Resistance in Nazi Resistance in Nazi GermanyGermany

Why was there so little Why was there so little resistance?resistance?

In January 1933 there were several internal and external

form of opposition to the Nazis

Religion

Army

Traditional Elite

Trade Unions

Schools/ Education

Media

Jews

SA / Ernst Rohm

Communists

Why was there so little Why was there so little opposition?opposition?

Factors which discouraged opposition…Factors which discouraged opposition… Factors which made opposition difficult…Factors which made opposition difficult… Ways people tried to oppose the regime…Ways people tried to oppose the regime… Groups that resisted …Groups that resisted … Individuals that resisted …Individuals that resisted … Therefore, how much opposition was Therefore, how much opposition was

there?there?

Factors which discouraged Factors which discouraged opposition …opposition …

Nazi successesNazi successes

Hitler’s arrival caused a wave of enthusiasm and Hitler’s arrival caused a wave of enthusiasm and anticipation after the weak and indecisive Weimar anticipation after the weak and indecisive Weimar RepublicRepublic

Hitler was successful in getting rid of unemployment:Hitler was successful in getting rid of unemployment: Public work schemesPublic work schemes Party bureaucracyParty bureaucracy Purges of Jews and anti Nazis from civil service, Purges of Jews and anti Nazis from civil service,

education, journalism etceducation, journalism etc Conscription re – introduced in 1935Conscription re – introduced in 1935 Arbeit and BrotArbeit and Brot Kraft Der FreudKraft Der Freud

Support from many different Support from many different groupsgroups

Wealthy industrialists Wealthy industrialists and businessmen e.g. and businessmen e.g. Hugenberg, Krupps, Hugenberg, Krupps, Thyssen, IG Farben, Thyssen, IG Farben, did well (in spite of did well (in spite of the government’s the government’s interference with interference with their industries). their industries). Wages increased but Wages increased but so too did hours of so too did hours of work.work.

A KDF CARA KDF CAR

Care was taken to Care was taken to keep the support of keep the support of the workers once it the workers once it had been gained had been gained by: by: Providing JobsProviding Jobs DAFDAF Kraft durch FreudeKraft durch Freude This poster links the German Labor Front (the This poster links the German Labor Front (the

DAF) to World War I. The point is that just as DAF) to World War I. The point is that just as soldiers were comrades regardless of their soldiers were comrades regardless of their standing in civil life, so too all German workers standing in civil life, so too all German workers were comrades in the DAF, regardless of whether were comrades in the DAF, regardless of whether they were white or blue collar. This appeared in they were white or blue collar. This appeared in 1933.. 1933..

Farmers supported them:Farmers supported them: Autarky or aim of self Autarky or aim of self

sufficiency in food sufficiency in food suppliessupplies

““Blood and Soil”Blood and Soil” Racial – AryanRacial – Aryan Prices fixed on producePrices fixed on produce Farmer could not be Farmer could not be

forced to sell or forced to sell or mortgage his farm to mortgage his farm to pay off debt – this was pay off debt – this was important as many had important as many had been ruined in the been ruined in the previous financial previous financial crises.crises.

Farms became Farms became hereditary estates and hereditary estates and on the death of the on the death of the owner could be passed owner could be passed onon

The Reichswehr was won over The Reichswehr was won over by :by :

Hitler’s stated aims of setting aside the Hitler’s stated aims of setting aside the restrictions of Versaillesrestrictions of Versailles

Rearmament and conscriptionRearmament and conscription The Night of the Long Knives purgeThe Night of the Long Knives purge Brilliant successes of Hitler’s foreign Brilliant successes of Hitler’s foreign

policiespolicies

Methods used to deal with these forms of opposition

Religion

Communists

Banned from 1933

Concordat/ New Church/ Oath of elegance

Army

Works with Army. SA gains support.

Traditional Elite

Awarding of contracts

Trade Unions

Abolished in 1933.

Schools/ Education

1934 – Education Changed

Media

Controlled from the centre

Jews

Anti-semitism

SA/ Ernst Rohm

June 1934 – Night of the Long Knives

After August 1934 there was no legal way to remove Hitler. However opposition did not cease to exist. It only meant that opposition had to

operate under the surface and consequently opposition found it difficult to organise.

WHY WAS OPPOSITION SO INEFFECTIVE?

