Nazi Economic Recovery and Rearmament

"Economic Recovery and Rearmament" in the Nazi Methods folder.

1. How did the Nazi Regime attempt to win the loyalty of its workers? Define the following:
a. Strength Through Joy program:
The workers were given cheap theatre and cinema tickets and organized trips and sports events. They were also given discounted cruise tickets.

b. Volkswagen Beetle (the people's car):
Designed by Ferdinand Prorsche, it became a symbol of the prosperous new Germany, even though no workers ever received a car because the car production was halted by the war in 1939.

c. Beauty of Labor movement:
This improved working conditions by introducing features not seen in many workplaces before, such as washing facilities and low cost canteens.

2. Define the following Farming Programs. Be sure to provide the pros and cons of each program:
a. Reich Food Estate:
This set up central boards to buy agricultural produce from the farmers and distribute it to markets across Germany. It gave the peasant farmers a guaranteed market for the goods at guaranteed prices.

b. Reich Entailed Farm Law:
This gave peasants state protection for their farms: banks could not seize their land if they could not pay loans or mortgages. This ensured that peasants' farms stayed in their hands.

3. Define Volksgemeinschaft. (Hint: It is in the reading, plus my notes)

-"National community"

-Under Nazi rule, workers, farmers etc. would no longer see themselves as primarily workers or farmers; they would see themselves as Germans. Their first loyalty would not be to their own social group but to Germany and the Fuhrer. They would be so proud to belong to a great nation that was racially and culturally superior to other nations that they would put the interests of Germany before their own.

How did the Nazis Implement Women's Policies?

Read "Women - How Nazis Implemented Ideas" in the Nazi Methods of Rule folder.
Choose TWO of the following areas that the Nazis tried to implement their ideas: Increased Births; Improved welfare; Reduced employment; Reduced education; Involvement in women's organizations.
Using those two areas above, complete the following:

Area 1: Increased Births

Key Measures Attempted
-Divorce became easier in order to boost the birth rate by ending unproductive marriages that were "worthless" to the national community.
-German women were "obliged to produce four children by racially pure German men. Whether these men are married is of no significance. Every family that already has four children must set the husband free for this action." Women's rights and morals in general were not as important as creating Aryan babies.

-Women with children were given support through a series of organizations for girls and women. They gave them mild, food, and clothing. There were kindergartens to look after children when their mothers were working.

-Mothers were awarded medals in recognition of their "contribution to national objectives" because they had a certain number of children.

-They were given financial incentives

-There were penalties: there where higher taxes on childless couples, tighter penalties on abortion, restrictions on contraception information among other things.

Successes
-The number of women attending recuperation homes after childbirth rose from 40,340 in 1934 to 77,723 in 1938.
-The number of kindergartens increased from 600 in 1934 to 8,700 in 1941.

Limitations and Failures

-1933-1939 the birth rate rose and then slowly declined

-The increase may have been due more to economic recovery than to Nazi measures

-The birthrate rose compared to during the Depression, but didn't get back to the levels of Weimar Germany

-Nazi eugenic policies reduced the population potential

Area 2: Reduced employment

Key Measures Attempted
-Marriage loans were granted to women who gave up their jobs.

-The official guidelines for recruiting civil servants and teachers in 1933 stated "In the even of males and females being equally qualified for employment in public service, the male applicant should be given preference."
-In 1933 women in top civil service and medical jobs were dismissed.

-In 1936 women were banned from being judges and lawyers.

Successes
-In 1939 there was a compulsory agricultural labor service for unmarried women under 25

Limitations and Failures

-Nazi policies had marginal effect on overall female employment

-The maine impact was on the professions

-The Nazis were forced to go against their values during the war. The supply of unemployed men ran out so they had to start having women work.

Treatment of Women in Nazi Germany

Using the green book or the reading that is in your shared file, "Women in Nazi Germany," complete the focus task on page 211 that involves an assessment of the Nazis treatment of women.

For each statement explain whether you agree or disagree with it and use examples from the text to support your explanation

-"Nazi policy for women was confused."

I agree with this statement because at first (early 1930s), the Nazis told the women that they needed to stay home and care for their children. They were awarded medals and a "privileged seat at Nazi meetings" for reaching a certain number of children. Then, in the late 1930s, the Nazis policy for women had to be changed because they needed workers and there weren't many more unemployed men left. Women had to struggle with taking care of their families and work responsibilities. The Nazis were "torn between their traditional stereotype of the mother and the actual needs of the workplace."

"Nazi policy for women was a failure."

I also agree with this statement for the same reasons. Ideology needs to be strong and well-grounded, not change drastically. The Nazis said that women need to stay home, but then when they are needed they're torn away from this. This is unsteady and not successful.

However, it was not a total failure in that many Aryan children were produced when the Nazis promoted families, and then some women joined the workforce when they were needed.

Nazi Youth Policies and Education Assessment

Using the green book, complete the focus task on page 204 (Nos. 1 & 2) that involves an assessment of Nazi Youth policies and education.

1) Write three paragraphs to explain why the Nazis were successful in winning over the youth. Include: why the Nazis wanted to control young people, how they set about doing it, what the attractions of the youth movements were. The Nazi regime was not successful in keeping the loyalty of all young people. Add a fourth paragraph to your essay to explain why some young people rejected the Nazi youth movements.

The Nazis wanted to control the young people because they were the future of the country. Also, children are easily persuaded into believing in what you want them to believe. If the Nazis got the children to support them, then when they grew up they would still support them. Also, there might be a chance that the children would tell their parents to support the Nazis. They might report their parents if they didn't.

The curriculum changed so that the children would learn about Nazi ideology. Source 32 shows that there was a Nazi message in every subject. The messages were subtle and simple so that they could easily understand them. Source 38, a picture from a Nazi's children book, shows that children shouldn't trust Jews because they will steal from them. Since children are easily persuaded and accept information passively, they believe that Jews are bad people. Also, the Nazis organized parades and camps for the youth.

The youth wanted to be involved in the movement because they felt like they belonged. Some of their parents didn't support the Nazis while they did, so here they could be accepted. This is shown in sours 36. Also, the parades were fun and exciting. All other youth organizations were made illegal, so they liked the leisure opportunities that the Nazis presented them. The Nazis said that the youth was the future of the nation, and this made them excited and feel like they were important to the country.

