Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
The opposition during the Third Reich - Coggle Diagram
The opposition during the Third Reich
Opposition from the Left
After gaining significant electoral support in 1932, the KPD was rapidly broken
KPD leader was arrested among with other leading party members, declaring the party structure ineffective
The leaders who evaded capture build of opposition in France and others stayed in Berlin to form resistance
KDP distributed anti-Nazi propaganda, but this was a little threat
Arrests of KDP members continue and the morale within drops
However, KDP did not believe in the stability of Hitler's regime, thus didn't organise any armed insurrection which played right into Nazi's hands
1935, Moscow expressed its hostility towards the "social fascism" of NSDAP and tried to unify opposing forces
However, this was too little too late, and the opposing forces (mainly KDP) was unable to do anything at this point due to its ruined structure
The "cooperation" between the forces suffering from Nazis was also happening in meetings in foreign capitals, thus no internal opposition
After the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939 (Nazi troops fighting on the side of the Spanish fascists, USSR aiding the republican left-wing communist government), Moscow and Berlin signed a non-aggression pact, which brought great confusion for the KPD
When Hitler attacked USSR in 1941, the German communists in exile (SPD and KPD) renewed resistance under Stalin's orders, but made little to no difference inside Germany
Additionally, SPD and KPD were still skeptical of working with each other and Stalin's interests seemed to be about protecting Moscow, not liberating Germany from Nazism
SPD opposition
After the ban, SPD took action in exile, trying to spread anti-Nazi propaganda, which proved a little more than an irritant
Gestapo was a formidable force and arrested SPD members, and the improving economic conditions in Germany also decreased support for SPD
SPD meetings were low-key and didn't bring seriious resistance
Communist groups
Groups of communist/communist symphatisers, such as the Home Front (trying to disrupt war production) and the Red Orchestra (infiltrated Nazi governments as ministries to pass details to the USSR) had a small impact and were often rounded by the Gestapo
Also, supporting the USSR during WW2 was an unattractive option for German communists
Opposition by the military
Pledged their loyalty to Hitler in 1934 after the elimination of Röhm
Rejecting the military restrictions of the Versailles and the removal of the Röhm threat helped to gain the support of the army
However, as the army numbers increased, so did Nazi officers and the influence of the professional officer class diminished, which was what they had tried to avoid with Röhm
In the late 1930s, the groups within the miltiary entered an alliance with conservative German politicians who didn't support the repressive nature (persecution of the Churches and anti-Semitism) of the regime
Any opposition was accordingly dealt with and Hitler assumed the supreme command of the armed forces
Bound by their personal oath, the professional officer corps were reluctant to challenge Hitler even in the face of the continuing Nazification of the army
Beck-Goerdeler coup
The conspirators were worried about the possibility of war over the Sudetenland issue and by 1941, participants consisted of military and nationalist supporters
However, due to the successful nature of the war, the support of the regime increased, but then again in 1943 when the tables turned against Germany, the group attracted more support and established contact with the British and France
Abwehr (the intelligence service of the German Foreign Police) also involved
However, regarded with suspicion by Britain and USA and the group's values reflected the monarchical and Wilhelmian beliefs
Six attempted assassination attempts on Hitler, most known one being the Operation Valkyrie (The July Bomb Plot), which Hitler survived and executed the perpetrators
Opposition from the Catholic Church
The political representatives of Catholic Church in Germany were the Zentrum/BVP, who helped to pass the Enabling Bill and voluntarily dissolve after Hitler promised to not interfere in Church affairs in exchange Church would abstain from interfering in political life
The Catholic Church representative behind the negotitations was also an admirer of Hitler's anti-Marxist beliefs
Religious political parties were voluntarily dismantled and the Vatican gave its support to Hitler
Catholic Church found itself disappointed
By the principals of
Gleichschaltung
, all institutions including the Church were subjugated under the Nazi rule
Hitler went also went back on earlier promises to allow Catholic schools and youth groups and limited Catholic religious education , press and youth groups
Regardless, no active challenge from the Vatican (excluding some individuals) to the brutality of the regime towards minorities such as Jews and political groups of the Left
Opposition from the Protestant Churches
Ludwig Muller and the "German Christians" tried to transform the Protestant Church into preaching about German national religion in the service of the Nazi state, i.e. stripping the study of the Old Testament ("a Jewish book"
Resentment by evangelical ministers, however, they were more resistant to the Nazis' interference in the Church affairs rather than to National Socialism
Most clergy remained silent about the persecution of the Jews and the aggressive Nazi expansionism, and those who spoke were put into concentration camps
Youth/student opposition
Youngsters showed resistance to the regime by leafleting, dressing up nonconformist and listening to "non-Aryan music", which were relatively small things, but some still paid a heavy price for it
in 1942 to 43, the group called "White Rose" started spreading flyers calling for peace and for passive resistance to the state, inspired by the horrors of the campaign against civilians in USSR and Christian beliefs
The subsequent arrests and executions of the members were used as propaganda by the Allies, but the impact was limited on Nazi war effort
Groups such as the Edelweiss Pirates were resistant to the official youth group, Hitler Youth
Opposition from Jehova's Witnesses
Were regarded as "non-German", thus banned soon after the Nazis came to power
Refused to do the Hitler salute or join Nazi organisations, but the impact was small due to the small number of Jehovas