An In-depth detailed set of notes of the Unit 4 Nazi Germany topic for WJEC A2 Level Exams.
Written using teacher notes, lectures, textbooks, revision guides, online resources, exam mark schemes, and further reading.
Further Developments in the Nazi control of Germany after 1933
Hitlers consolidation of power 1933-4
● Eliminating the left - Reichstag Fire
● Legally - Enabling Act, sending political opponents to concentration camps
● Gleichschaltung - eliminating political parties, trade unions, civil service, press
● Used SS to establish a police state
Reichstag Fire - 27 Feb 1933
● German parliament burnt down
● Nazis claimed Van der Lubbe (communist) started fire for communist uprising
● 28 Feb 1933 Law for Protection of People and State:
○ Suspended right to assembly, freedom of speech/press
○ Restraints on police investigation - allowed to arrest communists without trial
○ Justified through article 48 - national emergency of fire
● Significance:
○ Nazis capitalised on fire - described as start of revolution
○ Blaming communists removed biggest political opponent
○ Paved way to dictatorship - removed political freedom
Enabling Act - 23 March 1933
● Allowed Reichstag government to issue laws without parliament consent
● Transferred full power to Chancellor for 4 years
● Required ⅔ votes to implement
● Judges viewed Hitler’s government as secure
● Used intimidation of SA to secure votes
● Significance:
○ Dictatorship grounded in legality
○ Allowed gov to issue laws without consent of parliament
○ Nazifed German society
Gleichschaltung 1933/4
● Meaning “Bring into line” - Nazification of German society (educational, cultural life)
● By power and freedom exploited by SA (revolution from below)
● By Nazi leadership from political centre (revolution from above)
● Aimed to establish one-party state (by 1933) - communists outlawed from Fire, Social
Dem removed after trade unions banned, other major parties agreed to dissolve
● Significance:
○ Hitler extended his power to key organisations by taking out/dealing with them
○ Judges had to swear oath of loyalty to Nazis
Night of the Long Knives - 30 June - 2 July 1934
● Hitler feared SA became too powerful - ordered SS to murder SA leader Ernst Rohm
● 150 killed & more arrested
● Significance:
○ Able to secure his own political supremacy
○ Neutralised the threat of Rohm, an individual to challenge him, & other threats
○ Sent a clear message that he was prepared to remove internal threats
, Impact of the death of President Hindenburg - 2 Aug 1934
● Hitler becomes President
● Abolishes office of president & becomes Fuhrer
● No legal restrictions to his dictatorship
● Significance:
○ Death solidified dictatorship - Hindenburg can't dismiss Hitler anymore
○ Strengthened Hitler’s power - gave him complete control of Germany
Propaganda
● Joseph Goebbles
● Aims - glorify Nazi regime, spread Nazi ideology
● Used Radio -
○ Bought all broadcasting under Nazi control by Reich Radio Company
○ 1932 >25% German households owned radio
○ Nazi gov mass produced cheaper set “People’s receiver”
○ 1939 70% German households owned radio
● Press -
○ 1933 - 4700 German privately owned newspapers - strong regional identities
○ Set up Eher Verlag publishing house (by 1939 controlled ⅔ German press)
○ Editors’ Law Oct 1933 - had to satisfy requirements of Propaganda Ministry
● Berlin Olympics -
○ Exploited as a propaganda goldmine
○ Glorified regime for world
○ Spread Nazism without international upset - anti semitic media played down
○ Focused on presenting “new Germany” positive image
○ Aryan race depicted - lighting torch etc.
Opposition and resistance to Nazi control
Youth
● White Rose Group:
○ Student resistance movement led by Hans & Sophie Scholl
○ Leaflets sent around- political, condemned values of Nazi regime
○ Weak security - Feb 1943 Gestapo arrested/executed the 6 leaders
● The Swing Movement/Swingjugend
○ Group of jazz/ lovers in Hamburg/Berlin formed in 1939
○ 14-21 year old mostly middle/upper class Germans
○ Admired British/American way of life
○ Opposed Nazism and Hitler Youth - rejected Nazi state
○ Rebelled against restriction with jazz
● Edelweiss Pirates/Cologne Pirates
○ General name given to working class youths that formed gangs
○ Alienated from Hitler’s Youth
○ Active resistance eg. 12 publicly hanged due to assassination of Gestapo
officer
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