How effectively governed was Nazi Germany?

What was Germany now?

A one-party state, led by Hitler as Fuhrer.

What did Hitler not coordinate?

Hitler didn’t coordinate the government which meant that decisions were not clear and written down.

What can be said about Nazi government?

There was a lot of confusion in Nazi government.

What effect did Hitler’s personal life have on government?

Hitler’s personal life made running government much harder - sleeping pattern, lack of experience, absence from Berlin (where Reichstag was).

What was the system of central government like?

There was no clear and established system of central government, meaning that government and laws were haphazard.

What role did Hitler play in day to day government?

Hitler played a limited role in day to day government.

What were other people working towards?

People were working towards the Fuhrer, wanting to work out what Hitler’s wishes were (making things harder).

What was the administration of the Nazi party in theory?

In theory it was a powerful centralised state, but it wasn’t true in practice as established institutions remained.

What did divisions in the party mean?

That power was limited.

What can be said about the bureaucracy of the state?

It was already established, and people in those positions, often conservative, would stay in post.

Where is confusion within the party’s organisation notably seen?

Seen in the SS where they were a party organisation but also had police power.

What was the Reich Chancellery?

The official office of Germany’s chancellor (headquarters)

What did the Reich Chancellery find it difficult to do?

Found it difficult to coordinate the government due to the number of institutions.

Government ministries found themselves under pressure e.g. economic due to the Four Year Plan.

What was the Four Year Plan?

A series of economic measured initiated by Adolf Hitler in 1936.

Aimed to speed up rearmament and prepare Germany for war.

What happened to judiciary under their government?

Judiciary were interfered with due to special courts or the People’s court.

How did the SS act?

They acted above the law. Judiciary was functioning but with limited powers.

What was the Nazi party designed to do?

To gain support but not to govern.

What did hierarchy and the Fuhrerprinzip lead to?

They did not lead to an effective government.

What were Gauleiters invested in?

Local issues, and they were resistant to state or party.

Who was Rudolph Hess?

Deputy Fuhrer.

What did Rudolph Hess insist in 1938?

Insisted that all civil servants were members of the Nazi party.

What did Martin Bormann create?

Martin Bormann created the:

• Department for Internal Party Affairs to discipline party structures.

• Department for Affairs of States aimed to give the state supremacy.

What was the 1939 position like?

It was strengthened but it always had to compete with party organisations.

Gauleiters positions were further weakened.

What had Hitler done despite everything?

Hitler still played a decisive role in the development of the Third Reich.

What was the Third Reich?

The totalitarian regime led by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party.

What did Hitlers magnetic command of audiences enable him to do?

Enabled him to play on mass suggestion,

Image perpetuated by propaganda and once in government revealed himself.

How good was Hitler at making decisions?

He was not even very decisive when it came to making a choice.

What did Hitler not show any inclination to do?

He did not show any inclination to co-ordinate government of Nazi Germany.

How many times did the Cabinet meet in 1933?

72 times, but only 4 times in 1936.

When was the last cabinet meeting held?

In February 1938.

What was their rivalry between?

Between various factions of the party and state was rife.

What image did Hitler cultivate?

An image as an artist, but really he was lazy.

Had unusual sleeping hours, long periods of absence from Berlin when he stayed in Bavarian Alps.

How educated was Hitler?

Hitler was not well educated and had no experience that prepared him for a role in government or administration.

What were Nazi totalitarian claims reinforced by?

Reinforced by a powerful propaganda machine, deceived many people at the time into thinking that Nazism was a clear and well-ordered system of government.

What is dualism?

A system of government in which two forces exist, e.g. Nazi Party and the German state.

What did the revolutionary governments within the party want?

Wanted party control of the civil service in order to smash the traditional organs of government and to create a new kind of Germany. There were 3 reasons they did not do this.

For what 3 reasons did revolutionary governments not create a new kind of Germany??

• Many recognised the bureaucracy of the German state was well established and staffed by educated and effective people.

• During 1933, after Nazi consolidation of power was a vast increase in party membership. So-called ‘March converts’ tended to dilute influence of earlier Nazis.

• Hitler remained unclear on the issue of the party and the state.

What was issued due to Hitler being unclear on the issue of the party and the state?

‘Law to Ensure the Unity of Party and State’ issued in December 1933.

This proclaimed the party ‘is inseparably linked with the state’, but the explanation was very vague.

What can be said about the term ‘civil servant’?

Term was a very broad one; it ranged from officials in ministries to judges and even teachers.

What was state bureaucracy generally unsympathetic towards?

Unsympathetic to Weimar democracy but was largely committed to the institutions of the state.

What were civil servants forced to do in 1934?

Forced to make an oath of loyalty to Hitler.

How many civil servants dissented?

Only 5%.

What was the Reich chancellery responsible for?

For coordinating the government.

As the role of the cabinet declined from 1934, the Chancellery became more important.

Who was the head of the Reich Chancellery?

Hans Heinrich Lammers.

What did Hans Heinrich Lammers do?

• drew up all government legislation.

• became vital link between Hitler and all other organisations, so he essentially controlled flow of information.

What was the case despite Hans Heinrich Lammers’ efficiency?

He found it impossible to co-ordinate the growing number of organisations.