The Runnning of Germany

Hitler was not involved in the day to day running of Nazi Germany.

He slept late particularly at his holiday retreat where he often was.

It was hard to get answers out of him and policies were often based on overheard questions. He would not listen to information he did not like. He was not bothered about details and so officials could get him to make the desicions he wanted.

There were often power struggles between government officials and Nazis. Hitler let this happen to have more power, divide and rule. Policies were often improvisations.

The policies were then interpreted in many different ways by local leaders.

Were set up by Goering but then run by Himmler, were 'Hitler's superman' were meant to be bodyguards but grew. They had to be perfectly physically.

Were main method of intimidation and oppression, could arrest anyone for as long as they wanted.

Were fiercly loyal to Hitler and grew very powerful.

Waffen ** were fighting units in the war.

Run by Himmler and the **

First set up as tempory prisons in unused warehouses.

In early days prisoners were taken there for questioning, torture, working and 'reeducation'

By 1939 they had built up a huge industry, using slave labour to extract raw materials and build weaponary.

Death camps did not happen until the second world war.

Originally Goerings prussian secret police.

In 1936 became state secreat under Himmler.

They tapped phones, read mail and listened to conversations. They had a wide network of informers who informed on anything.

for this reason they were widely feared.

All came under governmental control, Judges swore an oath of loyalty to Hitler.

Convential courts could be used by Naziz against opponents.

The number of crimes punishable by death rose from 3 to 43

These included having sexual relations with a Jew, publishing anti-Nazi leaflet or telling an anti-Hitler joke.

Local Nazis visited small number of homes in their block weekly

they collected leaflets and wrote reports on residents

these reports decided whether the residents got jobs or not