Download 7. Master on Life in Nazi Germany File

Hitler's Economic Policy
How Hitler Transformed the German Economy
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Hitler’s economic priorities
 1. Drag Germany out of the world recession
 2. Do what he had promised; solve unemployment
problems in Germany.
 3. Make Germany self-sufficient.
 4. Give the jobs taken by the Jews to the ‘Aryans’
instead. (As in Mein Kampf and 25 points)
 5. Make the economy focus mainly on war and
rearmament. Some car factories were closed and
used to build fire arms for his regime.
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Unemployment
 During the election campaigns Hitler had promised to solve
unemployment as 6 million Germans were out of a job. This
was only one of his aims but also it gave him a opportunity to
make an impact. He intended to do this by creating new jobs
and opening new lines of work.
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Impact of Hitler’s Policies on
Unemployment
7000000
6000000
5000000
4000000
3000000
2000000
1000000
0
Series1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
3,773,000
2,974,000
2,520,000
1,853,000
1,052,000
302,000
Series2 6,014,000
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How did Hitler put Germany back to work?
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RAD – The National Labour Service
 Gave men jobs in public work
schemes
 Men in RAD had to wear a
uniform & live in camps.
 They were given free meals and
pocket money.
 Built: drainage ditches, schools, a
new network of motorways and
planted new forests.
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To improve the
living conditions of
the German people
Kick start the
Cycle of
Prosperity
What was the aim
of Hitler’s Public
Works Programme?
To build impressive
buildings so that the
German people
would feel proud
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To improve the public
transport network for
industrial & military use
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Autarky – National Self Sufficiency
 Hitler wanted to Germany a strong independent country that was
sufficient in food and materials.
 Germany had lost the FWW because it had run out of food and
war materials.
 German scientist developed all sorts of artificial substitutes such
as petrol from coal and coffee from acorns.
 These new substitutes were made in Germany and gave the
unemployed jobs in new industries.
 Hitler also encouraged the growth of the car industry.
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The Car Industry
 Designed by Porsche and nicked named ‘The Peoples Car’,
known today as the ……?
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The Car Industry
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Recognise the design of this
German Jeep called a Kubelwagen? 10
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Created Jobs in
other industries
because of the
need for
standardised parts.
Produced low cost
cars which helped to
keep the German
people happy
Steel
Car Industry
Glass
Rubber
Car Production could
easily be switched to the
production of military
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vehicles
Leather
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Cycle of Prosperity11
What other measures did Hitler introduce in order
to reduce unemployment?
 By 1934 all Jews were sacked from civil service jobs
which were then given to German workers.
 Unemployed Jews were not registered.
 Women lost their jobs which were given to men.
 People who refused jobs offered by the labour service were
arrested and put into concentration camps.
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Hjalmar Schacht
 Schacht was President of the Reichsbank who directed German
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economic policy
He believed in steady growth and a stable currency
He promoted trade agreements with developing countries
trading manufactured goods for cheap raw materials
He was against spending out too much on rearmament before
the German economy was strong enough
His New Plan of 1934 aimed to reduce imports into Germany
and to strengthen the currency
He fell out with Hitler over the speed of rearmament and was
replaced by Hermann Goering in 1936
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Hitler’s Ideas
 German economy can be converted into a war machine
 Germany must rearm quickly, conquer countries by Blitzkrieg or
lightning war, takeover their economies and move on
 Conquered countries would give the master race “Lebensraum”
 By exploiting conquered countries living standards could be
maintained at home despite all the money being spent on war
 In 1936 Goering was appointed to introduce a 4 year plan to put
Hitler’s ideas into action
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The aims of the 4 year Plan
 Prepare Germany for war by rearming.
 Make it so that Germany could provide itself its own
raw materials by developing home grown substitutes.
In 1933 total money spent on the military was 1.9
million marks by 1939 it was 32.3 million!
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What were the results of this?
 The German army’s size grew by a vast amount and
farms had been made to supply them.
 Hitler became more confident and started to openly
break the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
Austria
1938
Czechoslovakia
1938
Poland 1939
World war broke out!
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Was the 4 year Plan a success?
 Unemployment dropped quickly from 4.8 million in
1933 to 0.5 million in 1938, he managed to give
people jobs by getting them to help in the
rearmament of Germany. This gave people jobs but
at the same time helped Hitler with his regime.
 Working hours went up to 49 hours per week in 1939
– 52 hours in 1943 to over 60 hours per week by
1945
 Trade unions were replaced by “Beauty of Labour”
and strength Through Joy” who organised better
conditions and leisure activities.
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Were people better off under the
Nazis?
Yes and no, the Nazis cleared up the unemployment rate
dramatically but also whilst they were doing this they
also banned trade workers unions. This led to a
depression amongst the workers and they potentially
had no “voice” in any matter whatsoever. Another factor
that probably didn’t please the Nazis a great deal was
the fact that the working hours went up. Some people
felt as if they were being overworked considering the
amount they were being paid.
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Schooling
"no boy or girl should leave school without
complete knowledge of the necessity and
meaning of blood purity.”
-Hitler
The chief purpose of the school
is to train human beings to
realize that the state is more
important than the individualBernhard Rust- Nazi education
minister
Introduction:
• All schools came under Nazi
control
• All school books were rewritten
and included Nazi ideas about the
Jews and the war.
• Boys and girls went to different
schools.
• It was mandatory for teachers to
join the Nazi-Teacher’s League.
• School in Nazi Germany was very
important due to the fact that it
was the main area where Nazis
had complete influence over
young minds.
• Many teachers were very
nationalistic and accepted the fact
that the children should be taught
Nazi ideas.
Teachers
The teachers who
refused to teach Nazi
ideas were usually fired.
Most teachers attended
teachers’ camps where
they learnt about
indoctrination and
physical training. Ninetyseven per cent of
teachers joined the Naziteacher association.
Curriculum
GIRLS:
German girls had a different curriculum from German boys. They
mainly studied domestic science and eugenics (which meant
they learnt how to create perfect offspring by selecting the
ideal qualities in the parents). They were forbidden to study
science and only learnt the mathematics necessary to be a
housewife.
BOYS:
Most subjects concentrated upon German history and
nationalism. Boys had many more subjects than the girls,
they studied basically everything we do now.