Some of the youth did not support the Nazis. The Swing movement was made up of middle class teenagers. They were really interested in British and American music and dances. They accepted Jews. They were against Nazis. The Nazis made a handbook about how to identify them, showing them with messy hair or overly exaggerated English clothing. The Edelweiss pirates were another group opposed to the Nazis. They were an unorganized group of working class teenagers. They were mainly 14-17 because they were allowed to leave school at 14 and didn't have to sign up for the military service until 17. This group included boys and girls, unlike the Hitler Youth program. They went camping on the weekend and if they saw bands of Hitler youth they teased and sometimes attacked them.

Was Nazi Youth Policy Successful?

1) Responses to Nazi youth policies:

Enthusiasm: 14.35

The youth were excited about being Nazis because they are easily persuaded to believe that Nazism is a good thing. Some might not even know anything about Nazi ideology, but they are still enthusiastic about being part of a community such as the Nazi community.

Conformity for career reasons: 14.35, 14.37

"Many believe that they will find job opportunities through the persecution of the Jews and Marxist." This shows that the youth wanted jobs, and they supported the Nazis because they saw there would be opportunities. Source 14.37 shows that many youths joined the party because they were promised jobs, but later they saw that these job positions were taken by slightly older Nazis. This may have been one of the few reasons they supported the Nazis, so after this they might reconsider their choice.

Conformity through fear: 14.36, 14.38

The teachers who were trying to force their students into the Hitler Youth program asked them if their parents were supporters of Hitler. They answered yes even if they were opposed because they were afraid of what would happen if they said they didn't support him. Source 14.38 shows that the Nazis were forcing the youths to do drills and other things in they Nazi Youth program. The youth was very scared of them so they conformed through fear.

Conformity through apathy/ natural obedience: 14.34

Even if they didn't believe in or know about Nazi ideology, some youths still conformed. In some places the Nazi ideology wasn't forced upon them, it was only slightly introduced into the curriculum. This meant that the youth didn't know about it enough to know they didn't believe it, and they kind of just went along with it. They were "politically programmed: to obey orders, to cultivate the soldierly 'virtue' of standing to attention and saying 'Yes, sir'..."

Nonconformity/ disillusion: 14.36

This source shows that eventually some of the youths were avoiding the Hitler Youth events because they were tired of the authority. They lost interest in the concept of the Nazi Youth program.

Criticism/ opposition: 14.36, 14.37, 14.39

Source 14/36 shows that although most of the youth were interested and excited about "uniforms and war games" at first, it became old and they wanted to rebel against the extreme amount of authority that they were under. Source 14.39 shows that some youths knew what was going on with the Nazi's brutality.

2) Do the sources suggest that the young people's reactions to the Nazis changed over time?

Yes, at first they were enthusiastic and interested in the Nazi's ideas and the youth program. However, after a while, they became uninterested in the war games and suspicious of the Nazi brutality.

3) Most of these sources come from either the German opposition or the police. How reliable on this topic do you think these two types of sources are?

I think that they both have the chance of being unreliable because they might sway the information in their favor to support their views, or have interpreted something differently that others would have. However, they do have some reliability because they experienced the situation first hand. Source 14.34, a man looking back on his childhood, could be more reliable because at the time he would have been to frightened to share his real views on the Nazi youth program.

4) Write your own judgement on the success of Nazi youth policy. Then compare it with those of the historians quoted in the chapter review. (pages 290-291)

-Nazi youth policy in general was somewhat successful at first, but as time went on it became less successful. The youth became rebellious against and uninterested in the Nazi's ideas in general.

-The success of the the Nazi youth policy varied from school to school and depended on the teachers and their views.

Nazi Education Policies

Read the .pdf reading, "Nazi Education Policies," in the shared file folder that is entitled Nazi Methods of Rule Readings.

1. Identify three important changes made by the Nazis to the education system. Explain the purpose of each change.

A. All teachers had to join the National Socialist Teachers' League (NSLB)
This was to ensure that all teachers followed what the Nazi's told them to teach. Members had to attend one month training courses, stressing Nazi ideology and physical education.

B. Nazi's changed the curriculum
There was a stress on physical exercise, Nazi ideas were incorporated unto subjects, especially biology and history. Religious education was removed. All textbooks had to be approved, and eventually new textbooks were produced reflecting Nazi values.

C. Co-ed schools were replaced by boys schools and girls schools
This was to ensure that boys and girls got the education that fit to them. Girls took needlework, music, language and home crafts. These taught them the skills they needed to be good mothers.

2. Give specific examples of how the Nazis tried in schools to develop the spirit of Volksgemeinschaft in the following seven goals:

Anti-intellectualism:
In 1933 the Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service purged schools and universities of extremely smart teachers because of racial or political reasons.

Anti-semitism:
University curricula were changed to include racial and eugenic ideas in medicine, law and politics.

Indifference to the weak:
Physical and military training was present in schools. The weak were not able to participate in these activities and were looked down upon. Students were forced to join the Nazi-controlled German Students' League and had to attend twice weekly sessions for fitness training.

Nationalism:
The official manual for teachers said, "The chief purpose of the schools is to train human beings to realize that the State is more important than the individual, that individuals must be willing and ready to sacrifice themselves for Nation and Fuhrer."

Militarism, Obedience and discipline:
Military training was included in the curriculum.
The Nazis built National Political Institutes of Education (NAPOLAs) for boys ages 10-18 to develop future leaders. They provided military style boarding education, with the atmosphere of a military camp.

Hitler Worship:
All teachers had to sign a "Declaration in Support of Hitler and the National Socialist State."

3. What methods did the Nazis use to try to ensure schools were teaching correctly?
The Nazi's made sure that all teachers supported Nazi ideology. Every subject had some piece of Nazi ideology integrated into it. Even math word problems had messages, for example it would cost the same amount of money for one insane asylum as it would to build 400 houses. Another example shows that it is a "waste" of money to spend it on disabled people. History was used to strengthen nationalism and pride for Germany. Also it showed how the Jews had been hurting the German country throughout the years. In the curriculum, there were things relating Hitler to Jesus.

