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2 Appeal of Hitler Germany was in the midst of an economic depression with hyper-inflation Hitler was a WW I hero who talked about bringing glory back to the “Fatherland” He promised the rich industrialists that he would end any communist threat in Germany Constantly blamed Jews for Germany’s problems, not the German people. Hitler was an excellent public speaker.

3 Structure of Government Single-party state: one in which only one political party holds power Centralized state: one in which power comes from a central location “Working towards the Fuhrer”

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5 A “Moderate” Approach Consider: What evidence is there so far that Hitler is a “moderate”? Has Hitler been “radical” so far? Explain

6 A “Moderate” Approach Law Against Formation of New Parties Law to Safeguard the Unity of Party and State Law Concerning the Head of the German Reich Parallel Institutions

By mid-1934, Hitler seemed to be master of all Germany. He had banned opposition parties, taken control of the press, outlawed troublesome unions and thrown communists and other political dissidents into concentration camps. The only significant elements of Germany not subject to Nazi control or infiltration were the Reichswehr (military), wealthy industrialists and some higher levels of the bureaucracy. 7 Night of the Long Knives

Hitler now attended to problems and potential threats within the Nazi movement, especially the Sturmabteilung (SA). The SA had played an important role in Hitler’s elevation to power, particularly during the three Reichstag elections of Now, in early 1934, the SA leader Earnest Rohm, one of the veterans of the Beer Hall Putsch and who had help the SA membership skyrocket, has now rivaled the popularity of Hitler. 8 Night of the Long Knives

Hindenburg, suggested imposing martial law to deal with the SA and hustled Hitler into action. On June 30th 1934 he called on the fiercely loyal Schutzstaffel (SS), ordering them to arrest Rohm and dozens of other prominent SA leaders. Those arrested were either –Executed –shot resisting arrest –forced to commit suicide The death toll was listed as 85 people, though it may have been much higher. 9 Night of the Long Knives

Ernst Rohm was held in a prison cell for two days, while Hitler considered what to do with his former friend. In the end, Hitler gave the order for Rohm’s execution. SS officers presented Rohm with a pistol and invited him to commit suicide. When he refused, they shot him themselves. Hitler also used the ‘Night of the Long Knives’ to eliminate political opponents and settle some old scores. –Former chancellor Kurt von Schleicher, who was plotting the return of the Hohenzollern monarchy, was shot dead, along with his wife. –The man who had engineered Hitler’s rise to power, vice- chancellor Franz von Papen, was arrested and removed from office. 10 Night of the Long Knives

11 Night of the Long Knives Rohm Von Schleicher Strasser

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14Propaganda Early tool of the Nazi Party First influence by Hitler directly Minister of Propaganda and National Enlightenment Joseph Goebbels Goebbels

15 The essence of propaganda consists in winning people over to an idea so sincerely, so vitally, that in the end they succumb to it utterly and can never escape from it. -Goebbels

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Language Propaganda Employment office- “labor mobilization” Worker- “Soldier of Labor” Work- “Service to Fuehrer and folk” Factory Meeting- “Factory Roll Call” Production- “The Production Battle” 17

18 Message Anti-Semitism Nationalism Master Race Lebensraum HI

19Film The Eternal Jew (1940) Jew Suss (1940) Which is more effective? Why?

23 Radio was Hitler’s most effective tool Poor quality Volksempfänger was sold at low prices to ensure that the Nazi message was spread 70% ownershipVolksempfanger

24 Other Propaganda Press – 82% owned by state Music – Wagner’s music represented Volkish values –Under the Nazi regime, all music produced had to fit within certain standards defined as "good" German music. –Suppression of specific artists and their works was common, yet musicians were permitted limited artistic freedom. –The Nazis attempted to create a balance between censorship and creativity in music to appease the German people.

25 This blend of art and politics led to a three-prong policy regarding musicians and artists: Loyal Nazi members who were talented musicians were guaranteed a job. Loyal Nazi members who were not talented musicians were not guaranteed a job. Any non-Jewish person who demonstrated a "genius" for music and was a member of the Reichsmusikkammer (Reich Music Chamber) was permitted employment. This exception in policy permitted musicians like conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler and composer Richard Strauss to continue working.

26 According to Hitler and Goebbels (Hitler's second in command), the three master composers that represented good German music were Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, and Anton Bruckner. All three composers lived prior to the 20th century. Ludwig van Beethoven ( ) believed that "strength is the morality of the man who stands out from the rest." Hitler identified himself with Beethoven as possessing that heroic German spirit. Beethoven was so loved by the German people that his legacy of music was unrivaled by any other composer.

27 Richard Wagner ( ) was Hitler's favorite composer. During World War I, it is reported, he carried Wagner's music from Tristan in his knapsack. Often Hitler had Wagner's music performed at party rallies and functions. Wagner's music was uncompromisingly serious, and intensely Teutonic. It was not only Wagner's music that 'struck a chord' with Hitler, but also his political views. Wagner wrote a violently antisemitic booklet in the 1850s called Das Judebthum in die Musik (Judaism in Music) insisting the Jews poisoned public taste in the arts. He founded the Bayreuth festival, which in the 1930s and 1940s was used by the Nazi party as a propaganda tool against the Jews.

