CHAPTER 4; NAZI GERMANY 1933-39

What limited Hitler’s power/weaknesses?

• The Weimar Constitution limits the Chancellor’s power

• Hindenburg keeps all the presidential powers

• only 2/12 in Hitler’s cabinet were Nazis, and only 1/3 of the Reichstag were Nazis

• Hitler’s authority heavily depended upon the majority support of the Reichstag

When was the Reichstag fire and what happened?

27 February 1933

The Reichstag building is destroyed by a fire. Dutch Communist van der Lubbe was found guilty and executed.

However, there is serious doubt whether it was his fault. The only clear fact is that he was Communist and the Nazis took advantage of this.

What were the consequences of the Reichstag fire?

• Hermann Goering (Nazi chief of Police) claimed that van der Lubbe was part of an anti-government Communist plot and the fire was an opportunity to crush their opposition; 4,000 Communist leaders were arrested the night of the fire.

• Hitler used this as an excuse to attack the Communists & grow his own power

• Hitler convinces Hindenburg to pass an emergency decree.

What decree was passed after the Reichstag fire?

The Decree for the Protection of the People and State.

• The police can search homes & imprison anyone arrested without trial.

also;

• could ban meetings & close newspapers

• Goering took control of the state radio station

Why was the March 1933 election called?

Hitler, as the newly appointed chancellor, wanted to gain as many seats in the Reichstag for the Nazis as possible.

Many methods were used to ensure the Nazi’s positive results; Nazi police, SA violence/intimidation, propaganda, opposing party members arrested, etc

Results of the March 1933 reichstag election

The Nazi party was now the largest party in the Reichstag but was not a majority. Hitler wanted to gain 2/3 of the seats to allow him more power.

What did Hitler do before the Enabling Act?

He worked to persuade other parties as he wanted majority support for his new law.

Consequences of the Enabling Act

THE END OF THE WEIMAR CONSTITUTION & DEMOCRACY

• Hitler now had the power to make laws & sign agreements with foreign powers without needing the Reichstag’s approval

• The Reichstag is now useless - after this it met only 12 times just to listen to Hitler talk instead of voting/discussing anything

THE “NAZI REVOLUTION”

• Hitler started a process of using his new powers to remove any remaining opposition;

1. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; overtaken by Nazis, then abolished

2. TRADE UNIONS; weakened to gain the favor of big businesses

3. OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES; SDP & Communists suspended, then a law is passed banning all parties except the Nazis

When was the Enabling Act?

March 1933

What problems did Hitler have with the SA?

RÖHM

• Due to the SA’s great power, Röhm (the SA leader) could potentially rival Hitler.

• Röhm had more socialist, anti-big businesses views — Hitler wanted the economic backing

• Röhm was a homosexual, and some party members were offended and claimed he was “corrupting the Hitler Youth”.

THE SA’S NEGATIVE IMPACT

• Their behavior embarrassed Hitler; violence, intimidation, drunken infighting. This behavior made the Nazis lose support of many conservative Germans

• The SA’s influence affected Nazi-army relations. Army leaders were still influential — Hitler wanted to rearm & grow the army while the SA wanted to replace the army.

• Himmler (the SS leader) resented the SA’s influence & was keen to weaken it

When was the Night of the Long Knives & what happened?

30th June 1934

• SS arrests 200 officers. Many, including Röhm, are executed

Hitler took responsibility and claimed that he was defending Germany against a plot led by Röhm

When does Hitler become Führer?

August 1934. He uses Hindenburg’s death as the opportunity to merge the roles of Chancellor and President. The army’s oath of loyalty is made directly to him now.

What events lead up to / cause Hitler to become Führer?

THE ENABLING ACT 1933

• The end of the Weimar Constitution & Democracy in Germany — he could now bypass the Reichstag

THE NIGHT OF LONG KNIVES 1934

• The SA was kept at bay and no longer threatened Hitler’s authority or the Nazi Party’s reputation.

HINDENBURG’S DEATH

• He could now assimilate the role of President and merge the roles of President & Chancellor to become the Führer

How did the Nazis use Terror & the Police State to control Germany?

THE LAW

• adapted to what the Nazis wanted.

• Germans could be arrested & imprisoned without trial

• Special Courts set up; no juries, pro-Nazi judges and no right of appeal against a sentence. Often used against political opponents, many sentenced to death & executed

THE SS

• Identified & arrested political prisoners

• ran the German concentration camps

THE GESTAPO

• State security

• Had a huge number of informers. Apartment blocks even had “block leaders” that would supervise and inform on any criticism or suspicious behaviour.

  ^ Many Germans didn’t even think they were being oppressed — those who did know thought the benefits were more important than personal freedom

CONCENTRATION CAMPS

• around 200,000+ Germans imprisoned for showing opposition, even for something so minor as a joke

• Inmates subjected to forced labour

• Torture and brutality was common

How did the Nazis use Censorship to control Germany?

