Download The Nazi regime: how effectively did the Nazis control Germany

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Denton Community College History Department
The Nazi regime: how
effectively did the
Nazis control
Germany, 1933-39?
Modern World AFL and Revision
The Nazi regime: how effectively did the Nazis control Germany, 1933 39?
You need to think about:
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How much opposition was there to the Nazi regime?
How effectively did the Nazis deal with their political opponents?
How did the Nazis use culture and the mass media to control the people?
Why did the Nazis persecute many groups in German society?
You need to know about:
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removal of opposition;
methods of control and repression;
use of culture and the mass media.
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Opposition within Nazi Germany
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It is difficult to know how much opposition there was to the Nazis because officially no
opposition was recognised. Nazi propaganda gave the impression that everyone loved
the Fuhrer.
Many people did object to the personal restrictions placed upon them and to the
treatment of the Jews. But there was a big difference between objecting to some of
Hitler’s policies and active opposition.
Opposition was extremely dangerous and therefore there was little effective opposition
before the Second World War.
In 1933 Hitler had used the Enabling Law to ban all political parties other than the Nazis.
His two main opponents the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Communist Party
(KPD) went underground and published anti-Nazi propaganda, little of it reached the
German people.
Opposition from artists and authors was more common, but here the opposition was
largely concerned with the restrictions on artistic freedom. Some spoke out against the
restrictions, but most chose either to suffer in silence or emigrate.
The Nazis saw it as important to keep a good relationship with the church. They feared
that as many Germans were committed Christians if there were problems between the
church and the Nazis many Germans would put their faith before the Nazis.
Hitler saw the Catholic Church as a threat to the Nazi state as Catholics owed their first
allegiance to the Pope. There was also Catholic schools whose message contradicted Nazi
ideals. The Catholics also consistently supported the Centre Party in the Reichstag.
In 1933 the Catholic church signed a concordat with the
Nazis. The church agreed not to make comment on political
matters if the Nazis did not interfere in religion.
However Hitler did increasingly interfere in Catholic Church
matters such as closing down Catholic youth movements
because they rivalled the Hitler Youth. In 1937 Pope Pius XI
denounced Nazism as anti-Christian and in 1941 a letter
from the Pope criticising the Nazis for their abuse of Human
Rights was read out in Catholic churches. Hitler Responded
by sending nuns and priests to labour camps.
Relations with protestant churches also deteriorated after
Hitler set up the Reich church. Some 800 protestant
churchmen such as Pastor Martin Niemoller were sent to
labour camps for speaking out against the Nazis.
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Task 1:Using the information complete the table below:
Key point
What I have learned
Why was there little
opposition towards the
Nazis?
What was the enabling law?
What opposition was there
from artists and authors?
How and why did the Nazis
try to control religion?
What opposition was there
from the church?
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Some Army Generals were suspicious of the Nazis. One of the most prominent was
General Ludwig Beck, who disagreed with Hitler’s foreign policy of expansion.
Although the Hitler Youth movement was popular with many German Youngsters, some
objected to the restrictions. Around a million young people refused to join the Hitler
youth. They did not want training for the army or motherhood. Instead they were more
interested in dancing to American and English songs and listening to overseas radio
stations. The Helmuth Hubener Group handed out leaflets which protested against the
Nazi regime and provided translated BBC broadcasts and leaflets. Its leader Helmuth
Hubener was arrested by the Gestapo and executed by guillotine in 1942. This was known
as the swing movement.
Other groups which opposed the Nazis included the Navajos gang or Edelwiess pirates.
They often fought members of the Hitler Youth.
There was increasing opposition to the Nazis from within the upper classes. Although
they had originally approved of the way the Nazis brought stability back to Germany, by
1940 they were tired of Nazi brutality and feared that Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy
would lead to Germany’s ruin.
There was increasing opposition to the Nazis from within the upper classes. Although
they had originally approved of the way the Nazis brought stability back to Germany, by
1940 they were tired of Nazi brutality and feared that Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy
would lead to Germany’s ruin.
The Kreisau circle was led by Helmuth Von Moltke from one of Germany’s most famous
aristocratic families. They wanted to see the Nazis overthrown but they were not men of
violence. In 1944 their group was discovered and the were executed.
The Beck-Goerdeler group who realised that the only way to get rid of Hitler was to
assassinate him. They were involved in the July Plot.
