Upper Secondary History (Chapter 2.2) Rise of Authoritarian Regimes – Nazi Germany (Case Study)

A comprehensive set of QUESTION_AND_ANSWER flashcards covering the key concepts, events, policies, and figures from the Rise of Nazi Germany as presented in the notes.

What event in February 1933 allowed Hitler to persuade Hindenburg to invoke emergency powers and suppress opponents?

The Reichstag Fire, which led to the Reichstag Fire Decree and expanded emergency powers.

What was the Enabling Act (1933) and why was it pivotal for Hitler's power?

It gave Hitler the power to pass laws without Reichstag or President approval, effectively granting him dictatorial authority.

What is Gleichschaltung (Coordination) and what did it achieve in 1933?

Coordination of all institutions (civil service, judiciary, army, etc.) under Nazi control; banned other parties and created a one-party state.

What was the Night of the Long Knives (1934) and its effect on Hitler's power?

A purge of the SA leadership and rivals; it increased the army’s loyalty and consolidated Hitler’s dictatorship.

What happened when President Hindenburg died in 1934, and how did it affect Hitler's title?

Hitler merged the roles of President and Chancellor to become Führer.

Why did the army swear an oath of allegiance to Hitler in 1934, and what was its impact?

To secure military support and deter overthrow; it gave Hitler military backing and ensured his grip on power.

What were the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 and their impact on Jews?

Laws that stripped Jews of citizenship, prohibited intermarriage with non-Jews, and removed many rights and property.

What was Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) in November 1938 and its significance?

A state-sponsored pogrom against Jews with destruction of shops and synagogues, mass arrests, and escalation of persecution.

What measures did Hitler use to address unemployment in the 1930s?

Rearmament, conscription (from 1935), the Reich Labour Service (RAD) for public works, and large-scale public works programs; unemployment fell from ~6 million to about 1 million by 1939 (women and Jews were largely excluded).

What was the Four-Year Plan (1936) and its aims?

Aimed at autarky and building a war-ready economy: bar imports, control labour and prices, subsidize war industries, and expand production.

What were Strength Through Joy (KdF) and Beauty of Labour, and their intended impact on workers?

KdF provided leisure opportunities to win loyalty (cheap theatre, holidays, etc.); Beauty of Labour aimed to improve working conditions; both limited in real impact and used to regulate workers.

How did Nazi policies redefine the role of women in Germany?

Women were encouraged to focus on motherhood and homemaking (Kinder, Küche, Kirche), were largely excluded from politics and many professions, though some wartime needs later brought changes.

How did the Nazi regime target education and youth?

Teachers joined the National Socialist Teacher’s League; Nazi-approved textbooks; Hitler Youth became compulsory from 1936; indoctrination of youth.

What does Volksgemeinschaft mean and what was its purpose?

A racially defined national community (Aryan) aimed at unity and obedience; excluded those not deemed Aryan.

Give examples of Nazi eugenics and persecution policies toward minorities and disabled people.

Sterilisation of hundreds of thousands (over 300,000); euthanasia programs; persecution of Roma, disabled, homosexuals; later genocide.

What was the Final Solution and its historical significance?

The Nazi plan for the systematic genocide of Jews, known as the Holocaust; millions of Jews were murdered.

What roles did the SS and Gestapo play in maintaining control?

SS (loyal to Himmler) and Gestapo (secret police) arrested opponents, enforced loyalty, controlled police work, and supported concentration camps.

What was the purpose of concentration camps under Nazi rule?

Detain and punish political opponents and groups deemed undesirable; forced labor and harsh conditions to deter resistance.

How did the Nazi regime alter the legal system to maintain control?

Judges were compelled to join the Nazi-aligned National Socialist League; trial by jury was abolished; laws served political ends.

What forms of resistance emerged against Nazi rule?

Political opposition (socialists/communists), military plots (e.g., July 1944 Bomb Plot), and youth/church groups like White Rose and Edelweiss Pirates.

What is autarky in the Nazi economic policy context?

Self-sufficiency; reducing dependence on imports to support a war-focused economy.

Who led Nazi propaganda and what were its main methods?

Joseph Goebbels; mass rallies (Nuremberg rallies), posters, propaganda at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and controlled media.

What role did censorship play in Nazi Germany?

Media and arts were strictly controlled; anti-Nazi ideas were banned; cheap radios (People’s Receiver) spread propaganda.