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SummaryWithin a one-party state, Hitler used terror to keep power, underpinned by propaganda and indoctrination of the young. There were special measures to keep the workers happy. Hitler signed a Concordat with the Pope, which stopped Catholics opposing him, and he persecuted the Jews (which many Germans approved of).
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Links
Dr Dennis's model answers - very clear and useful exemplar answers, aimed at OCR students
Was Hitler a 'weak dictator'? - difficult article Strong dictatorship or polycratic chaos? - very difficult
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1 One-Party StateThe
Enabling Act (23 March 1933) made Hitler was the all-powerful Fuhrer of
Germany. The Law against the Formation of Parties (14 July 1933)
declared the
Nazi Party the only political party in
Germany. It was an offence to belong to another
Party. All other parties were banned, and their leaders were
put in prison. Nazi Party members, however, got the best jobs, better houses and special privileges. Many businessmen joined the Nazi Party purely to get orders. |
"Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer!" - one people, one empire, one leader.
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2 TerrorThe Nazis took over local government and the
police. On 26 April 1933, Hitler set up the Gestapo (the secret
police) and the SS, and encouraged Germans to report opponents and
'grumblers'. Tens of thousands of Jews, Communists, gypsies, homosexuals, alcoholics and
prostitutes were arrested and sent to concentration camps for 'crimes' as
small as writing anti-Nazi graffiti, possessing a banned book, or saying
that business was bad. On the Night of the Long Knives (13 June 1934) Hitler used his legal power to assassinate all his opponents within the Nazi Party, |
Gestapo and SS - Spartacus sites Historylearning site - excellent
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3 PropagandaThe German people were subjected to continual propaganda, under the control of Josef Goebbels. It was the cult of personality - everything was organised to make Germans permanently grateful to Adolf Hitler. Germans were made to feel part of a great and successful movement - in this respect the 1936 Olympic Games were a propaganda coup. The Nazis used the most up-to-date technology to get their message across. Find the key methods of Nazi propaganda in the wordsearch:
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Even stamps encouraged Germans to idolise Adolf Hitler.
Historylearning site - excellent BBC site - harder
Nazi Art
- a very difficult site with, however, lots of pictures
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4 Youth'When an opponent declares, 'I will not come over to
your side', I calmly say, 'Your child belongs to us already'. German boys were required to attend the Hitler Youth, which mixed exciting activities, war-games and Nazi indoctrination. German girls went to the BDM and learned how to be good mothers, and to love Hitler. |
Education for Death - wartime (1943) Disney anti-Nazi propaganda on growing up as a Nazi. |
5 WorkforceHitler
banned all Trade Unions on 2 May 1933. Their offices were closed, their money
confiscated, and their leaders put in prison. In their place,
Hitler put the German Labour Front which reduced workers' pay and took away
the right to strike. To keep the workers happy, the Nazis set up the Strength through Joy movement, which offered good workers picnics, free trips to the cinema and (for the very few) free holidays. |
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6 ReligionHitler signed a Concordat with the Pope, agreeing to leave the Roman Catholic Church alone if it stayed out of politics - so most Catholics were happy to accept the Nazi regime.
Protestants and Jehovah's Witnesses - if they opposed
the Nazis - were sent to concentration camps. |
Jehovah's Witnesses - excellent |
7 RacismThe Nazi regime was from the start based on anti-semitism.
The Racial Purity Law (15 September 1935) took away German citizenship
from the Jews, and forbade sex between Germans and Jews. Many Germans approved of this racism.
Using negative images and stereotypes - such as this illustration from The Poisonous Mushroom - Nazi propaganda pilloried Jews as dirty, deceitful, dangerous people of whom Germany should be free. |
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