Nazism Final Exam | Quizlet

What event marked the beginning of the "Early Assault on Jews" in February 1933?

Gangs of SA troopers smashed Jewish shops, vandalized synagogues (Jewish houses of worship), and beat up Jewish lawyers and judges, resulting in 43 deaths by the end of June 1933.;

Why did the nationwide boycott of Jewish shops and businesses called by Hitler in April 1933 fail?

The boycott was generally unpopular , exempted larger firms whose damage might hurt the economy , and was called off after only a few days , demonstrating that frontal attacks on an integrated population wouldn't be successful.;

What was the purpose and key provision of the Law for the Restoration of a Professional Civil Service in April 1933?

The law aimed to regularize the dismissal of civil servants that the SA had already been carrying out and led to the firing of those with one or more Jewish grandparents or those considered politically unreliable.;

What exceptions were initially made for the dismissal of Jewish civil servants in 1933?

At Hindenburg's request, exemptions were made for war veterans, those who had lost a father or son in the war, and those hired before 1914, although these exemptions ended in 1935.;

What process involved continuous pressure on Jewish businesses to sell their equity to "Aryan" purchasers at low prices?

Aryanization , which resulted in 70% of Jewish-owned firms being "Aryanised" or disbanded by 1938.;

How many Jews left Germany in 1933, and what factors made Jewish emigration difficult?

37,000 Jews left Germany in 1933; Emigration was difficult due to the Great Depression, as many countries were reluctant to accept immigrants who might claim welfare benefits, and prejudice against Jews was also a factor.;

What was the broader goal of the "Racial State" besides persecuting Jews?

The Nazi government also wanted to purge the "German" race of "undesirable" elements.;

What pre-existing movement in Germany did the Nazi's "racial hygiene" build upon?

Since the 1890s, there had been a movement for "racial hygiene" in Germany to encourage the "strong" to have more children and prevent the "weak" from reproducing.;

What anxieties from World War I and the Great Depression contributed to the Nazi eugenics program?

The slaughter of WWI caused anxiety that birth rates were dropping and that there wouldn't be enough young men for the next war ; the Great Depression led to the view that cutting welfare costs by denying aid to people deemed less "valuable" was necessary.;

What was the "Law for the Prevention of Progeny with Hereditary Diseases" (July 1933)?

It mandated compulsory sterilisation for people with mental illness, epilepsy, hereditary blindness or deafness, and severe alcoholism.;

What group represented two-thirds of the compulsory sterilization cases, and what other non-conformists were included?

Two-thirds of cases involved the "congenitally feebleminded" , a vague category that could be applied to people who wouldn't conform to Nazi expectations (prostitutes, "unruly" people, vagrants, alcoholics, etc.).;

What law permitted the castration of repeat offenders in 1933?

The Law against Dangerous Habitual Criminals ('33) permitted the castration of repeat offenders.;

How was Nazi eugenics both comparable to and unique from other countries' programs?

Compulsory sterilization laws had also been enacted in the USA, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway ; but Nazi Germany was unique because it sterilized many more people (over 360,000 by 1939) and started murdering the "hereditarily ill" starting in 1939.;

What policies did the Nazi government enact as part of its "Pronatalism" goals for more "healthy" children?

Birth control was restricted, more severe penalties were imposed for abortion , and the Marriage Health Law (1935) required prospective couples to obtain a certificate attesting to hereditary fitness.;

What incentives were offered to encourage childbearing among "healthy" German women?

Wives who left the work force were eligible for loans that could be repaid by having children , and women who had eight or more children received a gold medal.;

What were the results of the Nazi pronatalism efforts regarding marriage and birth rates?

There was an initial increase in marriage and birth rate due mostly to the improving economy , but the trend towards smaller family sizes continued.;

What kind of behavior did the Nazi government seek to "medicalise and criminalise" under the heading of "Persecuting Social Outsiders"?

Socially nonconformist behaviour , with "asocial" meaning beggars, prostitutes, the "work-shy," or anyone who didn't confirm to social norms.;

What decree permitted the incarceration of "asocials" in concentration camps in 1937?

The Decree on Crime Prevention (1937) permitted the incarceration of "asocials" in concentration camps.;

What other groups were persecuted as social outsiders in the mid-1930s?

