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.
