Nazi Germany
Revision Guide
How Hitler increased his power in 1933
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The Enabling Law which allowed Hitler to pass laws without the approval of the Reichstag.
o Reichstag fire of 1933 was exploited by the Nazis to justify an attack on the KPD (Communists).
o The Law for the Protection of the People and State (Feb 33) ended all civil liberties which had been
guaranteed by the Weimar Constitution.
o Deal with the Centre Party which helped the Nazis get the 2/3 majority they needed to pass the
Enabling Act.
o March 1933 election – Intimidation was used to get support for the Enabling Act.
o Enabling act gave Hitler the power to act as a dictator.
o The Enabling Act ended the Democratic Weimar Republic.
o The Law against the formation of new parties (banned all opposition parties).
o A one party state was declared.
o The Nazi party won just under half the votes in the Reichstag elections.
o Hitler abolished the Trade Unions.
How Hitler dealt with opposition in 1933
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Communists blamed for Reichstag fire and Communist deputies (politicians) imprisoned.
Weimar system of govt. in the German states (i.e. local areas) was replaced by strict Nazi control from the
Central Govt.
All political parties were disbanded in June and July 1933 – creating a one party Nazi state.
Trade Unions were abolished and replaced by the German Labour Front (DAF)
Night of the Long Knives – 30th June 1934
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The elite in Germany (especially the army and big businesses) were unhappy at the actions of the SA
in 1933 and 1934.
The army was alarmed at Ernst Röhm’s aim to merge the 2 million members of the SA with the army
to form a ‘people’s army (Röhm was considered a threat and an embarrassment).
Hitler took action against Röhm, the other leaders of the SA and the 400 political opponents –
arrested and killed them.
This event increased Hitler’s power and Nazi links with the Reichswehr (army) after which the army
took a personal oath of allegiance (loyalty) to Hitler.
It was a warning to potential opponents not to oppose Hitler and the Nazis.
How the Lives of Workers Changed
Public Works and RAD
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Public work schemes had been set up by the Weimar republic to build houses, schools etc.
The Nazis expanded and reorganised the National Labour Service (RAD) 80,000 employed in building motorways.
From 1935 all 18-25 year olds had to spend 6 months on RAD work and only paid pocket money.
The RAD scheme was organised on military lines with the workers wearing uniforms and drilling like soldiers.
The Public work schemes took millions off the unemployment figures which fell from 6 million in Jan 1933 to 1
million in Jan 1938.
The unemployed were forced to join the army and the RAD schemes.
Workers had to work long hours for little money.
Could not leave their place of employment without permission.
Trade Unions were abolished and people had to join the DAF (German Labour Front).
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Rearmament and Conscription
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In 1935 the Nazis introduced conscription which reduced unemployment by 1.4 million by 1939.
In 1936 Hitler began a programme of rearmament developed by Göring’s Four-Year Plan.
Hundreds of thousands of jobs were created in munitions factories (where ammunitions were made), iron works,
coal mines etc.
KDF (Strength Through Joy)
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When the Nazis banned the trade unions in 1933 workers lost the right to negotiate better wages and conditions
in the new RAD schemes, though they now had secure jobs.
The KDF scheme was promoted to gain Nazi control of workers’ lives and to control their leisure time.
The campaign gave workers cheap holidays, concerts, sporting facilities etc.
The Nazis also promised workers the Volkswagen, an affordable car for the German worker. In reality few
workers received them and the standard of living for most German workers in the 1930s remained quite low.
How Hitler dealt with Unemployment
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RAD gave unemployed men jobs
Job creation schemes funded by the state e.g. building new roads meant that unemployment fell from 6 million in
1933 to 1 million in 1936
Introduction of conscription in 1935 – one million men were involved by 1939 – thus reducing the unemployment
figures
The sacking of women and Jews provided job opportunities for others
The policy of rearmament after 1936 led to employment in the manufacture of weapons: guns, planes and tanks.
