ESSAY REVISION NOTES FOR NAZIS IN POWER HOW FAR WAS (ISOLATED FACTOR) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE NAZI STATE BETWEEN 1933 AND 1939?

IN OTHER WORDS WHY WAS HITLER ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL IN GERMANY? Hitler aimed to create a genuine to help win support and targeted all areas in . However, he would not have been in a position to do this if he had not consolidated him power when he became Chancellor in 1933

DICTATORSHIP AND CONSOLIDATION OF POWER 1933 – January 30th Hitler became Chancellor with only 37% of the vote, the fact that the Nazis did not have a majority highlight that his grip on Germany was not yet secure. Hitler was one of only three Nazis in a Cabinet of twelve, and President Hindenburgh had the power to dismiss Hitler at any time. Yet, Hitler managed to destroy German democracy and set up a dictatorship and consolidate his power. How did he do this?

Seizure of power begins: The Reichstag Fire 27th February the Reichstag burned to the ground, Dutch communists, Marinus Van Der Lubbe was found at the scene and accused of arson. Goring ordered the mass arrest of Communist Reichstag deputies and party officials. Overnight 4000 Communist Party officials were arrested.

The March Elections and the Enabling Law 28th February Due to the Reichstag Fire President Hindenberg was persuaded to issue an Emergency Decree suspending civil freedoms and allowing the government to imprison political opponents indefinitely. The Nazis exploited the new law in the final days before the Reichstag elections and made it next to impossible for their opponents to campaign freely. The Nazis increased their share of the vote from 33.1% in November 1932 to 43.9%. This was because many Germans, especially those in the middle classes, admired the tough action the Nazis were taking against the communists. The Enabling Act (23rd March) destroyed parliamentary democracy. It gave Hitler the right to make his own laws without needing the approval of the Reichstag. Other political parties instantly lost their significance.

CONSOLIDATION OF POWER CONTINUED…

NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES 1934 The army were concerned about the demands of the SA feared they would launch a violent coup to seize power. Goring and Himmler also disliked the SA for personal reasons. Goring wanted be Germany’s Commander-in-Chief and regarded Rohm as a rival. Himmler was leader of the SS but under the control of Rohm; this he wanted to change. Together this allowed Hitler the excuse to act and once and for all remove any possible opposition to the position of Hitler.

By June 1934 it was obvious that Hindenberg had not long to live. Hitler realised that Rohm would have to be dealt with quickly if the army and the conservatives were to allow him to become President when the old man died.

On the early hours of 30th June 1934 the SS swooped on all leading SA members and any others who had opposed Hitler. After one minute ‘trials’ they were shot. Rohm Karl Ernst and other leading SA officers were executed, much to the delight of the army. The purge included a number of people who had nothing to do with the SA as the Nazi leaders took the opportunity to settle old scores. This included General Von Schleicher (former Chancellor), General Von Bredow (leading army officer), (leading Nazi who had fallen out with Hitler) and many others.

Estimates of the number of dead vary from 17 to over 400. The army leaders, who had provided the weapons and transport for the purge, were delighted. When Hindenberg died on 2nd August, Hitler combined the offices of Chancellor and President and the army agreed to a new oath of loyalty to Hitler personally as ‘Fuhrer of the German Reich and people’. It was Himmler and the SS that benefited most. The SS was now free to be Germany’s police force free from a legal system. In future, Germans could expect the Party’s police agencies to enforce the law – and there was no appeal against their decisions.

Conclusion Hitler had now secured his dictatorship. Without the above factors the Nazis could not have implemented their policies. The dictatorship was created very quickly. Within 18 months Hitler was Fuhrer of a one-party state. Without the creation of a political dictatorship, none of the other Nazi policies would have been possible. The Enabling Act, in particular, gave the Nazis the power to change German law and society unopposed. Nazi policies were not subject to parliamentary scrutiny. There was no President after August 1934, so there were no Presidential checks on Nazi policy. Hitler has removed possible opposition.

HOW FAR DID THE NAZIS ECONOMIC POLICY HELP MAINTAIN CONTROL?

THE ECONOMY: When Hitler was elected Chancellor in January 1933 unemployment peaked at 6 million near enough 50% of the nation’s working population. Hitler promised ‘work and bread’ and constantly played on the economic miracle Nazi Germany achieved. This "economic miracle" was based on unemployment all but disappearing by 1939.

