Nazi Germany Revision
How did life change under the Nazis?
Economic Policy Hitler came to power during the Great Depression. What did he promise voters? “Work and Bread�
What were Hitler’s 3 aims for the German economy? Rearmament (build up army) • Make Germany selfsufficient (make own goods so they didn’t have to rely on other countries) • Reduce unemployment •
What was the German Labour Front (DAF?) [4] ► Organisation
to control workers set up by Dr
Robert Ley ► Workers HAD to join ► All other trade unions were banned – this was the only one. ► They decided wages. ► Made them work building new motorways, schools, hospitals etc
What was Strength Through Joy? [4] ► Part
of DAF ► Organised leisure time of workers e.g. cheap theatre trips, cruises, holidays etc. (Jews obviously not welcome) ► Used for propaganda for the Nazis ► All workers encouraged to save for a Volkswagen
What was the RAD? [4] ► All
18-25 year old men had to do 6 month’s work service. ► Unpopular because it was hard, manual labour and poorly paid. ► Nazis tried to use the RAD to indoctrinate young adults. ► Some liked it because it gave them a uniform and a sense of purpose.
How did Hitler deal with Trade Unions? [4] ► He
did want any potential opposition
► He
could control workers via the DAF instead
► German
labour front took away the right to strike and reduced worker’s pay
► Many
trade unionists imprisoned in concentration camps
Was life better for workers? Small businesses benefited. Big businesses benefited from rearmament DAF: For many, this was a lifeline. “Strength through Joy”
RAD: unpopular because of low People worked longer hours Trade unions banned. Many Jews and women sacked from their jobs Communists etc couldn’t claim unemployment benefit
What did the Nazis think women should concentrate on? K, K, K – Kinder, Kuche, Kirche Children, Cooking and Church
How did they encourage women to have children? Propaganda Financial rewards – for brides who did not work and for giving birth Motherhood Cross – medals to women who had more than 4 children
How did they encourage women to have children? 15% of all teachers, women doctors and civil servants were sacked. Public pressure. and poster campaigns encouraged to stop women smoking and to encourage them to do sport (to increase their fertility)
What was the name of the main organisation for Nazi children?
Don’t forget Hitler’s attitude towards children!
“I believe that children are the future!”
What organisation did girls join?
BDM
Name 3 activities of the Hitler Youth Camping Hiking “War Games� Sports Military training
Why was education so important to the Nazis? Wanted a future generation that were blindly loyal to Hitler and the Nazis.
Needed to prepare boys for the army (to fulfil the Lebensraum plan)
Used schools for propaganda.
How did Nazi policy affect education? •All teachers vetted by local Nazi officials. Any teacher considered disloyal was sacked. •97% of all teachers joined the Nazi Teachers' Association. •Subjects changed i.e. History was based on the glory of Germany. •Jewish children ridiculed and humiliated •Girls taught to focus on Children, Cooking, Church •Big emphasis on PE.
What was the Concordat?
The Pope signed a Concordat with Hitler. He agreed not to interfere in Nazi politics if the Church was left alone.
How did the Nazis change the Church? ► Church
posed a threat to the Nazis. They didn’t want people being loyal to any other organisation. ► Concordat signed with Pope. ► Many Jehovah’s Witnesses were sent to concentration camps. ► In 1936, the Reich Church was created. This did not have the Christian cross as its symbol but the swastika. The Bible was replaced by "Mein Kampf" which was placed on the altar. By it was a sword. Only invited Nazis were allowed to give sermons in a Reich Church.
How did Church resist the Nazi policies? •Many Church leaders went along with the Nazi policies •Martin Niemoller – started Confessional Church •Sent to concentration camp.
The Nazis and the Jews
â–ş Remember,
the Jews were NOT sent to concentration camps immediately!!!
Who were the untermensch? People the Nazis thought were ‘subhuman’ •Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, mentally ill people •Jews persecuted, then sent to ghettoes, then concentration camps •% of Germany's gypsies were killed. Black people were sterilised and killed.
Remember! 1933 – Nazis come to power 1935 – Nuremburg Laws 1938 – Kristallnacht 1939-Final Solution
How were the Jews treated when the Nazis first came to power?
SA stopped people buying from Jewish shops. ► They were marked with yellow star or had “Juden” written on them ► Propaganda against Jews. ► Children at schools taught anti-Semitic ideas ► On buses, trains and park benches, Jews had to sit on seats marked for them. ►
The Nazis and the Jews
â–ş Remember,
the Jews were NOT sent to concentration camps immediately!!!
What were the Nuremburg Laws? Jews no longer German citizens Could not vote
Violence against Jews intensified after this
Forbidden to have relationships with non-Jews
The Nazi Power Structure
The SS – The most powerful organisation Originally Hitler’s private bodyguards ► SchutzStaffel – ‘protection squad’ Until even a built filling in ► At first only1936 500 men, then into an elite force oftooth 50,000 tall blonde, blue-eyed Aryan was enough ‘supermen’ to keepvery a man ► Physical standards strict out ► Fiercely loyal to of Hitler the SS! ► Helped crush SA in Night of Long Knives (became Led blackshirts) ►
a
by Himmler
What did the SS do? ► Terrorised
and intimidated Germans into obedience ► Unlimited power – could arrest people without trial, search houses and confiscate property. ► Ran concentration camps (first ones – trade unionists/communists sent for ‘re-education’) ► When the war began, they had their own fighting units – the Waffen SS
By 1939, they had built up a massive business using their prisoners as slave labour, extracting raw materials and manufacturing weapons.
Remember, they did not become death camps until the later years
Police, court and prisons The Nazis did not get rid of the existing police and prison services; they simply took control of them. Police came under the command of the SS. The Gestapo (secret police) were feared by everyone. There was said to be a Gestapo officer on every street corner, on every bus and in every place of work.
Informers Each town was divided into small units called blocks, which included only a handful of homes. The Block Warden (local Nazi) – visited them weekly, collecting donations and checking up on them. e.g. check they are flying party flag Wrote reports – could be reported to Gestapo
Essay Question – Was life better under the Nazis? (Remember NOW YOU!)
Nazi Party members –happy.
Best houses, preferential treatment, good jobs and
power.
Ordinary people – life was good.
Many Germans even look back today and
remember the ‘30s as happy times. Economic policies had put many people back to work Strength through Joy programme gave some people fun and holidays Law and order had improved New motorways, schools and hospitals had been built Nazi propaganda gave people hope Some negative points – lack of freedom of speech etc but many people thought this was necessary to keep law and order.
Women – some liked Nazi policies.
Financial rewards for mothers and those who got
married. Some women resented having to stay at homes and have children Many women sacked from their jobs.
Essay Question – Was life better under the Nazis? (Remember NOW YOU!) Young people – many enjoyed Hitler Youth. Fun, exciting, made friends. Children treated like they were special and important.
Some children didn’t want to join but had to. Swing Kids etc. Some girls unhappy with emphasis on cooking, church and children. Opponents to the Nazis – life was terrible. Trade unionists, Communists, killed or sent to concentration camps. Anyone who spoke out against Nazis reported to Gestapo. Undesirables – Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, mentally ill – all