Self sufficiency – growth of jobs in new industries
How the lives of women changed
Nazi beliefs about women
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Women should see children, cooking and the church as the most important elements in their lives (the 3 Ks)
Nazis felt that women’s primary role was as a wife and mother
Nazis believed that women should produce the new Aryan race
Changes to women’s lives/Nazi actions towards women
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Professional women were expected to give up their jobs
The Motherhood Cross was introduced to women who had a lot of children – Bronze for 4 children, silver for 6,
gold for 8
Marriage loans were introduced 1,000 marks a ¼ of which could be kept for each child born (therefore if you had
4 children you had no debt to repay)
Lebensborn were established (homes for unmarried mothers so that they could have more children by racially
pure SS men)
Women were encouraged not to wear make up and not to diet
How the lives of the youth changed
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The Nazis placed great importance on the loyalty of young people to the Nazi regime and encouraged them to join
Nazi Youth Movements – this became compulsory by 1939
Schools encouraged loyalty to the Nazi regime – the curriculum was changed to indoctrinate young people with
Nazi beliefs such as anti-semitism
Special schools were run by the SS to train future Nazi leaders
Some youth rebelled such as the Eidelweiss Pirates and the Swing Youth.
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Boys steered towards acceptance of war whilst girls were steered towards motherhood and homecraft
Hitler Youth (train boys for war), League of German Maidens (prepare girls for motherhood and homecraft)
How the Nazis control the Churches in Germany
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Signed a Concordat with the Catholic Church 1933
Church youth organisations were banned
Set up the Reich Church led by Bishop Muller to support the Nazi regime
Arrested church leaders such as Pastor Niemoller of the Confessional Church
How the lives of the Jews changed
Nazi beliefs about Jews
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Believed that Jews were an inferior race to Aryans
Felt that Jews were responsible for Germany’s defeat in WWI and therefore responsible for the Treaty of
Versailles
Felt that Jews in German society were making it weak
Changes to the lives of Jews/Nazi actions towards Jews
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1933 – Boycott of Jewish owned shops
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Sacking of Jews from professional jobs and the civil service
1935 - Nuremburg Laws Jews had their German citizenship taken away and were not allowed to marry or have
sexual relationships with Germans
1938 – Kristallnacht – destruction of Jewish businesses and synagogues
Jews had to wear the Star of David and had to add Sarah or Israel to their names
Jewish children were humiliated in the classrooms
Passports were stamped with the letter J indicating you were a Jew
How the Nazis used Propaganda
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Education and indoctrination of young people – changes in the school curriculum: textbooks and burning of books
Radio was controlled by the Nazis, listening to foreign stations was banned, radio wardens to check if people
were listening to official broadcasts, loudspeakers to make broadcasts in public places
Nazi controlled newspapers – strict censorship
Mass demonstrations and rallies e.g. Nuremburg rallies
Cinema showed Nazi propaganda films, newsreels at beginning of show.
The Police State
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SS removed the threat to Hitler from Rohm and the SA leadership by murdering them in the Night of the Long
Knives. After this the SS became the main police force in Nazi Germany
SS operated as a ‘State within a State’ with its own schools, factories and even ‘race farms’ to produce perfect
Aryan children
SS and Gestapo (secret police) eliminated all opposition, arresting opponents, questioning them under torture,
sending them to concentration camps or simply executing them.
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Opposition to the Nazis
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The Catholic Archbishop of Munster, von Galen, led a successful campaign to end euthanasia of mentallydisabled people.
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Some Catholic priests opposed Hitler. In 1937, the Pope's message 'With Burning Concern' attacked Hitler
as 'a mad prophet with repulsive arrogance' and was read in every Catholic church.
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The White Rose group was formed by students at Munich University. They published anti-Nazi leaflets, but
were discovered and executed in 1943.
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A paramilitary wing of the Social Democratic Party, called the Reichsbanner, sabotaged railway lines and
acted as spies.
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During the war, 'swing' groups were formed. These were young people who rejected Nazi values, drank
alcohol and danced to jazz. More violent groups were called the Edelweiss Pirates. They daubed anti-Nazi
slogans, sheltered deserters and beat up Nazi officials. In 1944, the Cologne Pirates (the Edelweiss Pirates
based in Cologne) killed the Gestapo chief, so the Nazis publicly hanged 12 of them.
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Many Protestant pastors, led by Martin Niemöller, formed the Confessional Church in opposition to Hitler's
Reich Church. Niemöller was held in a concentration camp during the period 1937-1945. Another Protestant
pastor, Dietrich Bonhöffer, took part in the 1944 bomb plot and was executed.
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In 1944, a group of army officers and intellectuals called the Kreisau Circle tried to bomb Hitler (This was
known as Operation Valkyrie.) The bomb was planted by Colonel Stauffenberg. It exploded, but Hitler
survived. In retaliation, 5,000 people were executed.
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