Nazi Germany: Authoritarian States

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Bismarck

A Prussian who tried to unify Germany by fighting 3 wars, eventually the South Germans united to join the North Germans by fighting the French, Bismarck became first chancellor of 2nd Reich, essentially developed the Weimar government.

Weimar Government

1918-1933/34. Germany’s 2nd Reich, developed on popular sovereignty and successful for a while, but Great Depression caused distaste and frustration as well as many social issues, no defense of Weimar from the population against extremist overthrow, eventually led to its demise.

November Revolution

1918, November 9th, declaration of a republic by Philipp Scheidemann, a Social Democrat leader. Followed by the signing of an armistice with the Allied powers. Made the Weimar Government.

Spartacists

Radical socialists, like Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. Wanted to create a Bolshevik-like state in Germany. Led a revolt in 1919, unsuccessful.

Dolchstosslegende ‘Stab in the Back Theory’

The widespread belief that the German loss in WWI was because of weak and unstable politicians or a complete stab in the back conspiracy . German military (Reichswehr) claims that the government “stabbed them in the back”, wondering why they had the war continue on if they were just going to pull out at the end.

General Erich Ludendorff

One of the generals of the German Army during WW1. Saw defeat was imminent, tried to soften the blow for Germany.

Treaty of Versailles Diktat

Agreement signed at the end of WWI, Germans despised it and called it the ‘diktat.’ Diktat was a negative German connotation for the Treaty of Versailles. Majority of German people disagree with it. Lost land, saw as humiliating. Treaty was violated multiple times by the Nazi regime as they geared up for what they expected to be a second world war

Article 231

The “War Guilt Clause”, resented, called the “War Guilt Lie”. Let Allies strip Germany of Europe territory, empire, military, and put them in debt.

Friedrich Ebert

Head of new government (SDP), was first president of Weimar government 1919-1925. To get army support, Ebert made pact that for military support, the military could basically do whatever they wanted.

Wilhelm Groener

Chief of Staff of German military. In return for giving military support to Ebert, the military could act in its own interests. Support was conditional throughout the republic’s life.

Spartacist Uprising

1919 uprising, military suppressed it. Radical socialists, like Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, wanted to create a Bolshevik-like state in Germany. Led a revolt in 1919, unsuccessful.

Reichswehr

The German military during the 1920 Kapp Putsch was known as the Reichswehr. Led by Hans von Seeckt, the Reichswehr refused to defend the Weimar Republic against the right-wing coup, with top command stating that "Reichswehr does not fire upon Reichswehr" when refusing to crush the rebellion.

Social Democratic Party (SDP)

Largest political party during Weimar, more moderate socialist party aligned mostly with Democrats, opposed communism but advocated for more worker’s rights. Often spouted Marxist rhetoric but essentially dedicated to socialism through the ballot box. Had a paramilitary organization, formed in 1924, called the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold.

Largest non-Nazi political group in Germany, seen as enemies to the state, declared illegal in May 1933 and forced to disband, some relocated to Prague and other developed an underground resistance.

Communist Party (KPD)

Largest communist party in Germany, originally broke away from SDP in 1918, KPD eventually became parliamentary party after failed revolution in 1919, became influential party in Weimar reichstag during 1920s. Hostile to democracy, committed to a Soviet (Moscow) style regime and taking instructions from Moscow throughout most of the Weimar period. Paramilitary organization: Red Veterans' League.

Centre/Zentrum Party

Ambivalent towards Weimar. Initially a significant contributor to coalition government, represented Catholic interests. By the early 1930s (because fearful of the rise of communism in Germany), they were willing to collaborate with parties and individuals not sympathetic to democracy. Centre and BVP, Bavarian People’s Party.

NSDAP

Extremist right-wing party that Hitler was a part of. Hostile to democracy and favouring the establishment of a single-party state on the extreme right of the political spectrum, stressing ultra-nationalistic, militaristic and racist views. Paramilitary organization: Sturmabteilung (SA). Hitler was highly influential and proceeded to create the Nazi party that branched off of the NSDAP.

Vernunftrepublikaner

A Vernunftrepublikaner (German for "republican by reason") is a person who supported the Weimar Republic out of political pragmatism and necessity rather than personal conviction or emotional loyalty. They prefered a monarchy or traditional system but accepted the democracy as the best available option to avoid chaos or extremism.

Weimar was left to work with “reluctant republicans”: Republicans not from conviction but from necessity because of the lack of practical alternatives at that time.

Facism

Governmental principle involving a dictator who makes all decisions without involving public voice, opposite of democracy, imposed under Hitler, concept emerged post-World War I under Mussolini.

