Living Under Hitler 1933-1939 The historian, Simpson argued that Hitler’s Nazi policy was so successful by 1939 that it controlled over ‘almost every social, professional and economic organisation and institution in Germany’. He did this by using the ‘carrot and the stick’, meaning he used a combination of reward and intimidation to keep control over the German people. In this unit you will learn the methods used by Hitler and the Nazis to control the people. This will include: Tactics of fear and intimidation The ‘Carrot’ of economic recovery Propaganda, rallies and militarism The persecution of the Jews Nazi Education and youth policy Eliminating or controlling opposition 1. Why did the Historian Simpson argue that Hitler was successful between 1933- and 1939? 2. Make a bullet point showing the methods used by Hitler and the Nazis to control the people of Germany. Nazi control of civilian life THE CARROT THE STICK What would you respond to? The term ‘carrot and stick’ is used to describe how Hitler controlled the people of Germany as it includes the rewards the people of Germany received if they acquiesced and the consequences if they went against Hitler. The skill of the Nazis success was to balance these two factors as a means of encouraging or enforcing loyalty. 1 The Stick The threat of intimidation was a reality for many German people and as a result they were frightened into accepting the Nazis. The Gestapo and concentration camps instilled the most fear as these were run by the SS, Hitler’s personal elite soldiers. The Gestapo was set up in 1933 by one of Hitler’s most trusted men, Hermann Goering. Over 45,000 joined the Gestapo as spies and 160,000 agents or informers supplied information on people they suspected of going against the Nazis. If someone was suspected of going against Nazism whole families could be arrested and sent to a concentration camp without warning or a trail. As a result people sent along with the Nazis as they genuinely feared the Gestapo and being sent to concentration camps. The Gestapo was also responsible for rounding up Jews and Communists as they were seen to be enemies of the German state. The use of torture was common and feared by many as Source A shows. Source A: An extract from the memoirs, Ernest Theaelmann a Communist leader. They ordered me to take off my trousers and then two men grabbed me by the back of the neck and pushed me onto a footstool. A uniformed Gestapo officer beat me with a whip across my bare back whilst another held my mouth shut and beat me with a stick. 1. Describe the role of the Gestapo in intimidating people into following the Nazis. 2. How effective do you think the Gestapo were in controlling the people of Germany. Give evidence and reasons to support your answer Heinrich Himmler was head of the SS, his most well known roles was during the Night of the Long Knives. He was powerful and his SS soldiers were the most feared of all the Nazis. They were selected for their Aryan qualities as they were seen to be the most ideal for running Hitler’s master race. They ran the SS and controlled concentration camps. 2 Dachau Germany’s first concentration camp opened in within one month of Hitler coming to power. They were meant to be temporary places of arrest until the regime could ‘re- educate’ offenders. Instead, they became a tool of terror, greatly feared by the masses. Nazi propaganda convinced the people that these prisoners were housing ‘enemies of the state’ which effectively sanctioned the mistreatment of inmates. Communists, Jews and men of the cloth were sent to the camps for opposing the Nazi state; most never returned. 3. 4. 5. 6. Who were the SS and what was their role? What was concentration camp meant to be? Why were people scared of the camps? In three bullet points, list what you have learned. E.g. The Nazis used tactics of _______ to control the ________ Task Across a double page in your jotter, draw a donkey or stick the picture provided in the centre of the page. Draw a carrot in front of its mouth and a stick hitting the donkey at the back. Near your stick list the ways in which the people of Germany were intimidated by the Nazis. Nazi Economic Policy Hitler’s rise to power occurred during the worst economic depression known in German history. Unemployment stood at 25.9 % and the standard of living experience by the average German was very poor. However, by 1939 unemployment had fallen to 1% and wages had increased significantly. Goebbels claimed that the Nazi economic policy was a ‘miracle’. You will study the evidence and decide whether it was a real miracle by looking at the German Labour Front which controlled most of the workforce and the Strength Through Joy (Kdf) organisation which influenced the private leisure time of the German people. In this way, it can be argued that the Nazis used economic carrots to maintain the support of the people. 3 1. Why did Goebbels claim the Nazi economic policy was a miracle? 