4. Write out a statement that explains the main educational aims of the Nazi Education System. (Reference some of the sources from the packet.)
The main goal of the Nazi Education System is to educate the youth about the strength of Germany and Hitler (Sources 14.23, 14.25, 14.26), the inferiority of the Jew (14.23, 14.24) and the inferiority of the weak and disabled (14.21).

Nazi Rule in Germany

METHODS on how Hitler and the Nazi Regime ruled Germany beginning in 1933
Gdoc folder: "Hitler's Germany Readings." Read the chapters noted in the 10 questions below and answer the questions.

1. Study document A in Chapter 3. Make a detailed list of the kinds of people who were likely to be arrested as "Enemies of the State" in Nazi Germany.
-Politicals: i.e. Communist members of the Reichstag,
-Those accused of having spoken abusively towards the Fuehrer
-"Work-Shy" : those who turned down job offers in the navy or motor roads, after asking for unemployment relief
-"Bibelforscher" : A religious sect banned by the Gestapo since its members refused military service
-Homosexuals
-Professional criminals

2. Provide detailed notes on the following sub-topics in Chapter 4 (Jews in Nazi Germany):

Hitler's anti-Semitic ideas
-Hitler believed that the Jewish people were to blame for Germany's defeat in WWI and that Jewish businessmen were plotting to take control of the world.
-He believed that the Jews were an inferior race and should not be allowed to mix with the superior Aryan Germans.

The dismissal of Jews from jobs, 1933
-The SA organized a boycott of Jewish shops while Jews were removed from important jobs in the civil service, the law, universities and schools, broadcasting and newspapers.
-In 1934, all Jewish shops were marked with a yellow star or the word "Juden." Jews had to sit on separate seats in parks and on buses and trains. Anti-semitic ideas were taught in the schools.

The Nuremberg Laws, 1935
-Took away Jew's German citizenship
-Prohibited marriages between Jews and non-Jews

The "Night of Broken Glass",
-November 10, 1938
-Nearly 10,000 Jewish shop keepers had their shop windows smashed and the contents stolen. Jewish homes and synagogues were set on fire. Dozens of Jews were killed and thousands arrested.

1938 Violence against Jews
-Jews were ordered to pay a 1 billion mark fine.
- Jewish men and women were forced to scrub the streets.
-Himmler ordered a massive expansion of the concentration camps at Buchenwalk, Dachau, Sachsenhausen and Lichtenburg.

3. Why do you think Hitler and the Nazis put so much effort into organizing the lives of young people? (Chapter 5)
Hitler wanted to "educate" (more like indoctrinate) the youth about Nazism. Children are very easily impressionable so they believe what they are told. Also, Hitler wanted to get the weak out early and train the boys to be strong. They went through intensive training. Those who didn't die from the training went on to be "leaders of the future." Those with the best performance evaluations went to the Adolf Hitler Schools and the Order Castles.

4. Study the photographs carefully in Chapter 5. Then, using the information and evidence you have read about young people, write a diary of one day in a Hitler Youth camp.
Last night we went out in the middle of the night (in the winter) to do war "games" with live ammunition. It was terrifying because some of the people around me weren't very good with their weapons and I felt as if I could die at any moment if a bullet flew my way. On top of the danger of the weapons, the sub-zero temperatures gave us frostbite. I was so numb I couldn't feel my hands or feet. After having only a few short hours to sleep, we were awakened early this morning to bathe. We went to the stream and the water was the coldest I have ever felt. My frostbite from the night before hadn't even begun to improve, so this was just way too much. I fear I will have to have my feet amputated! Although I would like to make it through this program, I don't see how it is possible.

5. What effect did "the three Ks" have upon women? (Chapter 6)
Women should stick to the three Ks Kinder, Kirche und Kuche: Children, Church and Cooking. Women were forced to stay at home. Many women doctors, civil servants, lawyers and teachers were removed from their jobs. By 1939 there were few women left in professional jobs. Women were encouraged not to wear make-up and trousers. Dieting was discourages because that wasn't good for childbearing. The only thing that women were actively encouraged to do was to have children. Awards were given to those with the most children. The government set up homes for unmarried mothers.

6. Study the photograph in Chapter 6 (2nd page) and read the rules of the National Reich Church. Explain in your own words the kind of religion which the Nazis wanted Germans to follow.
Nazis wanted the Germans to follow the religion of the National Reich Church, which was ruled by the Nazis. Only certain people called "Orators of the Reich" were allowed to speak. All other religions were banned. The altars were only allowed to have Mein Kampf. There was no separation of church and state, and no religious freedom.

7. How did Hitler address the massive unemployment situation in Germany when he came to power? (Chapter 7)
Hitler set up a National Labour Service (RAD). This gave men jobs in public work areas, for example building the autobahns. Men in the RAD wore military uniform and lived in camps, and they were only payed very little. But this was better than no work at all, and they got free meals. Also, rearmament played an important role in decreasing unemployment. Hitler planned to make Germany a strong and independent country by building up the size and strength of the army. This meant that many people joined the military, and therefore weren't unemployed. Some people found work in the new industries that were found in making Germany self-sufficient. Also, the Jews who were removed from their jobs were not counted in the unemployment surveys, so the numbers are not taking them into account.

8. What is the significance of the German Labor Front? (Chapter 7)
The government had control over all of the workers in Germany. Strikes were made illegal and the limitations on the number of hours people could be made to work were lifted, among other things that took workers' rights away. Not many workers complained because they were being payed well.

9. In your own words, discuss the significance of the Strength through Joy program. (Chapter 8)
Hitler and the Nazi party wanted to control every part of people's lives, including their free time. The Strength through Joy program (KDF) organized activities for the people. Events were made accessible to everyone because they were cheap. The Nazis had control on every single aspect of German's life. Also, with the KDF providing affordable vacations, cars and other things that the people enjoyed, they would support the Nazis.

10. Describe Dr. Joseph Goebbels propaganda and censorship tactics. What effect did they have upon the German citizen? (Chapter 9).
Newspapers, the radio, and mass rallies were major forms of propaganda. Goebbels controlled all of the content of the newspapers. Radios were affordable, there were loudspeakers in town and everyone was required to listen to Hitler's speeches.
Rallies showed Germans that they wanted to be part of such a grand community. Goebbels used censorship to make sure opposing ideas were not spread. German student were encouraged to burn books that were written by Jews or communists. Germans were not allowed to speak negatively about Hitler even privately.