• Strict control of the press — any newspapers opposing the Nazis shut down

• Strict control of radio programs — German radios couldn’t pick up foreign broadcasts

• “Unacceptable Literature” defined by the Ministry of Propaganda. Millions of books burned and unacceptable authors banned

• Censorship of the arts - music such as Jazz was banned for Black American, “inferior” influences and connotations. Traditional art with Nazi values and Aryan characters while other kinds, especially modern art, was banned.

How did the Nazis use Propaganda to control Germany?

• Newspapers planted pro-Nazi stories and spread positive Nazi messages

• Radios were made for cheap so 70% of all households owned them. Broadcasts with plays and entertainment pushed subtle Nazi messages

• Loudspeaker systems installed in public places such as factories, bars and restaurants to broadcast Hitler’s speeches

• Public parades & rallies showed Germany’s power and glory under the Nazis

• Posters, especially to portray Hitler as strong and faultless

• The arts; films with Nazi views, classical / nationalist music, art with heroic Aryan characters and values

• The olympics were an opportunity to show Aryan supremacy.

How did the Nazis use education to control Germany?

The school curriculum was changed to push Nazi views and ideals onto students to raise a new generation of Nazi supporters. Young people were expected to attend Nazi Youth groups, so the Nazi regime would mainly form their beliefs and attitudes rather than their families.

key examples;

• “Race Studies” subject teaching the superiority of the Aryans + Jews being the lowest racial type

• emphasis on PE to prepare fit and healthy future soldiers & mothers

• Biology emphasizing the supremacy of the Aryans

• Geography teaching Lebensraum - the need for Germans to have more living space

How did the Nazis control women in Germany?

The 1920s gave women opportunities for significant careers and freedom of personal expression, but the Nazis wanted to stop this and encourage childbearing and “traditional” values.

• Huge propaganda campaign encouraging childbearing & the joy of a large family

• Medals for women with large families / lots of kids

• contraception + abortions banned

• 1933 Law for Encouragement of Marriage; loans scheme providing money for young couples marrying as long as the woman gave up work

What broad methods did the Nazis use to control Germany?

TERROR & THE POLICE STATE

• A series of measures ensuring that Germans would be too scared to criticize Nazism in any way.

• Unfair law practices, the SS seizing political prisoners and running concentration camps, the Gestapo collecting suspects from informers, concentration camps for forced labour & oftentimes torture of inmates

CENSORSHIP

• A range of restrictions on media such as newspapers, radio programs, literature, the arts (fine art/music) ensuring the German people would only receive the “correct message” of Nazi principles.

PROPAGANDA

• The spreading of positive, pro-Nazi messages and the Nazi view of what it meant to be German.

• Key ideas; superior Aryans/inferior Jews, Nazis battling the evils of communism, men vs women in societal roles, the citizens’ duty to suffer for the nation if needed

• Newspapers, radio programs and loudspeaker systems in public places to push Nazi messages. Public parades/rallies to show strength & discipline. Posters & the arts (cinema, music, fine art) illustrated heroic German figures & Aryan characters

EDUCATION + YOUTH GROUPS

• School curricula changed to teach Nazi principles, PE emphasized to prepare healthy future soldiers & mothers

• Youth groups encouraged so young people would spend less time with family — the Nazis would be the main influence on their beliefs and attitudes

• 1936 Hitler Youth Law encouraging membership. Became stricter in 1939

WOMEN

• Nazis wanted to stop the increasing personal & career freedoms that the 1920s gave women.

• Propaganda campaigns encouraging & medals for having lots of kids, contraception + abortion banned

• 1933 Law for Encouragement of Marriage gave young couples loans as long as the woman gave up work

Why did the Nazis want to control the Church?

They wanted control over what Germans heard at school or on the radio to completely control their beliefs / opinions. The Churches in Germany were very relevant socially and could impact people’s attitudes — the Nazis wanted to “bring them into line”.

How did the Nazis control the Catholic Church?

The Nazis needed to reduce the authority of the Church as the Catholics were loyal to the Pope. Hitler needed all Germans to see him as the supreme leader, so he needed a stronger influence over the Catholics.

1933 CONCORDAT; the Church would stay out of politics, the Nazis would grant freedom of worship + allow Catholic schools and youth groups.

^ promptly broken.

SCHOOL + EDUCATION

• Christian imagery in schools replaced by Hitler’s image

• Catholic schools turned into community schools

• Membership of the Catholic League banned

PROPAGANDA/FINANCES

• Catholic newspapers censored

• State funding for the Church cut

• Propaganda implied there was financial corruption in the Church

POLICE STATE

• Catholic priests that spoke out got arrested

• Some priests were sent to concentration camps

How did the Nazis control the Protestant Church?

REICH CHURCH SET UP 1933

• all parts of the Protestant Church united

• Pastors pressured to support Nazi ideas by the German Christians (pro-Nazi Christian group). 18 pastors that refuses lost their jobs

RESISTANCE - THE CONFESSIONAL CHURCH SET UP

• Niemöller + Bonhoeffer

• Believed the church + Nazi politics should stay separate

• grew to 5,000 and rivalled the Reich Church

CRUSHING RESISTANCE

• Niemöller + many Protestant clergy arrested and sent to concentration camps

• Bonhoeffer executed

How did the Nazis impact the Churches’ influence?