The Nazi curriculum
Time table for girls:
8:00 German (every day)
8:50 History, Geography or
singing (alternate days)
9:40 Race studies and Ideology
(every day)
10:25 Recess, sports and
special announcements
(every day)
11:00 Domestic science or
Maths (alternate days)
12:10 Eugenics or Health
biology
1:00-6:00 Sports
Evenings: Sex Education,
Ideology or domestic science
(one evening each)
Nazi School Subjects
HISTORY: Mainly concentrated on the rise of the Nazi party, injustice of the treaty
of Versailles and the evils of communism and the Jews. It was based on the glory
of Germany - a nationalistic approach was compulsory. The German defeat in
1918 was explained as the work of Jewish and Marxist spies who had weakened
the system from within; the Treaty of Versailles was the work of nations jealous
of Germany's might and power; the hyperinflation of 1923 was the work of
Jewish saboteurs;
BIOLOGY: Taught Nazi ideas on race and population control. Students were taught
to measure their skulls and to classify racial types and that the Aryans were the
superior race and should not marry inferior races. Biology became a study of the
different races to 'prove' that the Nazi belief in racial superiority was a sound
belief. "Racial Instruction" started as the age of 6. Hitler himself had decreed that
"no boy or girl should leave school without complete knowledge of the
necessity and meaning of blood purity." Pupils were taught about the problems
of heredity. Older pupils were taught about the importance of selecting the right
"mate" when marrying and producing children. The problems of inter-racial
marriage were taught with an explanation that such marriages could only lead to a
decline in racial purity.
Changes in curriculum (cont…)
SCIENCE: had a military-slant to it. The curriculum required that the
principles of shooting be studied; military aviation science; bridge
building and the impact of poisonous gasses.
GERMAN: Taught pupils to be conscious of their national identity and
read about their national heroes from the first world war and the Hitler
Youth.
GEOGRAPHY: taught pupils about the land Germany had taken away
from her in 1919 and the need for Germany to have living space lebensraum.
RELIGIOUS STUDIES: Lost all importance by 1937 where students
could drop the subject.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION:
• PE became a very important part of the
curriculum. Hitler had stated that he wanted
boys who could suffer pain.........."a young
German must be as swift as a greyhound, as
tough as leather, and as hard as Krupp's
steel."
• PE took up 15% of a school's weekly
timetable. Boxing became compulsory for
boys. Those who failed fitness tests could
be expelled from their schools - and face
humiliation from those who had passed
such tests.
At every opportunity the teachers tried to criticise the Jews, even
exam questions contained anti-semitic ideas:
“A bomber aircraft on take-off carries 12 dozen bombs, each
weighing 10 kilos. The aircraft takes off for Warsaw the
international centre for Jewry. It bombs the town. On take-off
with all bombs on board and a fuel tank containing 100 kilos of
fuel, the aircraft weighed about 8 tons. When it returns from
the crusade, there are still 230 kilos left. What is the weight of
the aircraft when empty ?“
"To keep a mentally ill person costs approximately 4
marks a day. There are 300,000 mentally ill people in
care. How much do these people cost to keep in total?
How many marriage loans of 1000 marks could be
granted with this money?"
‘Adolf Hitler’ Schools
• For boys considered special, different school were created.
Those who were physically fitter and stronger than the rest
went to Adolf Hitler Schools where they were taught to be
the future leaders of Germany.
• Napola schools (11-18) also took the best students
• Six years of tough physical training took place and when
the pupils from these schools left aged 18, they went to the
army or to university.
• The very best pupils went to Order Castles. These were
schools which took pupils to the limits of physical
endurance. War games used live ammunition and pupils
were killed at these schools.
• Those who graduated from the Order Castles could
expect to attain a high position in the army or the SS.
Jews
• From 1935 on, after the Nuremburg Laws, Jewish
school children were not allowed to attend
schools. The Nazi government claimed that a
German pupil sitting next to a Jew could become
contaminated by the experience.
• The sole purpose of this educational structure was
to create a future generation that was blindly loyal
to Hitler and the Nazis.
Conclusion
Education played a very important part in Nazi
Germany in trying to cultivate a loyal following for
Hitler and the Nazis. The Nazis were aware that
education would create loyal Nazis by the time they
reached adulthood. The Hitler Youth had been
created for post-school activities and schools were to
play a critical part in developing a loyal following
for Hitler - indoctrination and the use of propaganda
were to be a common practice in Nazi schools and
the education system.
The structure
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Outside school, young people had to belong to youth
organisation which taught them loyalty to Hitler and trained
them in military skills.
There were five organisations for the youth to join. Together,
they made up the Hitler Youth Movement.
Girls
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Age Boys
6-10 The Pimpfen (The Little Fellows)
10-14 The Jungvolk (The Young Folk)
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14-18 The Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth – HJ)
The Bund Deutsche Madel
(The German Girls League)
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The Jungmadel (Young Girls)
Hitler Youth For Boys
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For boys aged between 10 and 14 years Baldur
von Schirach set up the Jungvolk. The boys had to
learn semaphore, arms drill, and take part in twoday cross-country hikes. They also had to learn
Nazi dogma and once they passed the necessary
tests they were given a special dagger marked
"Blood and Honour". The main objective of the
organization was to provide Adolf Hitler with
loyal supporters
The task of the boys section was to prepare the
boys for military service.
Hitler Youth For Girls
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Once girls reached the age of they could join the
Jungmädel. At 14 they entered the Bund
Deutscher Mädel. (German Girl’s League). This
included a year of farm or domestic service. They
were trained by female guardians and their overall
leader was Gertrud Scholtz-Klink.
Girls were assigned to help care for wounded
soldiers in hospitals, to help in kindergartens, and
to assist households with large families. They also
stood on railway platforms, offering
encouragement and refreshments to army troops
departing for the front.
Popularity
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The Hitler Youth group became extremely popular in the
1930s. It became so popular that many other youth groups
had to be shut down.
By 1936 almost all young Germans were either in the
Hitler Youth, or in the League of German Maidens.
Youth groups for girls were not as important for the Nazis
as boys groups, because girls could not be trained for
military service.
In 1938 there were 8,000 full-time leaders of the HJ. There
were also 720,000 part-time HJ leaders, often
schoolteachers, who had been trained in National Socialist
principles.
