German Response to NazismGerman Response to Nazism

Range of German Responses to Nazism

Resistance------Bystander-------Collaborators-------Perpetrators

Range of German Responses to Nazism

Resistance------Bystander-------Collaborators-------Perpetrators

Leni Riefenstahl’s ‘Triumph of the Will”

Hitler’s Theory of Power (The Three Pillars of

Authority)

Hitler’s Theory of Power (The Three Pillars of

Authority)

3. policies matching social traditions

2. Instrumental force

1. Popular support

3. policies matching social traditions

2. Instrumental force

1. Popular support

“Examples show that the public attitude can throw a government into misadventures, which in the end leads to the destruction of the state."

Joseph Goebbels1940

“Examples show that the public attitude can throw a government into misadventures, which in the end leads to the destruction of the state."

Joseph Goebbels1940

Hitler thought that "to win the masses. . . no social sacrifice is too great" and "tried to keep the morale of the people in the best possible state by concessions. . .It betrayed great concern over a loss of popularity which might develop into an insurrectionary mood.”

--Albert Speer, 1970

Hitler thought that "to win the masses. . . no social sacrifice is too great" and "tried to keep the morale of the people in the best possible state by concessions. . .It betrayed great concern over a loss of popularity which might develop into an insurrectionary mood.”

--Albert Speer, 1970

Detlev Peukert: The Range of ResistanceDetlev Peukert: The Range of Resistance

Definitions of ResistanceDefinitions of Resistance

Resistance---- Protest-----Noncompliance

Widerstand Resistenz

Resistance---- Protest-----Noncompliance

Widerstand Resistenz

The July 20, 1944 attempt to assassinate Hitler became a basis for the (Widerstand) definition of Resistance --

The July 20, 1944 attempt to assassinate Hitler became a basis for the (Widerstand) definition of Resistance --

Colonel

Stauffenberg

Hitler after the assassination attemptHitler after the assassination attempt

The White Rose: Hans and Sophie Scholl

WHY DID THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT BECOME KNOWN AS“THE GERMAN RESISTANCE?”

and was mythologized?

In Addition, to The July Conspiracy and the White Rose

There were Public Protestseven though these were forbidden by lawAnd the regime appeased them

Nazi Responses to Collective Public Protests

Nazi Responses to Collective Public Protests

Crucifix Decree Struggles, 1936, 1941

Witten Women’s Protest, 1943

Crucifix Decree Struggles, 1936, 1941

Witten Women’s Protest, 1943

Implications of July 20 conspiracy as “The German Resistance”

Implications of July 20 conspiracy as “The German Resistance”

an ordinary German could do nothing

If even the military had tried and failed how little could anyone else do–or even an international organization like the Catholic Church?

an ordinary German could do nothing

If even the military had tried and failed how little could anyone else do–or even an international organization like the Catholic Church?

the main figures in German Resistance mythology all died in their struggle.

this presents resistance as a choice between martyrdom and passivity –

But was it?

the main figures in German Resistance mythology all died in their struggle.

this presents resistance as a choice between martyrdom and passivity –

But was it?

This Myth may be a Good one-- Though IncompleteThis Myth may be a Good one-- Though Incomplete

it has also served to stifle stories that seem to contradict the myth

Implies that Germans wanted to Resist

ordinary Germans actually did rescue Jews from the Holocaust. These unsung heroes include, prominently, Germans married to Jews – as we’ll see

it has also served to stifle stories that seem to contradict the myth

Implies that Germans wanted to Resist

ordinary Germans actually did rescue Jews from the Holocaust. These unsung heroes include, prominently, Germans married to Jews – as we’ll see

Intermarried German Protest

Intermarried German Protest

98 percent of German Jews who survived the war without being sent to the death camps -- even though the Gestapo knew of their whereabouts -- were married to non-Jews. Why?

98 percent of German Jews who survived the war without being sent to the death camps -- even though the Gestapo knew of their whereabouts -- were married to non-Jews. Why?

