difficult
• The Strength through Joy movement was successful in
winning over the working class in Germany as it provided
small rewards – it certainly helped deflect criticism from
the regime and helped the Nazis stay in power. 10m had
been on a KDF holiday by 1938.
• The Youth movements won over most German youths –
particularly the outdoor activities and Hitler Youth camps
by boys and many poor children enjoyed the activities and
free uniforms they otherwise could not afford, which is
shown in the fact that by 1936, 60% of young people
belonged to a Nazi youth organisation (voluntarily)
Economic and Social Policies: Analysis
Analysis (+)
• However, some historians have pointed out that the
working class Germans remained suspicious of the
Nazi regime and were not totally won over by full
employment - strikes in Berlin in 1936 showed unrest
towards the Nazis - and many remained loyal to the
Socialist and Communist Parties.
• The Strength Through Joy movement also failed to
deliver many of it’s promises – the Beetle (People’s
Car) scheme was never fully developed and funds
were diverted towards the military by 1938/39
rather than leisure
• It must also be pointed out that not all children were
enticed by the Youth movements as many joined
opposition groups – The Edelweiss Pirates, The White
Rose - and the Nazis had to take the step of making
the youth movements compulsory in December 1936
Higher Extension: Anti-Semitism
• The persecution of the Jewish minority in
Germany was carried out gradually
• In April 1933, there was a nationwide
boycott of Jewish businesses
• Soon after, Jews were sacked from the Civil
Service and were forbidden from entering
the professions (doctors, lawyers, teachers)
• In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were
introduced made Jewish discrimination legal
– Jews lost their German Citizenship and
marriage became Jews and Aryans illegal
• In 1938, using the murder of a German diplomat as
an excuse, the Nazi regime carried out it’s first
nationwide attack on Jewish communities
• Shops, synagogues and homes were smashed up and
looted, 91 Jews were killed and many were taken to
camps
• It became known as Kristallnacht or the Night of
Broken Glass
• Watch the programme and take notes on the
treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynypuxgCbH4
Consolidation
• A good idea when you have taken all
your notes for a topic is to create a
condensed revision guide for the essay
• This might be a mind map, picture map,
bullet points etc. but should fit on one
page
• Do this for homework (example on next
page)
Why did the Nazis stay in Power
Establishment of a
Totalitarian State
Social Controls
Propaganda
Foreign Policy
Social & Economic
Policies
Essay Questions
• The Nazis in Power is an example of an isolated factor
essay – this means the SQA will ask you whether the
Nazis stayed in power because of a specific factor (one
of the 5 we cover)
• You must talk about the factor in the question BUT you
do not need to agree it is the most important
• Examples
To what extent did the Nazi party stay in power after
1933 due to the establishment of a totalitarian state?
How far can it be argued that The Nazis stayed in power
1933 - 39 due to the popularity of their policies ?
‘The Nazi’s maintenance of power was largely due to
propaganda’. Discuss.
Introduction – 3 step plan
• Background (give 2-3 sentences about the
Nazis coming into power/ Hitler becoming
chancellor) ‘By 1933…’
• Factors (what are the factors in the
essay?) There were many important factors in
the Nazis staying in power such as… (a list is
fine)
• Argument (what will you be arguing is most
important?) It can be argued that the most
important factor was …because…
Conclusion – 4 step plan
• In conclusion, there were many reasons why the
Nazis stayed in power between 1933-39.
• On the one hand… (you should take one key
factor here and explain why it was important)
• On the other hand… (now you should do the
same with another key factor to balance your
argument)
• Overall, the most important factor was… (keep
your strongest until last, backing up why it is
so important and it should be clear why it
outweighs the other factors)
Evaluation
• A good way to approach trying to get the
final 4 marks for evaluation is to take your
factors (5 in this case) and rank them from
most important to least important
• Try to come up with a reason Why each is in
that place (not why it is important but why it
is more or less important)
• A priority diagram can be a good technique
to use – try to relate every factor back to
your most important
Factor 1
Factor 2
Factor 3
Factor 4
Factor 5
Evaluation
E1 and E2 - 2 marks can be gained from
making evaluative comments which relate to
individual factors
Example – Upon evaluation, ______ was the
most/least important factor in the Nazis
maintenance of power because...
NB – You must be saying something new in
your evaluation, not repeating your analysis
or doing ‘mini conclusions’
Evaluation +
E+ - up to 4 marks can be gained from making
evaluative comments which show the relative
importance between factors (i.e. you compare
two)
Example – Upon evaluation, the totalitarian
state was more important than ______ in the
Nazis staying in power because...
NB – You must be saying something new in your
evaluation, not repeating your analysis or doing
‘mini conclusions’
Remember analysis is really tricky and many
candidates get 0/4 but still get an A!
E1
• Upon evaluation, PROPAGANDA was the
most important factor in the Nazis
maintenance of power because the
Nazis relied on propaganda for every
other factor to be successful, they
used propaganda to convince people life
was good, Hitler was saving Germany and
that social controls and a police state
were needed for Germany’s survival.
E1
• Upon evaluation, PROPAGANDA was the
most important factor in the Nazis
maintenance of power because
propaganda is a common feature of all
dictatorships in history, such as in the
Soviet Union, because citizens naturally
want freedom and rights and
propaganda is a key weapon in
conditioning people to believe that
sacrificing these is necessary.
E1
• Upon evaluation, SOCIAL CONTROLS was
the least important factor in the Nazis
maintenance of power because Nazi control
of the schoolteachers & curriculum
although important would be ineffective if
schoolchildren were not also subject to
indoctrination outwith the classroom i.e.
through propaganda, the Hitler Youth and
through the fear of their parents to
criticise the Fuhrer in the Nazi police
state.
E+
• Upon evaluation, FOREIGN POLICY was more
important than Social & Economic Policies in the
Nazis maintenance of power because even if
Hitler delivered full employment he would still
have been criticised widely if he had obeyed
the Treaty of Versailles and when he went
against it i.e. by remilitarising the Rhineland,
that got him the greatest amount of admiration
and support form ordinary Germans as the
Treaty had been the worst thing ever to happen
to Germans in their opinion and other problems
like unemployment had only stemmed from it.