The End Of The Hilter Youth
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The Hitler Youth was disbanded by Allied authorities as an
integral part of the Nazi Party.
Some members of the Hitler Youth were accused of war
crimes; however, as the organization was staffed with children,
no serious efforts were made to prosecute these claims.
While the entire Hitler Youth was never declared a criminal
organization. the Hitler Youth adult leadership corps was
deemed to have committed crimes against peace in corrupting
the young minds of Germany.
Many top HJ leaders were put on trial by Allied authorities,
with Baldur von Schirach sentenced to twenty years in prison.
Propaganda in Nazi
Germany
What is Propaganda?
Propaganda is a form of psychological
manipulation for the benefit of someone’s
personal agenda. It involves spreading of
specific views and ideas (ideology) to
persuade others that ‘your side’ is correct.
Why was propaganda so crucial for
the Nazis?
• Propaganda was an essential tool for
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getting the Nazi message out to the public.
Hitler wanted the people to understand his
ideas.
Message was made simple and clear
Perfect tool for anti-democratic Nazis +
people who were against
o
o
o
Democracy
Weimar's government
Rational debate
Joseph Goebbels
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Minister of Propaganda and National Enlightenment
One of Hitler's three lieutenants
Fiercely anti-Semitic with views similar to those of Hitler
1922: became member of the Nazi party
1925: first meets and gets fascinated by Hitler
1927: made Gauleiter of Berlin
1928: made party propaganda chief
1930: elected to the Reichstag
1933: made Minister of Propaganda and National Enlightenment
Supported Hitler until the very end of the war, when he committed
suicide
Goebbels as Minister of
Propaganda
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Had complete control over all forms of
communication
Made use of mob emotions
Spread the belief that Hitler was a god-like figure
and that the German race was the superior race
Most virulent propaganda targeted at Jews
Hypnotic orator, almost as good as Hitler
Established the Reich Chamber of Commerce
Organised the "book burnings"
Best remembered for his nighttime rallies
Goebbels 5 Propaganda Principles
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Must be interesting to the audience
Must be used at the right time and must
include a repetitive theme
Must be specific
Must be easily learnt and
boomerang-proof
Must give hope,
but should not create
false hopes.
What types of Propaganda were
used?
Propaganda was an essential tool for getting
the Nazi message out to the public. Hitler
wanted the people to understand his ideas.
he used the following:
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Posters
Film
Rallies
Anti-Semitic Exhibitions
Radio
Books
Magazines
Posters
• Basis of Propaganda
• Cheap and easy to distribute
• Placed in public areas
• Constant reminder of Nazi Ideology
Film
• Good tool to promote ideas
• 'The Führer Over Germany'
• Used to promote
o
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How Horrible the Jews were
Hitler's Greatness
True life of Germans in East Europe
Rallies
• Used to celebrate Nazism
• Albert Speer and Joseph Goebbels organised
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rallies to showcase the might of the Nazi
Nation.
Arenas were built (claimed to hold 400,000
people)
Nuremberg Rallies:
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Held from 1927 onward.
Reached up to 500,000 people
Anti-Semitic Exhibition
• ‘The Eternal Jew’
o From November 1937 to January 31st, 1938
o Over 412,000 people visited in total
• Showcase typical features of a Jew
• Promote anti-Semitic feelings towards Jews
Radio
• Goebbels sold cheap radios known as 'The
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People's receiver'.
Hitler's speeches broadcast over Germany
Loudspeakers put in streets, so people had
to listen to his speeches.
Books
• Focused on anti-Semitism, Nazism and
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German nationalism
Most notable book was Mein Kampf
Children’s book were also produced like Der
Giftpilz (the poisonous mushroom)
o “The following tales tell the truth about the Jewish
poison mushroom. They show the many shapes the
Jew assumes. They show the depravity and
baseness of the Jewish race. They show the Jew for
what he really is: The Devil in human form.”
Magazines
• Signal was a propaganda magazine manufactured by
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the Wehrmacht (the German Unified Forces).
It was distributed in Occupied Europe and Neutral
countries (but not Germany proper).
o Signal was a propaganda magazine manufactured
by the Wehrmacht (the German Unified Forces). It
was distributed in Occupied Europe and Neutral
countries (but not Germany proper)
Der Stümer: another propaganda magazine
o Dedicated to anti-Semitism, especially hatred of
the Jews. Motto: "The Jews are our misfortune".
Propaganda in Art
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Against modern art - Militant League for
German Culture
Featured a "true to life" hero and heroine
Glorified strong and healthy heroes
Hitler was shown as a wise, imperious
leader
Clear, direct, and heroic
1937: House of German Art
Sculptures were very important
Malverbot
Propaganda in Architecture
• Hitler admired Roman Architecture and believed that
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Ancient Germans had been part of its social fabric and
influenced it. He thought of the Romans as an early
Aryan Empire and he began emulating their style of
neoclassicism and art deco.
3 styles of architecture: Stage, Symbolic and Didactic
Stage
• Large spaces made to incorporate masses of people
• Buildings were immense, which was meant to deliver
the Nazi message (how great they were)
• Mainly inspired by Greco-Roman architecture
• Link to 'Blood and Soil' belief of the Nazis.
Symbolic
• These German buildings were built for both form and
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function
Nazis preferred traditional housing/buildings
Nazis forbade modern style buildings
Meant to house paintings and large numbers of people
Didactic
• Hitler referred to architecture as "The Word in Stone
• Buildings were meant to represent a new birth for
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Germany
Designed to showcase importance of the community
over the individual
Not overly sized or magnificent
How Successful was Propaganda?
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Efficiently developed and reinforced popular
prejudices
Ensured that Nazi ideologies and policies were
clearly understood and fostered a sense of
nationalism
Served as a constant reminder to the people of
the Nazis
The people only knew what the Nazis told them
and nothing else, so they were very easy to
control
Crude or oppressive propaganda was not popular
1936 Berlin Olympics
Reichssportfeld
• The Olympics took place in a
sports compound called
Reichssportfeld.
• This consisted of 2 main stadiums
and 150 other buildings to hold
various events.
• The largest stadium was called
Olympiastadion which held
50,000 people.