Roma (Gypsies) were forced to live in unhealthy camping areas , "Rhineland bastards" (children of German women and French African soldiers) were sterilized , and homosexual intercourse laws were more strictly enforced after 1935, leading to a skyrocket in convictions.;

What led to the "Second Wave of Antisemitic Actions" starting in 1935?

Popular discontent over unemployment, inflation, and corruption in 1935 , which the Nazi Party and SA channeled by renewing boycotts and public violence to exclude Jews from public spaces.;

What was Hitler's aim in seeking legal methods for persecution during the second wave of anti-Semitic actions?

Hitler wanted to satisfy anti-Semetic activists but also curb "disorganised" violence, which induced him to seek legal methods for regularising the persecution of Jews.;

What were the main provisions of the Nuremberg Laws (September 1935)?

They attempted to "define" a Jew (someone with at least two Jewish grandparents), denied Jews the political rights of citizenship , and prohibited sexual relations or new marriages between Jews and non-Jews.;

What additional restriction was placed on Jews regarding employment under the Nuremberg Laws?

Jews were forbidden to employ female domestic servants under 45.;

What was the government's primary policy goal regarding the Jewish population, and what was the result by 1939?

Government policy was driven by a concerted effort to encourage Jews to emigrate and leave property behind ; over half of Germany's Jewish population left the country by 1939.;

How did the Nazi state operate in terms of elections and legislative power after 1933?

Reichstag elections were held, but voters were asked to say yes or no to a single list of candidates (parliament had no real power) ; laws were enacted by Hitler's cabinet and ministries, and Hitler as Führer could issue orders and decrees.;

What mechanism did Hitler introduce to showcase popular "support" for his policies?

Plebiscites were introduced to show popular "support" for Hitler and his policies, such as the vote on whether Hitler should succeed Hindenburg as head of state (Aug. 1934).;

What was the relationship between the Nazi Regime and the State in Germany?

Germany was now a one-party state , but the army and foreign ministry still retained considerable institutional autonomy until the late 1930s.;

Where did the Nazi Party acquire the most significant control over state functions?

In policing.;

What was the Gestapo, and who originally created it?

The Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizei, Secret State Police) was the new Prussian political police created by Hermann Göring, as Acting Prussian Minister of the Interior, in the fall of 1933.;

Who took charge of the Gestapo in 1934 and what police authority did he eventually acquire?

Göring put Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, in charge of the Gestapo in spring 1934; Hitler made Himmler chief of German police in 1936.;

How did Himmler restructure the police organization after 1936?

Himmler created a "hybrid" police organization, run by SS leaders, that combined the SD (the SS intelligence service) with state police agencies (the Gestapo and the criminal police).;

When were the extrajudicial concentration camps first set up, and for whom?

In 1933, they were set up to detain and torture political prisoners, mostly Social Democrats and Communists.;

How did the concentration camp population and purpose change after 1936?

After being largely emptied by 1934, the population started growing again after 1936; Himmler and the SS now used them to imprison "racially unworthy" members of the "German" race, such as "habitual criminals" and the "asocial".;

How many inmates were in concentration camps by the outbreak of World War II?

There were 21,000 inmates by the time of the outbreak of World War II.;

What was the outcome of the initial "Conflicts with the Churches"?

"German Christians" allied with the Nazis took over the Lutheran Church, but resistance arose ; the Concordat (July 1933) broke down, and Nazis suppressed Catholic organizations, leading the Pope to denounce the Nazi treatment of the Catholic Church in 1937.;

What factors contributed to the "Elements of the Nazi Economic Recovery" that began before the Nazis took power?

The world economy had already started improving in 1932 , and money for work-creation schemes was set aside by the previous government but only spent after the Nazis took office.;

What coercive factors played a role in the economic recovery?

The crushing of the political Left boosted business confidence , and many young people were forced to work for very low wages.;

What was the biggest contributor to ending unemployment in Nazi Germany?

Rearmament , the reconstruction and expansion of Germany's armed forces in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.;

How significant was the increase in rearmament spending?

Rearmament went from 4% to 50% of public expenditure between 1933 and 1938, marking the largest and fastest jump in history.;

How did rearmament specifically eliminate youth unemployment?