2. What two carrots will you study to examine Hitler’s economic miracle? The German Labour Front replaced trade unions in 1933 and members gained an extra day’s holiday as well as protection from being sacked. This was then followed by The German Labour Service known as RAD was in 1935. All men aged 16- 25 had to work for the government for 6 months. Workers wore military style uniforms and many felt the government was giving them an opportunity to work together in building a stronger and better Germany. Between 1933 and 1936 over 5 billion Reich marks was spent on public programme construction projects such as the autobahn (motorway) network. However, with no trade unions workers could not campaign for higher wages or better working conditions. Plus, workers for the Labour Front could not leave a job without permission from the government. Working hours also increased from 60 to 72 per week and books were kept on each worker keeping records of their timekeeping and behaviour. If a worker was not seen to be performing or making an effort he could be sacked. This made it difficult for workers to find other jobs. Sources B and C show how some people felt about the Labour Front. Source B is from an interview with a member of the German Labour Front in 1938 I joined the party because I thought and still think Hitler did the greatest work for Germany in 25 years. I saw 7 million men rotting on the streets- I was one of them. When Hitler came to power, he took them off the streets and gave them job security. Source C was written by an American journalist living in Germany during the 1930s. Businessman cheered the way Hitler put workers in their place as this allowed them to make good profits. There were no more demands for higher wages and there were no strikes. Wages were actually reduced by 25%, even though the cost of the living increased. As a result many people found it difficult to make ends meet. 4 By the end of 1932, German unemployment started to decline as a result of the upturn in the world economy after the Wall St crash. Additional work for German men was also found in jobs previously occupied or performed by Jews or women. Many young men were also conscripted into the Army. Their numbers were not included in the unemployment figures. Predictably, the Nazi government took credit for this. So the Nazis manipulated the figures to make it look that unemployment was decreasing down to their economic policies. 1. Go back to your Donkey image. Draw one carrot and bullet point how the German Labour Front and Service encouraged the people to support the Nazis. 2. Using evidence in Sources B and C ; What supports the view that the Nazis did perform an economic miracle? What supports the view that the Nazis did not perform an economic miracle? (N4: 5m / N5 6m) 3. How far do you agree that the Nazis performed an economic miracle? (N4 4m / N5 5m) You must use evidence from the sources as well as your own knowledge in your answer. Credit pupils must give a balanced answer. Source D: KdF propaganda poster, 1937 The Nazi government used organisations such as Strength through Joy (Kdf) to control the leisure time of German workers. They offered cheap holidays in order to attract support. Two cruise liners were built to take people to the Canary Islands and the coast of Norway. Families were also offered weekend hiking holidays as well as affordable people’s car called the Volkswagen. By 1938, over 180,000 had been on a holiday or cruise with the organisation. However, no one received a car, even though they paid 5 marks month towards it. Obviously no one dared to complain. 5 4. Turn back to your Donkey image and draw another carrot. Add how the Strength Through Joy organisation encouraged the German people to support the Nazis. Enquiry Skills 5. How fully does Source D show why the German people supported the Nazis? (N4 4m / N5 5m) You must use evidence and recall in your answer Propaganda, Rallies and Militarism Propaganda Propaganda is very different from advertising as it is meant to make you think or feel a particular way. It is a biased or one sided view that exaggerates the truth. Censorship is when information to the people is controlled by either removing or changing the content. In Germany propaganda was used to make people believe what the Nazis wanted them to believe. Censorship ensured the message was clear. Huge rallies and marches were held to celebrate Nazi rule and its successes, over time these rallies became more military and patriotic in style with the use of flags, uniforms and drums. Under the direction of Josef Goebbels, propaganda and censorship was used to sell Nazi ideology to the people. It was called the ‘Ministry of Popular Enlightenment’ and its task was indoctrinating the people by presenting no alternative view or criticism of Nazi views or ideas. “The task of the state is to simplify complicated ways of thinking so even the smallest man on the street can understand”. 