• Construction took place between
1934 and 1936.
Controversy
• Many controversies were
involved with the 1936
Olympics.
• One of the main controversies
was the fact that Hitler would
not allow Jews to compete for
Germany in the games
• Another Controversy was
the fact that many western
democratic nations feared
for the safety of their
athletes.
• Also, Germany was
questioned for major
human rights violations.
Restrictions on Jews
• By December 1933 all
people of the Jewish faith
were banned from all
sporting activities in
Germany.
• Jews were not allowed to
use any facilities in which
would help them to
compete athletically or
physically.
• In January of 1936, to avoid
the IOC from taking the
Olympics, some anti-Jewish
laws were temporarily
lifted.
• Though, this did not help to
stop any religious or racial
persecution.
Boycott threats
Once the Nazi party took over, most western
democracies questioned the morality of supporting a
Nazi hosted Olympics.
“Many of the liberal and left-wing political groups that
denounced Hitler's fascist dictatorship linked their
opposition to the Berlin Olympics with the wider
economic boycott of Germany.”
Opening ceremonies and introduced
rituals(features of the olympics)
• “Everyone who saw the opening ceremony agreed that it
had been magnificently planned and executed…”
• The Nazis introduced the torch relay, which only after
became a Olympic ritual. Also the 5 rings now known as
the logo were also introduced by the Nazis.
German Preparation
• The Nazis had their athletes training full time
for the Olympic game to prove the Aryan
supremacy on the world stage.
• Lutz Lang was among the finest of the German
athletes. He also fit the description of an
Aryan with blonde hair and blue eyes.
James Cleveland Owens
• Born September 12, 1913 in
Lawrence County, Alabama
• When Owens was 9 his
father moved to Cleveland,
Ohio
• Grandson of a former Slave
• His nickname “Jesse” was
given by a teacher who had
mistaken his name as “J.C.”
because of his southern
accent.
• Owens later attended Ohio
State University where he
became a track and field
national champion.
Jesse owens events
• Owens competed in
many events in the
1936 Olympics
• Some events he
competed in were
100m sprint, long jump,
200m dash, and
4x100m relay team
Owens in Competition
• Owens was considered
an inferior athlete by
the Nazis because he
was not Aryan.
• His chief German rival
was Lutz Lang.
• In a very close long
jump final, Owens
defeated Lang.
• After the competition,
Lang was the first to
congratulate Owens.
Medals won
• Owens won gold
medals in
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100m sprint
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200m dash
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Long jump
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4x100m relay
Hitler/Owens
• On the first day Hitler would only
shake hands with German
medalists.
• Some speculate this was to avoid
shaking hands with AfricanAmerican Cornelius Johnson.
• The International Olympic
committee urged Hitler to shake
hands with all medalists
• Hitler did not attend anymore
medal presentations, therefore
never shaking the hand of Jesse
Owens.
Propaganda
• The Nazis saw the event as a way to promote their
ideology. They built four grandiose stadiums,
swimming pools, an outdoor theatre, a polo field,
and an Olympic Village that had 150 cottages for the
male athletes. Throughout the Games, the Olympic
complex was covered in Nazi banners. Leni
Riefenstahl, a famous Nazi propaganda film-maker,
filmed these Olympic Games and made them into
her movie Olympia.
• These Games were the first ones televised
German success
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German Gold Medalists include:
Hans Woellke
Karl Hein
Gerhard Stöck
Gisela Mauermayer
Tilly Fleischer
Willi Kaiser
Herbert Runge
Ernst Krebs
Ludwig Landen
Paul Wevers
Toni Merkens
Ernst Ihbe
Carl Lorenz
Peter Bischoff
Hans-Joachim Weise
Cornelius van Oyen
Josef Manger
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Ludwig Stubbendorff
Rolf Lippert
Kurt Hasse
Heinz Brandt
Marten von Barnekow
Heinz Pollay
Friedrich Gerhard
Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski
Alfred Schwarzmann
Konrad Frey
Men’s and Womens Gymnastics
Mens Handball
Gotthard Handrick
Gustav Schäfer
Willi Eichhorn
Hugo Strauß
Men’s Rowing
Germany and USA Medal Count
• Germany finished the
Olympic games with the
most medals at 89.
• 33 Gold
• 26 Silver
• 30 Bronze
• The United States
finished second in the
medal count with 56
medals.
• 24 Gold
• 20 Silver
• 12 Bronze
Was it a success?
The Olympics were a success for Hitler because
after all the other countries saw Germany as a
country that had got its pride back and was a
great country again. After the Olympics the
world thought the Nazi regime was not as bad
as they thought. However, Hitler hid the true
nature of the regime: he took down all the antisemitic posters and told the SA not to beat up
anyone. So it was a great success for Nazi
propaganda.
.
74
Ideological Tensions
• The Nazis tended to see Christianity as tainted by
Judaism – a product of Jewish culture
• Hitler is quoted in 1933 as promising ‘to stamp out
Christianity’
• Early radical Nazism was hostile to Christianity – 24
point programme 1920 talked about promoting a new
form of ‘positive Christianity’ involving a rejection of
Jewish inheritance, rejection of traditional churches
and the adoption of ‘Aryan’ and ‘pagan’ rituals
• The influence of radical Nazism can be seen in the
German Faith Movement which in 1934 became the
official religion of Germany
Why the Nazis needed the churches
 Many church members, mostly Protestants,
voted for Hitler. Protestant pastors were among
the most popular election speakers.
 The church was the local power base for the
Nazis.
 The church supported the Nazis’ emphasis on
the military; priests accompanied troops during
the Rhineland invasion.
 The Church was also fanatically anti-Communist
 The Church was under pressure as like other
organizations in Germany that could make a
slight threat towards Hitler’s aim.
76
The German Faith Movement
•
•
Set up and led by Jakob Wilhelm Hauer
Sought to move Germany away from Christianity
towards a religion based on "immediate experience" of
God
The development of the German Faith Movement revolved
around four main themes:
• the propagation of the 'blood and soil' ideology
• the replacement of Christian ceremonies by pagan
equivalents; the most favoured pagan deity being the
sun, as can be seen from the flag of the faith movement
• the rejection of Christian ethics
• the cult of Hitler's personality.
Never caught on – never more 200,000 followers – less than
half of 1% of population.
