Nazi Germany Revision

How did life change under the Nazis?

Economic PolicyHitler came to power during the Great Depression.

What did he promise voters?

“Work and Bread”

What were Hitler’s 3 What were Hitler’s 3 aims for the German aims for the German economy?economy?

• Rearmament (build Rearmament (build up army)up army)

• Make Germany self-Make Germany self-sufficient (make own sufficient (make own goods so they didn’t goods so they didn’t have to rely on other have to rely on other countries)countries)

• Reduce Reduce unemploymentunemployment

What was the German Labour Front (DAF?) [4]

►Organisation to control workers set up by Organisation to control workers set up by Dr Robert LeyDr Robert Ley

►Workers HAD to joinWorkers HAD to join►All other trade unions were bannedAll other trade unions were banned – this – this

was the only one.was the only one.►They decided wages.They decided wages.►Made them work building new Made them work building new

motorways, schools, hospitals etcmotorways, schools, hospitals etc

What was Strength Through Joy? [4]

► Part of DAFPart of DAF► Organised leisure time Organised leisure time

of workers e.g. cheap of workers e.g. cheap theatre trips, cruises, theatre trips, cruises, holidays etc. (Jews holidays etc. (Jews obviously not obviously not welcome)welcome)

► Used for propaganda Used for propaganda for the Nazisfor the Nazis

► All workers All workers encouraged to save for encouraged to save for a Volkswagena Volkswagen

►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.

What was the RAD? [4]

►He did want any potential oppositionHe did want any potential opposition

►He could control workers via the DAF He could control workers via the DAF insteadinstead

►German labour front took away the German labour front took away the right to strike and reduced worker’s payright to strike and reduced worker’s pay

►Many trade unionists imprisoned in Many trade unionists imprisoned in concentration campsconcentration camps

How did Hitler deal with Trade Unions? [4]

Was life better for workers?Was life better for workers?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

Small businesses benefited.

Big businesses benefited

from rearmament

DAF: For many, this

was a lifeline.

“Strength through Joy”

What did the Nazis What did the Nazis think women think women should should concentrate on?concentrate on?

K, K, K – Kinder, Kuche, Kirche

Children, Cooking and Church

How did they encourage women to have children?

PropagandaFinancial rewards – for brides who did not work and for giving birthMotherhood 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 YouthCamping

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.

•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.

How did Nazi policy affect education?

What was the Concordat?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

►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!Remember!1933 – Nazis come 1933 – Nazis come

to powerto power

1935 – Nuremburg 1935 – Nuremburg LawsLaws

1938 – Kristallnacht1938 – Kristallnacht

1939-Final Solution1939-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

►Remember, the Jews were NOT sent to concentration camps immediately!!!

What were the Nuremburg Laws?

Jews no longer German citizensCould not voteForbidden to have relationships with non-Jews

Violence against Jews intensified after

this

The Nazi Power StructureThe Nazi Power Structure

The SS – The most powerful organisationThe SS – The most powerful organisation► Originally Hitler’s private Originally Hitler’s private

bodyguardsbodyguards► SchutzStaffel – ‘protection SchutzStaffel – ‘protection

squad’squad’► At first only 500 men, then At first only 500 men, then

built into an elite force of built into an elite force of 50,000 tall blonde, blue-50,000 tall blonde, blue-eyed Aryan ‘supermen’eyed Aryan ‘supermen’

► Physical standards very Physical standards very strictstrict

► Fiercely loyal to HitlerFiercely loyal to Hitler► Helped crush SA in Night of Helped crush SA in Night of

Long Knives (became Long Knives (became blackshirts)blackshirts)

Led by Himmler

Until 1936 even a filling in a tooth

was enough to keep a man out

of the SS!

What did the SS do?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 By 1939, they had built up a massive business using their prisoners as business using their prisoners as slave labour, extracting raw slave labour, extracting raw materials and manufacturing materials and manufacturing weapons. weapons.

Remember, they did not become

death camps untilthe later years

Police, court and prisonsPolice, court and prisonsThe Nazis did not get rid of the existing The Nazis did not get rid of the existing

police and prison services; they simply police and prison services; they simply took control of them.took control of them.

Police came under the command of the Police came under the command of the SS.SS.

The Gestapo The Gestapo (secret police) were feared by (secret police) were feared by everyone. There was said to be a Gestapo everyone. There was said to be a Gestapo officer on every street corner, on every officer on every street corner, on every bus and in every place of work.bus and in every place of work.

InformersInformersEach town was divided into small units called Each town was divided into small units called

blocks, which included only a handful of blocks, which included only a handful of homes. homes.

The Block Warden (local Nazi) – visited them The Block Warden (local Nazi) – visited them weekly, collecting donations and checking weekly, collecting donations and checking up on them. e.g. check they are flying up on them. e.g. check they are flying party flagparty flag

Wrote reports – could be reported to GestapoWrote 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 workStrength through Joy programme gave some people fun and holidaysLaw and order had improvedNew motorways, schools and hospitals had been builtNazi propaganda gave people hopeSome 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 childrenMany 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 persecuted.