Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany

Historical Background: The peace and prosperity promised by the Treaty

of Versailles was short lived. Disappointment and despair grew over issues

like new boundary disputes, reparations payments, national pride and

inflation until the American stock market crash sent the European economy

into a depression as well. Eventually, through well carefully planned tactics,

Adolf Hitler and the National Socialists Party gained power in 1933. Once in

power, Hitler had a goal in creating a fascist totalitarian state. The Nazis

would use propaganda, mass rallies, economic policies, organizations and

terror to control the country. In a country of 70 million, there was only

about 10 million registered Nazi Party members. While it can be said most

of the entire German population may not have been in agreement with

Hitler's plans, there was almost no large scale objection to him or Nazi

policies.

Essential Question: What key methods, techniques or strategies did Hitler and the Nazis use to win over the loyalty of the German people to their policies, programs and agendas?

Directions: Once Hitler took power in 1933, the Nazis established control over all aspects of government. Hitler had a goal in creating a totalitarian state. The Nazis used economic policies, propaganda, mass rallies, organizations and terror to control the country and further their goals. Refer to the documents below to answer the essential question as well as the additional critical thinking questions. You may also refer to your notes, PowerPoints or any other information not presented in the documents to help you answer the questions.

Mass Rallies

Once in power, the Nazis needed loyalty from the people. They thought they could gain that

through grand and impressive rallies. The Nazis ordered marches, rallies and festivals that

boasted Germany’s order, discipline and strength. Hitler demanded active involvement from all

citizens. The rallies gave Germans a greater sense of belonging to a great movement and

emphasised the fact that Nazis created order out of chaos. Crowds would gather to watch Hitler

speaking at the annual rally in Nuremberg. Hitler would express his ideas in a simple way,

repeating them over and over.

“It was my first time at a rally in 1935. I

had heard rumors of the grandeur, pomp

and discipline of rallies. I never believed it

till I saw it with my own eyes… The sight of

tens of thousands people standing shoulder

to shoulder with each other shouting “Heil

Hitler” took my breath away. From that

moment on, I loved the Nazis.”

Hans Grimdt, a German Stockbroker

"My fellow countrymen, my fellow German

workers… I come from among your ranks. I was one

of you, and I was right beside you during the four

years of the War. Then, progressively, thanks to my

perseverance, by educating myself, and by enduring

great hunger, I lifted myself up! But deep down, I

remained the same… No one talks about the tens

of thousands of people who asphyxiate themselves

each year, out of despair… As Fuehrer of the

German people, I can thank God at this moment

that he has so wonderfully blessed us in our hard

struggle… I am convinced that the time is coming

when those millions of people who condemn us will

join our ranks and hail with us what we have

created and gained through so much effort: this

new German Reich, this Reich of greatness, honor,

and strength… We want to be a single, unified

Reich… the people need to be obedient… but also

courageous… we do not want the people to grow

soft, but we want it to be hard... tough as leather

and solid as steel… we are determined to create a

new race… a magnificent era is before us! Germany

has finally awakened. We have conquered power!”

Excerpts from Hitler’s Speeches

Propaganda

Hitler and Nazi officials manipulated public opinion by using propaganda techniques. They were known for their ability to create extensive and varied forms of propaganda, with words and images carefully chosen that they thought would gather the most support for their policies. Dr. Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Minister of Propaganda, wanted to highlight the ideas he thought would appeal to the German people. Propaganda was presented through a variety of media including radio, film, print and even school textbooks and children’s fairytale stories! Testimonies of German people, especially youth, reveal that they mostly accepted what they heard and saw as the truth, without ever evaluating the accuracy of the statements. The success of Nazi propaganda in influencing the minds and hearts of the people demonstrates the dangers that can befall a society whose citizens are not able to make informed judgments about the media around them.

“We will rebuild together.”

“The German attitude, the German performance,

prove Nordic race heritage!”

“The Jewish nose is bent, like the #6.” "This genetically ill person will cost our people's

community 60,000 marks over his lifetime.”

The Eternal Jew was a propaganda film presented as a

documentary. The film was made at the

insistence of Joseph Goebbels who took a

personal interest in the German film industry.

Children’s stories like Cinderella

were re-told by the Nazis. An emphasis was placed on her

blond hair, blue eyed, Aryan

purity.

Hitler Youth Organization

In setting up a totalitarian state, the Nazis recognized the importance of winning young people

over to their ideas. Hitler believed that the future of Nazi Germany was its children. Therefore,

the Hitler Youth, an organization for young people between the ages of 10 and 18, was formed in

1926. The Hitler Youth was seen as being just as important to a child as school was. In fact,

educational programs were created to indoctrinate them with Nazi views. The Hitler Youth wore

uniforms and even attended meetings and rallies. The Hitler Youth was actually an extension of

the SA, with education programs designed to prepare young boys for future military service.