How Hitler Got Away with Murder in Night of The Long Knives

"Night of the Long Knives"
1. Find the sources on page 178. What reasons can you infer from each source (Sources 10.12 to 10.20) as to why Hitler got away with the Night of the Long Knives?

Source 10.12: This source says that it was an act of self defense by the state. It justifies the acts of the government, telling the public that the Night of the Long Knives was necessary to get rid of the treason within the government.

Source 10.13: This source also says how killing these people was necessary. Hitler says that he was the "Supreme Judge of the German people" and that he was responsible for the fate of the country. He believed that these people were threats to the success of the country and had to be removed.

Source 10.14: This source shows that some of the public thought that Hitler's actions were justified. They thought that his actions "prevented a much greater bloodbath." They believed that Hitler was cleansing the government and "paved the way for a moral renewal."

Source 10.15: This source claims that the killing of the people not connected with Rohm was done against the will of Hitler. This shows that killing people connected with Rohm was necessary to "purify" the government.

Source 10.16: This source shows that the people thought that he killed "traitors and murderers" so that his actions were justified. The army believed that they should thank him with devotion and loyalty.

Source 10.17: This source shows that not everyone supported Hitler's actions in the Night of the Long Knives. Although they didn't think it was right, they couldn't do anything because they were to terrified that they would be killed as well.

Source 10.18: This shows the public that President Hindenburg approves of Hitler's actions, saying that he saved the nation from serious danger. The public sees this and supports him also because they think the president knows what is good for the country.

Source 10.19: This source says that Hitler was widely supported and just wanted the best for Germany, and so they trusted that he would do the right thing. If he thought it was in the country's best interest to kill these people, then they supported that.

Source 10.20: This source shows that some people were happy that Hitler got rid of the threats, even if he didn't do it in the "right" way.

2. Read page 179. Why was the Night of the Long Knives so significant in Hitler's consolidation of power? (Be sure to use specific details in your answer.)
The Night of the Long Knives was very significant in Hitler's consolidation of power because he eliminated his opponents. He suppressed the radicals in the SA and won the support of the elite and the army. All of the soldiers took an oath of personal loyalty to Hitler, which meant that they had to follow his orders no matter what. Through the Night of the Long Knives, Hitler gained the acceptance of legalized murder of opponents. This intimidated future opponents. A lot of German people believed that Hitler would act only for the good of the nation.

Nazi Propaganda

Read Nazi Propaganda - Aims and Methods - Part 1. Using the information and the primary sources describe: (Pgs. 245-247)

a. The chief aims of Nazi propaganda
The Nazis wanted to spread their views and persuade everyone in Germany to support them. They wanted to make the people as a whole believe that the Nazis would make Germany a safe and successful country, and to do this they had to recognize the beliefs of groups of the German population. For instance, the same idea that the workers would support, the upper class might not support it also. To gain support of everyone, the Nazis had to have general aims that would appeal to everyone. In a way, they had to used propaganda to trick the people into supporting them since they couldn't please all the groups of people.
As Goebbels says in source 13.2, the Nazis were trying to surround the people with their ideas without them even realizing it. This means that it just became a day to day thing and the German people didn't even think about how they were being influenced in any way.

b. The means used to achieve those aims
The Nazis used every aspect of the German peoples life to influence their thoughts and to support them. They used sports, schools, youth movements, social policies, literature, architecture, sculpture, painting, posters, film, press, radio, parades and rallies to do this. They had the schools teach the policies of National Socialism. Radio and film were very important as Nazi propaganda because it enabled the ideas of the Nazis to be more readily available to the masses.

Literature:
In May 1933, there was a burning of books ceremony in Berlin where 20,000 books were burnt in order to cleanse the new Germany. There were similar ceremonies in other cities. Novelists had to promote Nazi ideas or at least be neutral.

Theater:
Weimar experimentation in drama was ended. Officially approved drama concentrated on historical drama, light entertainment and "blood and soil" stories.

Music:
As with many other things, the Weimar diverse music was ended by the Nazis. The Reich Chamber of Music controlled production.

c. Explain how the Nazis used the press, radio, and film as forms of propaganda. (Pgs. 247-253)
The Nazis controlled everyone who was involved with the press: journalists, editors and publishers. The Nazis did this through the groups they created to control the propaganda and media. They made laws about what they were allowed to say in the media, so no one could say bad things about the Nazis. It was treason to spread false news and rumors. The Nazis kept extending their ownership of the press, increasing for 3% in 1933 to 69% in 1939 and to 82% in 1944.
In 1933 the radio posts which controlled the content of the radio, were taken over by Reich governors. In 1934 the Nazis established a unified radio system. In 1939, 70% of households in German owned a radio, which meant that the Nazis could spread their ideas very efficiently. Hitler's important speeches were broadcasted. Sirens announced them and work stopped so everyone could listen on their own radios or on public loudspeakers.
In 1942 all of the film companies were nationalized. The Reich Film Chamber regulated the content of German and imported films. There were only a few films that were overtly propagandist. Leni Riefenstahl was a producer who made detailed recordings of rallies and festivals to show the people what was happening and to encourage them to join in. Some of these films were "Triumph of the Will" and "Olympia." There were a few anti-semitic films to spread the view that the Jews needed to be removed from Germany. The more subtle films were more effective. The films portrayed Hitler as a man who sacrificed himself for the good of the nation, and they were used to show the key Nazi ideas.

d. Explain Goebbels' contribution to the creation and development of the Third Reich
Goebbels was the Reich Propaganda Minister, the President of the Reich Chamber of Culture and the Director of the Reich Propaganda Central Office of the NSDAP. These positions gave him a lot of power of the media and effectively spread the Nazi propaganda. As the Reich propaganda minister, Goebbels had control over propaganda coordination, broadcasting, German press, film, theater, literature, fine arts, music, and folk culture. As the president of the Reich chamber of culture and the director of the central office of propaganda, he controlled all the media in Germany.
He was an influential adviser to hitler, and he was anti-semitic and issued orders for Kristallnacht. He also played a major role in organizing Germany's domestic war effort after the defeat of Stalingrad in 1943. He was a powerful public speaker and his mission was to sell Hitler to the German people and organizing the Fuhrer cult, with himself as Hitler's faithful servant.


