Part 4_3 Germany development of dictatorship, 1918–45

Nazi Germany Overview

Time Period: 1933-1939Focus: Development of dictatorship, methods of control, and policies under Hitler.

Learning Objectives

• Analyse: How Nazis set up dictatorship in 1933.

• Discuss: Methods and policies used for control in Germany.

• Assess: Hitler's economic and social policies.

Key Terms

• Autarky: Economic self-sufficiency aimed at reducing reliance on foreign imports, particularly in food and raw materials.

• Autobahn: A comprehensive highway system constructed to facilitate troops' movement, economic transport, and promote national pride.

• Lebensborn: A controversial SS program designed to promote and increase Aryan births, reflecting Nazi racial ideologies.

• Holocaust: The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and genocide of Jews and other minority groups, which resulted in the deaths of approximately six million Jews.

• Gestapo: The secret police force of Nazi Germany, instrumental in suppressing dissent and enforcing Nazi policies through intimidation and terror.

Setting Up the Nazi Dictatorship

Key Events

• Reichstag Fire (February 27, 1933):The fire at the Reichstag building was pivotal in establishing Nazi control. The Nazis blamed the Communists, enabling the government to arrest political opponents, and many historians view it as a pretext orchestrated by the Nazis themselves to consolidate power.

• Enabling Act (March 23, 1933):This key legislation permitted Hitler to enact laws without the Reichstag's approval, effectively dismantling parliamentary democracy and enabling a full dictatorship. It marked a significant step in the transformation of Germany into a totalitarian state.

• Night of the Long Knives (June 30, 1934):A purge that targeted the SA leadership, most notably Ernst Röhm, who posed a threat to Hitler's consolidation of power. The event eliminated rival factions within the Nazi party, solidifying Hitler's control over the military and gaining the loyalty of the Reichswehr (German army).

• Death of Hindenburg (August 2, 1934):With the passing of President Paul von Hindenburg, Hitler took the opportunity to declare himself Führer, merging the presidency and chancellorship, and cementing his position as the undivided leader of Germany.

Methods and Extent of Nazi Control

Establishment of Police State

• Gestapo (Secret State Police):Formed to track, intimidate, and eliminate political enemies, the Gestapo operated with little oversight or limitations, utilizing informants and widespread surveillance to maintain control over the populace.

• Censorship and Propaganda:The regime exerted tight control over media outlets, which were used to propagate Nazi ideology. Joseph Goebbels, as Minister of Propaganda, played a pivotal role in shaping public perception and stifling dissent through the manipulation of information.

• Banning of Trade Unions:All independent trade unions were abolished, and workers were organized under the German Labour Front (DAF), which eliminated workers' rights but ensured loyalty to the Nazi regime.

Social Policies

• Education:The Nazi education system was heavily influenced by ideology, centering around racial purity and fostering a militaristic culture. Textbooks were revised to align with Nazi views, and all students were required to participate in youth organizations reinforcing these narratives.

• Gender Roles:Women's roles were strictly defined around motherhood and maintaining the household, encapsulated in the concepts of Kinder (children), Küche (kitchen), and Kirche (church). The Lebensborn program exemplified government intervention, incentivizing Aryan women to have more children.

Economic Policies

Employment and Autarky

• Unemployment Reduction:Employment rates plummeted due to extensive public works programs, including the construction of the Autobahn and vast military rearmament initiatives. These efforts not only provided jobs but also stimulated economic activity in interwar Germany.

• Strength Through Joy:This state-run program aimed to boost worker morale and productivity by providing affordable leisure activities, promoting the idea of a happy, productive workforce while keeping dissent at bay.

Persecution of Minorities

• Racial Policies:The regime implemented systematic discrimination against Jews and other minorities, stripping them of rights, citizenship, and often access to employment and services. The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 legally codified these discriminative measures, laying the groundwork for future atrocities.

• Eugenics and Concentration Camps:The Nazis established a regime of forced sterilizations and heinous medical experiments under the guise of eugenics. Many minorities, including Jews, Roma, and others, were imprisoned in concentration camps where inhumane conditions resulted in mass suffering and death.

Conclusion

The establishment of Nazi Germany as a totalitarian regime involved a complex interplay of strategic political maneuvering, social control through indoctrination and repression, and a systematic approach to persecute minorities, ultimately paving the way for the widespread atrocities that characterized the Holocaust and the trajectory leading to World War II.