Hellllppppp!!! AS LEVEL LIFE IN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME: HITLER'S GERMANY 1933-39 RETAKE

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National income was down from RM71bn in 1929 to RM41bn in 1932. A decline of 41%

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GNP had fallen 37% and industrial production was half the level of 1927/28

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Unemployment at 6m and average weekly earnings had fallen 33% during 1930-32

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Rising welfare burden, about 4.5m people

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The problem areas were trade, unemployment, industrial production, prices & wages and agriculture

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To reduce unemployment

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Revive Germany military and industrial might (Prepare for war against Bolshevism, Jews and Slavs)

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Restore confidence in agriculture & move to self sufficiency

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Initial state investment was poured into work creation schemes in the period 1932-35

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The Law to Reduce Unemployment of 1933, of which the main elements were called Arbeitdienst, were a part of an overall job creation plan, including the bulding of the Autobahnen

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The "Battle for Work" was extended by the government lending money to private companies to create jobs

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The principle of "labour intensive" gave many workers their jobs, and hindered any plans for technological advancement

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In 1933, the unemployment figure was 25.9%, by 1936 this had fallen to 7.4%

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The main factor to cause this was state investment, although it was partially helped by the world's economic state improving as a whole

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One of Schacht's first acts was to increase state control of foreign trade, to help reach autarky

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After being made minister of economics in 1934, he introduced the "new plan", which gave the government extensive power to regulate trade and currency transactions

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Schacht created Mefo bills to encourage the growth in demand in the economy

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These bills were issued by the goverments as payment for goods

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These bills could be exchanged for cash or help for up to five years, earning 4% interest each year

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Hitler's long term objective was to create an economy to support sustained rearmament; by 1936, this had happened

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However, Germany was still importing a large amount of foodstuffs, such as butter and oil

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The head of the Reich Food Estate, Walter Darre, asked Schacht for foreign currency to import food, the alternative being rationing

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Germany had also ran out of raw materials and needed to import, however the two were not both possible

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Schacht recommended less expenditure on rearmament and increasing production on industrial exports

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This was not acceptable in the eyes of the Nazi regime, and Schacht was eased out of the picture

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It aimed to increase the production of raw materials

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Work towards autarky

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Control workers wages and prices

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Prioritise imports at the expense of consumer goods

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Increase agricultural production

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Germany's balance of trade deficit had risen to 432 million RM

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The regime did not want to squeeze the consumer in order to remain popular

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Inflation was low

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Unemployment was virtually eliminated

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Industrial production did increase, however it was in a very poor state in 1933

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An increase in public expenditure

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Government still had to import consumer goods

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There were increases in commodities and materials produced under autarky- but it was very expensive

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The economy was not ready for total war in 1939 but only lightening wars

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The Nazis were fortunate to come to power just as the worst of the Depression was over and were able to take credit for an economic up turn, which had occurred naturally

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The Nazis impeded a strong lasting recovery by their emphasis on rearmament and the prevention of the export of German goods and restriction on consumer demand

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The increase in state intervention in the economy restricted its expansion further

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Peasants were seen as "pure" aryans - The life blood of the nordic race

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Ideological aim to return to a "pre-industrial golden age"

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Strong support for the NSDAP in the 1932/33 elections

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Many farmers anti-modern and anti-Semitic due to banks foreclosing mortgages

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Darre vs Hitler vs Schacht - polycratic confusion

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Goering's Four Year Plan caused food shortages

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Food shortages required rationing - Hitler refused, fearing unpopularity

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HJ/BDM employed to gather harvests in the autumn

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Intensive industrialisation needed to win the war - contradictory

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Many farm workers drawn to rearmament

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Agriculture became dependant on slave labour from the east

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"Blood and Soil" - Glorifying peasant farmers

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Agricultural minister Alfred Hugenberg increased tariffs on imported food and cancelled farmers' debts

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Walter Darre - Reich farm leader

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This strictly controlled the movement of agricultural produce from the producer to the consumer

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They controlled the production and distribution of all foodstuffs and fix their price

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This was initially popular but became less so as prices failed to keep pace with earnings in other sectors of the economy. Farmers incomes rose 41% 1933-38, whereas incomes in trade and industry rose 116%.