Read Nazi Propaganda - Other Methods - Part 2

e. Explain how the Nazis used the activities described on pages 254-259 as a form of propaganda.
Meetings and Rallies:
Mass Rallies strengthened support for the Nazis, and attracted the attention of bystanders and won over their support. Films of rallies made people who hadn't been at the rally want to attend one to be a part of the movement. Goebbels commented that rallies transformed a person "from a little worm into part of a large dragon," showing that people felt like an important part of a community. Source 13 C shows how the Nazis put on a show with lights and coordinated marches/dances before Hitler would make a speech. Everyone would get excited about being part of such a dedicated community, and they would support the Nazis even more.

Festivals:
Nazi Germany had many new festivals. On these days there were rallies in many cities and the streets were flooded with people celebrating. People who didn't participate may have been reported to the Gestapo. Among the holidays were "Day of the Seizing of Power" (January 30), Hitler's birthday (April 20), and Day of German Culture (2nd Sunday in July).

Sports:
The Hitler Youth and DAF organized sporting activities for the masses. These helped the German people to be fit. The Nazis' aim was to make them healthy to be soldiers and to have children. The Nazis used the 1936 Olympics as propaganda. The stadium in which the games were held included memorials to dead German soldiers, linking sports and militarism. Hitler used the Olympics as an opportunity to display the physical superiority of Germans as the master race. While visitors where in Berlin, anti-semitic propaganda was reduced.

The autobahns:
The autobahns showed how Germany was literally united. They did also have an economic and military role. The success was more propagandist than real. They symbolized the political strength, willpower and achievement of Hitler's Germany.

Social policy:
Much of Nazi social policy was aimed at changing peoples thoughts more than their social position.


Read Nazi Propaganda - Culture - Part 3 and Part 4

f. Explain how the Third Reich used painting, sculpture and architecture for propaganda purposes (Pgs. 260-270).
Painting:
Hitler was very interested in painting. Hitler removed what he thought was corrupt art and supported "healthy" Aryan art. Hitler's taste replaced the modern, reflective, abstract art that was popular in Weimar Germany. He favored clear visual images that everyone could understand and be inspired by. Nazi art was clear and direct. People were not portrayed as real individuals but heroic idealizations, like the healthy peasant, the brave warrior and the productive woman. Hitler was portrayed as the wise, strong leader. The painting reflected Nazi ideology and myth. Art, like all other propaganda, had to reflect the popular taste to reach the masses. All artists had to become members of the Reich Culture Chamber, which monitored all art.

Sculpture:
In 1934 there was a decree that all new public buildings should be embellished by sculptures conveying the Nazi message. The sculptures that were artistic and expressive were replaced by perfectly molded strong people.

Architecture:
Hitler was fascinated with architecture. This was the most permanent form of propaganda. Many new public buildings were created. Hitler used a monumental style with symmetry from the Greeks but on a large scale. When people visited, they were swallowed up by how big the building was and how small they were, showing how powerful and authoritative the Nazis were. Hitler wanted to build huge city centers. Hit initial interest in workers' housing disappeared.
The Nazis used a more traditional and local Germanic style for homes and youth hostels. This reflected the backward looking, pro countryside aspect of Nazi ideology.
Albert Speer was Hitler's personal architect. He was Head of the Beauty of Work section of the DAF and was General Architectural Inspector of the Reich.

How did the Depression Help the Nazis?

Read pages 152 - 155 of "The Depression & Rise of Nazis." Complete the four questions of the focus task at the bottom left of page 155.
NOTE: Gordon Craig is a historian. His view is expressed in the paragraph below 'Negative cohesion' at the bottom of page 154. Here is a modern example of negative cohesion: I don't support former president George W. Bush's view on restricted civil liberties, but I hate foreign terrorists, too, just like Bush, so he can't be that bad.
Do you agree with Goebbels' view that people rallied to support Hitler for positive reasons- or do you think that Gordon Craig was right that people supported the Nazis out of fear and disillusionment?
Look at sourced 37-41 and 43. For each source, write two sentences explaining whether you think it is evidence that:
-supports the view of Goebbels
-supports the view of Craig
-could be used to support either interpretation

1a. Source 37: I think that this graph supports Goebbels. There was a large rate of unemployment and it was going up, and the unemployed supported the Nazis because they provided an answer to this, suggesting that they would be able to join the army.

1b. Source 38: This supports Craig. This source shows that there were storm troopers parades that were on the streets, showing "discipline in a time of chaos," which scared the people into supporting the Nazis.

1c. Source 39: This supports Goebbels. The people are not happy with the Treaty of Versailles, so if the Nazis say they are against it and want to get rid of it, people will support them.

1d. Source 40: This supports Goebbels views because the people probably willingly went to the rally to show their support for the Nazis.

1e. Source 41: This supports Goebbels views because this poster is showing how the communists would not be a good party to put into power. This poster says that the communists would burn the farms, along with other horrible things.

1f. Source 43: This source also supports Goebbels views. The people see this poster and want to support the Nazis because they provide work, freedom and bread. It says that the other parties would use terror, corruption and lies for their basis of government.


2. Now look through the text and other sources on pages 152-155. Make a list of examples and evidence that seem to support either viewpoint.
-Source 42 could support either viewpoint. Hitler's tone is particularly cynical, saying that his only goal is to beat the other political parties. This could add to the fear or have people willingly support them.
-Source 44 and the idea of Negative Cohesion also support both sides. People might not have directly supported Nazi beliefs, but they shared the same fears and dislikes, and this is how the Nazi's gained more support.


Scale of 1-5 with 5 being you agree fully.
Score them and write a short paragraph explaining your score for each statement.
3a. Score: 4 Very few people fully supported the Nazis.
Explain your score:
At first, the Nazis didn't have much support. When the depression happened, they started proposing ideas that would fix the horrible conditions of Germany, and they started supporting them. But even the ones who supported the Nazis didn't support everything they were saying. Some people didn't support their ideas but had the same dislikes and fears and supported them through that.

3b. Score: 4 The key factor was the economic depression. Without it, the Nazis would have remained a minority fringe party.
Explain your score:
Before the depression, the Nazis didn't have much support. As unemployment rose and conditions worsened, there was more and more support for the Nazis. Perhaps if it hadn't happened, the next really bad situation in Germany would have given the Nazis the same sort of opportunity and end similarly.