Through the reintroduction of conscription in May 1935.;

Who was appointed as president of the Reichsbank (central bank) in March 1933 to finance rearmament?

Hjalmar Schacht , who had a reputation as a financial "wizard" for previously helping to tame inflation.;

What were Schacht's three difficult fiscal goals in financing rearmament?

To spend large amounts of government money during the Depression , avoid triggering inflation , and conceal rearmament spending from the former Entente.;

What was Schacht's "financial wizardry" plan to jumpstart the economy for armaments contracts?

Between 1934 and 1936, the government essentially borrowed newly printed money from the central bank through shell companies to pay for armaments contracts.;

What were the primary economic effects of rearmament for businesses and the general population?

Rearmament made the largest contribution toward reducing unemployment , but the diversion of resources meant a shortage of consumer goods, rationing, and price increases, leading to a relatively low standard of living for most Germans.;

What were Hitler's two conflicting economic priorities in the mid-1930s?

(1) To strive for economic self-sufficiency (autarky) in preparation for a long war , and (2) to accelerate rearmament to fight a major war at the beginning of the 1940s.;

Why did the pursuit of accelerated rearmament make economic self-sufficiency impossible to achieve?

Rearmament increased the demand for imported raw materials like high-quality iron, rubber, and oil , and conscription/construction reduced agriculture's acreage and manpower, leading to more imported food.;

Why were Germany's exports unable to keep up with the rising demand for imports, leading to a "Balance of Payments Problem"?

German firms preferred selling armaments to the government than exporting industrial goods abroad , and the Nazi government refused to devalue its currency for fear of stoking inflation.;

What was the "New Plan" (1934) introduced by Schacht to address the balance of payments crisis?

It put foreign trade under government supervision , giving priority for foreign currency use to imports essential for rearmament , and arranged bilateral barter agreements with southeastern European countries.;

What were the limitations of the "New Plan," leading to a conflict with Hitler?

While it worked well at first, it couldn't provide all the raw materials demanded by the army; Schacht wanted to slow rearmament, but Hitler insisted that preparation for war should be the priority.;

What was the goal and focus of the Four-Year Plan (1936)?

Hitler declared that Germany should be ready for a major war in four years' time , meaning increasing the production of coal, steel, rubber, and oil.;

What was the outcome of the Four-Year Plan regarding self-sufficiency?

It increased production of synthetic textile fibers, fuel, and rubber , but Germany still required imports of aluminum, high grade steel, rubber, and oil and needed to import 15% of its food.;

What was the main substitute for consumer goods offered by the German Labor Front to address low wages and shortages?

Subsidized leisure-time activities for Germans under the name "Strength Through Joy" (Kraft durch Freude) , which included discounted concerts, subsidized tourism, and a savings plan for an automobile (never delivered).;

How did the Reich Food Estate both help and frustrate farmers?

It sheltered farmers from the worldwide decline in agricultural prices by buying food directly from producers and fixing prices ; but regulations, price restrictions, and attempts to prevent land splitting were resented.;

What was Hitler's long-term foreign policy goal, beyond revising the Versailles Treaty?

A war of conquest in the east, the destruction of the Soviet Union, and the acquisition of "living space" (Lebensraum).;

What was Hitler's view of Britain and Italy as potential partners in his foreign policy?

He saw them as potential partners: Italy was a rival of France in the western Mediterranean, and Britain's maritime empire needn't conflict with Germany's continental empire.;

What was the League of Nations, and which major power never joined it?

The League of Nations was an international organization established by the Treaty of Versailles to submit disputes to arbitration ; the USA never joined the League.;

What was Hitler's first foreign policy step that alarmed rivals?

He withdrew Germany from the League of Nations in 1933 during negotiations about disarmament.;

How did Hitler initially attempt to conceal his rearmament plans?

He publicly promised peace and signed a non-aggression pact with Poland in 1934 to isolate France.;

What was Hitler's first aggressive foreign policy move directed against a neighboring country, and how did Mussolini respond?

He directed Austrian Nazis to stage a coup in their country in July 1934, which failed; Mussolini sent troops to his northern border as a warning to Hitler to keep Austria independent.;

What significant violation of the Treaty of Versailles did Hitler announce in March 1935?

