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Nazis in Power
Part 2: Terror and Force
Totalitarian
State
Enabling Act - Background
• Introduced by Hitler on
24th March 1933.
• Gave Hitler the power
to rule Germany on his
own for four years, but
ruled as Fuhrer for 12
years.
• Hitler was now able to
begin the systematic
destruction of the
Democratic ideals
established by the
Weimar Republic.
Totalitarian State =
Government control of EVERYTHING
• Every aspect of life – e.g. employment,
education, youth and leisure – was
controlled and regulated by the State.
• It was said that the only time when a
totalitarian state is not in control of an
individual is when that person is asleep
We will look at:
1. Trade Unions
2. Political parties
3. Censorship
4. Gestapo, SS and Camps
5. Nazification
1. Trade Unions
• 2nd May 1933 – all trade unions
dissolved.
• Workers’ and employers’ groups were
absorbed into the Nazi Labour Front –
easily controlled by government
2. Political Parties
• 14th July 1933 – Hitler banned all
political parties apart from the National
Socialist German Workers’ (Nazi) Party.
• This signified creation of a one party
state so no free elections, free protest
or political meetings allowed
3. Censorship
• Newspapers critical of the
Nazis were closed down.
• Nazis supplied Germans with
cheap radios so everyone could
hear the Fuhrer.
• Nazi propaganda shown in
cinemas
• Speakers were put up on
street corners so no one could
avoid Nazi propaganda.
• State radio messages from
the Fuhrer were compulsory
work stopped to listen to them
The Völkischer
Beobachter
("People's
Observer") Official paper of
the Nazi Party
4. SS & Gestapo
• Originally formed as a personal bodyguard for the
Fuhrer, the SS became the most important police
agency in the Reich.
• The leader of the SS was Heinrich Himmler.
• Main function was to track down and eliminate all
opponents of the Reich, used torture and terror, had
its own courts.
• Had its own secret police to spy on Germans called
the Gestapo.
• Had a wide range of informants, most Germans afraid
to be openly critical of Hitler.
• Particularly effective in persecuting the Jews and
Communists.
Camps
• Became the symbol of terror of the Third
Reich.
• The first camps were established in 1933 at
Dachau and Belsen, with the intention of
reforming opponents of the regime so that they
could be rehabilitated into the new Reich.
• At first, the camps housed mainly criminals and
Communists.
• Later filled with political, religious and social
groups who displeased Hitler: Socialists,
Democrats, Jehovah’s Witnesses, clergy,
academics, homosexuals, gypsies, trade union
officials etc.
5. Nazification
• Opponents of the Nazi regime sacked
from jobs (police, courts, civil service)
• Teachers who would not support the
Nazis sacked – teachers had to sign up
to National Socialist Teachers’ League
• Teachers were expected to teach only
Nazi views and new topics such as
eugenics (race studies)
Totalitarian State - Analysis
• Even if people did not support the policies of
the Nazis, there was no way to legally protest
in Nazi Germany (can’t strike, have meetings
or vote for another party)
• People knew that the SS/ Gestapo were
watching their every move and opponents
would be sent to camps – people were
terrified into compliance with the government
• Many people who did oppose the regime kept
quiet as being obedient was the only way to
keep your job
Nazis in Power Essay Plan
we will now add today’s information on to the plan for this essay
Terror/ Force
TOTALITARIANISM
KU:
A:
KU:
KU:
A: