Question

Kershaw’s view on the success of Hitler’s aim in creating the Volksgemeinschaft in Germany 1933-39. Explain why you agree or disagree with his opinion.

Introduction to Volksgemeinschaft

• Volksgemeinschaft essentially means National Community. Hitler wanted all ethnic Germans who were genetically pure to come together into one community to be the superior dominating race in the world. Those in Germany, who were not ethnically German, possessed communist, homosexual, Jewish or Romany values would be excluded from this community, put in concentration camps, removed from any high office and discriminated against. Volksgemeinschaft also involved a sense of hyper-Nationalism and racism in that Hitler wanted people to believe that they should be proud to be part of the Volksgemeinschaft and wanted people to be predigest against those who were not as racially pure or genetically superior.

Kershaw's View

• “There was some penetration of Nazi values and attitudes but the regime’s social propaganda made little serious dent in traditional class loyalties particularly among older industrial workers…The hold of the church and clergy over the population was often strengthened by the Nazis religious policies… Even in their attempt to inculcate the people with their race ideas, central Nazi ideology, appears to have had only limited success. Enhancement of existing prejudices to outsiders, especially Jews occurred…Much suggests that the Nazis made their greatest impact on the young, but even here the regime only had partial success”

Agree

• Point: I agree with Kershaw’s view on Volksgemeinschaft as Volksgemeinschaft was successful but it only had limited success and it made greatest impact on young people

• Evidence: “Even in their attempt to inculcate the people with their race ideas, central Nazi ideology, appears to have had only limited success. Enhancement of existing prejudices to outsiders, especially Jews occurred…Much suggests that the Nazis made their greatest impact on the young, but even here the regime only had partial success”

• Explanation: Hitler and the Third Reich intended on using several different techniques, policies and pieces of propaganda in order to try and achieve the people’s community known as the Volksgemeinschaft in the years prior to the war. However in Hitler's ideal Volksgemeinschaft there was no place for Jews, Gypsies or the mentally ill, but only for the “pure” Germans. Further more Volksgemeinschaft had more impact on young adults because of hitler youth which was compulsory. By making this compulsory it would likely be effective as younger minds are much more easily influenced than adults would be. 

Disagree • Point: I disagree with Kershaws point of view on Volksgemeinschaft as they might

believe Volksgemeinschaft had great success• Evidence: by 1940 Holland, Poland, Norway, Denmark and Belgium had all been

defeated without failure. • Explanation: The Lebensraum was a great success as far as contributing towards the

Volksgemeinschaft goes; by 1940 Holland, Poland, Norway, Denmark and Belgium had all been defeated without failure. This was a huge boost for confidence for the German people as they had not yet heard any signs of failure. This had a positive impact, meaning that people would have more confidence in Hitler and in the Hitler myth. With confidence increasing, in the years 1939-40, there would have been a more loyal feel to Germany, exactly what Hitler had aimed for in the Volksgemeinschaft. Another one of the Third Reich’s tools to gain support in the Volksgemeinschaft was through the Hitler Youth which was made compulsory in 1939. This used ideology that promoted boys to be soldiers, and for girls to be as fit as they can be in order to mother as many children as possible.

Conclusion

• Agree: In conclusion Volksgemeinschaft only had limited success as it excluded a lot of people living in Germany so it wasn't really the whole German community. If you were not a part of it, it was hard for you to even live in Germany as jobs were near enough impossible to get. Furthermore Volksgemeinschaft had most impact on young people and not so much on the adults.

• Disagree: In conclusion Volksgemeimschaft was successful as by 1940 Germany had defeated other countries giving Germany a lot of confidence also Volksgemenschaft did what Hitler aimed to do for Germany. Furthermore this had a huge impact on young people leaving the boys to become soldiers for Germany and girls to become fit enough to become mum for as many children as possible.