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Restrictions on food prices meant farmers could neither pay competitive wages nor invest in labour saving machinery

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This undermined the Regimes goal of Autarky and made the quest for lebensraum seem rather pointless.

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This stipulated that farms between 7 and 125 hectares had to be passed on undivided to the heir.

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Under the law peasants were protected against foreclosure but at the price of the loss of freedom to sell or mortgage the property

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This encouraged females and younger children to leave the farms

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This also prevented the formation of larger farms

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This undermined the Nazi's attempt to achieve autarky

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Hitler believed that he needed the support of the workers in order to maintain power and create his idea Volksgemeinschaft (perfect society)

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Most unskilled workers were affiliated with the socialist and communist parties

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When the Nazi party gained power they sent the leaders to concentration camps

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The principle of Volksgemeinschaft included a classless society at the heart of his people’s community. Belonging to such a community would become more important than belonging to a particular class, religion, ideology or region.

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The members were expected to be submissive and loyal and active in the organisation of the regime

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Nazi efforts to bring all Germans together had more to do with propaganda than reality

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Workers benefitted from unemployment but many new jobs were poorly paid and working conditions often primitive

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Those who earned high wages had to work harder

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Abolition of trade unions produced hostility

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Living standards for majority of WC dropped in 1930s (Consumption of beer dropped by 60%)

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Workers used labour shortages to bargain with bosses

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Re-armament helped overcome mass unemployment -- exhausted workers with overtimes and bonus schemes

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workforce became atomised

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The Nazis ransacked the trade unions and replaced them with the DAF

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The DAF was led by Robert Ley, a loyal supporter to Hitler

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In many factories, radical Nazi organisations were set up, such was NSBO

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Their main objectives were to spread Nazi propaganda around the workplace

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At it's peak, the DAF had around 20 million members

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This was set up to persuade employers to improve working conditions

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This was done by promoting schemes highlighting the benefits of better lighting, ventilation, cleanliness and potential benefits of giving workers wholesome meals

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This offered to reward loyal workers with evening classes, package holidays, theatre trips etc

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By 1938 around 180,000 workers had been on a cruise and ten million (one-third of the workforce) had enjoyed a state financed holiday

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From May 1933 it was compulsory to join

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Rewards were not material

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This was done to ensure maximum relaxation and efficiency

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It was also used to encourage a sense of a sense of egalitarianism and community spirit

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It was meant to compensate for, and drive attention away from, the regimentation of life and inadequacy of wage rises

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Industrial accident and illness rose 150% from 1933-39 (Although the increase of workers had some affect)

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Working hours increased

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There were strikes in Russelheim and Berlin in 1936

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A party report from Nuremburg found open insubordination, sabotage, absenteeism, go-slows and a rapid turnover of staff

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By 1936 - Increased sense of boredom, mistrust and indifference towards the regime

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Resented the regimentation and regulation of their lifestyle

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Hitler was aware of this and attempted to instil spirit by marching troops through Berlin - This failed and there was no popular enthusiasm for war by 1939

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These were Hitler's most committed group of supporters

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They had a share in confiscated Jewish trade

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However, their status was not significantly raised

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Small traders continued to be outpriced by department stores, a problem for the Mittelstand

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The policy of rearmament favoured large businesses

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Josef Goebbels - Minister of propaganda

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Attempted to control radios by selling ones which could only reach Nazi stations

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Literature controlled - Newspapers, writers censored etc

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Youth focused on as targets - HJ/BDM, school, quite successful

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Art was used to convey messages

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Mass rallies in Nuremburg conveyed an image of power

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Some were accepted - People's community, Fuhrer's power and wisdom

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Some rejected - Have 8 children, become a pagan

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The aim of Nazi youth policy was to indoctrinate the young into the Nazi Weltanschauung.

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To establish a 'Thousand Year Reich', Hitler aimed to educate all young people in the spirit of National Socialism.

