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Opposition, resistance and conformity in Nazi Germany (Opposition of young…
Opposition, resistance and conformity in Nazi Germany
extent of support for the Nazi Regime
The Army
1938 - Hitler removed generals who criticised his foreign policy aims - removed Blomberg, Fritsch & von Brauchitsch
late 1938 - some army leaders planned to overthrow Hitler but following his successful takeover of parts of Czechoslovakia, the plan was set aside
Hitler removed 16 generals & tightened his grip on the army
Assassination attempts
three attempts to assassinate Hitler before 1939
A bunch of students planned to kill him in 1935-36 but plans came to nothing
Maurice Bavaud, a student, tried to shoot Hitler at the annual Nazi parade in Munich but to take a shot because he did not want to injure other Nazi leaders
November 1939 - Georg Elser planted a bomb in the Beer Hall (where the 1923 Putsch had started) where Hitler was speaking, but Hitler left early. The bomb exploded and killed several people. Elser despised the Nazi regime because it had taken basic liberties from ordinary people
Opposition: Years 1933-39, 1.3 million sent to concentration camps in Germany indicating lots of opposition. 300,000 left Germany to live in other countries
Many benefited from the Nazi Regime and were supporting. Economic success started to override the Depression. Germany's international standing grew. Some were happy to see Communists and other parties removed
Opposition of young people to the Nazis
Edelweiss Pirates
Listened to forbidden swing music and painted anti-Nazi graffiti on walls
They had badges, either with an edelweiss flower or scull & crossbones
They wore clothes frowned upon by the Nazis such as checked shirts, dark short trousers and white socks
earliest record of the group was 1934 and in 1939 they had 2000 members
they were not a specific unified group but simply a loose band across many cities
in Cologne they were called Navajos, Dusseldorf had the Kittelbach Pirates and Essen had the Roving Dudes
The Pirates ended tended to be working class youths
They created no-go areas for the Hitler Youth in their cities
Despite their activities, the Nazi authorities did not consider the Pirates to be a serious threat in the years to 1939
The Swing Youth
other people who challenged the Nazis became known as the 'swing groups' and tended to come from the middle classes
they took part in activities that were not approved by the Nazis e.g. swing music
Nazis hated swing music because it was non-German and developed by black people & the Jews
They rebelled against the order and discipline of the Nazis
Swing boys often grew their hair long and girls wore make-up, using bright colours on their nails and lips
although many joined the Hitler Youth, it was not popular with some of its members and not all young people accepted the Nazi ideas
mid 1930s - gangs appeared on streets. They played their own music and boys and girls were free to be together
Many grew their hair long and wore their own choice of clothes to rebel against the regimentation of Nazi ideas
Some looked for members of the Hitler Youth and beat them up