• Hitler therefore still had to ‘deal’ with the traditional
Roman Catholic and protestant Churches in Germany
both of which maintained significant following and
loyalty.
The Catholic Churches
In 1933 Hitler signed a Concordat
with the Catholic church.
The Catholic Church was very strong
in Bavaria: the heartland of Nazi
support
This stated that Hitler would leave the
church alone and let them keep their
schools if the church would stay out
of politics.
78
The Terms of the Concordat 1933
1. The RC Church guaranteed its ‘religious freedom’ and
right to conduct its own affairs free from government
interference.
2. RC Church property was guaranteed and the legal status
of clergy guaranteed. RC Church to retain the right to
appoint its own clergy.
3. RC Church allowed to continue its role in education.
4. RC Church not to be subjected to GLEICHSLATUNG.
(co-ordination)
5. In return the RC Church promised not to interfere in
politics and accepted the disbanding of its own political
party The Centre Party.
The Pope thought he had won a great victory whereas
Hitler knew he had bought some time
Hitler Ignores the Concordat
Very quickly it became apparent that the
Concordat meant little to the Nazis ... SA
continued to harass Catholic clergy and
Youth Groups
By the mid 1930’s the Concordat had
broken down completely
The Nazis and the Protestant Churches
• 28 protestant churches in Germany with over 45 million
members – largest the Lutheran Church with 18 million
• Divisions and lack on international dimension arguably made
Protestantism easier to ‘Nazify’
• In April 1933 Hitler appointed Ludwig Muller as National
Bishop or ‘Reich Bishop’ as a first step to ‘coordinating’
Protestantism
• Hitler also set up a new Reich Church headed by Muller in
which the Jewish origins of Christ and Christianity were
rewritten and an attempt made to marry Nazi ideas to
protestant ideas.
• Hitler called on all protestant pastors to join the new church –
only around 2,000 of 17,000 did so.
The Reich Church
Hitler tried to unify all Protestant churches
into one official Reich Church, but
because of this the Protestant Churches
split into two groups.
Churchgoers either supported the Nazis or
did little to oppose them.
After all the Protestant Churches were
united they started to wear Nazi-style
uniforms and used the slogan « The
swatsika on our breasts and the cross in
our hearts »
82
The Confessional Church
• This was a direct response to Hitler’s attempt to Nazify
the Protestant Church and was a breakaway
independent church set up by Martin Niemoller.
• 7,000 protestant pastors joined the Confessional
church
• The Confessional church openly and publicly criticised
the Nazis throughout the period leading to many
arrests and executions.
• Niemoller himself was arrested and spent 7 years in
Sachensenhausen and Dachau concentration camps.
• Originally Niemoller had welcomed Nazism because of
its opposition to communism – only became a critic
when he witnessed Hitler's religious plans in operation.
Ministry for Church Affairs
• The failure of Muller and the growth of the
Confessing Church prompted Hitler to set up the
Ministry of Church Affairs in 1935
• Its main role was to harass, arrest and imprison
critical Christians – Niemoller himself arrested in
1937
• It was partially successful – even the confessing
Church remained silent in the face of the Final
Solution
• Some heroic exceptions e.g. Dietrich Bonhoffer –
active resistance fighter and member of the
Confessing Church – eventually executed 1945
Conflict with the RC Church
In 1937 Pope Pius XI issued a public letter
or encyclical called ‘Mit Brenneder Sorge’
in which he condemned Nazi paganism,
condemned the lack of human rights in
Germany, condemned the absence of
‘law’, condemned the Nazis racial policies
and describe Hitler as ‘arrogant and
dangerous’.
Hitler’s Response
• Hitler told catholic Germans to make a choice
between their religion or Nazism
• He handed ‘religious affairs’ to the SS to
monitor – persecution, harassment increases
• Removed all crucifixes from classrooms
• All Church youth and voluntary organisations
closed down
All this triggered serious opposition in
catholic areas such as Bavaria
Criticisms of Nazi Religious policy
 Pastor Niemöller, along with Dietrich Bonhoeffer formed an alternate
protestant church.
 Niemöller was arrested and spent 7 years in a concentration camp
for resisting the Nazis
 Bonhoeffer preached against the Nazis, but was stopped by the
Gestapo in 1937.
 He became involved with army intelligence members, who were
secretly opposed to Hitler.
 He helped Jews escape from the country.
 In 1942 he contacted the Allies and asked what peace terms they
would offer for overthrowing the Nazi government
 He was arrested in October 1942, and hanged in April 1945, shortly
before the end of the war.
 The Catholic Bishop Galen criticized the Nazis and in 1941 led a
protest against the Nazi policies of killing disabled people
 Since Galen had many supporters, the Nazis thought it was too risky
to silence him, to avoid trouble during the war. The Euthanasia
87
campaign was stopped: a rare climbdown for the Nazis
Paul Schneider
 Schneider was a pastor who criticized the Nazis,
especially Josef Goebbels.
 In 1934 he was arrested and told not to make anti-Nazi
speeches, but he ignored this warning.
 In 1937 he was sent to a concentration camp, from
where he continued to send letters telling the church not
to compromise the Nazis.
 He was tortured, but refused to stop preaching. He was
locked in a cell, from where he prayed aloud for all the
prisoners.
 When the SS guards attacked the prisoners, he would
shout “I have seen this! And I will accuse you of murder
before God’s judgement seat!”
 He was signing a hymn when they finally shot him
88
Timeline 1935 onwards
 1935 – Hitler set up a new department to control
churches. The Gestapo arrested 700 protestants
who opposed him.
 1936 – Nazis ran campaigns discouraging
children to attend church schools. Catholic nuns
and priests were charged for offences such as
illegal currency dealings or homosexuality.
 1937 – Christmas carols and nativity plays
banned from schools.
 1938 – Priests stopped from teaching religious
classes in schools.
 1939 – All remaining church schools abolished.
89
Resistance in Nazi Germany
Why was there so little
resistance?
Communists
In January 1933 there were several
internal and external form of
opposition to the Nazis
Religion
Army
Traditional Elite
Trade Unions
Schools/ Education
Media
Jews
SA / Ernst Rohm
Why was there so little opposition?