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The aim of this was to place children into roles: boys into soilders, girls into submissive wives and devoted mothers

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These aims were first encouraged in 1933, then conscripted in 1939

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Hans Schemm (leader of the NSLB): ‘Those who have youth on their side control the future’

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Bernard Rust was appointed Minister of Education in 1933

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It was Rust's job to begin the purge of the teaching profession and make the Nazification of education possible

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Jewish teachers were fired immediately as were those of suspect politics

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The party tightened its control of teachers through encouraging membership of the National Socialist Teacher's Alliance (NSLB)

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By 1937, 97% of teachers were NSLB members

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By 1939, nearly 2/3rds of NSLB members had been on courses

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By 1936, 32% of the NSLB were Nazi party members

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Adolf Hitler Schools - Placed emphasis on physical education and racial ideology

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'Napolas' - Nazi military academies. Graduates would be expected to join the Waffen SS.

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'Ordensburgen' - Elite students from the other two schools. Given military and political instruction to prepare them for leadership in the Third Reich

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These schools came under the influence of the HJ and the first opened in April 1937

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The importance of sport was upgraded, as was history, biology and German studies

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Sport was the means by which a new militarily orientated youth could be engineered. This matched the anti-academic nature of Nazi leaders.

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History was studied as a way of politically indoctrinating Germans about their past

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Biology became the study of racial stereotypes and superiority of the Aryan race

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Mathematics and physics were less easy to manipulate, however new textbooks issued were still able to pass on racial and military messages

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Religious studies lost time and was dropped as a subject from the school-leaving examinations in 1935

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Due to this, academic standards dropped, as did the status of teachers.

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By 1938 there were 8,000 teaching vacancies to be filled

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Sports became the dominating subject for boys, whilst domestic sciences did for girls

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Anti-Jewish propaganda and anti-Bolshevik propaganda appeared

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Mein Kampf was read instead of the bible, and crucifixes were replaced by Swastikas

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Young people were encouraged to report back on their parents views

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Youth supported Hitler, who supported work and hope

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Jobs were prioritised to those who were members of youth groups

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Youth opposition - Edelweiss Pirates/Swing youth

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Hans and Sophie Scholl - Attacked HJ members, spoke out against Nazis

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Baldur von Schirach was the leader of the HJ, Hitler Youth

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By the end of 1933 all youth groups, aside from the Catholic ones, had been co-ordinated into the HJ

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Boys aged 10-14 joined the DJ (Deutsches Jungvolk) - German Young People

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Boys aged 14+ joined the HJ (Hitler Jugend) - Hitler Youth

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By 1935 60% of German Youth belonged in youth groups

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Enormous pressure was put on parents to allow their children to join

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In 1936, the HJ became the only youth organisation allowed to organise sports activities for children up to 14 (Later extended to 18)

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In 1936, the HJ became a department of the state. However it wasn't compulsory until 1939.

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Also made an official education institution, equivalent to home & school

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For many young people it was a chance to enjoy outdoor life

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They also enjoyed the sense of classlessness; the classes were all integrated and there was no discrimination

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This was shown by the brown shirts

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The degree of regimentation and militarism offended many

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At the age of 10 girls joined the JM (Jungmadelbund) - League of young girls

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At 14, they were expected to become members of the BDM (Bund Deutscher Madel) - League of German maidens

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By 1936, the BDM had a membership of over 2 million girls

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Until 1939 it was not compulsory, although to opt out was frowned upon

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Girls were taught to accept the role of mother and wife in adult life

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At the age of 17, girls in the BDM could join the Faith and Beauty organisation, specialising in domestic science and preparation for marriage

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Magda Goebbels a role model

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Giesler's speech in Munich university, "have a baby for Hitler", caused riot amongst female students

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Nazi leaders disapproved of modern women, and whilst believing that they were not inferior, felt they should stick to their traditional roles of wives and mothers.