HITLER’S ECONOMIC AIMS Tackle the Depression and restore Germany to full employment and create a defence economy, geared to the needs of future war. Make Germany an “autarchy” – self sufficient and get rid of Jewish industrialists and give their businesses to “Aryans”

EVIDENCE TO SAY ECONOMIC POLICY WAS SUCCESSFUL AND HELPED HITLER MAINTAIN CONTROL? Unemployment had fallen from 6 million in 1933 to 300,000, by 1939 Industrial production in 1939 was above the figure for Weimar Germany before the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Public work schemes for men who worked in the National Labour Service ( RAD). Their work would have included digging ditches on farms to assist irrigation, building the new autobahns, planting new forests etc. Compared to the lack of success of the Weimar government and the chronic misery of 1931 to 1932, these men felt that at least the Nazi government was making the effort to improve their lot. The average factory worker was earning 10 times more than those on dole money and few complained. Government income had been 10 billion Reichsmarks in 1928 and rose to 15 billion by 1939.

EVIDENCE TO SAY ECONOMIC POLICY WAS NOT AS SUCCESSFUL Unemployment figures were reduced due to women being excluded in the statistics. The unemployed were given a very simple choice: do whatever work is given to you by the government or be classed as "work-shy" and put in a concentration camp. Jews were not included in unemployment figures as well as young men who were conscripted to the army (1935). Trade Unions and strikes were banned. Real earnings in 1938 were all but the same as the 1928 figure, with a slight decline in some areas. Annual food consumption in 1937 had fallen compared to the 1927 figures. Government spending had increased from 12 billion Reichsmarks in 1928 to over 30 billion in 1939 - a difference of 15 billion Reichsmarks. By 1939, Germany still imported 33% of its required raw materials. From 1933 to 1939, the Nazi government always spent more than it earned so that by 1939, government debt stood at over 40 billion Resichsmarks.

CONCLUSION Economic policies were very popular. Hitler appeared to be fulfilling policy promises and rebuilding German national pride but the Nazis came to power just as the worst of the depression was over and were able to take the credit for an economic up-turn. That would have occurred naturally whoever had been in control at the time. However the people of Germany were unable to know that and to them Hitler had produced an Economic Miracle.

HOW FAR DID DOMESTIC POLICIES HELP HITLER MAINTAIN CONTROL?NAZI FAMILY POLICY – KINDER, KIRCHE KUECHE, ( Children, Church, Kitchen)

WORKERS AND LEISURE The leisure time of the workers was also taken care of. An organisation called “Kraft durch Freude” (KdF) took care of this. Ley and the KdF worked out that each worker had 3,740 hours per year free for pursuing leisure activities,– which the state would provide. Cheap holidays were offered, a cruise to the Canary Islands cost 62 marks, easily affordable to many but most cruises were taken up by officials. The KdF introduced a scheme whereby the workers could get a car. The Volkswagen - People's Car - was designed so that most could afford it. The Beetle, designed by Ferdinand Porsche, cost 990 marks. This was about 35 weeks wages for the average worker. To pay for one, workers went on a hire purchase scheme. They paid 5 marks a week into an account. Theoretically, when the account had reached 750 marks the worker would be given an order number which would lead to them receiving a car. No-one received a car and the millions of marks invested into the scheme were re-directed into the rapidly expanding weapons factories

NAZIS AND WOMEN Nazi ideology believed women should be confined to a purely domestic role in society all German women would marry at a young age to a proper German. Their task was to keep a decent home for her working husband and to have children. POLICIES INTRODUCED 10th May 1933: The 230 women’s organisations in Germany were to expel their Jewish members and integrate into the Women’s Front. Organisations supported the Nazis as they viewed their ideology on the traditional role of women.

THE ATTACK ON WOMEN AT WORK The initial policy was to ease women out of the top levels of the civil service, law, medicine and politics. Women were induced to stay at home by new ‘marriage credits’ and child bonuses. In Weimar Cermany there had been 100,000 female teachers, 3000 female doctors and 13,000 female musicians. Within months of Hitler coming to power, many female doctors and civil servants were sacked. This was followed by female teachers and lawyers. The gradual decline of unemployment, however, created a new demand for labour. The result was the steady recruitment of women into both agriculture and industry, the total reaching 5.2 million by 1938. In May 1939, 37.3 per cent of German women went out to work compared to 26.4 percent of British women. Women aged between 15 and 60 = 52% were working. Single women 88.7% were employed. Conclusion Some women were happy to stay at home with their families than have to work long hours in a factory. Social services improved and women were given milk, food and linen parcels for their babies. However, middle class women probably suffered more from the restrictions. The majority of workers responded well to the creation of leisure activities but working-class unrest was evident, in 1936 there were strikes in Berlin, a party report found open insubordination, sabotage, go-slows, absenteeism and a rapid turnover of staff. Between 1933 and 1939 industrial accidents and industrial related illnesses rose by 150% and there appeared to be an increasing sense of boredom, mistrust and indifference to the regime among the working class. NAZI YOUTH: NAZI AIMS: To educate young people ‘in the spirit of National Socialism’ and train boys into soldiers and girls into submissive wives and mothers By 1933 Hitler appointed to coordinate all youth groups and bring them under the control of the Hitler Youth. In 1933 its membership stood at 100,000 and by 1936, the figure stood at 4 million. By 1935 60% of all German Youth belonged, and in 1936 it was the only youth organisation allowed to organise activities for young people aged up to 14, this was later extended to 18.