Factors which discouraged opposition…
Factors which made opposition difficult…
Ways people tried to oppose the regime…
Groups that resisted …
Individuals that resisted …
Therefore, how much opposition was
there?
Factors which discouraged
opposition …
Nazi successes


Hitler’s arrival caused a wave of enthusiasm and
anticipation after the weak and indecisive Weimar
Republic
Hitler was successful in getting rid of unemployment:
 Public work schemes
 Party bureaucracy
 Purges of Jews and anti Nazis from civil service,
education, journalism etc
 Conscription re – introduced in 1935
 Arbeit and Brot
 Kraft Der Freud
Support from many different
groups

Wealthy industrialists
and businessmen e.g.
Hugenberg, Krupps,
Thyssen, IG Farben,
did well (in spite of
the government’s
interference with their
industries). Wages
increased but so too
did hours of work.
A KDF CAR
Care was taken to keep
the support of the
workers once it had
been gained by:



Providing Jobs
DAF
Kraft durch Freude
This poster links the German Labor Front (the DAF)
to World War I. The point is that just as soldiers
were comrades regardless of their standing in civil
life, so too all German workers were comrades in
the DAF, regardless of whether they were white or
blue collar. This appeared in 1933..

Farmers supported them:
 Autarky or aim of self
sufficiency in food
supplies
 “Blood and Soil”
 Racial – Aryan
 Prices fixed on produce
 Farmer could not be
forced to sell or
mortgage his farm to
pay off debt – this was
important as many had
been ruined in the
previous financial crises.
 Farms became
hereditary estates and
on the death of the
owner could be passed
on
The Reichswehr was won over by :




Hitler’s stated aims of setting aside the
restrictions of Versailles
Rearmament and conscription
The Night of the Long Knives purge
Brilliant successes of Hitler’s foreign policies
Methods used to deal with these
forms of opposition
Communists
Banned from 1933
Schools/ Education
Religion
1934 – Education Changed
Concordat/ New Church/ Oath of elegance
Media
Army
Controlled from the centre
Works with Army. SA gains support.
Jews
Traditional Elite
Anti-semitism
Awarding of contracts
SA/ Ernst Rohm
Trade Unions
June 1934 – Night of the Long Knives
Abolished in 1933.
After August 1934 there was no legal way to remove Hitler. However opposition
did not cease to exist. It only meant that opposition had to operate under the
surface and consequently opposition found it difficult to organise.
WHY WAS OPPOSITION SO
INEFFECTIVE?
Traditional Respect for Legality and
authority
Underestimation
Opposition had little in common
Victims such as Jews were popular
Loyal Army (after Night of Long
Knives)
Factors which made opposition
difficult - ATTITUDES

“ONE CANNOT LEAVE
ONE’S COUNTRY IN
THE LURCH JUST
BECAUSE IT HAS A
BAD GOVERNMENT”
Bulow, Foreign
Minister State
Secretary
“WE CANNOT CHANGE
POLITICS. WE MUST
DO OUR DUTY
SILENTLY”
General Fritsch
Commander in Chief of
the Army 1934 - 38
Factors which made opposition difficult
- REPRESSIVE MACHINERY






Gestapo
SS
Concentration camps
Arbitrary imprisonment
Denunciation by a network of informers
Persecution
Who resisted?
GROUPS
Church
Workers
Army
Civil Service and Judiciary
Political, e.g. SOPADE OR
SDP in exile
Elites, e.g. Kreisau Circle
Youth, e.g. Edelweiss
Pirates, Swing group,
white Rose
INDIVIDUALS
Col Stauffenberg
General Oster
Pastor Bonhoffer
Student Sophie Scholl
Actor Joachim Gottschalk
Journalist Carl Osseitzky
Teacher Adolf Reichwein
Socialist Julius Leber
Bishop Galen
GROUP
DETAIL
Church
Cathoc Church – opposition to
policies of euthanasia and
sterilization.
Protestant Confessional Church
– refused to be Nazified
Workers
No legal weapon of opposition.
Many workers grateful for
employment.
However strikes existed and
many workers loyal to old
political parties
Army
Officers remained suspicious of
Hitler and Nazism. Several
officers tried to assinate Hitler.
Government and civil
service
There were some critics among
government, who wanted more
freedom. They wanted a new
form of government.
Judiciary
Some tried to maintain proper
standards of justice.
Opposition Parties
All oposition banned in July
1933, and hit by a wave of
arrests.
Traditional Elites
Discuss of eliminating Hitler
Youth
Other groups of opposition
existed.
HISTORIANS
Overy- “No – go” areas
Mason – absentee
workers, sabotage
Peukert- Cologne and
Hamburg – widespread
opposition amongst the
young.
WHO
RESISTED
TYPE OF
RESISTANCE
PROBLEMS
FACED
HOW THEY DEALT
WITH THEM
General Hans
Oster (18871945)
Worked with
Britain
Knight of the
Long Knives
Concentration Camp
Pastor: Dietrich
Bonhoffer (190645)
Criticised Nazis
as incaptabical
with
Christianity
He had
contacts with
Generals
Executed in April
1945
Actor: Joachim
Gottschalk
Famous
German
married to a
Jew
Was
Criticised
Killed 8 year old
child and committed
suicide
Teacher
Active role in
resistance
Caught by a spy and
condemned
WAYS PEOPLE OPPOSED THE
NAZIS












Listening to jazz
Reading banned literature
Nonconformity
Private grumbling
Not giving the Hitler salute
Humour
Underachieving in the workplace
Hiding Jews
Refusing to join Hitler Youth
Distributing anti Nazi leaflets
Telling anti Nazi jokes
Listening to BBC

Deserting armed forces

Assassination









Spying for foreign governments
Collecting evidence of Nazi atrocities
Assassination
Emigrating
Obstructive collaboration
Going on strike
Committing suicide
Open criticism
Continuing illegal parties and
organizations
CONCLUSION
Historians disagree on the extent of
opposition and the problems opponents of
Nazism faced. Aside from assassination
attempts (9) the Nazi regime was secure
and was only brought down by a vast
coalition of enemy powers in World War
Two.
