GCSE EDEXCEL History - Nazi Germany

Economic reasons:

-recovery under Stresemann too dependant on US loans, hit by the Depression

-rising taxes

-unemployment benefit cut

-rising unemployment

Political reasons:

-the Weimar Republic was unpopular (Treaty of Versailles, economic problems)

-the Weimar Republic's constitution made it weak

-fear of communism

-people wanted a strong successful government

Social reasons:

-anti-Jewish and anti-foreign polices popular

-anti-Versailles policies popular

-Hitler's charisma

Tactical reasons:

-propaganda

-violence against enemies

-policies chosen to appeal to many different groups

Controlled by:

-propaganda

-censorship

-secret police

-local Nazi officials

Children:

-important as the future of the Reich, taught to love Hitler above family

-propaganda in schools

-youth groups

Women:

-to be wives and mothers, not to work (kinder, kuche, kirche: children, family, church)

Workers:

-trade unions banned

-Nazi trade union, DAF, controlled working conditions: hours, wages, work

-Nazi control of workers outside work, e.g. Strength Through Joys (leisure activities)

Racial purity/social conformity:

-"Aryan" race and racial classification with Jews and Gypsies as "sub-human"

-clinics for mentally and physical disabled, where they died from neglect, or were killed

-other, non-racial, "unacceptable" groups included homosexuals and any religious group that opposed Nazi policies

Opponents:

-political opposition banned

-imprisonment (prisons, labour camps, concentration camps)

-execution