6 Source D: Goebbels Book Burning Campaign, Berlin 1933 There was never anything negative allowed to printed or seen. Newspapers could only report what the Ministry allowed them to and even music, cinema and theatre was censored. ‘Good Germans’ were also encouraged to burn books that disapproved of the Nazis or their ideas. The Source D shows university students burning over 20,000 books written by Jews and Communists. Without television, many Germans depended on the radio for news. By 1939, over 70% of German homes had a radio and this was no accident. The Nazis made thousands of cheap radios with limited range. As a result, listeners could only pick up local Nazi stations so they never heard any foreign or anti Nazi views. One of Hitler’s advisors said the ‘radio deprived 80 million people of the ability to think for themselves’. Even workers were ordered to stop working to listen to Hitler’s propaganda. Source E is a notice from a local newspaper in Frankfurt, 1934 Attention! The Fuhrer is speaking on the radio. On Wednesday 21 March between 11.00 and 11.50. The District Party Headquarters has ordered that all factory owners, department stores, offices, shops, pubs, blocks of flats put up loudspeakers an hour before the broadcast...so that the whole workforce can participate. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is propaganda? What is censorship? What was the aim of Nazi propaganda? Why did Goebbels want all information censored? Bullet point or draw a mind map to show what the Ministry censored? Use Images! 6. How important was the radio in selling Nazi ideas? Homework Page 16 7 Rallies Every September the Nazis held huge rallies at Nuremburg. Thousands of people attended to celebrate German successes. Mock battles and military parades were organised to encourage a sense of belonging and pride in the German nation and Nazi ideology. Nazi flags hypnotised the crowd whist thundering drums and blasting trumpets flooded the air. People cheered and waited for the main speaker; Hitler, to take the stage. At this point mass hysteria would engulf the crowd; to many the Fuhrer was more like a god. As night fell, the show came to end with burning torches and light beams. Source F below shows the impact of rallies on the people. Source F: An extract from a diary written by Frau Solmitz, 1938 It was 10pm before the torches were lit. 20,000 Brownshirts followed one another like waves in the sea. Their faces shone with enthusiasm in the light of the torches. It was a magnificent picture, the snow white, scarlet, black and green colours, the fantastic berets, boots, gauntlets, flags and swords dancing in the light of the torches. We were drunk with enthusiasm. Militarism Germany was a military state which means it focused heavily on the armed forces as well building arms (weapons). Propaganda was used to sell the militarism to the people. It encouraged people to believe that Germany should be prepared for another war. The militaristic theme of the Nuremburg Rallies was reinforced and reenacted in all areas of German life. Military subjects were brought into the school curriculum; even school timetables were decorated with Nazi flags and soldiers. Rallies for Hitler Youth were held in local villages and the SS organised marches for the local men. 1. Add rallies and militarism to your mind map or bullet point list. 2. Imagine you were at Nuremburg in 1938. Write a diary extract including facts and emotions of your experience. 3. Why do you think Hitler introduced militarism into the school curriculum? Enquiry Skills 4. How fully does Source E explain the use of Propaganda in Nazi Germany? (N4 4m / N5 5m) You must use evidence and recall in your answer. 8 The impact of propaganda cannot be under estimated as it entered every area of the peoples’ lives. However, some historians suggest propaganda did not change the way the people thought, especially the educated middle classes. Instead, it gave the people a chance to believe in something they wanted; a new greater Germany. So many people in Germany acquiesced or went along with Nazi propaganda because they wanted to believe it. 6. How successful do you think propaganda was in encouraging the people to follow the Nazis? Source G is taken from the Social Democratic Party on public opinion in Germany, 1937. The most shocking thing is the ignorance of the many people as to what is going on in Germany. A large section of the people no longer reads a newspaper. They don’t seem to care what is in the newspapers. The Nazis try to turn everyone into enthusiastic Nazis by making sure they have no interest in anything else. Source H was written by the Us Ambassador to Germany in 1936 A systematic propaganda campaign has started to breakdown the resistance of those who did not support Nazism and to strengthen those already supporting Nazism. With steam roller effectiveness the Ministry reached out into every corner of Germany, into every part of their lives. Enquiry Skills 5. Describe the attitude of Source G towards the effectiveness of Nazi propaganda? (General 3m / Credit 4m) Point- Quote- Analysis 6. How useful is Source G as evidence for the effectiveness of Nazi propaganda? ( General 3m / Credit 4m) PADCAL 7. How far do Sources G and H agree about the effectiveness of Nazi propaganda? (General 4m / Credit 5m) Use a framing sentence and then back it up evidence from both sources. 