‘The Nazi concept of Volksgemeinschaft was primarily a means of justifying the
systematic persecution of minority groups in German society’. Assess the validity of
this view.
The concept of volksgemeinschaft refers to the ‘peoples community’, an attempt to create unity within
the German state. This promotes German values, thus becoming exclusive in nature. This is because
ultra-traditionalist German values that the Nazi’s sought to exclude homosexuals, the disabled,
gypsies and ultimately the Jews. Such minority groups were regarded as the untermenschen. This
systematic persecution included the removal of citizen rights, violence, targeting, branding an often
being forced into concentration camps. Alternatively, it can also be argued that volksgemeinschaft
was a concept used to unite the German nation together, as opposed to primarily being used as a tool
to systematically persecute minority groups.
Indeed, volksgemeinschaft was primarily used as a means to justify the systematic persecution of
minority groups within the legal sphere, as seen in the removal of their civil rights. This can be seen in
the Nuremberg Laws, first introduced in the 15th September 1935. This consisted of a series of
anti-semitic legislation used primarily to ostracise Jewish minorities from societies. This can be seen
in the Reich Citizenship Law, which only granted ‘pure’ blood Germans with citizenships. This
subsequently made Jews and non-Germans susceptible to fewer rights as they weren't seen as
citizens of the state., making them liable to persecution. This is also true for the Law for the Protection
of German Blood and Honour. This outlawed intermarriage and any sexual relations between Aryans
and non-Aryans. Through this it can be argued that volksgemeinschaft was used as a means to
ostracise minority groups from society and make way for systematic persecution. This is because
minorities were made powerless to the Nazi bureaucracy, thus making way for their persecution. This
also true because the concept of volksgemeinschaft was used as a binding force for the Aryans,
limiting they interaction with minority groups whilst encouraging future interactions with the Aryan
majority. Therefore, it is through the concept of volksgemeinschaft that that the state was able to
trigger a series of laws and policies that persecuted minority groups.
It is also that the concept of volksgemeinschaft brought forward systematic persecution within the
social sphere, making way for the targeting and violence of minority groups. This is because
volksgemeinschaft created the image that those who didn't fulfil the criteria of a man/woman from a
traditionalist perspective is no longer regarded as German, rather an untermenschen. This was the
case for many Jews families, who experienced violence and targeting even under the SA. For
example, Bea Green’s father was assaulted by the SA in a basement and later paraded down the
streets, humiliated, in 1933. This occurred regardless of his social status indicating that even though
members of minority groups came from respectable families and backgrounds,they were still
outwardly rejected by the state. This can also be seen in Kristallnacht (November 1938), which led to
the extreme persecution of Jewish people and property such as synagogues and homes. This led to
the death of 91 Jews and thousands more being injured demonstrating that volksgemeinschaft
essentially primed the German society into seeing minority groups as ‘less than’. By sanctioning such
an event, this indicates that volksgemeinschaft certainly is a concept primarily used to justify the
systematic persecution of minority groups as it formed the foundation of racialist beliefs within society.
The systematic persecution of minority groups can also be seen in the branding of prisoners in
concentration camps. In this, asocials and homosexuals were sent to concentration camps for failing
to abide by social norms. This indicates that the systematic persecution of minority groups wasn’t a
feature exclusive to Jews, rather a feature accessible to all those deemed as ‘undesirables’ and
threatened a picture perfect Germany. This can be seen in the mass round up of asocials, who were
later divided into ‘orderly’ and ‘disorderly’. Through this, the ‘disorderly’ asocials were sent to
concentration camps and were branded with a black triangle. This persecution became more
systematic in later years, arguably because the concept of volksgemeinschaft has been well
, established into the Nazi regime. This therefore means that distinct lines between what is acceptable
and what isn't has been drawn, leading to harsher treatment and racial policy towards the asocials.
This can be seen in 1938 where there was another mass roundup of Jews who were sent to
Buchenwald concentration camp, where very few survived the harsh treatment. In regards to the
homosexuals, there were branded with a pink triangle and experienced extremely harsh treatment
inside the camp. Approximately 60% of homosexual prisoners died in camps. This illustrates that
volksgemeinschaft has been used as a tool to systematically persecute minority groups. Those who
were seen as disconformists were subject to hostile treatments by camp guards, further reiterating
that as the Nazi regime became more established, the more frequently volksgemeinschaft was used
to justify the persecution of minorities.
Alternatively, it must also be recognised that the concept of volksgemeinschaft also initiated a series
of unifying institutions and policies that made way for social cohesion as opposed to social exclusion.
This can be seen in the DAF, which implemented a series of workers rights in May 1933 - led by
Robert Ley. This existed to act as a medium through which workers from the left and businesses from
the right could mutually represent their interests. This acted as a unifying feature from within
volksgemeinschaft because both social groups can now work in harmony. The KDF was also
established as a subsidiary to the DAF whereby workers were refreshed with holidays, leisure time,
sports and cultural activities. All these aspects submerged individuals into a ‘people's community’
(Volksgemeinschaft). This also created a spirit of social equality because there were no distinctions
made between the poor and the rich. This demonstrates that volksgemeinschaft wasn't primarily used
as a means of justifying the systematic persecution of minority groups because individuals were now
given more rights and freedoms. This enabled workers to have their grievances redressed by the DAF
whilst also promoting an atmosphere of social unity.
Social cohesion could also be seen within the Hitler Youth, which was used as a government
institution to unify the youth. In this, the Hitler Youth provided an opportunity for young boys to
participate in sports and camping trips away from home. Such activities emphasised concepts such as
heroism and leadership; preparing boys for their future roles as warriors. This displays unity within the
concept of volksgemeinschaft because there was a sense of unity asserted within the youth groups.
The youth sang the same nationalistic songs, studied the same doctrines and reinforced the same
political ideology. For many, growing up within the Hitler Youth was their perception of
volksgemeinschaft because it shaped their childhood; some even going to the extent to join the youth
group against their parents wills. This certainly counters viewpoint that volksgemeinschaft was used
primarily to justify the systematic persecution of minority groups because it was through
volksgemeinschaft that different organisations and youth groups were founded by the party. This
indicates that the systematic persecution of minority groups was a feature that came about under
volksgemeinschaft but not a sole feature.
To conclude, Germany was radically restructured through the concept of volksgemeinschaft. Loyalties
to the state were established and those who didn't conform to societal rules were systematically
persecuted. This has been evident in the treatment of Jews, homosexuals and the violence that many
were subject to. Through this, society became unified into one nation with minimal deviating opinions
circulating in Germany. That said, it also important to consider that Volksgemeinschaft wasn't used
solely to make way for the systematic persecution of minorities, rather to solidify a unified state; as
seen in the enhanced workers rights and the Hitler Youth.
