The Nazi Police State
Lesson starter:
1. How did the Nazis control the
civilian population?
5 marks
5 marks = 5
developed points
Peer Assessment
How did the Nazis control the civilian
population?
4 marks
Marking scheme
• Gestapo tapped phones and read mail
• Gestapo arrested those against the Nazis
• 45,000 Nazi agents (Gestapo) in Germany
• SS (Security Service) eliminated opposition to
Nazis – inspired terror
• Heinrich Himmler was the head of the SS
• 160,000 people were spies in Nazi Germany
• Spies and informers reported on hidden Jews or
people with anti-Nazi behaviour.
The Nazi Police State
Lesson starter:
1. What actions did Hitler take
between 1933-34 which made
Germany less democratic?
Today we will…
• Identify the groups
who controlled the
German people in
Nazi Germany
• Explain the role of
each in helping the
Nazis stay in power
I can…
• Complete a table analysing how these
groups helped the Nazis
• Give examples of how the SS inspired
fear and terror.
Vocabulary box
Nazi Germany was a dictatorship
This meant that everyone was ruled by one
person. His rules were very strict and you
would be punished severely if you did not obey
them
The Nazis created a successful dictatorship
through establishing a police state, where the
authorities had far more rights than ordinary
people.
• Although Hitler was the
leader of Germany,
most of his work was
done by other people
• These groups ensured
his laws were obeyed
• The groups did their
job so thoroughly,
Hitler had to do very
little
Use this title as the start of a mind map
and add on information throughout the
lesson
How did the Nazis
control the German
population?
The Gestapo
• The Gestapo were the secret
police
• They tapped phones and read
mail
• Anyone suspected of being
against The Nazis was
instantly arrested
• They also used torture to gain
confessions from suspects
• They wore ordinary clothes
• There were around 45,000
Gestapo agents in Nazi
Germany
The SS
• The SS were the state security service
• It was their job to eliminate all opposition in
Nazi Germany
• They were ruthless and violent and people
were terrified of them
Heinrich
Himmler was
the leader of
The SS
Spies and Informers
• They informed The Gestapo
of any Jews trying to hide,
anyone who spoke out
against The Nazis or
showed anti- Nazi
behaviour
• Sometimes people spied on
their own families and
friends
• Around 160,000 Germans
informed on others
Concentration Camps
• Run by SS
• Jews, homosexuals, political prisoners
and other ‘undesirables’ were taken here
• The first was Dachau, near Munich
• These were the most feared tool of the
Nazi government
Sachsenhausen ‘model’
concentration camp in Berlin
Josef Goebbels: Propaganda
• He controlled all Nazi
propaganda
• ‘Minister for public
enlightenment’
• He publicised Hitler’s
successes eg, building
the autobahn
(motorway system)
• He ensured things like
the camps were kept
secret from ordinary
Germans
• He censored the press
Nazi Germany was a totalitarian state.
Try to complete the dictionary
definition with what you think this
means.
•
•
•
•
•
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totalitarian
•
Origin:
1925–30; totalit(y) + -arian
to·tal·i·tar·i·an
/toʊˌtælɪˈtɛəriən/ Show Spelled [toh-tal-i-tair-ee-uhn] Show IPA
adjective
1. ______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
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Task: Totalitarian State
Organisation/ Group/
Person
Add a brief description
The SS
The Gestapo
Spies and Informers
Concentration Camps
Josef Goebbels
How did it help the Nazis
stay in power?