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They were seen as political and racial comrades in the struggle to assert national socialist ideals

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Their 'duty' was to produce healthy aryan children, uphold conservative households and comfort their husbands in service to the state

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Kinder, Kuche, Kirche (Children, kitchen, church) - The central theme of the Nazi policy towards women

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Women's Front (Frauenfront) was created by Ley in 1933

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All 230 women's organisations were to expel their Jewish members and integrate into the Women's Front, else be disbanded

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Most organisations happily obliged, as they were pleased to see a nationalistic regime supportive of the role of women

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Gertrud Scholtz-Klink was appointed National Woman's Leader of the Third Reich

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Under her leadership over 1.5million women attended maternity school and 500,000 women studied home economics between 1933-38

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Girls in the BDM were taught mothering skills - No smoking/make-up etc

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In 1933, 19,000 female civil servants lost their jobs in regional and local governments, as did 15% of teachers

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By 1934 there were no women working in the Prussian civil service

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The number of women attending universities was limited to 10%

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Girls under 18 were made to serve 12 months as living-in domestic servants, without pay

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From 1936 no women could serve as a judge nor were accepted for jury duty

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However, the sacking of female teachers was temporarily reversed due to unease

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The marriage loan could only be given if a woman gave up her job

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After 1939, due to rearmament, labour shortages appeared, leading to an increase in women's labour

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A series of new laws removed many restrictions, including the marriage loan law

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In 1938 a law made it compulsory for all unmarried women under 25 to do a ‘duty year’ before they could take up jobs of their choice

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The situation of women in all jobs, aside from law, improved

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Between 1933 and 1939 the number of women working rose from 11.6 million to 14.6 million

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This shows a difference between Nazi ideology and reality

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Women were encouraged to ask questions about a man's racial heritage in order to avoid impure births

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Marriage loans were given to newlyweds on the grounds that neither were Jewish and the wife would not work outside the home (later disregarded)

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By 1937, 700,000 couples had recieved a marriage loan

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Heinrich Himmler encouraged women to give birth to SS children, whether she was married to them of not, seemingly discouraging marriage for the new Aryan race

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The divorce rate rose between 1933 and 1939

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In 1933/34 the number of divorces rose as it became legal to seperate under racial grounds

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In 1938 the divorce law was reformed, and couples were able to divorce under grounds of immorality, racial incompatibility and refusal to have children

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Mother's Day was changed to Hitler's Mother's Birthday, a national holiday

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For each child born, 25% of the marriage loan was paid off; marriage loans were extremely popular

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Parents could deduct 15% from their taxable income per child

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After six children they paid no personal taxation

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Family allowances were set upto help those on low incomes

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In 1935 families were given grants of 100RM per child

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The Mother's Cross was introduced; this was awarded to mothers based on the amount of children they had.

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4 children earned a bronze, six a silver and eight a gold.

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The Hitler Youth were told to salute mothers with a Mother's cross

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Despite this, the birth rate did not respond positively

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Propaganda was not wholley taken positively, as it implied women should have children for the state, rather than for themselves

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Other factors included shortages in housing, labour services and increased conscription.

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The number of marriages did rise, however this may have been due to the ending depression and marriage loans

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The number of divorces also rose

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Abortion was made illegal in 1933, and birth control was no longer advertised

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It became impossible to wed lest you were both Aryan, and could prove it

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Those with hereditary illnesses were sterilised and banned from marriage

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The Nazi approach to anti-semitism was gradualist

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Some Germans felt the action taken was no more than what the Jews deserved

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More liberal-minded Germans found the actions offensive, but struggled to show opposition and offer resistance

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To show sympathy or protect the Jews was to risk one's life

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Despite the range of anti-semitic measures, it is difficult to claim that Nazis had pursued a planned overall policy to deal with the Jewish question

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The year 1938 marked a radicalisation of Nazi anti-Semitism

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April 1st 1933 - A day long boycott of Jewish goods

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Hitler wished for it to be indefinite, however was limited due to the economic state and pressures from other nations

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Nazi pickets were posted in front of stores and factories belonging to Jews and in front of Jewish professional offices to prevent anyone from entering

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Germans who tried to buy from Jews were shamed and exposed publicly.

