Hitler and Nazi Germany Opposition to the Nazis

Opposition to the Nazis In today’s class, I am learning to: Describe the actions of groups that opposed Nazi rule in Germany Explain why this resistance ultimately failed

Opposition to the Nazis Although the Nazis had control of Germany from 1933 until 1945, some people were involved to actions to oppose and resist Hitler’s government.

Opposition to the Nazis There were different groups involved in opposing Nazi rule in Germany. Youth groups The Churches Socialists and Communists German military Ultimately their actions failed to stop Nazi policies.

Revolts against Weimar Opposition Youth groups

Opposition to the Nazis The Edelweiss Pirates were a youth group that refused to join the Hitler Youth. They attacked Nazi officials and hid deserters from the army. In 1944, many leaders of these groups – including 16 year old Barthel Schink – were hanged after a Gestapo chief was killed.

Opposition to the Nazis The Swing Kids were young people who opposed the regime by listening to banned American music such as jazz. University students in the White Rose group – including brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl – distributed anti-Nazi leaflets.

Revolts against Weimar Opposition The Churches

Opposition to the Nazis The churches gave Hitler a problem – he wanted to control their actions but worried Germans would be angry if he did this. Instead he tried to reach deals (Concordat with the Catholic Church) or to introduce his own Nazi church (Reich Church).

Opposition to the Nazis If the Catholic Church stayed out of politics then the Nazis agreed to leave alone their organisations. However the Nazis broke their agreement, arresting many priests, often on made up charges. They also tried to remove crucifixes from Catholic classrooms.

Opposition to the Nazis In 1937, Pope Pius XI issued a document titled With Burning Grief which was a public attack on Nazism. Many German Catholics such as Bishop von Galen spoke against Nazi policies such as euthanasia. Catholic parents demanded to keep crucifixes in schools too.

Opposition to the Nazis The Confessional Church was set up to stop efforts to Nazify the Protestant Church. One of its founders, Martin Niemoller, had initially supported Hitler but later opposed his actions. Niemoller and others were later sent to concentration camps such as Dachau.

Opposition to the Nazis As well as keeping the Nazism away from all parts of the Protestant Church, the Confessional Church also publicly opposed Nazism. This included letters sent directly to Hitler, criticising actions such as anti- Semitism. The Nazis in turn confiscated church funds.

Opposition to the Nazis Another Nazi opponent was Dietrich Bonhoeffer. A member of the Confessional Church, he trained pastors and encouraged them to criticise Nazism. He was banned from preaching and later died in Flossenburg concentration camp.

Opposition to the Nazis Jehovah's Witnesses refused to perform the Hitler salute, or stopped their children joining the Hitler Youth. They also refused to be conscripted into the army. Many Witnesses were arrested (up to 10,000) or fired from their jobs.

Revolts against Weimar Socialists and Communists Opposition Socialists and Communists

Opposition to the Nazis Non-Nazi political parties were banned in Germany after July 1933 but some still worked against Hitler. The Social Democrats set up a group which organised underground groups in Germany, involved in activities such as distributing leaflets and propaganda.

Opposition to the Nazis The Communist Party also worked against Nazi rule. This included acts of sabotage or spying (giving information to the USSR). They also distributed various anti-Nazi materials. Many members were arrested and killed or sent to concentration camps.

Opposition to the Nazis Most members of the German working class did not vote for the Nazis. Workers opposed Nazism in different ways, sometimes linked to the Communists. They engaged in strikes and go-slows in armament factories. They also protested about food prices.

Opposition to the Nazis One of the most famous examples of resistance was from August Landmesser. He had been a Nazi but left after marrying a Jew. Landmesser famously refused to give the Nazi salute at a workplace rally in 1936. He was arrested and died during World War Two.

Opposition to the Nazis

Revolts against Weimar Opposition German military

Opposition to the Nazis Many senior military figures began to worry about Hitler’s power, especially as his foreign policies seemed likely to cause a war. A crisis in Czechoslovakia brought these issues to a head. Many Generals opposed such a conflict, especially Army Chief of Staff General Ludwig Beck.

Opposition to the Nazis Beck spoke at a meeting of army generals against plans to invade Czechoslovakia, so Hitler forced him to resign. Beck worked with a group of senior military figures (led by General Hans Oster) who favoured a coup to remove Hitler from power, but this never happened.

Opposition to the Nazis There is also evidence that the Abwehr – Germany’s military intelligence organisation – was involved in anti-Nazi activities. The Abwehr was led by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris. Canaris was opposed to Hitler’s persecution of religious groups.

Opposition to the Nazis Canaris supported German nationalism but thought the Nazis were gangsters. He is believed to have given secrets to UK and US spies. Canaris also helped Jews to leave Germany, by giving them fake papers claiming they were Abwehr agents. He was executed in 1945.

Opposition to the Nazis Some military leaders were involved in attempts to assassinate Hitler (mostly during World War Two). The most famous attempt was on 20 July 1944. A bomb – planned by the Kreisau Circle - was set off at Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair headquarters, but failed.

Revolts against Weimar Opposition Reasons for failure

Opposition to the Nazis Although opposing the Nazis took bravery, ultimately these attempts failed. Fear was a reason for this. Most Germans were too scared to protest because of the risk of imprisonment or even death. They were also unsure who to trust because of Gestapo informers.

Opposition to the Nazis Some Germans also supported the Nazis. They believed that Hitler’s policies had improved life in Germany and wanted to see this continue. The use of propaganda and censorship made it harder for anti-Nazi messages to be heard across Germany.

Opposition to the Nazis Hitler banning trade unions and political parties stopped opposition too. This forced to stand alone, which most people would not do. Opposition groups which did exist were often disorganised, or refused to work together (SPD and Communists).

Opposition to the Nazis The Nazis found other ways to stop some people that opposed them. They sometimes reached deals with church groups, or they simply arrested and even executed opposition leaders, such as Martin Niemoller or Dietrich Bonhoeffer.