German Unemployment

During the Great Depression, Germany deeply impacted, German reliance on US loans left the country in a pecarious economic state, economy began to shut down and millions of Germans lost their jobs, eventually 20% of the population unemployed.

Currency Delirium

Economic crisis of 1923: France occupied German land after WWI, led to non-cooperation from workers, production collapsed. Hyperinflation, Papiermark was basically useless, confidence in Weimar and the system was down. Helped set the stage for later.

Gustav Stresemann

New leader who replaced Chancellor Cuno in 1923. With US aid and Dawes Plan, he brought in a new era for Germany: the Golden Era.

Dawes Plan

1924, plan set in place by Gustav Stresemann to relieve the country of its economic crisis, US aided Germany in this endeavor and was a mutual trade benefit, new currency installed and America instilled confidence in it. New currency: Reichsmarks.

Consequences: Germany became dependent on the US which contributed to its downfall during the Great Depression.

Beer Hall Putsch

Unsuccessful uprising against the government. Beer Hall Putsch was an attempt by Hitler and other National Socialists to incite a coup, unsuccessful and collapsed after 2 days, multiple Nazi leaders like Hitler were arrested. Was when economy was crashing, so groups took advantage of Germany’s instability.

Adolf Hitler

Leader of the Nazis. Leader of NSDAP in 1921. Failed artist and German war hero, highly influential politician after WWI, became one of the leaders of the extremist Nazi party and eventually became fuhrer of Germany during Nazi period, ran Holocaust and was Germany’s leader during WWII.

NSDAP 25-point Programme

Contained a mixture of points that could be pitched to a wide audience. Meant to make NSDAP more accessible to people, but most people already had parties. Did not work short term.

Reichstag

Created in 1919, German national assembly, composed of proportional voting electorates so comprised of many small parties, no singular party had a large majority so passing legislation was difficult. Was the name of the government in Germany. Goal after 1930 was to deprive the Reichstag of power and establish an authoritarian government.

Wall Street Crash

Event in America triggering the Great Depression, had major impacts on Germany, deeply worsened the economic situation because of German reliance on US loans. Economy crashed in 1929. America called in money for all the loans, but Germany did not have enough money. They plunged into a depression, led to another economic crash and more distaste of Weimar.

Young Plan

1929, Plan to to reduce the reparation payments set by the Dawes Plan of 1924 and extend the period of repayment, seen as a sign of the Republic's continued weakness. It was seen as pandering to the Allied powers and the Versailles and Diktat. Was made in response to incitement of Great Depression.

Chancellor

Title of the head of government during Weimar and early Nazi era until 1934, essentially a prime minister appointed and dismissed by president of the Reich. Increasingly senile Hindenburg was getting more power. His appointment of chancellors was determined by a circle of interests surrounding him with a common outlook unsympathetic to democratic government.

Heinrich Bruning

Longest serving Weimar chancellor, served through Great Depression and last chancellor before Weimar fall, part of Centre Party, appointed chancellor by Hindenburg in 1930 due to economic policies in hopes they would revive German economy from its crisis. Called the “Hunger Chancellor”, increased taxation and reduced welfare benefits to save money. Made people get more extreme politically. Dismissed 1932 when Hindenburg thought he was making changes negative for landowners. Continued to harshly criticize Nazi movement until he fled Germany in 1934.

Franz von Papen

Brief chancellor of Germany, appointed in 1932, Bruning’s replacement. Cabinet was called the “Barons’ Cabinet”, because of how it was a ton of aristocrats. Most infamously remembered for aiding Hitler to power, advised Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as chancellor

Paul von Hindenburg

President of Germany from 1925 to 1934. Man that appointed Hitler as chancellor of Germany, president of Reichstag though doubtful about the Weimar government, throughout presidency desperately searched for a leader that could unite the nation, proved a difficult task given many small parties in the Reichstag.

Kurt von Schleicher

Replaced von Papen, who resigned in 1932. Von Schleicher then also resigned in 1933.

Alfred Hugenberg

Member of the German National People’s Party (DNVP) and elected to the Reichstag, his party became more radical and called for abolition of Weimar, party aimed to restore German monarchy, revive militarism, recapture lost previous German colonies, he eventually supported Hitler and was a minister in his government at one point before forced out in 1933. Gave funding and access to media to Hitler.

Mein Kampf

Hitler’s autobiography.

Third Reich

Regime under Hitler preceding Weimar, Nazi vision of a new, revised, and improved German empire. Was what the Nazis called their regime and government; believed it to mean they were the greatest German empire there would be.