Hitler announced the construction of an air force and the reintroduction of conscription.;

What was the "Stresa Front" (April 1935)?

An alliance of Britain, France, and Italy that condemned German rearmament and affirmed Austrian independence.;

How did Britain undermine the Stresa Front shortly after it was formed?

Britain signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement (June 1935), agreeing that the German navy could expand to 35% the size of the Royal Navy.;

What were Mussolini's motivations for waging wars for national expansion in the 1930s?

He wanted to acquire colonies outside of Europe, recreate the "Roman Empire" , and use aggressive war as a tool for breaking the power of conservative elites.;

What was the "Conquest of Ethiopia (Abyssinia)"?

Italy invaded Ethiopia, the last independent state in east Africa, in October 1935 , and Mussolini declared victory in May 1936.;

How did the Ethiopian War affect Mussolini's relationship with Britain and France versus Hitler?

Mussolini felt embittered toward Britain and France after the League of Nations condemned the invasion , but he warmed to Hitler, who had remained neutral and shipped raw materials to Italy.;

What was the "Remilitarization of the Rhineland" in March 1936?

Hitler sent troops to reoccupy the Rhineland, a further violation of Versailles.;

Why did Britain and France not respond with military force to the remilitarization of the Rhineland?

Intervention would have been costly, and neither had prepared for an expedition ; they struggled to justify starting a war when Germany was simply asserting sovereignty over its own territory.;

Which two countries strongly supported the Nationalists (led by Franco) in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39)?

Germany and Italy.;

What was the "Rome-Berlin Axis" (1936)?

The Spanish Civil War strengthened ties between Germany and Italy, leading Mussolini to publicly speak of a "Berlin Rome Axis," where they settled their differences and resolved to cooperate in the future.;

What specific anti-Semitic legislation did Mussolini introduce in 1938?

He introduced his own anti-Semitic legislation, expelling foreign Jews, forbidding intermarriage, and banning Jews from public office or owning large businesses/land.;

What was Hitler's plan, revealed in November 1937, for starting a war?

He planned to start a war in the early 1940s to facilitate eastern expansion, with the conquest of Austria and Czechoslovakia as the first steps.;

What significant shake-up in the military and foreign office allowed Hitler to consolidate his power in February 1938?

Hitler eliminated the War Ministry to become commander in chief and replaced War Minister Werner von Blomberg, Chief of Army Werner von Fritsch, and Foreign Minister Constantin Neurath with pro-Nazis, gaining the upper hand over the last conservative elites.;

What was the "Annexation (Anschluss) of Austria" in March 1938?

Hitler pressured the Austrian prime minister to admit Nazis into his cabinet, and when the prime minister called for a plebiscite on independence, Hitler invaded Austria and annexed it to Germany.;

Why was Czechoslovakia considered to be "in peril" and strategically important?

It was strategically important because it inherited much of the industrial infrastructure and armaments industry of Austria-Hungary and stood in the way of further German expansion eastwards.;

What was the "Sudetenland Crisis" (September 1938)?

Hitler encouraged the German minority in Czechoslovakia (Sudeten Germans) to complain aggressively, and Hitler demanded that the Czechs allow German occupation of the Sudetenland by October 1.;

What was the outcome of the Munich Conference (Sept. 29, 1938)?

Britain and France leaned heavily on the Czechs to give up the Sudetenland.;

What three main reasons accounted for the lack of opposition to Hitler's foreign policy moves (Rhineland, Anschluss, Sudetenland)?

Britain and France feared they were behind Germany in rearmament , domestic support for defending the Treaty of Versailles was hard to mobilize , and conservatives were disinclined to partner with the USSR to apply pressure to Germany.;

What were the "Next Wave of Persecutions" against Jews in the summer of 1938?

New laws prohibited Jews from being doctors and lawyers; Jews who didn't have a "Jewish" name had to add "Israel" or "Sara" to their own ; and Jews living in Germany with Polish citizenship were expelled into Poland.;

What incident was used as an excuse for the "Night of Broken Glass" (Nov. 1938)?

The 17-year-old German-raised son of deported Polish Jews assassinated a German diplomat in Paris in protest.;

What were the main events of "Night of Broken Glass" (Kristallnacht)?