3c. Score: 3 The politicians of the Weimar Republic were mainly responsible for the rise of the Nazis.
Explain your score:
They were not the main factor, although they did contribute to the rise of the Nazis. If the politicians of the Weimar Republic were good leaders and effectively dealt with the depression, then the Nazis wouldn't have had the same conditions to base their campaign off of.

Jan. '33: Hitler is Appointed Chancellor

Read the .pdfs "Epilogue - NSDAP and Totalitarian Rule" and "Supplementary Documents." These can be found in the 1932 Reichstag Elections collection.

1. Why did Hinderburg's advisers agree to the appointment of Hitler as chancellor in January 1933?
The November 1932 elections convinced them that Hitler could be a successful leader, and they thought that he could be kept in check by being surrounded with responsible conservative ministers. They expected Hitler's supporters would be transformed into the foundation of a restructured, conservative government. Many of Hindenburg's advisers belonged to the German Nation People's Party and had never been deeply committed to the Weimar system.

2. Why is the term "totalitarianism" used to describe Nazi Germany?
Hitler got rid of political opponents of the Nazis and placed loyal NSDAP members in key government positions. Hitler extended control to all aspects of German society, including the schools, the military, the press, the churches, and the arts.

3. Why did the Enabling Law allow Hitler to overcome the constitutional restraints of the Weimar system?
Hitler made a law that enabled his cabinet to enact new laws without the approval of the parliament or the president. This allowed him to dismantle the Weimar system.

4. What was the goal of Goebbels' Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda?
Goebbels took control of the media, so that anything produced and released into the public was made by the Nazis. This way, nothing that was in opposition of the Nazi's could be produced, so the public was persuaded to like the Nazis.

5. How did Hitler destroy potential sources of opposition?
He eliminated the other parties, he put NSDAP supporters into key positions of the government, the propaganda ensured that nothing opposing the Nazis would be published.

6. Which laws served as the first steps in Hitler's plan to eliminate Germany's Jewish community?
-Nuremburg Laws on Citizenship and Race, September 15, 2935
-Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor, September 15, 1935
-Supplementary Decree on Citizenship, November 14, 1935

The Troubled Infancy of the Weimar Republic

Read "The Troubled Infancy of the Weimar Republic," in the shared file folder of Weimar Germany readings.

1. Explain why several segments of German society never accepted the legitimacy of the Weimar system.
Many Germans blamed said that the politicians who signed the Treaty of Versailles stabbed them in the back, and they viewed the Weimar Republic with shame and weakness.

2. How did Hitler use anti-Semitism to further his political aspirations?
Hitler believed that the Germans were the "master race" and the Jews were poisoning the blood and the culture of the German people. Hitler blamed the Jews for the problems in Germany, so he believed if they got rid of the Jews then Germany would be a better place.

3. How was the French occupation of the Ruhr tied to Germany's hyperinflation?
When the French occupied the Ruhr, Germany didn't have the military strength to oppose the occupation, so the German government urged its citizens to fight back with nonviolent means. German workers in the Ruhr went on strike and refused to cooperate with the French and Belgians. The German government, whose financial resources were already low, printed more money to support the strikers, and after a nine month stalemate, the German government abandoned its policy of passive resistance and began negotiations with the Allies. Germany printed too much money and it became worthless. Although this was their fault, they blamed it on the allied reparations demands.

4. Describe "Weimar culture" and explain why many Germans rejected its values.
Weimar culture was the term to describe the breakthroughs in art, music, and literature during the 1920s. Some Germans rejected Weimar culture because they didn't think the new freedoms were good.

5. How did the conflict between the Catholic Center Party and the SPD contribute to the political crisis of the Weimar Republic?
The Catholic Center Party emerged as a defender of Catholic interests after Bismarck attempted to limit the influence of the Catholic Church in Germany. Bismarck's suspicion of the labor movement strengthened the commitment of many workers to the SPD. Compromise was difficult with these two clearly defined positions in the Weimar Republic.

6. How did the economic depression that began in 1929 create an opportunity for extremist political parties in Weimar Germany?
The president used his power under Article 48 of the constitution to have a temporary dictator. The polls showed how extreme the left and the right sides were.

Unrest and the Treaty of Versailles

Weimar Germany Readings- Chapters 4 and 5

1. Using the information from Chapter 4, what were the threats to the new Weimar Republic? How did the Free Corps assist the government?
-In March 1919, the communists organised riots and strikes in Berlin in an attempt to seize power. The government ordered anyone seen carrying weapons to be shot on sight. The Free Corps were the ones to kill them.
-The leader of the Independent Socialists, Kurt Eisner, was killed in February 1919. With Eisner dead, the moderated Socialists and the Communists argued about which should take his place. In March 1919 the Communists won and the province of Bavaria was made into a Soviet Republic on Russian lines. They took houses from the middle class people of Munich and gave them to workers. They took food, cars and clothing from the rich. They formed a Bavarian Red army to protect themselves. The government in Weimar put Munich under siege. This caused a food shortage in Munich. On May 1, the siege suddenly ended. Government forces and the Free Corps entered the city and they killed all of the communists.

2. How did the Germans react to the Treaty of Versailles?
Germany was expecting it to be a fair treaty because they had done what the Allied had demanded; the Kaiser had given up his throne and they had elected a democratic government to rule Germany in his place. On May 7 the Allies announced the terms of the peace treaty. Germany would lose one tenth of its land, all of its overseas colonies and most of its armed forces. Germany was blamed for starting the war and had to pay for the damage done in the fighting.
The Germans were horrified and didn't think the treaty was fair at all. They felt betrayed by the allies and by their own politicians who signed the treaty.

3. Who were the "November Criminals"?
Germany called their politicians who had signed the treaty "November Criminals" because they had signed it in November. They said they had stabbed Germany in the back by making peace with the Allies.

4. Read chapter 5. Why didn't Field Marshal von Hindenburg and the other general fight instead of having the Weimar government sign the Treaty of Versailles?
Field Marshal von Hindenburg said that Germany wouldn't be able to defend itself in the west. There was no way out but to sign the treaty.