Reichstag Fire

February 27th, 1933. Burning of Reichstag interpreted as Nazi ploy to scare voters into voting for the NSDAP. Claimed it was a communist plot. Goering led investigation and found Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe guilty with incriminating evidence, major win for Nazi party as they had evidence to blame communists.

Marinus van der Lubbe

Dutch communist convicted for Reichstag fire with incriminating evidence of empty gas cans in basement, promptly executed after trial.

Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution

Allowed president to declare state of emergency in Germany if national danger was evident, allowed them to assume temporary role of dictator. Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to issue an emergency decree that temporarily suspended basic rights and "thus was laid one of the legal cornerstones of the Nazi dictatorship". Consequences: Hitler abused this and instead of assuming a temporary role, he assumed a permanent one

Enabling Act

1933 Hitler introduced, would allow him to rule by decree for five years (make him a dictator basically). He convinced/gained enough support to have it be passed.

Piece of legislation passed by Reichstag giving Hitler more extensive power for 5 years, essentially developed Nazi dictatorship led by Hitler, removed constitutional limits imposed on Hitler’s authority

Gelichschaltung

Meant coordination: Nazis implemented this process after the Enabling Act. Means by which Hitler intended to consolidate Nazi power over Germany. Was how Germany reformed into a Nazi-controlled society, included multiple laws and organizations that were implanted in multiple branches, changed every walk of life for Germans, weeded out opposition and enforced superiority of Aryans and Nazi ideology.

“Old Fighters”

People who had joined the Nazi party before 1930, seen as loyal. The Law for Re-establishment of the Civil Service 1933 gave an opportunity to reward Old Fighters. Law seen as a “cleansing”.

Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF)

The German Labour Front (DAF), was established in 1933 to replace all trade unions, became main form of labor deployment and management. Was Nazi-run. Hitler also banned bargaining and strikes.

Sturmabteilung (SA)

Also known as Brownshirts or Storm troopers, largest paramilitary branch of the Nazi party, formed in 1919 and grew to massive numbers in 1930, amassing 4.5 million members by 1934. There was a purge of the SA after the civil service purge and the SA was politically powerless.

Ernst Rohm

Involved heavily in NSDAP politics and SA leader in early 1920s, resigned from his position and emigrated over disagreements, called upon by Hitler in 1930 to return and become SA leader. Had a rivalry with Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler and Goring. There was a claim that Rohm planned a second revolution to redistribute wealth. Also a fear that Rohm would try to combine the SA and armed forced. Hitler and Rohm’s relationship became tense and Rohm was arrested, imprisoned, and executed.

Night of the Long Knives

June 30, 1934. AKA the SA purge, Nazis rounded up SA leaders at a hotel and murdered them without due process, death squads sent out all over Germany to wipe out anyone who opposed Hitler, among the killings was Schleicher and his wife, casualties are highly disputed.

Schutzstaffel (SS)

Nazi paramilitary force created in 1925 as a miniature unit that expanded under Heinrich Himmler, where SS adopted racist and character-based requirements for entry into the country, as well as increased military strictness. There was fear with leadership with the SA, a factor that led to the Night of the Long Knives.

Heinrich Himmler

Commander of the SS and one of Hitler’s closest allies, chief of all German police forces including infamous Gestapo, oversaw all concentration and death camps and mobile killing squads, committed suicide before Nuremburg trials. Principal architect of the Holocaust.

Gregor Strasser

One of the main leaders of Nazi party (left-wing), offered vice chancellorship under Schleicher, Schleicher hoped this would help crack the Nazi party but Hitler and Strasser met soon after and led to Strasser rejecting the position, 3 days later Strasser resigned his party leadership. Was murdered during Night of the Long Knives. His brother Otto was exiled.

Hermann Goring

Nazi politician, one of Hitler’s top advisors. Was the one who heard Hitler was going to commit suicide and asked if he could take his place, then faced treason charges. Made Gestapo (secret Nazi police). One of the most powerful Nazis.

Joseph Goebbels

Appointed by Hitler as leader of NSDAP in Berlin in 1925, organized and provoked violence against Jews and political opposition, eventually became second most popular Nazi orator, falling short to only Hitler, large amount of Nazi connection with antisemitism came from Goebbels and his speeches. Responsible for the Nazi Propaganda Campaign from 1929, was Reich Propaganda Leader. Used radio broadcasts, meetings, shows, etc.

Hitler uber Deutschland

1932, Hitler Over Germany: Campaign stunt and film for 1932 presidential election, Hitler campaigned via car, distributed 50k phonograph records, propaganda films, illustrated magazine, and had the SA singing/marching, eventually lost the election to Hindenburg

Consequences: Despite losing the election, he gained fame and support throughout the country that contributed to his rise to power.