9 The Persecution of the Jews Anti- Semitism: Hatred of Jews Anti Semitism was not new, in fact Jews had been used as scapegoats for many problems in Europe and some had fled to Germany to escape persecution in other countries. However, by the 1930s, Jews were full members of German society enjoying the same rights as any other German citizen. When Hitler came to power, he used Jews as scapegoats for all of Germany’s problems such as losing the war, causing the economic crisis of 1924 and 1929. He also argued that Jews were responsible for Communism, saying they wanted to dominate the world. According to Hitler, it was the duty of all true Germans to help get rid of all Jews. Propaganda was used to indoctrinate the people into hating all Jews. This message was put across in films, books, newspapers and even in nursery rhymes. The poster above was one of many used by the Nazis to encourage the people of Germany to hate Jewish people. 1. What is anti- semitism? 2. What is a scapegoat? 3. Why did Hitler say it was the duty of all Germans to help to get rid of the Jews? 4. Bullet point or mind map the types of propaganda used to encourage the people to hate Jewish people? On April 1st 1933, only one month after Hitler came to power, the persecution of the Jews began with a one day boycott. Brownshirts stood outside Jewish owned shops to make sure the boycott was successful. In the same year, Jews were sacked from any official jobs such as lawyers and civil servants. Many shops and restaurants started to refuse Jews putting up signs on the window saying ‘Jews not allowed’. In some areas Jews were banned from public places such as parks and swimming baths. Synagogues were vandalised and some Jews were even attacked in the street as the Source A on the following page shows. 10 Source A: Martha Dodd ‘My Days in Germany’, 1939 In the centre of the road was a young girl being brutally shoved and beaten. Her head had been shaved and across her chest was a board saying ‘traitor’. My brother asked what was the matter. We were told she had been dating a Jew. The Nuremberg Laws of September 1935 stripped all Jews of their citizenship rights as well as outlawing mixed race marriages. The Law was called: The Protection of German Blood and Honour. The Protection of German Blood and Honour Marriage between Jews and German blood is forbidden Sexual intercourse between Jews and German blood is forbidden Jews are forbidden to flag the Nazi flag or Reich colours as they are not pure. Jews are no longer citizens of Germany. They have no legal rights and their passports will be retrieved. All Jews must carry identity card with a large ‘J’ for Jew and wear the ‘Star of David’ badge at all times. On the 9- 10th of November 1938, ‘spontaneous’ rioting occurred throughout Germany. The catalyst for Kristallnacht was supposed to be the murder of a German diplomat in France by a Jewish man. It was called Kristallnacht due to the amount of broken glass lying on the streets the next day. Shops and homes were attacked and synagogues burned. Over 100 people were murdered and a further 20,000 sent to concentration camps. However, these events were not spontaneous, but a direct result of Goebbels as Source B below shows. Source B: Order from the SS, 9th November 1938 Demonstrations against the Jews are expected throughout Germany on the 9- 10th of November. The instruction below should be followed. Leave all burning synagogues unless there is a danger of the fire spreading into German buildings Places of business and homes may be destroyed but there should be no looting. The demonstrations cannot be prevented by the police Jews in all areas, but especially the rich should be arrested if they try to stop the burning or destruction. 11 After 1939, and the outbreak of WW2, the persecution of the Jews intensified when all were rounded up and put in ghettos and then concentration or work camps. Over 11 million people died in concentration or work camps. Jews, Poles, gypsies, homosexuals, mental and physically ill people, anyone who went against German occupation was sent to the camps. The ‘Final Solution’ policy was put into effect from 1942 onwards. Only Jews were to be murdered in gas chambers on a mass scale; out of the total 11 million people killed, 6 million were Jewish. 1. Using the margin for your dates, construct a time line that shows how the persecution of the Jews intensified between 1933 and 1939. See example below April 11th 1933 1 day boycott- this banned all people buying from Jewish shops Draw an image below! Homework P9- 10 in Booklet Construct a wordsearch no larger than 10 by ten squares. Your puzzle must contain at least eight words or phrases. The words can go in any direction and be spelled forwards or backwards. This will be used next period when someone else will complete your wordsearch. Nazi Youth and Education Policy Hitler believed the young were very important to Nazi Germany. He had to make sure the young Germans would stay loyal to him and continue the ‘1000 year Reich’ once he was dead. Hitler controlled every part of young Germans’ lives, including school and their spare time afterwards. He 12 made it very clear what he expected young Germans to be like. The aim of Nazi Youth policy was to turn boys into soldiers and girls into housewives and mothers. Hitler made his argument clear. “You may disagree with me, but your children are mine already!” The Nazi Classroom When the Nazis