Nazi Control & Terror

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Nazi Control & Terror NAZI CONTROL & TERROR Key Quote “Terror is the best political weapon for nothing drives people harder than a fear of sudden death.” Nazi State There were five main areas of ‘control’ within Nazi Germany 1. Concentration Camps 2. Legal System 3. Propaganda 4. Schutzstaffel (SS) 5. Gestapo GEHEIME STAATS POLIZEI SECRET STATE POLICE Heinrich Himmler Commander of the SS and the Gestapo The leaders of the Gestapo Reinhard Heydrich Heinrich Muller Director of the Gestapo 1934-1939 Director of the Gestapo 1939-1945 Secret State Police force set up to investigate all ‘enemies of the state’ in Germany Only 8,000 officers but over 160,000 informers – their greatest weapon Experts in torture and interrogation techniques Operated without any restrictions or consequences Famous for the Gestapo ‘knock on the door’ Those ‘visited’ by the Gestapo would be taken to prison or a concentration camp or they might never been seen again If you wanted to avoid a visit from the Gestapo then you said only positive things about life in Nazi Germany or you said nothing at all How did Hitler keep control of Germany? The Terror State Propaganda Secret police called the Mass Rallies, Posters Gestapo would spy on and Propaganda films. and arrest enemies of the state. The Carrot The Nazis controlled & and censored the radio SS were responsible & newspapers. for running the The Stick concentration camps. School children were indoctrinated with Nazi Everyone was scared of Popularity ideas at school. being arrested by the Gestapo and being put in Ripping up the Hitler Youth & the a concentration camp. Treaty of Versailles. Young Maidens. Creating Jobs, Speeches, Promises Enemies of the State • Communists • Germans who bought • Social Democrats from Jews • Jews • Pacifists • Trade Unionists. • Radical Christian • Work Shy Organisation • Homosexuals • Anyone who criticised Hitler or the Nazi • Gypsies Party. • 800,000 Germans were imprisoned from 1933 – 1945 as ‘Enemies of the State.’ • 500,000 were executed by being shot in the neck. Enemies of• theA list Stateof German women who were still purchasing goods from Jewish shops. • Printed to scare or terrorise other people into not buying from the Jews. How did the Terror State Work? You are imprisoned When you are Gestapo Spies for up to six months released you tell inform on you doing hard physical everybody what has labour. happened to you You are handed You are woken up by over to the SS who the Gestapo at 1 am in run the the morning and told concentration Fear that you have 5 minutes camps. to pack your bags. By signing this form Days or maybe weeks You are arrested you are giving your later you are and thrown into a consent to be put into interviewed and cell at the police a concentration camp. asked to sign form station D11 Martin Niemoller, 1945 • When the Nazis came for the Communists I was silent, I was not a Communist. • When the Nazis came for the Social Democrats I was silent, I was not a Social Democrat. • When the Nazis came for the Trade Unionists I was silent, I was not a Trade Unionist. • When the Nazis came for the Jews I was silent, I was not a Jew. • When the Nazis came for me ……… ………there was nobody left to speak up for me. .
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