Nazi Germany
Keeping Control:
Terror State
Key Quote
“Terror is the best
political weapon for
nothing drives people
harder than a fear of
sudden death.”
How did Hitler keep control of Germany?
The Terror State
Secret police called the
Gestapo would spy on
and arrest enemies of
the state.
SS were responsible
for running the
concentration camps.
Everyone was scared of
being arrested by the
Gestapo and being put in
a concentration camp.
Propaganda
Mass Rallies, Posters
and Propaganda films.
Keeping
Control of
Germany
The Nazis controlled
and censored the radio
& newspapers.
Popularity
School children were
indoctrinated with Nazi
ideas at school.
Ripping up the
Treaty of Versailles.
Creating Jobs
Hitler Youth & the
Young Maidens.
The Nazi Police State
• The Nazi Police State was made up of many different branches.
• Their job was to ensure that everybody did as they were told to.
• They were allowed to arrest people on suspicion that they were
about to do wrong. This gave the police huge powers.
• People who were arrested were forced to sign Form D-11, an
agreement to go to prison.
The Terror State
• Both the Gestapo and
the SS were run by
Heinrich Himmler.
• The Gestapo
employed an army of
spies who would
inform on people.
The Gestapo
• The Gestapo was the secret state
police. They were formed in
1933
• It was formed from many secret
police organisations
• Its task was generally to torture
opposition of the Nazis, spy on
people, listen in, inform and open
mail of people.
• It operated without any
restrictions of civil authority and
therefore was allowed to strike
without worrying about
consequences.
Reinhard Heydrich
Leader of the Gestapo
The SS (Blackshirts)
• The SS started as Hitler's
elite bodyguard and
developed into a huge
organisation feared
throughout Nazi Europe.
• The SS were strict and
uniformed officers.
• They had unlimited power
and could arrest people with
no consequences
• They had the responsibility of
running of the concentration
camps and death camps. They
were the powerful arm that
the Nazis used to run all their
acts of atrocity.
Enemies of the State
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Communists
Social Democrats
Jews
Trade Unionists.
Work Shy
Homosexuals
Gypsies
• Germans who bought
from Jews
• Pacifists
• Radical Christian
Organisation
• Anyone who criticised
Hitler or the Nazi
Party.
Enemies of the State
• A list of German
women who were still
purchasing goods from
Jewish shops.
• Printed to scare or
terrorise other people
into not buying from
the Jews.
How did the Terror State Work?
You are imprisoned
for up to six months
doing hard physical
labour.
You are handed
over to the SS who
run the
concentration
camps.
By signing this form
you are giving your
consent to be put into
a concentration camp.
When you are
released you tell
everybody what has
happened to you
Fear
Days or maybe weeks
later you are
interviewed and
asked to sign form
D11
Gestapo Spies
inform on you
You are woken up by
the Gestapo at 1 am in
the morning and told
that you have 5 minutes
to pack your bags.
You are arrested
and thrown into a
cell at the police
station
How did the Terror State Work?
• Everyone knew someone who knew someone else who had
been in a concentration camp.
• Favourite joke amongst Germans at this time: A man goes
to the Dentist. The Dentist says: ‘Open Wide.’ The man
sits up and says: ‘Not in front of a stranger.’
• Favourite Saying amongst Germans: ‘Speak through a
Flower.’
• 800,000 Germans were imprisoned from 1933 – 1945 as
‘Enemies of the State.’
• 500,000 were executed by being shot in the neck.
Concentration Camps
• Once a D-11 was signed,
you were sent to a
concentration camp. How
long you stayed depended
on the authorities.
• The concentration camps
were not very nice. People
who had been in these were
shown as a warning to
others.
• All police had to draw up a
list of people in their
locality who might be
suspected of being
"Enemies of the State".
Key Quote: Martin Niemoller, 1945
• When the Nazis came for the Communists I was
silent, I was not a Communist.
• When the Nazis came for the Social Democrats I
was silent, I was not a Social Democrat.
• When the Nazis came for the Jews I was silent, I
was not a Jew.
• When the Nazis came for me there was nobody
left to protest.
THE CREATION OF
VOLKSGEMEINSCHAFT
AIMS AND DEFINITIONS
•
•
•
•
•
Volksgemeinschaft:
Peoples Community
Weltanschauung:
Common Philosophy
Volksgenossen:
Fellow German’s
Eintopf:
State sacrifice
Winterhilfe:
Donations used for welfare
schemes
•
Aim:
To create a new society based on
blood and race. This community
would have a shared philosophy
and would make Germany a
power fit for world domination.
Youth
• “Knowledge is the ruin of my
young men.”
Hitler 1939
• “We start our work when the
child is three… we never let a
single soul go.”
Robert Ley
Alien Influences:
• Parents
• Church
• Foreign entertainment
• Friends
Nazis determined to counter
these influences through all
encompassing system.
Youth Policy
Method of Control
THE SYSTEM
NAZI CONTOL OF YOUTH
BOYS
Pimpfen
Young German Boys
Hitler Youth
AIM:
Obedience, Fitness,
Racial Purity, Sacrifice,
Sexist division
GIRLS
Jung Madel
Bund Deutsche Madel
Faith and Beauty
How the Control Develops
After Hitler Youth
The Nazi Party
Still has Control
through:
Male
Reich Labour Service
Army
Male and Female
German Labour Front
NSDAP
German Student League
Female
National Socialist Women's
Orgnaisation
The History
• 1926 • Pre 1933 • 1933 Nazi
• 1933 • 1936 • 1939 Movement.
Nazi Youth Founded
Traditional Role, Great Variety
All Youth Movement Incorporated in
Movement apart from Catholics
Concordat
Banning of all Independent Movements
90% of German Youth within the
Activities
• Based on Fun and Fear
• Indoctrination + Intimidation
• Comradeship + Outdoors
Education
• “The chief purpose of the school is to train
human beings to realize that the state is
more important than the individual.”
Bernhard Rust, Nazi Education Minister
Traditional Role of Education
• The different states had their own
independence with regard to education.
• The system was traditionally liberal with
girls encouraged to progress.
• The arts were free and Germany produced
some Europe’s greatest talents.
Nazi Policy
• Like many areas they simply took over the
existing system and Nazified it for their
own benefit.