came to power the curriculum (subjects taught) was changed. All teachers had to be checked by local Nazi officials. Any teacher who spoke out against the Nazis was sacked. All teachers had to be careful about what they said as children were encouraged to inform the authorities if a teacher said something that did not fit in with the Nazi's curriculum for schools. Jewish children were discriminated against in school and were forced to sit apart from their ‘pure’ German classmates. Bullying against Jewish children became common. A portrait of Hitler hung in every classroom. And every day before lunch they said the following prayer. Source A: A prayer said by pupils before each meal Fuhrer You rescued Germany from its deepest need. I thank you for my daily bread. Stay for a long time with me, leave me not. Fuhrer, my Fuhrer, Hail my Fuhrer! A number of subjects were changed in school. The main subjects changed were biology and history, however most subjects were altered. 13 Subjects such as History were rewritten to emphasize Nazi themes of racial struggle and German pride. History was based on the glory of Germany and their defeat in WWI was explained as the work of Jewish and Communist spies. The Treaty of Versailles was the work of nations jealous of Germany's might and power while the hyperinflation of 1923 was the work of Jewish saboteurs. However children were taught that it was Hitler ho had made Germany great again. Biology promoted the purity of the Aryan Race as well as the inferiority of other impure peoples such as the Jews. Source B: A photograph taken in a German School in 1938 The girl in the photograph is being taught how to spot a ‘pure’ German and how to spot a Jew. Older pupils were taught about the importance of selecting the right "mate" when marrying and producing children. Children were taught that inter-racial marriages could only lead to a decline in Aryan purity. In other words Germans were not to destroy their pure blood by having children with ‘inferior’ groups such as blacks, Asians, gypsies or, particularly, Jews. Science and Maths Children were taught in science about the effects of poisonous gasses and bridge building while in maths problems were written which emphasised the German hatred of the Jews Can you imagine seeing problems like the ones below in your maths textbook? "A bomber aircraft on take-off carries 12 dozen bombs, each weighing 10 kilos. The aircraft takes off for Warsaw (the capital of Poland) the international centre for Jewry. It bombs the town. On take-off with all bombs on board and a fuel tank containing 100 kilos of fuel, the aircraft weighed about 8 tons. When it returns from the crusade, there This next one is just as scary… are still 230 kilos left. What is the weight of the aircraft when empty?” "To keep a mentally ill person costs approximately 4 marks a day. There are 300,000 mentally ill people in care. How much do these people cost to keep in total? How many marriage loans of 1000 marks could be granted with this money?" 14 Boys giving the Nazi salute before a football game PE became a very important because the Nazis believed children had to grow up healthy. Boys would be strong enough to fight while girls would be fit enough to have babies. This meant PE every day. Boxing became compulsory for boys. Those who failed fitness tests could be expelled from their schools and face humiliation from those who had passed tests. Boys considered exceptional were sent to different schools. Those who were physically fitter and stronger than the rest went to Adolf Hitler Schools where they were taught to be the future leaders of Germany. Six years of tough physical training took place and when the pupils from these schools left aged 18, they went to the army or to university. The very best pupils went to Order Castles. These were schools which took pupils to the limits of physical endurance. War games used live ammunition and pupils were sometimes killed at these schools. Those who graduated from the Order Castles could expect to attain a high position in the army or the SS. 1. Why were the young so important to Hitler? 2. Why do you think he started the indoctrination of children young? 3. Across a double page in your jotter, using a bullet point list or mind map, construct a detailed guide to learning in a Nazi Classroom. Include: History, PE, Biology, Teachers and Daily Routines. Homework P 11- 13 in Booklet Create a Nazi Exam including at least 5 questions and the answers. This will be used next period when someone else will complete your exam. 15 Hitler Youth Hitler also controlled life outside school. Children joined Nazi Youth organisations from the age of 10 and did not leave until the age of 18. At first, membership was voluntary, but over a period of time it became compulsory. By 1935 over 3.5 million children were members of the Hitler Youth groups and by 1939 almost 8 million children had joined. Girls joined the German Maidens (Bund Deutscher Madel) were designed to prepare girls for motherhood. From the age of 14 particular emphasise was placed upon the three K’s- Kinder, Kirche and Kuche (Children, Church and Kitchen). Girls learned how to cook and look after