BOYS AND GIRLS Boys aged between 10-14 joined the German Young People (Jungvolk), at age 14 they joined Hitler Youth. Girls aged 10 joined the JM-League of Young Girls (Jungmadelbund) and at age 14 would become members of the BDM – (Bund Deutscher Madel). In 1936 BDM membership was over 2 million. At age 17 they would join the Faith and Beauty organisation established in 1937, Faith and Beauty specialised in education in domestic science and preparation for marriage EDUCATION Hitler stated ‘whoever has the youth has the future’ and in 1933 Hitler appointed Bernhard Rust (Prussian Minister of Education and Minister of Culture later to include Minister for Science). Rust was responsible for ensuring the teaching profession carried out the Nazification of education. The Curriculum was changed to promote Nazi ideology and Jewish teachers were fired. Teachers were encouraged to join the National Socialist Teachers’ Alliance (NSLB), by 1936 32% of NSLB members were party members and by 1937 97% had joined. In 1937 an elite school system was set up consisting of Schools (Napolas and Ordensburgen) these schools were under the influence of Hitler Youth

The school curriculum was changed to control the minds of young people. Sport aimed to engineer a new military youth whilst history aimed to politically indoctrinate Germans about the past. Biology became the study of racial stereotypes and emphasised the superiority of the Aryan race. Maths and physics passed on racial or military messages and RE was dropped as a subject by 1935.

CONCLUSION The effectiveness of Nazi Youth Policies is questionable. By 1938 over 7 million young people became members of the Hitler youth but some 3 million remained outside the organisation. By 1939 enthusiasm declined and young people became disaffected by restrictions and various youth groups emerged to resist the regime. Working class children formed the ‘Edelweiss Pirates’ who rebelled by taking unsanctioned weekend trips and beat up Hitler Youth patrols. In 1939 it is estimated this group had 2000 members. By 1944 they had become such a problem that 12 of their leaders were publicly hanged. Upper middle class youths formed the ‘swing movement’ and protested by dancing to American jazz and swing music. Such groups illustrate the failure of the regime to dominate youth but it is also argued the majority conformed to Nazi ideology. Many parents and teachers also complained that children had been brutalised by the HJ, which suggests that its emphasis on military virtues had some effect. Some children enjoyed the camping and hiking aspects of the organisation. This was the case especially among the poorer recruits

HOW FAR DID FOREIGN POLICY HELP MAINTAIN CONTROL? TREATY OF VERSAILLES The Nazis had restored the pride back to the German population by resurrecting Germany as a great power again: ‘The Destruction of Versailles’. They also carried out an extensive rearmament programme. Hitler had succeeded where other German governments (Weimar) failed, national pride was restored and Hitler appeared to give Germany back her rightful place’

Appealed to the Political Tradition of the German People. Authoritarian government To many Germans the Weimar Democracy had been an interlude in the political tradition of Germany. The fact that it appeared weak and powerless with its multiplicity of parties only served to encourage this view. No Government since the days of Bismarck had enjoyed such popular support as Hitler’s, especially among the young and millions of Germans were prepared to accept his claim to be the ‘saviour of their country’.

HOW FAR DID THE NAZIS MAINTAIN CONTROL THROUGH TERROR? EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE VIEW THAT THE BROUGHT CONTROL AND FEAR TO THE NAZI SATE The Gestapo fostered an image as an “all-powerful body” that brought dread to the enemies of the state. Never before had a group possessed such power and reached such a decree of completeness’ in its ability to arouse terror and horror, as well as in its actual effectiveness. The Gestapo portrayed an image of being everywhere and of seeing/ hearing everything. This helped keep people under control. Potential rebellion of the working class was held down by Gestapo Spies and terror. In Germany 500,000 people were executed by being shot in the neck. 162,734 placed in protective custody, 800,000 were imprisoned as enemies of the state between 1933- 1945. Figures indicate that 57% of the reports to the Gestapo’s were from the general population.

EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE VIEW THE GESTAPO RELIED ON POPULAR CONSENT MORE THAN TERROR Up to 57% of investigations and sometimes as much as 80% stemmed from voluntary denunciations from the German people. However, major areas, such as Frankfurt and others had fewer than 50 officers situated in them and only 0.5% reports on people were recorded from Gestapo observation. Gestapo officials were increasingly bogged down in paperwork in a highly bureaucratic system .Denunciations weren’t always down to fear of the Gestapo and Nazi faith, it was also down to things like hate, greed, and spite. At its peak the Gestapo had only 30 000 officers for the whole country. Most denunciations were inspired by personal matters rather than political

CONCLUSION Terror was an essential factor in the establishment of the Nazi regime. It was brought increasingly under official control but remained a necessary backstop in the consolidation of this totalitarian society. became the central figure in the administration of terror. By 1936 Himmler was in control of the three main elements of power, the SS, the police and the concentration camps. The existence of the concentration camps and the brutal treatment meted out to their inmates by the SS was well known to the ordinary German public. By 1937 Himmler had in place a security apparatus that could effectively spy on the whole population and quickly trace any source of disaffection and opposition. For those who did not fall into line but stood out against the pressures to conform [and for all Jews] there were many years marked by constant fear, often imprisonment brutal treatment and often death. Gordon Craig argues “the force that prevented the regime from dissolving into chaos was terror and its instrument was the SS”. HOW FAR DID LACK OF OPPOSITION HELP THE NAZIS MAINTAIN CONTROL? To an extent you will already have discussed this in your previous paragraphs. Therefore, do not spend a great deal of time on this but do try to discuss the Churches.

HOW MUCH OPPOSITION CAME FROM THE CHURCHES? The churches of Germany potentially presented the Nazis with numerous threats but in 1933 Hitler and the Catholic Church signed an agreement (the Concordat). The Catholic Church guaranteed religious freedom without interference and property rights and legal status rights of the Church guaranteed. In return the Catholic Church would not interfere in politics but this only lasted until 1937, when Hitler started a rigorous attack on the Catholic Church arresting priests Catholic youth groups harassed etc. Despite Hitler demanding that all Germans make a choice between their religion and the regime, there was never a total clampdown on the Catholic Church in Germany. It was a world-wide movement with much international support.

PROTESTANT CHURCH In 1933 the Protestant faith was divided into 28 churches with 45 million members - hence they were easier to deal with. Hitler announced the Nazi state had rule over the Protestant Churches. Churches and church property were confiscated and pastors who refused to preach Nazi ideals were removed to concentration camps. In 1935 a new ‘Reich Church’ was established to take over and absorb the Protestant Churches into the Reich Church .

DID THE NAZIS MANAGE TO BRING DOWN THE CHURCHES? In 1934 200 pastors led a breakaway church (the Confessional Church) led by Pastor Martin Niemoller who insisted that the Church be independent of the state. By 1934, 7,000 of the 17,000 pastors joined the Church but in 1934 Muller had failed to attract any more than 2,000 pastors to the German Christian church. In 1935 Hitler established the Ministry of Church Affairs to coordinate the harassment of practising Christians and by 1937 Niemoller spoke out and was arrested and sent to a concentration camp for 7 years where he was kept in solitary confinement. Many other Confessional Church members suffered the same fate.

CONCLUSION The Nazi racial doctrines were condemned in general and the persecution or elimination of Non-Aryan priests or pastors was actively resisted, but apart from individuals, the Churches, to their discredit, did not speak out against the massive crimes of the regime such as the murder of the Jews. On the other hand the Churches preserved a space which the totalitarian claims of National Socialism found difficult to penetrate. They forced Hitler to postpone the full application of his ideology until after the final victory which never came.

OTHER FACTORS WHICH HIGHLIGHT LACK OF OPPOSITION

7th April: Law introduced to remove Jews and political opponents from the civil service. 2nd May: Trade Unions closed down; all workers became part of one official trade union called the German Labour Front. 26th May: Communists banned 22nd June: social Democratic Party banned 14th July: New law against the formation of parties. CONCLUSION The creation of a one-party state so quickly within Germany removed the possibility of effective opposition from other political groups. The communists held the mistaken belief that the Nazi regime would soon collapse thus allowing their most committed followers to attempt acts of sabotage. This merely made it easier for the Gestapo to infiltrate their organisations and led to the death of many of their activists. By 1935 this kind of resistance had reached a dead end. The political parties and groupings apart from the left were even less in a position to offer any resistance. The Catholic Centre party, once the mainstay of the Weimar Republic, voted for the Enabling act. The former nationalist opposition to Weimar, the DNVP, had allied itself with Hitler. This left only the Churches and the Army. The Army was the only organisation with the physical capability of overthrowing Hitler. However with Hitler’s foreign policy and early war policy so successful to 1942, the army’s hands were tied especially having taken the oath personally to Hitler in 1934.With this situation existing especially to 1939 there was next to no form of opposition that the German public could focus on that could possibly check any of Hitler’s activities.