Apart from propaganda the main Nazi weapon in creating a totalitarian state was fear! They aimed to terrorize Germans so badly that no-one would have the courage to stand up to the Nazis. The Nazis set up concentration camps where their opponents and people who spoke against them were sent to (see source 10). Here they were forced to do hard labour, and often times were killed. The Gestapo and the SS would stop and kill Nazi opponents and send them to concentration and death camps. The police and the courts were also biased and supported Nazis. Snooping was encouraged many people told on their parents and close friends. The Nazis also frightened people through prosecutions, of the Jews and other people who were considered as minorities. Fear was one of the main reason there was little opposition to the Nazis during the years of Nazi rule, (See source 8).
The Nazis tried to win the support of the people through Germany’s successes. If the people are happy, then they will accept Nazism. Made the people see through propaganda that Political freedom was second to economic success, rearmament and making Germany into a powerful nation. This is shown in source 11. Economic success made the middle and upper class happy, the KDF, beauty of labour, and DAF kept the working class happy, and the Reich entailed farm law made the peasant farmers happy.
As you can see the Nazis used many methods to achieve totalitarianism in Germany. Their main methods however were propaganda, fear, success and destroying all opposition to the Nazis political power.
- What kind of resistance was there to Nazi control?
Although very few people stood up to Nazi Germany and Hitler, there was a small, but very important minority who did. These included various religious leaders, Jews, army officials and some groups consisting of young people.
Very few religious leaders, even if they did not like the Nazi regime, stood up for what they believed in. This is expressed in source 14. But there were some exceptions. One was Catholic Bishop Galen. He led a popular protest against the Nazis criticizing them for killing the mentally ill and physically disabled. His protests were so popular that it forced the Nazis to temporarily stop. Protestant ministers such as Pastor Martin Niemoller, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer also criticized the Nazis.
Another threat to the Nazis was the July Bomb plot in 1994. Army officials got together and planted a bomb in Hitler’s conference room. But it failed miserably, and Hitler survived.
There were also some anti Hitler youth movements. The two main ones were the Swing movement, and the Edelweiss Pirates. The Sawing movement was a group of teenagers who went to parties and listened to American music. They accepted Jews at their clubs, and talked about sex. The Edelweiss Pirates were like Hitler youth, but they hated the Nazis. They also attacked and taunted groups of Hitler youths.
Around 1944 there was quite a bit of Jewish resistance to the Nazis. Many Jews escaped from Germany. Others lived under cover. Some also fought against the Nazis. There were non-Jews who helped Jews escape from Germany. These people usually kept very low profiles.
Apart from these organised movements there was also resistance shown by ordinary Germans. These were doing things like not giving the Hitler salute when asked, passing on anti-Nazi jokes, and hiding Jews and other groups from the government.
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Using the example of the Holocaust, discuss the dangers of totalitarianism.
The Holocaust shows us why totalitarianism can be so dangerous. Hitler was the leader of a totalitarian Germany. He had ideas which were very good, and those that were horrific. Some of his ideas were not accepted by almost all the people in Germany. But he still was able to achieve what he wanted. He was still able to go ahead with Kristallnatch and the Final Solution of the Jews. This was only achieved because of totalitarianism.
Hitler was able to make the German people help him in the Holocaust. They did this even when they knew what they were doing was wrong. (See source 66). He presented an illusion in the eyes of Germans. He gave them economic success, work, and a powerful Germany, and made them not really care about the Jews (at least to begin with). This is shown in source 63.
Hitler was able to achieve this because of all the power he had. He brainwashed the Youth through propaganda and schooling, (see source 68). He horrified people through his concentration camps. He made sure that no one could do anything against the Nazis. The easiest and most rewarding way of life, in Nazi Germany, was to agree with the Nazis.
As you can see, totalitarianism can be very dangerous. This is manly because in a totalitarian state, one leader has too much power. He can do as he wishes, without any opposition, and can get people to help him, even if they are against him.
- “Nazi Germany was a totalitarian State” To what extent would you agree with this statement. Explain your answer.
This statement is true to a large extent. But I don’t think Nazi Germany was a 100% totalitarian. There was some opposition to the Nazis during their rule, but the vast majority of the people were actually either good Nazis, brainwashed into Nazis, were too afraid to stand up to the Nazis, or were quite satisfied with what they were getting to worry about the Nazis.
Germany was totalitarian, because the Nazis had no legal political opponents. All opponents were made illegal, and then brutally destroyed, by the SS. An example of this is the Reichstag fire. Hitler immediately banned the communist party, and then Hitler arrested any suspects for the crime (see source 3). This got rid of the communist threat. Hitler shook off any other opponents during the Night of the long knives. All these events made Germany into a totalitarian state because there were no opponents to the Nazi regime, and any people who wanted to become opponents of the regime didn’t because they didn’t want to end up like the communists.
The Nazis had complete control over all the media. They used every method they could to brainwash Germans into liking Hitler. They organised impressive rallies (source 16), and parades. They placed restrictions upon painters, writers, musicians to only produce only pro Nazi materials (see source B). The newspapers, radio, and movies were censored. They provided cheep radios, so that everyone could listen to Hitler’s speeches (see source 19). The Nazis gave people the idea that they had the support of every Aryan in Germany, and that if you didn’t support them, you would be killed! They also brainwashed the young. The Nazis changed the curriculum to emphasize on sports and less on academics. Children were taught to distrust Jews (see source 32). What all this censorship and brainwashing did was strengthen the totalitarianism in Germany. Most children in Nazi Germany were very good Nazis. They even often told on their own parents for being bad Nazis!
Nazi Germany’s totalitarianism was largely due to fear. People feared the Nazis. They feared the Concentration Camps, and the Gestapo. Many people told on their friends just because they wanted to show that they were obedient Nazis. Almost everyone hated the Nazis, but the main reason they couldn’t do anything about it was fear.
The Nazis did many successful things for Germany. They solved the unemployment crisis, by creating new jobs. They helped Germany’s economy and built up its army. The Nazis also helped improve working conditions and gave workers rewards for working well. These things however helped Germany’s totalitarianism grow. People were happy with the new Germany; they were willing to sacrifice their political rights to see Germany succeed.
Although Germany was very totalitarian, there were a few people who opposed the Nazis and also showed some resistance to the Nazis.
Among these were various church leaders such as Bishop Galen, and Pastor Martin Niemoller.
There was an unsuccessful bomb plot to try and kill Hitler in 1944. This was organised by army officials near the end of the war.
There were also some anti Nazi youth movements. These included the Swing movement and the Edelweiss pirates.
I think Nazi Germany’s totalitarianism is proved by the holocaust. People hated the holocaust. They didn’t want the Jews to be killed, (see source 63). But the Holocaust still happened. This shows how totalitarian Nazi Germany was, and how much power Hitler had over his own people. I think Nazi Germany was hugely totalitarian, but not a 100%.
23/3/03 By: Sameer