themselves to prepare for giving birth. From aged 17 onwards, girls could join the Faith and Beauty organisation. This specialised in home economics and preparation for marriage. They were told they could look forward to winning the ‘Mother’s Cross’ bronze for having 4 children, Silver for 6 and Gold for 8! Thank goodness they didn’t have a platinum award! Boys joined the Deutsches Jungfolk at 10, graduating to Hitler Youth at the age of 14. By 1936, over 60% of boys were members of some form of Nazi Youth organisation. The main focus was on physical fitness as well as military training such as marching, camping and shooting. Boys were also tested on their knowledge of Nazism. Those who passed got a dagger marked ‘Blood and Honour’. Historian’s debate the impact of Hitler youth policy in indoctrinating the young people of Germany. Most agree that children were willing and enthusiastic members. However, by 1939 support was beginning to weaken due to the compulsory nature of the groups. 1. Using 3 bullet points and 1 image, explain the role of girls in Hitler Youth 2. Using 2 bullet points and 1 image, explain the role of boys in Hitler Youth 3. How important do you think Hitler Youth was in indoctrinating children? Homework P 14-15 in Booklet 16 Source A: German Maidens Poster, 1937 Source B: An extract from Isle McKee memoirs, a member of the German Maidens We were told form a very early age to prepare for motherhood...it was our duty to rear the future German race. Some Maidens were encouraged to sleep with SS soldiers or Nazi Youth boys. Sometimes the girls did not have a choice. It didn’t matter if your baby was illegitimate as long as it was Aryan. There was no scandal. Enquiry Skills 1. How useful is Source A as evidence of the success of Nazi Youth organisations. (N4 4m / N5 5m) PADCAL 2. How fully does Source B explain the role of Hitler Youth in Germany? (N4 4m / N5 5m) You must use evidence and recall in your answer Opposition to the Nazis Opposition to the Nazis was very limited due to the powers of the Nazi State. You will learn that resistance to Nazi rule was limited as it was small in scale and often based around youth groups that were more anti authority as opposed to anti Nazi. Even before the Nazis came to power political opposition to them was divided. Communists and socialists would not co-operate in resisting Hitler. This went back to the Spartacist rising of 1919 when the social Democrats (SDP) organised the destruction of the communist revolt. The Enabling Law of 1933 allowed Hitler to ban all opposition parties. The leaders of these parties were put in prison or were forced to leave the country. Consequently opposition parties had to meet in secret, often without their most effective leaders. Hence, the Nazi state legally 17 crushed any major political opposition. Trade Unions were also banned and its leaders were arrested. Newspapers which criticised the Nazis were banned and their offices closed down, journalists arrested and printing machinery smashed. The Nazis sent any opposition to the concentration camps. The fear of being beaten and sent to Dachau was a strong deterrent to many who may have wanted to oppose the Nazis. Hitler had also used the SS to remove any potential opposition from the Nazi party in 1935 during the Night of the long knives. Around 400 enemies to Hitler were killed on this night. Even if groups wanted to organise resistance, the presence of the secret police or Gestapo and informers as well as the lack of communication between groups made opposition on a large scale impossible. It was impossible for opposition groups to raise funds and very difficult to have effective leadership as most had been arrested and sent to concentration camps. Fear of Gestapo spies meant that opposition groups tended to be limited to trusted friends. In essence, there was little opposition to the Nazis as most forms of opposition had either been banned or removed by the Nazi State. Plus, those that remained found it difficult to meet and organise an effective resistance to Nazi rule due to fear of arrest. 1. Using bullet points or a mind map, show the different reasons for why there was no effective opposition to the Nazis. Use images and full sentences to explain each point. PEE all over it! E.g.The Night of the Long Knives Hitler got rid of all opposition within the Nazi Party in 1935 by murdering 400 SA Brownshirts. This meant no one would tackle his authority within the party. Even though resistance or opposition was dangerous, some Youth Groups did challenge the Nazi State, but they paid a high price. One youth group known as the Edelweiss Pirates had the slogan ‘Eternal war on Hitler Youth’. This was made up of working class children aged 14- 18 who did not want to be part of Hitler Youth. 