1. What was the nature of opposition within Nazi Germany between 1934 and 1945?

2. Learning objective – to be able to assess the nature of opposition to the Nazis.
I can describe some of the ways that opposition took place against the Nazis.
Grade D
I can explain the extent of opposition to the Nazis.
Grade B
I can explain and assess how far opposition was limited in Nazi Germany.
Grade A

3. Starter – list the different ways that opposition towards a government can take place.

4. How could people show their opposition to the Nazi Party?
Private grumbling
Passive resistance
Open opposition
Underground resistance
Attempted
overthrow

5. Attempted overthrow – hardly any
For the first ten years there were no attempted overthrows. It was only in the last year of the war when the regime was collapsing that plots against Hitler gathered any support. The most significant was Operation Valkyrie in 1944 when German army officers tried to blow up Hitler.

6. Underground resistance and open opposition – not much
Throughout the regime, working class groups produced anti government leaflets, sabotaged factory production, secretly sheltering Jews and spying. Some church leaders openly criticised the regime, particularly during the euthanasia campaigns.
However, with the development of the police state, open opposition decline as opposition tended to go underground to avoid arrest.

7. Passive resistance and non-co-operation - common
Many people refused to join the Nazi Party – this affected career opportunities and life chances.
Other refused to do the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute, some were executed for this.
Banned political parties went underground and held meetings although they were, in effect, powerless.

8. Private grumbling – very widespread
Evidence suggests that many people hated the Nazi intrusion into their lives, the behaviour of the SS, the Block Wardens, and the constant propaganda.
There was an indifference and many people submitted to this because their jobs depended on it and the atmosphere of fear and distrust held people in check.

9. Why didn’t private grumbling turn into more open opposition?

10. Tasks Work through the key tasks on the worksheet.
Ensure that you give yourself plenty of room and draw your pyramid in pencil.
Explain your judgements using evidence from the presentation and your text book.
If you do not complete the extension task, this will be your homework activity. If complete the extension task in the lesson, look up the novel, Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada on the internet. What kind of opposition does this novel focus upon? What are the main points of the plot?

11. Plenary – a touch of Scrabble
What are the three key words from this lesson that sums up your learning?
Which word has the highest value if you used in a game of Scrabble?
Compare with the person next to you. Which word has the highest value?