5. What were the major aspects of the Treaty that caused Germans to object so strongly to it?
-Land: The treaty took a lot of Germany's land away, and also cut the country into two parts. Losing all of this land meant losing people, farms, mines and factories. Losing overseas colonies meant losing raw materials.
-Arms: The army had to be less than 100,000 men, it had to stay in its territory, the army was not allowed into a section of land called Rhineland, the navy had only six ships and no submarines, and there was no air force.
-War guilt and reparations: The treaty blamed the start of the war on Germany and it must pay reparations.
-Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria.
- Allied armies were to occupy all German land west of the Rhine River for 15 years.

The German Revolution

Weimar Germany Readings- read the first three chapters and answer the following questions.

1. Using the documents in Chapter 1 as evidence, list the ways in which conditions in Germany worsened during the war.
-There is a picture of women in a line to exchange potatoe peelings for firewood. This shows how people had no money and they had to trade things to get firewood.
-There is a letter that shows how horrible the food shortages were. In the letter, the peson describes how the potatoes ran out, so they only ate turnips and bread, and small pieces of meat. People were starving.
-The food shortages in the army caused mutiny.

2. Give two reasons why the war caused such bad conditions for German civilians.
-The army was taking men away from their families.
-There was no money or food.

3. After reading Chapter 2, give two reasons why Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated on November 10, 1918.
-The soldiers mutiny had spread all over the country and socialist groups set up workers and soldiers councils to run the towns. There was no way for the Kaiser to gain back control of the country.
-The United States said that the Kaiser had to give up some of his power before they would think about peace.

4. Using the information you have read in this chapter, give evidence to support the statement that there was "revolution all over Germany."
-The soldiers mutiny quickly spread throughout the country, cities all over Germany were controlled by socialist groups.
-The food shortages and sicknesses spread throughout the country and everyone was unhappy.

5. Study the information about the German Socialists in Chapter 2, page 5. What did the three Socialist groups have in common?
They all wanted to improve workers' conditions and give democratic rights to all of the Germans, such as the right to vote.

6. In what ways were the Socialist groups different.
The methods were different.
The social democratic party wanted to support the government and try to make reforms by acts of parliament.
The independent socialists wanted to oppose the government and force it to make reforms by organising strikes.
The spartacists wanted to overthrow the government in a revolution. Councils of workers, called Soviets, would make reforms.

7. After reading Chapter 3 make a time chart of the events of the German Revolution from Nov. 10, 1918 to Jan. 15, 1919.
Nov. 10, 1918- Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated
Nov. 12, 1918-Ebert issued a statement to the German people. It said that there is no censorship, there is freedom of speach and religion, there is an eight hour work day, and the housing and food stituation will be dealt with.
Dec. 23, 1918-A large group of sailors broke into the government headquarters and held Ebert prisoner at gunpoint, demanding more pay. Ebert's troops joined the sailors so he had to give in.
Dec. 30, 1918-The Spartacists renamed themselves the German Communist Party and decided to work for a communist revolution.
Jan. 6, 1919-The German Communist Party start their revolution.
Jan. 10, 1919- The Free Corps, who supported Ebert, attacked the Spartacists in Berlin. There was fighting for three days.
Jan. 15, 1919-The Free Corps arrested Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Lievknecht, leaders of the Spartacists. They beat them and killed them.


8. At what time would you say the Communists had their best chance of seizing power? Explain your answer.
I think between Jan. 6, 1919 and Jan. 10, 1919. This was before Ebert got the support of the Free Corps, which was the group that defeated the Communists.

Stalin's Cult of Personality

Read "Stalin's Cult of Personality" Additional material may be found in the Stalin Notes: Follow "The Cult of Personality" link.

1. Does the fact that images of Stalin appeared everywhere, as described by Steinbeck in Source 14.8, prove that Stalin attracted genuine adulation?
I think that the fact that Stalin's image was everywhere doesn't mean that everyone admired him and looked up to him. Since the country was in a state of terror, the Russian citizens were forced into looking up to Stalin, because if they didn't they would be punished. But then when the entire country was surrounded by the "reassuring" face of Stalin, and many of the citizens started to believe that he actually was a good person and then they looked up to him. Stalin gave the Russian people a sense of confidence in such bad times.

2. Describe the various devices used to establish and spread the cult of Stalin.
Paintings, poetry and sculptures having to do with Stalin were everywhere. Making Stalin look like he is one of the people by showing him marching alongside workers or in the fields with peasants, everyone could relate to him. Showing how happy children were because of Stalin made everyone like Stalin. Later, posters depict Stalin as more of a superior and this shows that he is powerful and a good leader, so the citizens would look up to him.


3. Account for the relative success of the cult - why do you think it worked with the Russian people?
I think it worked beacuse Russia was in such bad conditions with the purges and the terror that the Russian people needed something or someone to "know" would always be there for them. Stalin was portrayed as a man who would fix the country and make everyone happy, which is just what they needed at the time, so they believed it.

4. What conclusions can you reach about whether the adulation Stalin received was genuine?
Many people did admire Stalin, but I think that most of it was in fear, after he started the purges. If they showed that they were loyal to Stalin, even if they really weren't, they were less likely to be seen as an opposer and they'd cover it up. There were people who thought that it was ridiculous, but once the purges started, they had to suppress their beliefs in order to stay alive. I think that much of the admiration was just in fear, but perhaps as Stalin surrounded everyone in Russia, some were "brainwashed" into actually believing he would solve everything.

Purges, Terror and Show Trials

Read "Stalin & the Soviet Union - III," which is in the Stalin shared file folder.

1.What is the significance of Kirov's murder? (This is what I went over in class.)
Stalin used Kirov's murder as an excuse to purge the party of people he thought were a threat to the country. These people were just his opposition. This led into the purges and terror.

2. According to Stalin, who had Nikolayev been working for when he assassinated Kirov? Why is this significant?
Stalin claimed that Nikolayev had acted on orders from a "Leningrad Opposition Center" which had connections with the old Left Opposition, especially Trotsky.

3. What is a Trotskyite?
A person who supports Trotsky's beliefs about communism, such as a permanent revolution. This was a "valid" reason, according to Stalin, for the party member to be purged.