18 Most members were friends who lived in the same area. Some of these gangs were known as ‘Roving Dudes’ and ‘Navajos’ and they organised hiking and camping weekends where they would attack Hitler Youth groups. One of their campfire songs is shown below. Source A: Edelweiss Pirate campfire song Hitler’s powers may lay us low and keep us in locked in chains. But we will be free again! We’ve got fists and we can fight, we’ve got knives and we’ll get them out. We want freedom! The Swing Kids was a group that was influenced by American jazz and swing music. They usually came from big cities such as Munich and Berlin and organised secret dances. They followed American fashion and even allowed Jews into the club. However, membership was forbidden as much of the music and clothes was influenced by Black Americans and these were seen as inferior to Aryan Germans. Meuten groups were usually from working class strongholds such as the city of Leipzig, were found anti Nazi gangs called die Meuten ('packs'). These groups were very similar to the Edelweiss Pirates, except they tended to come from more organised socialist or communist traditions. Because of this background, they received more official attention from the Nazis than other youth groups. Between 1937 and 1939 the Gestaop estimated there were 1500 Meuten members in Leipzig. There were complaints that many areas were 'no-go' areas for Nazis, due to the abuse and violence dished out by the Meuten. One youth group known as the White Rose Society was found distributing anti Nazi leaflets in a Cologne University in 1944 during the Second World War. Brother and sister- Sophie and Hans Scholl paid the highest price and were hung. The youngest member of the group was only 16 years old. This acted as a strong deterrent to many who wanted to join anti Nazi groups. Historians debate if all members of these anti Nazi groups were totally against the Nazis or whether they were against authority. However, most agree that their existence showed that young people were willing to stand up for different ideas. 1. Draw a table with 3 columns and 4 rows in one new page in your jotter. Complete the table showing the name, interests and threats to the Nazis. E.g. Group Interests Threat to Nazis 2. Which of the youth groups did the Nazis consider the most serious threat and why? 3. Homework- Pages 17-19 in booklet 19 Churches in Nazi Germany The Church in Nazi Germany was subjected to as much pressure as any other organisation in Germany. Any threat to Hitler could not be tolerated - and the churches of Germany potentially presented the Nazis with numerous threats. In 1933, the Catholic Church had viewed the Nazis as a barrier to the spread of communism from Russia. In this year, Hitler and the Catholic Church signed an agreement, or a concordat. He would not interfere with the Catholic Church while the Church would not criticise the Nazis. However, this only lasted until 1937, when Hitler started an organised attack on the Catholic Church arresting priests and forcing Catholic young people into joining the Hitler Youth. In 1937, the pope, Pius XI, issued his "Mit brennender Sorge" statement ("With burning anxiety") over what was going on in Germany. However, there was never a total clampdown on the Catholic Church in Germany as it was a worldwide movement with much international support. The Protestant Church was really a collection of a number of churches- making them easier to deal with. The Protestants themselves were split. The German Christian Church was lead by Ludwig Muller who believed that any member of the church who had Jewish ancestry should be sacked from the church. Muller supported Hitler and in 1933 he was given the title of "Reich Bishop". The German Christians adopted Nazi style uniforms and marches. In 1936, it was replaced by the German Christian Church. This did not have the Christian cross as its symbol but the swastika. The Bible was replaced by "Mein Kampf" which was placed on the altar alongside a sword. By it was a sword. Only invited Nazis were allowed to give sermons in a Reich Church. Those who opposed the views of Muller were called the German Confessional Church. They believed political parties should not control the church. One of their leaders was Martin Niemoller. He was famous in Germany, as he had been one of German’s best WWI U-boat captains and 20 had been awarded the Iron Cross. Therefore, he was potentially an embarrassing foe to the Nazis. Regardless of this, he was not safe from the Gestapo who arrested him for opposing Hitler. Niemoller was sent to a concentration camp for 7 years where he was kept in solitary confinement. Many other Confessional Church members suffered the same fate while others such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer were executed. Some of the smaller religious groups were also persecuted by the Nazis. Jehovah’s Witnesses became victims of Nazi abuse as their belief in pacifism was totally against Hitler militaristic policies. If they refused conscription they were sent to concentration camps. It is estimated that 5000 Jehovah’s Witnesses died in the camps. 1. Read the following statements and gather as much evidence as you can to support each one. The Nazis feared the Christian churches in Germany The Nazis wanted to destroy the church completely The Nazis wanted to control the churches The Nazis accepted the church had nothing to do with them and left them alone as long as the church left them alone. Homework Pages 20-21 in Homework booklet WELL DONE- YOU’VE FINISHED THE UNIT! Wa- hey, now it’s time to revise! 21