• The system was obviously geared to the
indoctrination of youth. Roles within the
Third Reich were highlighted within the
system.
Policy in Action
Teachers:
Various policies to
ensure compliance.
• 1933 - Civil Service Law
• Formation of the National
Socialist Teachers League
• 1933 - University Lecturers
Declaration of Support
• None of these bodies ever had
100% support
Students:
• Co - Educational and
Denominational Schools
abolished.
• Curriculum changed.
• Old system built upon with
new elite schools - NAPOLAS,
ADOLF HITLER
SCHOOLS, CASTLES OF
ORDER
The Role of
WOMEN in Nazi
Germany
The Traditional Role of Women
within Weimar Germany...
• Population growth
down
• Women to work professionals.
• Voting rights equality.
• Chance for education.
• Modern women were
more visible.
Nazi Policies towards Women...
IDEOLOGY
– slogan ‘ KINDER, KIRCHE, KUCHE’ (children,
church, cooking)
– Based on two fears -1) German population = too slow
2) Fear that the Germans were becoming impure.
– Women’s intellect - NOT IMPORTANT …
forced out of jobs.
How Ideology was to be enforced...
• Give up jobs - stay at
home
• Generous social security
benefits.
• Interest free marriage
loans.
• Maternity homes
‘ Lebensborn’ - breeding
pure Aryan children =>
first sign of selective
breeding in the world.
1934 - 10 Commandments for the
choice of a spouse.
1)
Remember
that you are
a German
2) If you are 3) Keep your 4) Keep your
genetically
body pure.
mind and
healthy you
spirit pure.
should
remain
unmarried.
5) As a
German,
choose only
a spouse of
the same
Nordic
blood.
6) In
choosing a
spouse, ask
about his
ancestors.
7) Health is 8) Marry
also a
only for
precondition love.
for physical
beauty.
10) You
should want
to have as
many
children as
possible.
9) Don’t
look for a
playmate,
but for a
companion
for marriage.
Areas of Life controlled by Nazi
policies
Births
AIM
Increase pure German Race
Financial Incentives
Improved maternity
services
Propaganda to raise
status and self esteem.
Penalties
Areas of Life controlled by Nazi
policies
Marriage.
AIM
Increase suitable marriages.
1933 : Marriage loan
if unemployed.
1935 : marriage law recquired.
Certificate of fitness to marry.
1935 Oct : Blood protection law.
1937 : Loan extended
to women in work.
1938 : marriage law extended for the grounds for divorce.
Areas of Life controlled by Nazi
policies
WELFARE
• AIM :
• Develop healthy Germans
• POLICIES :
• NS - Volkswohlschaft (NSV_
The Nationalist Social Welfare
Organisation.
• Vast extension of healthy
services.
Areas of Life controlled by Nazi
policies
EDUCATION
AIM :
• Prepare women for their proper role
• restrict opportunities
POLICIES:
• Limited university enrollment of women. (to 10%)
Area of Life under Nazi
Germany.
Employment
AIMS
*Reduce female employment
1933 : Women in top medical service
and medical jobs dismissed
1936 : Banned from being judges, lawyers
Area of Life under Nazi
Germany.
Public Life: AIM
Organise women and
incorporate them in
the Nazi
Volkgemeinschaft.
• No female members of the
Reichstag permitted.
• Two women’s organisations
permitted :
*NSF : National Socialist
Women’s organisation.
*DFW - German Women’s
enterprise.
Nazi Organisations for Women
• 10 - 14 : Jung Madel (young girls)
• 14 - 18 : BDM (League of German Girls)
• 18 - 21 : Glaube and Schonheit (faith and
beauty)
• NSF : An umbrella organisation coordinating existing women’s organisations to
bring them into line with official ideology.
• DFW : Set up to develop and elite of women
committed to Nazi Ideology.
• RAD and DAF women’s sections.
• The welfare organisation NSV (Nationalist
people’s socialist welfare) relied greatly on
paid and volunteer female labour.
Nazi Policies :
Success or failure?
• Nazi policies acted against traditional family values.
• Between 1933 - 1939 = number of births increased however,
it’s link to the Nazi Population policy is uncertain.
• Increase in the number of divorces.
• Shortage of affordable housing for couples.
• Accommodation suited for big families = hard to find.
• Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD), a National Labour Service.
•The RAD was formed in July 1934 as the official state labor service.
• RAD members were to provide service for various civic, military &
agricultural construction projects. Konstantin Hierl was its leader all
through the organization's lifetime.
• Broke down class barriers and gave men jobs in public work schemes
like building Schools and Hospitals
• Wore military uniforms and lived in camps
• Given only pocket money as wages
• For thousands of men it was better than life with no work at all
• Free meals were given
• In 1935 it was compulsory for men at the age of 18-25 year old to do 6
months service in RAD.
• Work was usually exhausting.
• Many Jews and Womens were forced
out of their jobs.
• In March 1935 a Compulsory Military
Service was started for young men and
air force was set up.
• The army grew quickly from 100, 000
men in 1933 to 1, 400,000 in 1939.
(D.A F)
• Hitler abolished all trade unions and set up the German Labour Front
in their place.
• Dr Robert Ley, a former chemist, is the leader of the German Labour
Front.
• He made some improvements in the life of the workers, making sure
bosses couldn’t sack workers on the spot, workers couldn’t leave the a
job without the government’s permission and that only government run
labour exchanges.
• He abolished the right of the workers to bargain for higher wages,
made strikes illegal and got rid of the limitations on the number of hours
a worker could be made to work.
• By 1939 many Germans found themselves working 60-72 hours a
week
• Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled every part of people’s lives including
their free time.
• Stands for Kraft Durch Freude, meaning “Strength through Joy”.
• Leader of KDF was Dr Robert Ley, who was also the leader of the
German Labour Front
• It did not confine itself to trips and concerts and it also got involved in a
scheme to enable German workers to buy their own car, the “Volkswagon
Project” (‘people’s car’).
• Dr Ley persuaded people to hire purchase the car before the
Volkswagon factory goes into production
•But none of the customers received a car by the time WW2 broke out in
1939 and none of the money paid for the cars was ever refunded.
• The Volkswagon plant then had turned into weapons production.
•KDF gave them cheap theatre & cinema tickets,& organised courses,
trips,& sports events.