The Nazis wanted their youth to be physically fit. Part of their "military athletics" included marching, bayonet drill, grenade throwing, trench digging, map reading, gas defence, use of dugouts, how to get under barbed wire and pistol shooting.

Joining the Hitler Youth was required and by 1936, there were 4 million members.

In addition to the Hitler Youth, the Nazis also created the League of German Girls. Activities for the girls were fitness related as well as preparing them for motherhood. Girls had to be able to run 60 meters in 14 seconds, throw a ball 12 meters, complete a 2 hour march, swim 100 meters and know how to make a bed.

A League of German Girls poster reads,

“Every girl belongs to

us.”

This poster shows a young Aryan-looking member of the Hitler Youth looking up to an

idealized, God-like version of Adolf Hitler. Children as young as 10 years old served the leader by joining the organization. For Hitler believed that devotion should be fostered as

early as possible.

This poster features a young, swastika-waving German student

with the caption, “The German student fights for the Führer and the people.” The Nazis aimed to

combine their ideology with academic life.

“He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.” - Adolf Hitler

Unemployment

in Germany Total

January 1933 6 million

January 1934 3.3 million

January 1935 2.9 million

January 1936 2.5 million

January 1937 1.8 million

January 1938 1.0 million

January 1939 302,000

Economic Programs

Germany’s economy was in a mess when Hitler came to power in 1933. WWI reparations and the

Great Depression had wreaked havoc on Germany. Hitler and the Nazis played upon the

population’s fear that there was no hope for recovery. Unemployment peaked at 6 million during

the last days of the Weimar Republic (1933) – near 33% of the nation’s working population was out

of work. However, Hitler put the people back to work through public works projects and grants to

private companies. Miraculously, unemployment all but disappeared by 1939. Hitler was able to

stimulate a nation to do what no other could during the time of the economic depression.

With unemployment at an all-time high, Hitler promised the German people “Arbeit und Brot” or “Work and Bread”.

When in power, the Nazis created the Reichsarbeitsdienst (or the RAD, Reich Labor Service). This policy forced every man, ages 18-25 to work, thus reducing unemployment.

In addition to public works, Hitler put people back to work in a massive rearmament project. Re-arming Germany’s military created new jobs by supplying raw material and manufacturing military equipment, (tanks, airplanes, battleships and submarines.) At first, Germany was secretly rearming itself due to the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. However, by 1935, they were openly rearming and the armed forces grew from 100,000 in 1933 to 1,400,000 in 1939.

The Nazis put people to work through several public work projects. Many jobs created were building hospitals, houses, networks of roads (Autobahn), planting trees, digging ditches on farms, etc. All work was done by hand, which required more workers and created more jobs.

The unemployed were given a very simple choice: do whatever work is given to you by the government or be classified as "lazy or work-shy" & be put into a concentration camp.

Terror

In order to control Germany, the Nazis developed a terror state. The goal of the terror state was

to ensure that everybody did as they were told - or paid the price. The Schutzstaffel (SS) was

created for this very reason and were under the direction of top Nazi official, Heinrich Himmler.

They were fanatically loyal to Adolf Hitler, and were responsible for all matters of security within

Germany. The SS played a key role in the terror and control of German citizens. The SS organized

the secret police (Gestapo) who could arrest anyone at any time, as well as being responsible for

administering concentration and later on, death camps (Totenkopf). Answering only to Hitler and

Himmler, the SS came to overshadow other Nazi organizations like the Storm Troopers (SA).

“Terror is the best political

weapon, for nothing drives

people harder than the fear of

sudden death.” - Adolf Hitler

The SS was considered to be an elite force and membership was restricted to those who were pure, Aryan Germans.

The SS used the

siegrunen, an

ancient Nordic

symbol, as their

insignia. The ᛋᛋ

characters were

said to mean

victory. The

Nazis often used

old Nordic

symbols. The

Nordic people

were an ancient

Germanic race

(Aryans) which

the Nazis had

aspired to

become and

create a new

world order.

The first concentration camp, Dachau (above), was

opened in 1933 by Heinrich Himmler when the

Nazis first came to power. The camps were

overseen by the Totenkopf. The primary purpose

was the imprisonment and forced labor of Nazi

opponents and eventually Jews. Heinrich Himmler

visits and inspects Dachau (below).

On June 30th, 1934, the SS committed a series of

political murders against SA leaders. Hitler had

feared many of the Storm Trooper leaders were

becoming too powerful. The purge became known

as “The Night of Long Knives” and showed that no

one was safe, not even within the Nazi party.

In 1936, the Nazis created the Gestapo and gave them the authority to arrest anyone, any time without a trial. Most were executed or sent to concentration camps. This was done to protect the country from enemies of the state. “This instrument which is so feared by enemies of the State has contributed most to the fact that today there can no talk of a Communist or Jewish danger in Germany...” Herman Goering, Gestapo Leader