 During the second world war opposition
increased. A group of university students in Munich led
by Sophie Scholl formed the white rose movement. They
handed out pamphlets appealing for people to oppose
the policies of the Nazi regime. In 1943 the government
arrested and executed leading members of the group.
 During the war the activities of the Navajos and
Edelweiss pirates became more serious and they helped
spread allied propaganda.
In July 1944 the Beck-Goerdeler group and one of their supporters Count Von
Stauffenberg placed a briefcase with a bomb inside at a meeting attended by Hitler.
Although the bomb exploded Hitler was not seriously injured.
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Task Two:
Key points
How did the army oppose
Hitler?
What I have learned
How did the young oppose
Hitler?
How did the upper classes
oppose Hitler?
What opposition was there to
Hitler during the war?
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How did the Nazis keep control?
How did the Nazis control sport?
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Sport was encouraged at school and in the Hitler Youth. Hitler wanted a healthy and
fit nation- the boys were to be the soldiers of the future and the girls were to
produce as many children as possible. Success in sport was also important to
promote the Nazi regime.
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The major sporting showcase was the 1936 Olympics, which was staged in Berlin.
Everything about the games was designed to impress the outside world. With the
media of 49 countries there in strength, the Nazis could show the world that
Germany was a modern, well organised society and that Aryans were superior.
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Every detail was carefully stage-managed and news reports were controlled. All
filming was under the direction of Leni Riefenstahl. All camera crews had to
approved by her and all shots supervised.
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Signs declaring ‘Jews not wanted’ were removed. Large numbers of homeless people
living on the streets of Berlin were rounded up and put into concentration camps.
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Germany won more medals than any other nation- 33 gold, 26 silver and 30 bronze.
However, a black athlete, Jesse Owens, became the star of the Games. He won 4
gold medals and broke 11 world records in the process.
Key issue
Why was sport encouraged at school?
What I have learned
Why did the Nazis want to impress the outside world at the 1936 Berlin Olympics?
How did the Nazis ‘stage-manage’ the 1936 Berlin Olympics?
Were the 1936 Berlin Olympics a success for the Nazis. Explain you answer.
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Propaganda
Hitler not only wanted political control of
Germany - he also wanted to control what
people thought. In 1933 he set up a
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND
PROPAGANDA. Joseph Goebbels was in
charge and he set about making sure that
all books, newspapers, radio programmes,
films, plays and other entertainments put
across Nazi ideas.
There was no escape from the endless
stream of propaganda. In the home, at
school or work and in all public places Nazi
propaganda was present. Every method
was used to make sure no-one could
escape seeing or hearing Nazi ideas. The
main message was that Hitler was the
saviour of Germany and it was the duty of
every German to obey him without question.
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Everyone who worked in the arts, music, films etc, had to join the Nazi Artists
organisation. Many talented people left Germany in the 1930s.
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All books, films, plays paintings and music, which the Nazis considered unGerman, were banned. This included most modern art and all works by Jews.
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All news was censored. Germans were only told what the Nazis wanted them
to know. Listening to foreign radio stations was severely punished.
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Radio was an important way of spreading propaganda. Loudspeakers were
put up in public places. It was compulsory to listen to Hitler’s speeches.
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Posters and adverts were placed in all public places and newspapers. These
usually told people to hate the Jews, to support Nazi policies, and to obey
Hitler.
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Cinemas had to show propaganda films of Hitler and other Nazi leaders.
Other films showed the Jews as evil enemies and the Nazis as heroes who
would save Germany.
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Children’s books and teaching in schools and universities had to include Nazi
propaganda - often this was about Hitler’s racist ideas.
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All over Germany there were parades and marches by Nazi organizations.
These were to demonstrate the strength and popularity of the Nazis.
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Above all the main message of Nazi propaganda was that Hitler was the
saviour of Germany and should be obeyed at all times.
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Anyone who criticized propaganda or did not listen to radio broadcasts risked
being arrested. Children were questioned in school about whether their
parents listened.
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Task One:
Key Points
What I have learned
Who was Joseph
Goebbels?
Why was propaganda
so important to the
Nazis?
What methods did the
Nazis use to spread
their propaganda?
What was the purpose
of the large Nazi
parades and rallies?
Describe how Hitler
was portrayed in Nazi
propaganda?
Explain why Nazi
propaganda was so
successful?