Significantly. By the late 1930s neither the Protestant or the Catholic Church had a strong influence. By 1939, only 5% of all Germans described themselves as “God-believing”.

How did Nazis reduce the Churches’ influence?

• Promoting the Hitler Youth and banning the Catholic League

• Removing church schools

• Propaganda against the church

• Arresting those who spoke out + concentration camps

How did Nazis remove Untermenschen (subhumans) that didn’t contribute to the Aryan race?

1933 STERILIZATION LAW

• tramps, beggars, mentally disabled people

1935 INTERMARRIAGE BANS

• between Gypsies & Germans

• Between Black people & Aryans

1936 ONWARDS - CONCENTRATION CAMPS

• juvenile delinquents, tramps, homosexuals, Jews, Gypsies

1939-41 - MENTAL ILLNESS

• 70,000+ mentally ill people killed (lethal injection, gas chambers)

How did the Nazis persecute Jews from 1933-38?

1933

• NATIONWIDE BOYCOTT; Jewish shops & businesses

• CAREER BANS; Jews banned from socially significant careers (government, medicine, teaching, etc)

1935

• SPACE BANS; Jews banned from public places and the army

THE NUREMBERG LAWS

• THE REICH LAW FOR THE PROTECTION OF GERMAN HONOUR & BLOOD; Jews & Aryans cannot marry. Divorce encouraged or the Aryan will be treated like a Jew by the law

• THE REICH LAW ON CITIZENSHIP; only people of German blood are citizens. Jews cannot vote or hold a German passport.

1938

• All possessions to be registered by the government

• Jews had to carry identification at all time & present it when asked

When & what were the Nuremberg laws?

1935

LAW FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE GERMAN BLOOD & HONOUR

• Jews & Aryans cannot marry

• Divorce encouraged ; if not the Aryan will be treated like a Jew by the law

THE REICH LAW ON CITIZENSHIP

• Only people of German blood are citizens

• Jews cannot vote or hold a German passport

Why did Kristallnacht happen?

A German official was killed by a Jewish man, giving the Nazis an excuse to launch a violent campaign against Jews.

When was Kristallnacht & what happened?

NOVEMBER 9-10 1938

• 800+ Jewish-owned shops destroyed

• almost 200 synagogues destroyed

• Many Jewish homes attacked

• 91 Jews killed, 30,000 arrested

How was Kristallnacht presented?

It was presented as an outburst of rage and hatred by the people, but it was really premeditated attacks by Nazi forces.

Nazi economic plans

THE “4 YEAR PLAN” - ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE AUTARKY & PREPARE GERMANY FOR WAR

—> self-sufficiency; Germany would not need products from other countries, so it didn’t risk losing resources if it waged war.

—> A propaganda campaign encouraged people to only consume German products & food

Results/success of the Nazi’s economic plans

LIMITED SUCCESS

• there were frequent food shortages and rationing had to be introduced.

• Germany imported 1/3 of its raw materials & imported more than it exported

• Government spending > the government’s income

• By 1939 the government was billions of marks in debt

How did the Nazis reduce unemployment?

• Increased spending on public works (e.g motorways) created jobs for construction workers

• A more aggressive foreign policy + emphasis on rearmament; investment in arms. Created jobs in factories + adjacent industries (coal/steel mining, chemical factories etc)

• Germany’s expansion created jobs: army went from 100,000 - 900,000+ by 1938

• Private companies were paid to create jobs, e.g the car industry producing the Volkswagen

Invisible unemployment in Nazi Germany

WOMEN

• Encouraged to stay at home, they quit or were fired

• even when women were encouraged to work again during rearmament there were less women working in 1939 than before the Depression

• Not included in unemployment figures

JEWS

• forced from their jobs and replaced by Aryans

• Not included in unemployment figures

THE NATIONAL LABOUR SERVICE

• single men had to serve 6 months doing public building projects

• after 1935, unemployed men were forced to join & no longer counted as unemployed

TEMPORARILY EMPLOYED PEOPLE

• e.g agricultural workers

• counted as fully employed, so over a million people that may have needed work were excluded from the unemployment figures

^ The statistics do not include what life was like. The cost of life + working hours went up so the average worker could afford less in 1939 than 1933

What was the German Labour Front?

An organization set up after trade unions were banned to ensure the industry’s efficiency. Their main aims were for workers to work harder and to control wages — more hours without more pay.

Subdivisions of the German Labour Front

STRENGTH THROUGH JOY (KDF)

• ran activities for workers in their free time

• intended to make more motivated, satisfied workers by giving the hardest workers rewards

• rewards; cheap theatre tickets, museum tours, (very rarely) cruises & holidays

BEAUTY OF LABOUR (SDA)

• improved working conditions — encouraged employers to provide facilities such as canteens and sport/leisure areas

• most employers provided, but on the basis that employees would build it in their own free time, and it came out of their wages.