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The Nazi Dictatorship 1933-1939 - Coggle Diagram
The Nazi Dictatorship 1933-1939
the Terror State
instruments of the police were vital for maintaining control over Germany
the police
a new division, Sipo (Security Police) combined the Kripo and Gestapo
Kriminalpolizei: (Kripo) plain clothes police investigating ordinary crimes
Reinhard Heydrich oversaw it and answered to Himmler
Ordnungspolizei: (Orpo) conventional, municipal uniformed police
in 1936 all Länder police forces were unified into a national force under Himmler, who was answerable only to Hitler
the SS
Death's Head Units ran concentration camps and Panzers (tank) units
SS-WVHA (economic branch) ran over 150 firms
Waffen SS (elite military units) grew vital to the Wehrmacht
the SS organised extermination camps and controlled much of Germany's conquered territories in WW2
the SS was the main instrument of terror, with a wide range of roles. By 1939, the SS had 240,000 members across various organisations
the Gestapo
acted against Jews, left-wingers, trade unionists, homosexuals, undesirables and critics of the regime. As racial legislation developed, the Gestapo's role grew
its agents infiltrated suspected opposition groups and monitored non-conforming individuals but also relied heavily on informants and denunciations
investigated crimes against the Third Reich including treason, spying and sabotage. They sent thousands to concentration camps without trial, calling it "protective custody"
the SD
the SD focused in information gathering. It investigated and rooted out enemies (real or potential) of the Third Reich. There was no right of appeal
the SD reported on public opinion and could investigate or monitor anyone it suspected of being an "enemy of the state". It had an extensive network of informants
the SD was the internal security or secret service, considered an elite. They were responsible for the security of the Third Reich
Reinhard Heydrich, and therefore Himmler, oversaw the SD
the Courts
under Hitler's dictatorship, the courts were manipulated to favour the Nazi regime
Oath of Loyalty
existing judges had to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler
under a new penal code, judges' decisions must reflect the will of the people, and could be replaced
new courts
New People's Courts and special courts were set up alongside traditional courts
because of this, judges who went against the government's wishes were easily bypassed
agencies outside the law
new specialist agencies were given their own powers to enforce policies
the Gestapo and SS operated outside the legal system
punishments
punishments were arbitrary and there was no right of appeal in some courts
Opposition
there was opposition to the Nazi regime, revealed in studies of local archives as well as from oral history projects. Furthermore, opposition came in many forms and there were also varying degrees of compliance with the government
Protestant opposition
the Confessional Church broke away from the Nazi Church
Martin Niemöller and Dietrich Bonhöffer were members of the Confessional Church arrested for criticising the Nazi regime
Bonhöffer taught trainee ministers to resist Nazism and condemned the Nuremberg laws
Catholic opposition
Catholic bishop von Galen criticised the regime, but he was seen as too popular to punish
in 1937, the Pope publicly criticised the Nazi government for breaking the concordat, harassing priests, and its idolatry of the German state and race
the Catholic church spoke out against key Nazi policies such as forced sterilisation
political opposition
the Düsseldorf Gestapo reported from 1936. The KPD and SPD used word of mouth plus setting up cells in factories, sports clubs etc to encourage opposition
a 1937 Gestapo report says that such "propaganda" was having some success
the SPD and KPD operated underground; the SPD in exile (SOPADE) had groups in industrial towns distributing leaflets
the Kreisau Circle was a small group of conservative monarchists formed in 1933 from army officers and aristocrats who opposed Hitler
everyday opposition
however, many denunciations were on spurious, personal grounds, based in grudges or jealousies rather than political accusations
a random sample from the Düsseldorf Gestapo shows a decline in recorded dissident behaviour after 1937
the regime relied quite heavily on denunciation. local studies show 50-80% of investigations were as a result of denunciation
humour (making jokes about Hitler) was another important means of opposition
Extent of Totalitarianism
the traditional view of Nazi Germany was that it was a totalitarian state supported by terror. Recently historians have argued that there were more people supporting, or cooperating with, the regime than previously thought
totalitarian
it was a one-party state with one Führer who was both president, chancellor and, from 1938, commander of all armed forces