Censorship of Literature and Book Burning SHIFT to anti-intellectual Art—Doesn’t reflect much 28

29 Points to consider: Why was the “moderate” approach successful? What elements of propaganda were most successful? Why?

30 Indoctrination

31 Nationalist Socialist Teachers League Goal: Spread the Nazi world view Unanimous support of teachers by 1937 Reported on political “reliability” of teachers for purpose of promotions, and ensured Nazi indoctrination of teachers Actively resisted intrusions by other organizations

32 Hitler Youth Founded 1922 as youth branch of the SA HJ (Hitler-Jugend): year old males German Youth for boys Purpose: create future Aryan supermen who would become mentally & physically fit soldiers

33 Hitler Youth Shift from anti-establishment to pro-establishment weakened appeal of Hitler Youth 1933: 2,300,000 members; result of mergers with other youth groups 1936: 5,000,000 members; law making membership mandatory for Aryans 1939: over 80% of young men were members of HJ

34 League of German Girls BDM (Bund Deutscher Mädel); girls’ alternative to Hitler Youth Goal: wife, mother, and homemaker (anti-feminist) Push for childbirth led to many illegitimate births; creating conflict between the ideals of Party and individual families

35 Labor Fronts DAF (Deutsche Arbeitsfront) replaced Germany’s trade unions Against both capitalism and worker-based revolution (?) Newly negotiated contracts; promised benefits for Nazi loyalty

Labor Fronts Strength through Joy (KdF; Kraft durch Freude): cheap holidays; subsidized sporting & leisure facilities Beauty of Work (SdA; Schönheit der Arbeit): renovated outdated factories with new lounges, cleaner working spaces, etc. to appeal to workers Reich Labor Service (RAD; Reichsarbeitsdienst): addressed unemployment by requiring unemployed men ages to work on national projects (ex: Autobahns) Reichsberufswettkampf: national vocational competition

37 Women’s League National Socialist Women's League (NS-Frauenschaft) provided political role for women contrary to Nazi anti-feminism Released bi-weekly pro-Nazi women‘s magazine Instructed women in the use of German-manufactured products, such as butter and rayon, as part of the self-sufficiency program

38 Christian Church Reich Church attendance minimal Nazi Church Secession campaign failed to get Germans to leave Church Confessional Church established in reaction to “Aryan Paragraph,” encroachments on Christianity, anti-Semitism, and euthanasia Obstacle to full totalitarian state Niemoller Bonhoeffer

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40 SS Schutzstaffel “Defense Corps” -part of Nazis since originally an element of the SA -especially loyal to Hitler SS selected members to establish an order of Aryan men who were superior in racial purity and ability – a model for the Nazi vision of a master race. Sig runes

41 SS Led by Heinrich Himmler since 1925 Recognized as a state organization once Hitler comes to power in 1933 Played a crucial role in Night of the Long Knives (1933), effectively replacing SA Established the SD in 1932 and absorbed the Gestapo in 1934 Controlled concentration camps

42 SD Sicherheitsdienst “Security Service” Nazi intelligence agency established in 1932 Task: Detection of the enemies of Nazi leadership through intricate informant network Divided into a number sections by 1939 DomesticForeign Legal Racial Culture & Religion Industry & Commerce High Society Espionage by region W. Europe USSR & Japan Americas E. Europe

Secret police used against German citizens Established by Hermann Göring in 1933 after gaining control of the Prussian police; became nation-wide force under Himmler in Considered sister-organization of SD Pervasiveness of secret police & threat of concentration camps established state of fear (even if not very effective) 43 Gestapo

44 Gestapo Department A (Political opponents) Department B (Sects and Churches) Department C (Administration and Party Affairs) responsible for card files of all personnel, including all officials Department D (Occupied Territories) Department E (Counterintelligence)

45 Securing the Military 1933: Night of the Long Knives 1935: Expands peacetime army 1938: Reorganization allows Hitler to solidify control Pre-War “successes” -remilitarization of Rhineland -expansion into Austria -expansion into Czechoslovakia

46 Reich Main Security Office SS-Reichssicherheitshauptamt established in 1939 to merge SD, Gestapo, and other SS subgroups RSHA coordinated “security” in occupied territories; SS oversaw Ghettos and the “Final Solution” Waffen-SS: combat branch of SS during WWII; used to secure Hitler’s control of military Represents the dominance of the Nazi police state OR epitomizes “overblown Nazi bureaucracy”

47 Opposition(?) Edelweiss Pirates were young men who dodged HJ and military by leaving school before 17 years of age White Rose student group increasingly spread anti-Nazi pamphlets and propoganda Widerstand (Nazi Resistance) united various underground movements within Nazi groups, as well as remnant Socialist Party and the Red Orchestra 6 attempts on Hitler’s life during WWII by army officers; most famous being the 20 July plot (1944) which led to the execution of over 5000 officers

48 Points to consider Who were the targets of indoctrination? Why? Analyze the strengths & weaknesses of indoctrination. Explain the transition from Nazi State to SS Police State. Analyze the strengths & weaknesses of repression.

49 THE END Until the start of World War II