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Why did the Nazis persecute many groups in German society?
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The Nazis believed that the ideal German was an Aryan (a white person with blonde
hair). They believed that Aryans were the master race and were superior to other
racial groups. Hitler feared that Aryans would mix with inferior races. So the Nazis
persecuted and later murdered members of what they called racially inferior groups.
Gypsies and Jews suffered the most. It is estimated that 500,000 Gypsies died in
death camps such as Auschwitz.
The Nazis also persecuted anyone who did not fit their idea of an ideal German.
They called these people a-socials.
The Nazis thought that Germany wasted money looking after them and that they
weakened the country.
Ideal Germans were socially useful – they worked hard and served the FATHERLAND.
So the Nazis persecuted tramps, beggars, alcoholics and anyone who refused to
work. Around 500,000 tramps and beggars were sent to concentration camps in
1933.
Ideal Germans pledged total loyalty to Hitler – so the Nazis persecuted anyone who
refused to do this. For example, Jehovah’s witnesses refused to offer total loyalty to
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anyone other than God, so one third of them in Germany were sent to concentration
camps.
Ideal Germans married, had children and created stable families – so the Nazis
persecuted homosexuals, prostitutes and problem families.
Ideal Germans were strong and powerful – so the Nazis persecuted mentally
handicapped people and those with inherited diseases. About 350,000 were
sterilised. Later the Nazis Started a Euthanasia campaign. About 200,000 people
were killed in nursing homes.
Key points
What I have learned
Explain Hitler’s ideas
on racial purity and the
Master Race?
How were minorities
persecuted in
Germany?
Hitler’s greatest obsession was his hatred of the Jews. He believed that the people
of the world could be divided into superior and inferior races. At the top were the
Arayans or Nordic Europeans of which the Germans were the purest form (The
Master Race). At the bottom were those of “mixed blood” - Slavs, Gypsies and
lowest of all the Jews.
Hitler believed there was a plot by Jewish businessmen and communists to take over
Germany. The Nazis saw it as their duty to destroy Germany’s racial enemies and
when they came to power they began to persecute Jews and make laws against
them. This finally resulted in the Holocaust. After 1941 over 6 million men, women
and children were exterminated
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In his book “ Mein Kampf “ Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany’s defeat in
WWI and claimed they had invented communism to take over the world.
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When they came to power the Nazis began to terrorise Jews, attack
synagogues and boycott Jewish shops and businesses.
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In 1933 anti Jewish laws were introduced - Jews could not be civil servants or
lawyers and Jewish doctors could not work in state hospitals.
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Joseph Goebbels banned Jews from working in the arts or the media and
Jews were not allowed to own newspapers.
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The Nuremberg Laws 1935 - Jews were forbidden to marry or have sexual
relations with Germans. They could not be German citizens or vote.
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Arayanisation Laws 1937 - Jews were forced to sell their businesses and
property to Germans at very low prices or it would be confiscated.
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KRISTALLNACHT 9-10 Nov 1938 - The Nazis organized attacks on Jewish
homes, shops and synagogues. Over 100 Jews were killed. This was after a
Jewish student killed two Nazi officials in Paris. Goebbels planned a big pay
back in Germany. Jewish properties were smashed and synagogues burned
down. Over 100 Jews were killed and 30,000 arrested. Many ended up in
concentration camps.
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In 1938 Jewish doctors and dentists were forbidden to treat non-Jewish
patients. Anti Jewish propaganda increased.
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Jewish children were banned from state schools. Jews could not use
cinemas, parks, swimming pools, and theatres or join clubs and societies.
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In the 1930s thousands of Jews, the lucky ones, fled from Germany to Britain,
the USA and other parts of Europe.
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After the Wansee Conference in January 1942, the Nazis began the
extermination of millions of Jews in Eastern Europe. This was ‘The Final
Solution’. Death camps such as Auschwitz and Treblinka were used to gas
and incinerate the bodies of Jewish men, women and children from all over
Nazi occupied Europe.
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Task 2:
Complete the table below
Key point
What I have learned
Describe the ways in
which the Nazis
persecuted Jews
1933-39.
Describe the ways in
which Jews suffered
discrimination in
Germany 1933-39?
What were the
Nuremberg Laws of
1936?
Describe the events of 9th
November 1938 known as
KRISTALLNACHT.
What did the Nazis mean
by the phrase ‘The Final
Solution’?
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