the state controlled the forces of repression, censorship and propaganda
Gleichschaltung: Nazi influence was present in almost every aspect of daily life and society e.g. school curriculum, KDF and youth movements
no real opposition
in any totalitarian state there are elements of opposition. The issue is how effectively it was dealt with. Instances of opposition were isolated and low key
resistance to the Nazi regime was very limited as most Germans supported it, or at least took no action against it. How completely these people believed in Nazism cannot be measured
people's courts and directing judges to rule according to the "will of the people" sidelined opposition
not totally totalitarian
historians argue the Gestapo was much weaker than previously thought, more reliant on its reputation and co-operation from the German people
evidence of Gestapo activities shows it often relied upon denunciations from the German people, as it did not have sufficient staff
at most there were 30,000 Gestapo officers for 65,000,000 people
small scale opposition
political
the Gestapo's own reports say that KPD and SPD propaganda was having an effect from 1936 after tactics were changed
youth movements
Edelweiss Pirates and Swing groups
religious
the Confessional Church broke away from the Reich Church
the Catholic Church openly criticised the Nazi Regime (1937 papal encyclical)
euthanasia programmes were kept secret due to concerns about public opinion
military
until the dismissal of over 100 generals in 1938, Hitler was very wary of the army
Propaganda
mechanisms of propaganda
organisation
Goebbels headed Nazi Germany's propaganda machine. It had 3 parts
the Reich Chamber of Culture was to promote Germanic, Völkisch culture. Membership was compulsory for anyone involved in arts, culture or the media
the NSDAP Central Propaganda Office
the RMVP (Reich Ministry for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda) controlled propaganda, arts and entertainment
methods of control
the RMVP controlled all aspects of the media and the arts in a variety of ways
controlling those who could work in the media and the arts
overseeing what the media and the arts produced
direct of part ownership
dealing with non-conformists
licenses were issued to approved writers, artists, musicians etc and could be revoked. Without a license, you could not work
the RMVP gradually bought shares in German film production companies
forms of propaganda
the Nazi propaganda machine, under Goebbels, was very pervasive. Everyone was exposed to Nazi propaganda
radio
in April 1934 the Nazis created a unified German radio system and purged it of all the usual undesirable elements
it controlled all radio content
cheap radios were subsidised by the Nazi party. They had limited range and only picked up 1 station
by 1939, 70% of German households owned one
most output was light entertainment or news
every district had loud speakers to broadcast speeches by Nazi leaders
printed word
book burnings
book burnings were not effective but were highly symbolic
books burned included all Jewish, left wing, liberal, democratic, traitors and foreign authors, as well as anything deemed to criticise the German Volk
press
the Reich Association of the German Press had lists of acceptable editors and journalists
the RMVP controlled content through the Press Agency
local newspapers were harder to control, but the Nazis' publishing firm (Eher Verlag) took over most titles. In 1939 they controlled 69% of newspapers
the Arts
visual arts
artwork portrayed superior, heroic Aryans or idyllic family life
landscapes often shower rural Volk and the land they worked ("Blood and Soil")
degenerate art was banned, including abstract and surreal art. Artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, communists and Jewish artists were banned too
architecture
public buildings were to be a lasting memorial to the 1000 Year Reich
both their outside and inside space would be experienced by thousands daily
sports, rallies and festivals
Nuremberg rallies were filmed and shown on newsreels. It was hoped people would be filled with enthusiasm for Nazism, especially when addressed by Hitler
festivals celebrating key dates in Nazi history were introduced, such as the Nazi's seizure of power (30 January), Hitler's birthday (20 April) and the Munich Putsch (9 November)
the 1936 Berlin Olympics were an international propaganda opportunity
films
film was not usually overtly used as propaganda. Its value was in keeping the masses entertained. However there were also newsreels before all feature films which were full of propaganda
about 1/6 of feature films were propaganda e.g. Jud Süss (1940).
Leni Riefenstahl was the most famous producer. She also made films of festivals, rallies like Triumph of the Will (1935) about the Nuremberg Rally and Olympia (1938) about the 1936 Berlin Olympics