Lecture 10:

German Resistance against Hitler

30 April 2013

HIST2134The Third Reich through Documents, 1933-1945

German Resistance against NS ruleTwo approaches in historiography

1) Fundamentalist approach:

Concentrates on elite groups in their organized, brave, high-risk political actions to fight the NS regime

Social approach:

Concentrates on a number of ‘non-conformities’ between the NS regime and the common man

Active Elite Resistance (I)

• Communist Underground Organization ‘Rote Kapelle’ (Red Chapel)

• ‘Kreisauer Kreis’ (Kreisau Circle) with Social Democrats, Trade Unionist and Conservatives (James von Moltke)

• Protestant and Catholic Clergy: Protestant pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer of Protestant Underground ‘Confessing Church’

Active Elite Resistance (II)

• Student Group ‘Weisse Rose’ in Munich: Hans and Sophie Scholl

• Conspiracy circle and the attempt assassination by Claus Count Schenk von Stauffenberg on 20 July 1944

Passive ‘conflicting areas’

Workers’ opposition among former SPD-KPD members in Ruhr area cities Dortmund, Essen, Duisburg

Numerous forms of ‘non-conformity’ in daily life

Only a potential danger but no real threat for the NS regime

No active mass resistance