History Unit 2: Nazi Germany

Opposition to the Nazis

For many people there was no question of opposing the Nazis as

a) all political parties apart from the Nazis had been banned, this meant that ther was no formal political opposition and people had no other option but to vote for the Nazis

b) the Gestapo dealt with those who tried to oppose Nazi rule. People feared denounciations and spying friends and family. The Gestapo also had the support of the court to jail people or sen them to concentration camps 

Only a minority of people actively opposed Hitler's regime. There was a shift against the Nazis after 1939 and opposition increased as life became difficult (food shortages, struggle staying alive). There were up to 50 assassination attempts. 

The Edelweiss Pirates

- gangs of young people had developed in the 1930s and there were a number of gangs who regarded themselves as part of a single movement

- these included groups such as the 'Traveling Dudes', the 'Kittlebach Pirates' and the 'Navajos'

- initially, these groups were a protest against the way the Nazis controlled all aspects of young people's lives but as the war developed, the gangs became more involved in orgainsed opposition the the Nazi regime

- most groups only carried out small acts…