Nazi Political Structures The dictator and his government Nature of the government project Dictatorship and the economy

Hitler and his government Hitler was linchpin of the entire system – unifier, activator, enabler 2/8/34 he becomes president without the need for direct election and combines offices of President and Chancellor to become Führer Personally secure throughout, so no purges (except Night of Long Knives June 1934, which was part of consolidation of power, and following attempt on his life in July 1944) Remained aloof from the state bureaucracy

Govt Chaired no committees Gave up on cabinet meetings after 5/2/38 Relied on special ad hoc meetings of undersecrataries of state, e.g. the Wannsee conference of Jan 1941 that set in motion the Holocaust Sustained the Party-State dualism rather than trying to take over state Proliferation of different agencies – ‘polycracy’

Govt Nazis did not gain full control of state institutions and armed forces Until the ‘territorial expansion’ of the 3 rd Reich, which also saw an increase in the role of the Party gauleiter War also made the construction of camps easier. Himmler did not need to consult the state administration Nazis also created special organisations outside govt to control preferred projects, such as the autobahn project Party always controlled planning and the propaganda ministry

Govt 12 Nazi years created no new constitution A consequence of the multiplicity of institutions was that agencies tended to try to anticipate the desires of Hitler: ‘Working towards the Führer Also towards the end there was an increased use of Führer decrees and Führer orders, 2/3 of which were secret Hitler’s regime was despotic, but system- less, it was defined by him, a charismatic leader

Local level At the lowest level the Party was organised around area-based units – streets, apartment houses, and districts which covered the entire country Local leaders approve appointment of office holders, but do not intervene directly in administration Regional (Gau) level Party departments for finance, agriculture, education, roads, health and so on

Government Project A utopian vision that could not survive Hitler New European order based on racial hierarchy Radical in that new institutions were created even if old ones, and the old Right, were accommodated rather than destroyed – Labour Front, Hitler Youth, League of German Girls, SS, SA etc Proclaimed not just a national state but a racially pure national state From the start, goal was the progress of a particular people

Victims Repression was targeted at protecting the German nation or race from biological defilement and spiritual decay Repression was inspired by vengeance – the betrayal of Germany by Jews and socialists in 1918 Enemies were initially political (socialists, trade unionists, church) and then political biology, racial enemies, culminating in genocide Perhaps 7 million died in camps

Dictatorship and the Economy Businesses collaborated with Hitler, although some like Fritz Thyssen came to regret it Employers’ Association continued Trade Unions were eliminated in May-June TU leaders sent to camps Replaced by German Labour Front and strikes were outlawed 1934 managers were given absolute powers; 1935 labour books introduced Wages reduced Camps provided the ultimate form of cheap labour

Planning Hitler approved of private ownership, so long as it conformed to the national interest ‘Productive’ capital rather than ‘parasitic’ capital Hitler with Schacht introduced ‘centralised economic management’ backed by the ‘firm hand of the state’ Controls over capital market – all investment decisions channelled via the Reichsbank

Planning Controls over trade and currency – part of Schacht’s New Plan for the German and European economies Control over (low) wages Industry and agriculture were restructured in into a system of Chambers and estates with compulsory membership These had no planning or executive responsibility, but were important channels of communication Extensive state ownership too – VW, the Reichswerke complex

Nature of planning Overy sees similarity between German & Soviet planning But perhaps they are closer to aspects of the Asian economic model or state guidance – cf role of Japanese MITI (Ministry of International Trade and Industry)