Traditional Respect for Legality and authority

Underestimation

Opposition had little in common

Victims such as Jews were popular

Loyal Army (after Night of Long Knives)

Factors which made opposition Factors which made opposition difficult - ATTITUDESdifficult - ATTITUDES

““ONE CANNOT ONE CANNOT LEAVE ONE’S LEAVE ONE’S COUNTRY IN THE COUNTRY IN THE LURCH JUST LURCH JUST BECAUSE IT HAS A BECAUSE IT HAS A BAD GOVERNMENT”BAD GOVERNMENT”

Bulow, Foreign Bulow, Foreign Minister State Minister State Secretary Secretary

““WE CANNOT WE CANNOT CHANGE POLITICS. CHANGE POLITICS. WE MUST DO OUR WE MUST DO OUR DUTY SILENTLY”DUTY SILENTLY”

General Fritsch General Fritsch Commander in Commander in Chief of the Army Chief of the Army 1934 - 381934 - 38

Factors which made opposition Factors which made opposition difficult - REPRESSIVE MACHINERYdifficult - REPRESSIVE MACHINERY

GestapoGestapo SSSS Concentration campsConcentration camps Arbitrary imprisonmentArbitrary imprisonment Denunciation by a network of Denunciation by a network of

informersinformers PersecutionPersecution

Who resisted?Who resisted?

GROUPSGROUPSChurchChurchWorkersWorkersArmyArmyCivil Service and Civil Service and

JudiciaryJudiciaryPolitical, e.g. SOPADE OR Political, e.g. SOPADE OR

SDP in exileSDP in exileElites, e.g. Kreisau CircleElites, e.g. Kreisau CircleYouth, e.g. Edelweiss Youth, e.g. Edelweiss

Pirates, Swing group, Pirates, Swing group, white Rose white Rose

INDIVIDUALSINDIVIDUALSCol StauffenbergCol StauffenbergGeneral OsterGeneral OsterPastor BonhofferPastor BonhofferStudent Sophie SchollStudent Sophie SchollActor Joachim GottschalkActor Joachim GottschalkJournalist Carl OsseitzkyJournalist Carl OsseitzkyTeacher Adolf ReichweinTeacher Adolf ReichweinSocialist Julius LeberSocialist Julius LeberBishop GalenBishop Galen

GROUP DETAIL HISTORIANS

Church Cathoc Church – opposition to policies of euthanasia and

sterilization.Protestant Confessional Church – refused to be

Nazified

Workers No legal weapon of opposition. Many workers grateful for employment.

However strikes existed and many workers loyal to old

political parties

Army Officers remained suspicious of Hitler and Nazism. Several officers tried to assinate Hitler.

Government and civil service

There were some critics among government, who

wanted more freedom. They wanted a new form of

government.

Overy- “No – go” areas Mason –

absentee workers, sabotage

Judiciary Some tried to maintain proper standards of justice.

Opposition Parties All oposition banned in July 1933, and hit by a wave of

arrests.

Traditional Elites Discuss of eliminating Hitler

Youth Other groups of opposition existed.

Peukert- Cologne and Hamburg – widespread

opposition amongst the young.

WHO RESISTED

TYPE OF RESISTANCE

PROBLEMS FACED

HOW THEY DEALT WITH

THEM

General Hans Oster (1887-

1945)

Worked with Britain

Knight of the Long Knives

Concentration Camp

Pastor: Dietrich

Bonhoffer (1906-45)

Criticised Nazis as

incaptabical with

Christianity

He had contacts

with Generals

Executed in April 1945

Actor: Joachim Gottschalk

Famous German

married to a Jew

Was Criticised

Killed 8 year old child and

committed suicide

Teacher Active role in resistance

Caught by a spy and condemned

WAYS PEOPLE OPPOSED THE WAYS PEOPLE OPPOSED THE NAZISNAZIS

Listening to jazzListening to jazz Reading banned literatureReading banned literature NonconformityNonconformity Private grumblingPrivate grumbling Not giving the Hitler saluteNot giving the Hitler salute Humour Humour

Deserting armed forcesDeserting armed forces AssassinationAssassination Spying for foreign governmentsSpying for foreign governments Collecting evidence of Nazi Collecting evidence of Nazi

atrocitiesatrocities AssassinationAssassination

Underachieving in the workplaceUnderachieving in the workplace Hiding JewsHiding Jews Refusing to join Hitler YouthRefusing to join Hitler Youth Distributing anti Nazi leafletsDistributing anti Nazi leaflets Telling anti Nazi jokesTelling anti Nazi jokes Listening to BBCListening to BBC

EmigratingEmigrating Obstructive collaborationObstructive collaboration Going on strikeGoing on strike Committing suicideCommitting suicide Open criticismOpen criticism Continuing illegal parties and Continuing illegal parties and

organizationsorganizations

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Historians disagree on the extent of Historians disagree on the extent of opposition and the problems opposition and the problems opponents of Nazism faced. Aside opponents of Nazism faced. Aside from assassination attempts (9) the from assassination attempts (9) the Nazi regime was secure and was only Nazi regime was secure and was only brought down by a vast coalition of brought down by a vast coalition of enemy powers in World War Two.enemy powers in World War Two.