Plain clothes SA troops burned over 1,000 synagogues, broke windows and looted 7,500 remaining Jewish-owned businesses, arrested approximately 30,000 Jews, and caused 1,000-2,000 Jewish deaths.;

What was the explicit aim of the "Night of Broken Glass" for the Jewish population?

The aim was to coerce as many Jews as possible to leave the country ; prisoners in concentration camps were allowed to leave only if they promised to emigrate.;

What new restrictions were placed on Jews in the winter of 1938 to "Eliminate Jews from German Life"?

Jews were banned from remaining occupations in Germany, remaining Jewish-owned businesses were "Aryanized," and unemployed Jews were put to work on labor projects.;

How many German Jews emigrated between November 1938 and September 1939?

Approximately 115,000 Jewish Germans emigrated.;

What event demonstrated that the policy of "Appeasement" had failed?

Germany invaded the Czech half of Czechoslovakia (March 1939) and established the "Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia".;

What was Hitler's strategy to avoid fighting a multi-front war like in World War I?

Isolating his targets, forging temporary alliances, ensuring the eastern flank was quiet before fighting Britain and France, and forging alliances with Italy and Japan.;

What was the "Nazi-Soviet Pact" (Aug. 1939)?

A non-aggression pact signed by Ribbentrop and Molotov in August 1939, where Germany and the USSR publicly agreed to remain neutral toward each other.;

What was the secret protocol of the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

Poland would be divided between them; the USSR would also get Finland, the Baltic states, and part of Romania.;

What was Stalin's main goal in signing the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

Stalin wanted to buy time to rearm and benefit from a European war that weakened Britain, France, and Germany.;

When did World War II begin?

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 , leading Britain and France to declare war on September 3.;

What was the Soviet role in the defeat of Poland?

The Soviet army marched into Poland in mid-September under the pretext of being a "peacekeeping" force , then simply annexed their half.;

What was the significant atrocity committed by the Soviets in their zone of Poland?

Tens of thousands of Polish officers, including reservists, were arrested, deported into the Soviet Union, and then murdered in April 1940.;

What was the nature of the "Economic Cooperation" between the Soviet Union and Germany between 1939 and 1941?

The USSR supplied Germany with large quantities of oil, grain, and manganese, while Germany supplied the USSR with manufactured goods, machine tools, and naval equipment, enabling Germany to withstand the British and French blockade.;

What was the "Winter War" (Nov 1939 - March 1940)?

Stalin initiated the war to seize territory from Finland, which held out much longer than expected, though Finland eventually had to make peace and give up some border territory.;

What were Hitler's two main reasons for launching the "Scandinavian Prologue" invasion of Norway and Denmark in April 1940?

He wanted Atlantic naval bases to attack Britain and secure control of Norway to protect the sea route for high-quality iron ore imports from neutral Sweden.;

What was the main consequence of the German campaign in Norway and Denmark?

The campaign was successful but resulted in considerable losses of ships, leaving the German navy inadequate to stage the planned invasion of Britain in the summer of 1940.;

What was the "Offensive in the West" and what contributed to the rapid German victory over France in May 1940?

The invasion of Netherlands, Belgium, and France; German forces defeated a superior French army through a clever plan of sending forces through the Ardennes forest.;

What was the "Battle of Britain" (June-September 1940)?

Hitler's plan to acquire air superiority over Britain before an invasion , which failed due to British advantages (skill, radar, code breaking) and Hitler's tactical error of shifting attacks from RAF facilities to London.;

What was the "Tripartite Pact" (27 Sept. 1940)?

An agreement between Germany, Italy, and Japan that recognized that Europe would be dominated by Germany and Italy, and East Asia by Japan, with a mutual defense clause if any member was attacked by the USA.;

What strained Soviet-German relations in the summer of 1940?

Stalin disliked the German military presence in Romania or Finland, and Germany's increasing dependence on Soviet oil and raw materials gave Stalin leverage.;

What was the codename for the invasion of the USSR, and what was the anticipated timeline for the fighting?

Operation Barbarossa (named after the 12th c. German Emperor Frederick I) ; the fighting was expected to be over in the summer and fall of 1941, with no preparations made for winter war.;