Modern History - Life under the Nazis

How many Germans were unemployed when Hitler became Chancellor?

6 million

What was the New Plan under Hjalmar Schacht?

Schacht (Minister of Economics) signed deals to trade raw materials abroad. Unemployment significantly fell as more produced weapons but they still relied on other countries for the materials. Hitler eventually sacked Schacht and replaced him with Goering.

What was the Four Year Plan under Goering?

Introduced 1936, to prepare for war and produce more equipment for war. Created more jobs and worked well but not completely, so Goering tries making Germany self sufficient

What was the National Labour Service?

It replaced trade unions and all aged 18-25 had to serve for six months. It ran Beauty of Labour to make workplaces look better and Strength through Joy to give incentives to hard workers

What was invisible unemployment?

It excluded certain groups from unemployment statistics and counted part time work on the list

What issues did the German people face during WW2?

Food issues, unsafe cities, labour shortage, total war and refugees. The Four Year Plan militarised at cost of social reform

What were the three Ks for German women?

Kinder (children), Kuche (kitchen), Kirche (church)

How did the war progress from 1941-44?

1941: Germany attacks USSR, doing well at first but winter is a huge problem

1943: Soviets push Nazis back. 80,000 Germans die at Stalingrad

1944: German defeat inevitable

What rations were introduced in 1939?

August - Some before war

November - All food and clothes rationed

How did life change over the course of the war?

Labour shortages - Women join force, labour in concentration camps

Air raids - Frequent bombing, lack of doctors as most went to front, while Jews and women fired as doctors

What were women forbidden from doing?

Wearing makeup, colouring or perming their hair

How did the Nazis get women out of jobs and into the domestic sphere?

Offered loans to not take one, encourage them to be healthier for more children, attend classes in homecraft and mother craft, men given priority for jobs, medals for children

What laws were introduced?

1921 - Women cannot have jobs in Nazi Party

1933 - No professional posts like doctors for women

1936 - No serving in legal posts

Abortion was also banned and women who were “unsuitable” for children were sterilised.

What behaviour were women expected to show?

Don’t work, dress modestly, be efficient with food, do not smoke, bring up children as loyal Nazis

What are some changes the Nazis made to education?

PE expanded significantly, Nazis use education to indoctrinate, Jews bullied by both teachers and other students, girls trained for different roles, maths and science involved Nazi based questions, humanities blame Jews for historical problems

What laws were introduced around the youth in Nazi Germany?

1926 - Hitler Youth foorms

1931 - Baldur von Schirach becomes Reich Youth leader

1936 - Hitler Youth Law, 100,000 HJ (Hitler Youth) and BDM (League of German Maidens, equivalent for women) attend Nuremberg Rally

1939 - Mandatory to join youth group

What were the two major groups of religion in Germany? Which was the main base of Nazi support?

A third of Germany Catholic, 2/3 Protestant. Protestants supported Hitler

How did Hitler’s relationship with Protestants change over time?

Many initially supported Hitler but relations declined as some rejected, Hitler later wanted total control and religious leaders eventually forbidden from teaching religious classes. Faith schools abolished 1939

How did his relationship with Catholics change?

Concordat with Pope to not fight, many German Catholics favour Pope over Hitler. The Pope criticised Hitler but crackdown continued

How did Hitler become the sole ruler of Germany?

Hitler became Chancellor, carried out the Night of the Long Knives and became President and Army Commander when Hindenburg died (2nd August 1934), essentially making him the dictator of all of Germany

How did Hitler view race?

Social Darwinism - war and competition of races, strongest win. Aryan purest, Hitler encouraged children and unity

Who was undesirable under the Nazis?

Those who didn’t contribute to the economy, those who took out of the economy for government care

Who was sent to concentration camps or sterilised in the early Nazi years?

Camps: Homeless, alcoholics, prostitutes, homosexuals

Sterilised: The disabled to prevent inheritance of disabilities

How did Hitler view Jews and Slavs?

Subhuman to be removed, scapegoated by Nazis. Overrepresented in jobs so blamed: 16% of lawyers Jewish, 1% of population

How were Jews increasingly persecuted over the years?

1933 - Banned from certain professions

1935 - Nuremberg Laws, Jews banned from marrying non Jews, lost right to vote

1938 - Kristallnacht, first act of violence

1942 - Extermination camps introduced. Jews either forced to work to death or gassed

How did the persecution of Jews widen into the rest of Europe?

Hitler wanted Pan Germanica (unite all Germans) and Lebensraum (living space to the east). Hitler expanded by remilitarising the Rhineland, uniting with Austria, conquering Czechoslovakia and invading Poland. War then broke out with the UK and France

What was the Final Solution?

Introduced in 1941-2, the final attempt to kill off all Jews in Europe.

Who were key figures in the Nazi police state?

Himmler (head of SS), Rohm (head of SA), Goebbels (Propaganda Minister), Goering (founded Gestapo), Hitler, Reinhard Heydrich (Himmler’s deputy, led Gestapo) and Rudolph Hess (ran Auschwitz)

What is a police state and what were the four components of the Nazi police state?

A government oppressing its people with rigid control

Components: SS, Gestapo, legal system, concentration camps

How did the Nazis change cinema, music/theatre and literature?

Cinema: Nazis had to read and approve all film, they often portrayed Jews badly and Germans well

Music and theatre: Must be German or Austrian. Jazz and Jewish composers banned.

Literature: Mein Kampf best selling book. Many books banned

How did the Nazis change art/design and sports/leisure?

Art/design: Many “degenerate” paintings, 5,000 burnt. Art presents Germany and Nazis well. Nazis shut down modern Bauhaus movement for design.

Sports/leisure: Fitness very important to Nazis, Olympic Games used to glorify Germany. Anti-Semitic posters temporarily removed, Germany do very well.

What was the July 1944 bomb plot?

Leading Nazis opposed Hitler and hid a bomb in a briefcase. Exploded ut didn’t kll Hitler. A coup was planned for after

What was the White Rose movement?

Founded by university students in 1943. Distributed anti Nazi leaflets, two of the leading members executed, third released. Allies drop millions of their leaflets

Who were the Edelweiss Pirates?

They created anti Nazi slogans, attacked Nazis and helped deserters, even killing the Gestapo Chief in 1944

What were the Swing Kids/Swing Youth?

• Youth movement, started 1939 in Hamburg

• Went against Nazi culture and violated norms

• Often fought Hitler Youth and Nazi forces