4. There are three major "show trials." List them and a brief description of their significance.
1) The Trial of the Sixteen in 1936 involved Zinoviev, Kamenev and fourteen others. They were accused of involvement in a conspiracy organised by Trotsky to overthrow the government. Most of them confessed to every accusation made against them. They were found guilty and shot the day after.
2) The Trial of the Seventeen was in 1937. The vitctims were accesed of having links with Trotsky, setting up terrorist groups and of wrecking industry. They were found guilty and shot.
3) The Trial of the Twenty-one" in 1938 involved Bukharin, Rykov and nineteen others. The accused confessed to being members of a Trotskyist-Rightist bloc, to wrecking industry and to helping foreign spies. All were found guilty and shot.
The significance of these trials were that they were confessing to extremely absurd things that were probably untrue. In some cases they had been told they wouldn't be executed if they confessed, in other cases the victims were being tortured. These were to show the public that Stalin was willing to do anything, even kill many people, to have power and to make sure the country was safe.

5. During the Great Terror, there were three stages to the purges, staring with members of the Communist party. What were the next two stages and what type of people were purged?
1937-Armed forces: several Red Army Generals were arrested and shot, accused of spying for Germany and Japan.
1938-Anyone who critisized Stalin most likely was denounced to the NKVD as a Trotskyite and were arrested. Everyone was encouraged to denounce anyone, even their family or co-workers. Some people were even arrested for failure to announce suspicious people. By this point, no one knew who it was safe to talk to.

Kirov Murder Myster

Read "Kirov Murder Mystery," which is in your Stalin shared file folder. Examine the two pages of evidence in the Kirov Murder Mystery reading. After reviewing the evidence, make your own judgments by answering the following questions.

1. In what circumstances did the assassin carry out the murder?
On December 1, 1934, Sergei Kirov went into party headquarters in Leningrad. He left his bodyguard downstairs while he went up to his office. He didn't notice the absence of the usual bodyguards in the building. His assassin, who was hiding in the bathroom, snuck up behind Kirov and shot him in the neck.

2. What strange coincidences surround the murder?
Kirov happened to leave his body guard downstairs when he went up to his office
A key witness was going to be Borisov, Kirov's bodyguard, but on the way to be questioned, a truck with many NKVD men got into a car crash and Borisov was killed, but nobody else was hurt. The NKVD men were killed later.

3. Is there any evidence to link Stalin to the murder?
Kirov had recieved more support at the Seventeenth Party Congress than Stalin. Kirov opposed stalin over the pace of industrialization, he wanted relaxation from the terror and reconciliation with the peasantry. Kirov and Stalin disagreed on many other things as well.

4. Is there any evidence to suggest that the NKVD was involved in the murder?
Kirov wanted relaxation of the terror and reconciliation with the peasantry, which would have downgraded the role of the NKVD and reduced its profile and status. It is alleged that an NKVD man had posed as a friend of Nikolayev and practiced shooting his revolver with him. When Stalin interrogated Nikolayev, he pointed to the NKVD men and said to ask them why he killed Kirov.

5. Who had the best motive for the murder?
Nikolayev-had a hatred of the party bureaucracy which he felt had not recognized his worth and given him his due. Also his wife, who was a secretary at party headquarters may have been having an affair with Kirov. There were plans in Nikolayev's briefcase of Kirov's murder. Nikolayev had been arrested in Kirov's neighborhood twice and released both times.

6. What theories can you suggest about who was responsible - was it the assassin alone or were others involved?
I think that the NKVD as well as Nikolayev played a big part in Kirov's assassination. Nikolayev was the man who carried out the NKVD's dirty work. Nikolayev had a personal motive, so the NKVD probably picked him to do their killing.

Gulags and the Purges

Read pages 14 - 17 in "Stalin & the Soviet Union - III"

The Gulag System

1. What type of construction projects were built using the Gulag system?
The slaves worked on tasks set up by the Five Year Plans that were really big and ambitious, such as the canal from the White Sea to the Baltic Sea.


2. What were the conditions of the work camps?
In camps: They were located in remote areas of the country or sometimes in towns and cities in full view of the public. They were surrounded by barbed wire and watch towers. Although conditions varied from camp to camp, they were generally really bad. There was a rationing system which depended on how much and what quality of work they did. They have food in the morning (4-5 AM) and in the evening (5-7 PM) but would never get food during the 12 hours of work.
Conditions while working on projects: The workers did the labor entirely without machinery. They worked long hours in all weather conditions. The workers were promised to be set free after the project was completed, and some were, but most of them were transferred to other construction projects in the USSR.

3. Why do you think slave labor was used in the projects rather than paid laborers?
The USSR didn't have to pay the slaves and didn't have to try to keep them happy because it was forced labor. It was easier for the country to "take care" of slaves by giving them the poorest conditions just to keep them alive, than to keep workers happy and well paid. Also, they needed money that they would be paying them for the projects that they were building.


Purges, Show Trails and Terror

4. What were the issues surrounding Kirov's murder? Why do you think he had been murdered?
He was a member of the politburo and was the secretary of the Leningrad branch of the communist party. He was shot by Nikolayev, who had been seen by the police at Kirov's office a few days before the murder, but the police let him go despite his possession of a gun. Also, Kirov's body guard wasn't with him that day, and he was killed the next day in a car crash. On the same day as Kirov's murder, Stalin announced that anybody accused of "terrorism" would be investigated right away and executed immediately after conviction. There would be no appeal of right of defense. Nikolayev was tried and executed. I think that the secret police (under Stalin's orders) let Nikolayev kill Kirov because he was a possible rival to Stalin's position of supreme leader. Kirov was very popular among the people and Stalin couldn't risk someone else being as popular as himself.

5. What was the Great Purge? What specific group did it target?
It was a series of mass arrests during 1935-1938. The goal was to expel members who were unreliable. This meant many things, in one case, if they were ever supporters of Trotsky. People were asked to request investigations of people the might think are questionable as to their reliability/loyalty to the communist party.

6. What was the purpose of the Show Trials?
Some of the most important party members arrested by the NKVD (secret police) were given public trials to which the press were invited and were given maximum publicity. Most were found guilty of corruption/disloyalty and were shot. The purpose of these trials was to scare the public into being loyal and seeing what would happen if you weren't.

7. What was the Great Terror?
There was no way to know who was safe to talk to. Everyone had the potential of being a "terrorist."