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The boycott was not universally popular

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The widespread violence provoked disapproval

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April 1933 - Jews were banned from working in the civil service

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April 1933 - Banned from the legal profession

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These were closely followed by bans on doctors and dentists (Although there were many exceptions, particularly for those who had fought in WW1)

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October 1933 - Restriction on Jewish participation in journalism

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Number of Jewish students limited to 1.5% of all students being educated

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Industrialists, keen to please employers, sacked Jewish workers. (Krupp, a leading industrialist, did so in April 1933)

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Jewish teachers were excluded from universities, and Jewish performers were barred from the stage and concert halls

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April 1933 - The slaughter of animals for food under Jewish kosher laws was banned

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Eventually, 400 specific anti-Jewish laws and decrees were passed, each based on the Nazi racist definition of a non-Aryan.

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These laws, made in 1935, were based on Hitler's racial ideas in Mein Kampf

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In order to be a German citizen, you had to be 'a national of German or related blood'

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"The Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour" forbade marriage and sexual contact between Jews and Aryans

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Jews were forbidden to fly the German flag

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This law stripped Jews of all basic civil rights, classifying them as state subjects rather than as citizens.

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Now Jews could be defined and identified, they now could be and were segregated socially, politically, and economically from other Germans

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By the time that the Nuremberg Laws had been proposed, more than 75,000 German Jews had fled the country

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Due to fears of a boycott of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, open attacks on Jews were discouraged

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A wish to ensure the success of the Second For Year Plan in the first year also had an effect

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However, harassment of Jews still continued at a local level

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In October 1936 civil servants were banned from seeing Jewish doctors

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The economic position of Germany improved in 1937 so attacks intensified

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Schacht did not approve of anti-semitism, and thus in 1937 was forced to resign his post

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In December 1937 Goring ordered that Jewish businesses be restricted of raw materials

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The unification of Austria and Germany had an important effect on the treatment of Jews

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The level of violence and ferocity of the attacks of Austria's Jews was worse than anything experienced in Germany

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Vienna's 180,000 Jews were targets of regular attacks and lootings

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After Anschluss, Reinhard Heydrich set up the Central Office for Jewish Emigration

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In the first six months, it forced 45,000 Jews to leave Austria

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Goring issued a Decree of registration of Jewish Property in April 1938 due to the attacks of Jewish property in Vienna

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From September Jewish doctors were forbidden from treating Aryan patients

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The murder of a German diplomat by a Jew sparked this pogrom

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Goebbels wanted to get back in Hitler's favour after a well-publicised affair with an actress

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Goebbels ensured this event had massive press coverage of the "Jewish outrage"

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Thus he was granted permission by Hitler to organise a 'spontaneous' reprisal

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91 Jews were killed and over 30,000 sent to concentration camps

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The destruction of 200 synagogues and Jewish homes occured

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It was named 'Night of Broken Glass' due to the glass from the synagogues covering the streets

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This was a massive turning point in the way Jews were treated in Germany

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By April 1939, 14,803 Jewish businesses had been liquidated, 5,976 'dejewified', 4,136 in the process of being 'dejewified' and 7.127 under investigation

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It became illegal for Jews to attend schools and universities

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They were also excluded from cinemas, theatres and swimming pools

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Forced emigration began, with Goring creating the 'Reich Central Office for Jewish Emigration'

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It was estimated that around half the Jews left before the war, although they were forced to leave their belongings behind

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The remainder stayed, choosing to take their chances rather than lose their homes and possessions

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Geobbles, the minister of propaganda, was a strong anti-semite

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All aspects of culture associated with Jews were censored

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Posters and signs appeared: "Jews are not wanted here"

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Newspapers were founded: 'Der Angriff' by Goebbels; 'Der Sturmer', edited by violent anti-Semite Julius Streicher

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Films released, ie: 'The Eternal Jew: Jud Suss'

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There was strong emphasis on influencing the German Youth

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Anti-Semitic childrens books were created, ie: 'The Poison Mushroom'

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Jewish children were humiliated in front of their classmates, and were thus distanced and segregated

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Schools also conformed to revised textbooks and teaching materials (tasks, exam questions etc)

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Anti-semitism was strongly put across by the Hitler Youth

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In May 1933, a book burning took place, removing products of Jews

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Goebbels henceforth nazified German culture, forcing all of the arts to serve the new regime. Many great writers, musicians, artists and actors fled Germany or were silenced.