Transcript Why did the Nazis remain in power?

Why did the Nazis remain in
power?
There was a lack of opposition to the Nazis to remove them from power
because….
•People were grateful due to the improvement the Nazis brought through their
economic, social and foreign policies.
•People were intimidated into obedience by fear generated by the gestapo,
concentration camps and threatening propaganda.
•By creating a totalitarian state all groups who might have led opposition to the
Nazis found themselves persecuted and unable to mount a successful opposition.
•The brainwashed youth supported the Nazis.
Why did the Nazis remain in
power?
Why did the Nazis remain in power?
Gestapo
were the Nazi secret police who rounded up those who dared speak out such as
communists and those the Nazis considered a threat. People were taken away often
in the middle of the night, tortured for confessions and sent to concentration camps.
By 1933 150,000 political prisoners were in camps.
Secret
150,000
This…. because
everyone knew someone who had been taken away. Altho most had not been to a
camp, stories circulated about the brutality. This created a climate of fear and
ensured obedience as they worried about the consequences for themselves or their
family if they spoke out.
FEAR
Why did the Nazis remain in power?
Gestapo
They used a system of informers who spied on the German people.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/theremoval-of-opposition/3273.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzon
e/clips/resistance-ofhitler/3289.html
This…. because
No-one knew if friends or neighbours were spying on them ready to report any
complaints. As a result for most people it was simply safer not to complain or oppose
the Nazis and this helped them stay in power.
Is she an
informer?
Balance
There was genuine
popular support for the
Nazis.
Why did the Nazis remain in
power?
Why did the Nazis remain in power?
Propaganda
Propaganda such as posters, cinema, Nuremburg rallies and radio were used to
convince the German people that Hitler was saving Germany. Cheap radios were
made, 70% of homes had radios by 1939 so that they could hear Nazi radio stations.
Simple repetitive slogans were used such as the Jews were bad for Germany. Hitler’s
speeches at rallies kept his audiences spellbound.
70%
This…. because
The Nazis censored everything the public could see or hear so without access to any
anti-Nazi views some people believed the propaganda that life was better under
Germany and so had no reason to oppose them.
Anti-Nazi
believe
However
Recent research has shown that propaganda didn’t really convince people to believe
something they did not want to. It was only really effective in convincing people of what
they already believed such as Germany had not really lost WW1.
Why did the Nazis remain in power?
Propaganda
Posters with slogans like ‘Death to our enemies’ acted as a threat and source of
intimidation. The rallies allowed Hitler to show off the military strength of the Nazis and
their level of popular support. Over 500,000 people took part each year.
This…. because
Propaganda contributed to the climate of fear and deterred opposition because it made
people feel that against the strength of the Nazis any resistance would be futile.
FEAR
Why did the Nazis remain in
power?
Communists
Socialists
Why did the Nazis remain in power?
Totalitarian state
Totalitarian states do not allow opposition. In 1933 the communists were banned after
the Reichstag fire. The Enabling law allowed Hitler to pass laws without going through
parliament and this let him ban the socialists and trade unions as well as make it illegal
to form political parties.
Enabling
law
Socialists
This…. because
People most likely to oppose the Nazis found themselves persecuted and imprisoned.
They lost the power of legal opposition so went underground but were infiltrated by the
Gestapo. So no effective opposition to the Nazis was organised allowing them to
remain in power.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/hitler-becomes-fuhrer/8145.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/organised-opposition-to-the-nazis/3285.html
The church was a potential source of opposition.
But many Catholic church people supported the Nazis since they were against
communism who disapproved of religion. In 1933 Hitler made a concordat with the
Catholic church both agreeing not to interfere with each other. Therefore a potential
source of opposition was removed. However many churchmen such as Martin
Niemoller did speak out, yet they were persecuted and sent to concentration camps
preventing them from leading strong resistance to the Nazis.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/lack-of-christian-opposition-to-hitler/3286.html
Why did the Nazis remain in
power?
Youth
Why did the Nazis remain in power?
The school curriculum was changed to teach Nazi ideals and to brainwash children to
grow up as Nazi supporters. New studies such as race studies were introduced, any
teachers who spoke out against the Nazis were sacked. All textbooks were Nazi
approved. Children were encouraged and then forced to join Hitler Youth groups where
they were brainwashed further in Nazi ideals. In 1936 60% of all children were
members.
This…. because
It won support from the youth and helped remove some opposition as many children
would report their parents or anybody they heard criticising the Nazi party.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/girls-and-boys-in-nazi-germany/5675.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/hitler-youth-indoctrination-of-theyoung/3281.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/indoctrination-in-nazi-germany/3282.html