Volksgemeinschaft

People’s/National Community. Desire of Hitler and Nazi party to create a national community based off of race, ethnicity, and social behavior.

Gestapo

Nazi secret police, formed 1933 by Herman Goering, investigated undercover and arrested/dealt with any opposition they discovered, bended the law to do so.

Reinhard Heydrich

Was Heinrich Himmler’s second in command. In 1939 the various police functions and forces were combined under the control of the RHSA [Reichssicherheitshauptamt, or Reich Central Security Office), which wielded authority over the Gestapo, the SS, the SD [the intelligence service of the SS) , and the Kriminalpolizei (Kripo) . From its formation until his assassination in Czechoslovakia in 1942, Heydrich headed it.

Kripo

Kriminalpolizei, or Kripo. Was the name for the criminal investigation department. Part of the RHSA, which Heydrich led. Plain-clothes detectives, investigated serious felonies, vulnerable to review by the courts unlike the Gestapo.

Freikorps

The Freikorp, translating as Free Corps, were an armed group with right wing beliefs. They were made up of mainly former soldiers who were patriotic nationalistic Germans and anti-communists.

SOPADE

The executive committee of the SPD (Social Democratic Party, left) in exile.

Concentration Camps

Facilities with mass concentrations of people, especially Jews. Dachau and Oranienburg were the first, built in 1933, to hold mostly political prisoners and eventually to hold and serve as the basis for death camps like Auschewitz-Birkenau and Chelmno that would systematically kill millions of Jews. Set up to re-educate political prisoners. Under ‘protective custody’, so did not need trial to put people there.

Fuhrer

German word for leader. Hitler was the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany. Appointed himself as this once Hindenburg died, 1934.

Fuhrerprinzip

Translated in English to ‘leader principle,’ piece of Nazi ideology that gave power of making decisions to Hitler and was used by him to benefit the Nazi party, German state, and the German people (who he believed was a very select few). Was the basis of executive authority for Nazis. Placed the Führer's word above all written law, and meant that government policies, decisions, and officials all served to realize his will.

Lebensraum

Type of Manifest Destiny thing: Nazi ideology, justified military violence. Believed that lands were meant for Germany. Translated to ‘living space’ in English, theory held by Hitler and Nazis that Aryan German-Speakers required more territory to flourish, this would lead to invasions of what they perceived as ‘lesser countries’ of ‘inferior races’.

Abwehr

The intelligence service of the German Foreign Office. Leaders were involved in anti-Hitler activities, collaborated with the Beck-Goerdeler group.

Operation Valkyrie

Beck-Goerdeler group planned this to assassinate Hitler. July bomb plot of 1944, was unsuccessful. Plotters were executed, etc.

Reichskonkordat

Reich Church: German Christians attempted to transform Catholic Church into a German national religion in service of the Nazi state, was short-lived. This was an agreement allowing German Catholics to practice freely and protect their organizations, but it made all bishops swear an oath to ‘honor’ the government.

Barmen Declaration

In 1934 Evangelical ministers held a council of the Confessional Church in Barmen, and the resulting Barmen Declaration rejected the "false doctrine" of the Reich Church.

White Rose Movement

Student opposition: Group of students at University of Munich, the ‘White Rose’ group circulated flyers calling for passive resistance to the state. Late 1942 to 1943, emphasized need for peace. Arrested in February 1943 for distributing leaflets in opposition to the war, 3 of the defendants were tried and found guilty in less than an hour, and were beheaded the same day.

Weltanschauung

A particular philosophy or view of life of an individual or group. There was a Nazi Weltanschauung, and to promote it the state established a monopoly over all media.

Volksempfanger

Cheap radios, also called the ‘people’s radios’. Were mass produced, having Nazi messages be broadcast all over Germany. Were in households, factories, etc. Only broadcast Germany lines.

Reich Press Law

1934, imposed radically clean journalism. Jewish and liberal journalists were sacked, Jewish newspapers forced to sell to Nazis.

Propaganda Ministry

Influenced fields of literature, music, and film. Promoted Nazi ideology, attack and eliminate alternative views to the Nazi "world view". Writers unaligned with Nazi view were exiled, etc. 1933, Goebbels presided over book burning.

Reich Chamber of Culture and Chamber of Visual Arts

Established in 1933 to combat what Hitler perceived as sickness and decadence in the arts. Artists had to join the latter and were vetted for political reliability.

New Plan

1934, led by Hjalmar Schacht, priorities set to deal with unemployed and then to plan financing of rearmament.

