Higher History Germany Essay 2Nazis in Power
INTROB/G – Hitler & Nazis biggest party in Germany by 1933, Hitler appointed Chancellor, Reichstag Fire 27th Feb 1933 used to ban Communists and Suspend Civil Rights
F: There were many reasons why the Nazis stayed in power such as…(list factors)
L: Although… (factor in question) was important, it can be argued that the main reason for the Nazi rise to power was… because…
STATE TERROR: Hitler quickly established a totalitarian state where no opposition was allowed
K: 2 May 1933 Trade Unions banned, 14th July 1933 all other Political Parties Banned
A: This helped the Nazis stay in power as Germany became a one party state where there was no legal opposition to the Nazis and workers had no rights
A: However, the working class were the most likely to oppose Hitler and he knew he would have to offer incentives for their cooperation
K: SS – Schutzstaffel – Nazi Security Service wiped out any opposition
K: Gestapo Secret Police, spied on German people and listened to phone calls/ read mail – 160,000 ordinary Germans acted as spies and informers to Gestapo
K: Concentration Camps Dachau and Sachsenhausen – used to house political prisoners and were most feared institution in Nazi Germany
A: This helped Nazis as they created a Police State where citizens lived in absolute fear of the government; most people would do anything to avoid being sent to be ‘re-educated’
A+: However, many Germans were happy to see ‘undesirables’ like Communists and Trade Unionists arrested and sent to camps, and many turned in former friends and neighbours showing support for Nazi terror
SOCIAL CONTROLS – The Nazis controlled every part of life in Germany
K: April 1933 – Reorganisation of Civil Service, all non-Nazis sacked from government Jobs
K: Peoples Court established 1934 – Nazi lawyers and Judges replaced Nazi opponents and all enemies of regime found guilty
K: National Socialist League of Teachers – all teachers had to join or face the sack
A: This helped Nazis stay in power as they removed all opposition from important professions, the professions were now Loyal to Nazi State
A+: However, many may have cooperated just to save their jobs and many lawyers and Judges were grateful to the Nazis for returning Law & Order
K: School Curriculum reorganised – Less RE, more PE; History taught ‘Stab in Back’, Geography taught ‘Lebensraum’, Jewish children excluded and had to sit at back of classes
A: This helped Nazis stay in power as they created a loyal youth who strongly believed in Nazi policy through their education
A+: However, many young people rebelled – joining opposition groups like the Edelweiss Pirates and Swing Kids instead
K: Religion controlled by Nazis – July 1933, Catholic Concordat signed – The Catholic Church would not criticise the Nazis in return for religious freedom.
K: Protestant Church taken under full control of Nazis and renamed ‘Reich Church’ – Nazi Bishop Ludwig Muller and Mein Kampf as Bible
A: This helped Nazis stay in power as even at church people did not hear anything negative about the Nazis; 99% of Germans attending Church in 1930s
A+: However, many religious figures rebelled e.g. Pastor Niemoller who was sent to Dachau for anti-Nazi sermons and the Catholic Church eventually spoke out against Hitler
PROPAGANDA: Goebbels ensured Germans were loyal to Hitler through Propaganda
K: Goebbels was Minister for Public Enlightenment and used posters, film and radio to build a Cult of Personality around Hitler; wanted to create a ‘Volksgemeinschaft’ National Community
K: Propaganda usually attacked minorities i.e. Jews, publicised Hitler’s Successes or presented Hitler as a God. 45 min newsreel of Hitler’s successes before every film
K: Films i.e. The Eternal Jew showed that Jews were parasites and vermin; The Triumph of the Will showed the colossal strength of Hitler’s Germany
K: Cheap Radios were sold The Peoples Receiver – 70% of households had one to hear Hitler speaking daily, they could only pick up Nazi channels
A: This helped Nazis stay in power as everywhere they were went they were bombarded with information about Hitler’s great achievements and made to feel grateful
A: Many historians believe propaganda was most successful on working classes to make them aware of all the benefits of life in Hitler’s Germany
A+: However, many historians believe that propaganda was largely unsuccessful in making people support the Nazi government and many deliberately avoided it, i.e. turning up 45mins late for cinema
FOREIGN POLICY: Much of Hitler’s support came from his anti-Versailles policies
K: 1933 Hitler left the League of Nations, an organisation to keep peace in Europe
K: 1935 Hitler announced rearmament; Army would increase, he built planes, tanks and submarines. Army went up to 500, 000 then was over 1 million by 1939.
K: 1936 German troops marched back into the Rhineland, forbidden under Treaty of Versailles
K: 1938 Hitler accompanied the Anschluss, annexing Austria to reunite the Germany and their neighbours
A: This helped Nazis stay in power as people were grateful that Hitler was reversing the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles and restoring German National Pride
A+: However, many Germans could see Hitler’s foreign policy was dangerous and leading Germany into another war and postcards had to made to convince Germans they were thankful for the invasion of the Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia)
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC POLICIES: The Nazis policies were popular with many working class Germans.
K: Hitler appeared to create an Economic Miracle; forcing men into work building roads, homes, bridges, The Autobahn – Unemployment fell from over 6m to 1m then by 1939 it was 0
A: This helped Nazis stay in power as people were grateful that Hitler was providing ‘work and bread’ especially after the misery and unemployment of Weimar years
A+: However, many Germans were unhappy at longer working hours, less pay and no Trade Unions and many workers remained suspicious of the Nazis
K: ‘Strength Through Joy’ or KDF offered free holidays, cruises, concert tickets and even the chance to save for a Peoples Car – incentives for hard work
A: This helped Nazis stay in power as people were delighted for the ‘perks’ of Life in Germany that Hitler provided. They were less likely to criticise at least.
A+: However, no-one ever received a Peoples Car as money was diverted to the military in 1938 and many promises of the KDF were undelivered
K: Hitler Youth – boys went shooting, camping, hiking and prepared for war. In the League of German Maidens girls learned to be wives and mothers.
K: Poor children received free uniforms and free weekends away camping. 60% of young people had signed up by 1936
A: This helped Nazis stay in power as young people largely enjoyed the movements, especially poorer children, and became loyal Nazi followers due to indoctrination in the HitlerJugend
A+: However, many children did not enjoy the Hitler Youth and refused to go or joined alternatives such as The Jazzers, so the Nazis had to take the step of making the movements compulsory in late 1936.
CONCLUSION - In conclusion…there were many reasons why the Nazis stayed power.
On the one hand… take one factor and explain WHY significant
On the other hand… take one factor and explain WHY significant
Overall, the most important factor was… This was more important than the other factors because… MUST BE CLEAR WHY MOST IMPORTANT WITH DETAILED EXPLANATION
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