Intermarried CouplesIntermarried Couples

Rosenstrasse Protest, 1943

Rosenstrasse Protest, 1943

RESISTANCE OF THE HEART

INTERMARRIAGEAND THE ROSENSTRASSE PROTEST INNAZI GERMANYNATHAN STOLTZFUS

Part IV: von Trotta’s film Part IV: von Trotta’s film

the protest scene is plausible

The scene with Goebbels is ludicrous and trivializes Nazi terror

Inference that the Nuremberg Laws protected intermarried Jews is a Goebbels-like inversion of the truth

the protest scene is plausible

The scene with Goebbels is ludicrous and trivializes Nazi terror

Inference that the Nuremberg Laws protected intermarried Jews is a Goebbels-like inversion of the truth

von Trotta’s “Rosenstrasse”von Trotta’s “Rosenstrasse”

The search for a “usable past” from the Nazi Period

The search for a “usable past” from the Nazi Period

reviled parts publicly renounced

Parts of the past that seem to represent good were (and are) selected out and eulogized

reviled parts publicly renounced

Parts of the past that seem to represent good were (and are) selected out and eulogized

Inventing Resistance in West GermanyInventing Resistance in West Germany

Very few openly identified with Nazism

Yet there had not been much resistance

Very few openly identified with Nazism

Yet there had not been much resistance

A poll of West Germans in 1951 found

A poll of West Germans in 1951 found

only five per cent said they felt guilty about what had happened to the Jews;

twenty-one per cent thought the Jews were “partly responsible” for their fate.

only five per cent said they felt guilty about what had happened to the Jews;

twenty-one per cent thought the Jews were “partly responsible” for their fate.

Large numbers of Germans continued to have a preference for authoritarian rule . . .

and to think there was more good than negative about National Socialism.

Large numbers of Germans continued to have a preference for authoritarian rule . . .

and to think there was more good than negative about National Socialism.

Politics of Resistance in West Germany

The Common Wisdom was that Hitler forced the Germans to be Nazis

It became necessary to find a definition of resistance to match

The Allies had Reason to Agree with the MythThe Allies had Reason to Agree with the Myth

The Nuremberg Trials charged the most conspicuous and looked for a top down conspiracy

De-Nazification was quickly forgotten as the West changed enemies to Communism

The Americans especially pushed for the revival of a German army, especially with the Korean War

The Nuremberg Trials charged the most conspicuous and looked for a top down conspiracy

De-Nazification was quickly forgotten as the West changed enemies to Communism

The Americans especially pushed for the revival of a German army, especially with the Korean War

PART III The Role of Ordinary Germans

PART III The Role of Ordinary Germans

During the past generation historians have created a new paradigm identifying popular German consensus for Hitler’s rule as the most basic element of his power

Nazism was not just Hitler, but the mass movement support that Hitler successfully set out accomplish in Germany.

During the past generation historians have created a new paradigm identifying popular German consensus for Hitler’s rule as the most basic element of his power

Nazism was not just Hitler, but the mass movement support that Hitler successfully set out accomplish in Germany.

Hitler openly acknowledged his dependency on the ‘racial’ people

Hitler openly acknowledged his dependency on the ‘racial’ people

"What you are, you are through me, but what I am, I am through you." (June l939)

“the idea of our movement is the philosophy of our people”

Hitler, (Sept 1935) in Riefenstahl’s ‘Triumph of the Will’

"What you are, you are through me, but what I am, I am through you." (June l939)

“the idea of our movement is the philosophy of our people”

Hitler, (Sept 1935) in Riefenstahl’s ‘Triumph of the Will’

The Role of Ordinary Germans, cont.

The Role of Ordinary Germans, cont.

If ‘racial’ Germans (aggregately) formed the most fundamental pillar of Hitler’s power might we not look for civil disobedience in Nazi Germany as a form of resistance?

If ‘racial’ Germans (aggregately) formed the most fundamental pillar of Hitler’s power might we not look for civil disobedience in Nazi Germany as a form of resistance?

The Highest Nazis Thought So

The Highest Nazis Thought So

“A National Socialist has a duty to disobey those in authority who are unworthy of power “ Hitler, Mein Kampf

Hitler believed trade unions could force approval of the demands of workers through repeated strikes

“A National Socialist has a duty to disobey those in authority who are unworthy of power “ Hitler, Mein Kampf

Hitler believed trade unions could force approval of the demands of workers through repeated strikes