Mefo Bills

New Plan had use of "Mefo" bills to prime heavy industry and production of armaments. These bills (a form of government-sponsored promissory note issued via a dummy company) were a way of the Reichsbank covertly financing arms production. Acted as a new form of currency, hiding government involvement in arms production.

State Labour Service/Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD)

Nazi government started labour-intensive public works projects, offered employment and sense of purpose to Germans.

Four-Year Plan

Economic program led by Goering and announced by Hitler in 1936, sought to make Germany more self-sufficient and increase military capabilities to prepare it for war

Wehrwirtschaft

The principle or policy of directing a nation's economic activity toward preparation for war.

Blitzkrieg

Military tactics of 1939 onward, relied on quick victories to gain much-needed resources before committing to more campaigns.

Kraft durch Freude ‘Strength through Joy’

Movement through the DAF, workplace harmony meant to produce social peace and increase production. Was a vacation company run through the government that encouraged cheap vacations and after-work recreational activities, also constructed sports facilities and supported small music artists.

Hitler Jugend/Youth

Founded 1926, was a party-run organization for children that fed into the SA, developed the same ideology as the Nazi party and its members had the ideas ingrained into their education, contained ranks similar to the paramilitary approach of the SA. Conditioning of youth to Nazi ideology form young age, in school, extracurriculars, and organizations.

League of German Maidens

Founded in 1930, organization made to educate Germany’s young in the spirit of National Socialism. This one was for the girls.

“Kinder, Kiiche, Kirche”

Children, kitchen, church. Hitler’s view on women.

Asocial

Anyone regarded by the regime as outside the "national community": habitual criminals, tramps and beggars with no fixed abode, alcoholics, prostitutes, homosexuals, and juvenile delinquents, as well as the "workshy".

Reich Central Office for the Combat of Homosexuality and Abortion

Linking of these two areas under one department illustrated the view that the treatment of both was a product of "population policy and national health" as much as any National Socialist homophobic prejudice .

T-4 Programme

Secret Nazi German operation to systematically murder individuals with physical or mental disabilities, deemed "unworthy of life" or a financial burden. In 1939 the state-sanctioned murders of adults and children began, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths before the T-4 programme (named after the address of the organization responsible: Tiergartenstrasse 4, Berlin) was officially halted in 1941 after protests from the public and the Church.

Antisemitism

Ideas of actions promoting the hatred of the Jewish people based on race or religion, foundation of Nazi policy, Nazis considered Jews evil and inferior and associated them with the devil, greediness, and Bolshevism.

Institutionalized and Eliminationist

State directed legislation measure to remove Jews from population, and plan to remove Jews from society.

Nuremberg Laws

Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor - One of the 2 Nuremberg Laws, defined what they considered as Jewish: Anyone with 4 German grandparents was a full blood German, and all others were Mischlinge, Jews defined as anyone with 3 or 4 Jewish grandparents

Reich Citizenship Law - The other Nuremberg law, stated that only full-blooded Germans were citizens, whereas Jews were simply subjects of the state, Jews could no longer vote nor hold office

Kristallnacht

1938, Night of Broken Glass. Following the murder of a German diplomat in Paris by a young Jewish assassin, attacks were made on synagogues and Jewish persons and property. Mass arrest of Jews, their release conditional on their agreement to leave the country and for the Jewish community to pay for the damages occurring during this "pogrom"

“Final Solution to the Jewish Problem”

Plans for the Holocaust began in July 1941, Jews must wear yellow star of David. Concentration camps start.

Holocaust

The systematic, state-sanctioned persecution and murder of 6 million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. Attempted genocide.

Nazism

Essentially National Socialism, encompassed the NSDAP ideology, outlined in Mein Kampf and 25 Points.

Blutfahne

Flag that the NSDAP carried during the Beer Hall Putsch, became one of the most sacred parts of the party

Landtags

Official parliamentary body of Nazi Germany, similar to Reichstag but with severely limited powers in comparison.

Wehrmacht

Nazi armed forced from 1935-45, comprised of Heer, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe

Reich Chancellery

Similar to Nazi executive cabinet, regularly had meetings with Hitler and aided in drafting of policy and legislation

Reich Interior Ministry

Oversaw security and organizing of Nazi Germany, tasked with ‘Nazification’ of preexisting government bodies, led the way in drafting and enforcing racial policy and suppressing opposition

Reich Ministry for Propaganda and Public Enlightenment

Headed by Goebbels, manipulated public view and distributed lots of party propaganda via newspaper, film, and radio, coordinated massive public rallies in Nuremburg

Aufrustung

Code name for restrengthening of the Nazi military in preparation for war

Workbooks

1935, each German worker had to begin carrying this around, it contained their skills and resume and made getting a new job nearly impossible