Nazi Germany

Visions and Realities

OVERVIEW

In these lessons you will examine the theories and practices of Nazi government: The “Führerprinzip” – “Leader principle” “Gleichschaltung” – “Coordination” Nazi social order Nazi economics

The Nazi system

The Nazi “leadership principle” would have resulted in a dual-class system:

“Führer”

Government

Army Citizens“SS”“SA”

Nazi Party

“Führer”

Government

Army Citizens“SS”“SA”

Nazi Party

In reality, the lack of clear guidelines created redundancy and internal struggles for political favour:

• In order to gain power, Hitler needed a wide base of support – the party platform included socialist elements

• Ernst Rohm, leader of the SA, was in favour of more socialist changes and replacement of the Reichswehr

• In return for financial support of the industrialists and personal loyalty of the army, Hitler used the SS to destroy the SA leadership

NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES

“Gleichschaltung”

• German society was to be rebuilt or “coordinated” from the ground up

• Social interests were to be aligned with state interests

• The process towards the new social order resulted in shifts of priorities and trade-offs

What they gained:• Factory conditions were

improved• Kindergartens were provided• Working environments were

beautified• Athletic facilities were provided• “Kraft durch Freude” (‘Strength

through Joy”) provided free theatre tickets and adult education courses; foreign travel was subsidized by the state.

• Decreases in general unemployment and economic stability

What they lost:• The right to organize• The right to collective

bargaining• Freedom of occupational

choice• Freedom of movement

Life for the worker

Life for the worker

Life for youth

What they gained:• Increased physical education• Special schools for future leaders

and politicians

What they lost:• Often seen as a replacement of

family and school in terms of influence

• Loss of respect for intellectuals and teachers

• Loss of energy and support for academic studies

• The replacement of gifted professors and teachers on the basis of race and politics

Life for women

What they gained:• Marriage loans for newly-married

women

What they lost:• Female doctors and civil servants

were dismissed in 1933• By 1935, female secondary

teachers fell by 15% and were no longer allowed to take teacher training programs

• After June 1936, females were not permitted to be judges

Nazi economics

Economic planning was oriented towards three goals:

1. Build a powerful military

2. Rapidly decrease unemployment

3. Make Germany economically self-sufficient (autarky)

Government spending and inflation increased:

1. From 1933-1939, the military budget increased by 16 times

2. Work schemes, such as the “autobahn”, helped reduce unemployment

3. Germany began making plans to take Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland

Nazi economics

Nazi economics

Summary Questions

• How did the Nazi political system ensure that Hitler would remain unchallenged?

• In what ways were Hitler and Stalin similar?• What were German social groups willing to

give up in return for stability?• Why would Nazi economics naturally result in

war?