Nazi Economic Recovery and Rearmament

1.How did the Nazi Regime attempt to win the loyalty of its workers? Define the following:
a. Strength Through Joy program: a scheme that gave the people cheap cinema and theatre tickets, and organized courses and trips and sports events. Were offered cut-price cruises on the latest luxury lines.

b. Volkswagen Beetle (the people's car): designed by Ferdinand Porsche and became a symbol of the prosperous new Germany. Another scheme because no one actually got a car, all of their money that they thought they were saving for a car went towards the war.

c. Beauty of Labor movement: scheme that improved working conditions in factories and introduced features such as washing facilities and low cost canteens which weren't seen in many work places.

2. Define the following Farming Programs. Be sure to provide the pros and cons of each program:

a. Reich Food Estate: The central boards bought agricultural produce from the farmers and distributed it to markets across Germany. This program was good because it gave the peasant farmers a guaranteed market for their goods at a guaranteed price. A con was that the efficient farmers were held back by having to work through the same processes as less efficient farmers.

b. Reich Entailed Farm Law: gave peasants state protection for their farms: banks could not seize their land if they could not pay loans or mortgages. This was good for the peasants because it made sure that they had control over their land. Banks now refused to lend them money and only the eldest child inherited the farm so the children of farmers would leave the farm to find jobs with better pay.

3. Define Volksgemeinschaft. (Hint: It is in the reading, plus my notes)
A "people's community" consisting of physically and mentally fit Aryans.

How did the Nazis Implement Women's Policies?

Area 1: Increase Births Key Measures Attempted:Financial incentives, marriage loans, birth grants, improved maternity services, propaganda to raise status/self-esteem of mothers and housewives (awards), Higher taxes on childless couples, tighter penalties on abortion, encouragement of births outside marriage. Successes: From 1933 to 1339 the birth rates rose. Limitations and Failures: Nazi eugenic policies reduced population potential. Births might have increased because of economic recovery instead of Nazi policies. Area 2: Improved welfare Key Measures Attempted: National Socialist Welfare Organisation was set up, expansion of health offices, improved sanitation, improved medacine and childcare facilities Successes: The infant mortality dropped from 7.7% in 1933 to 6.6% in 1936. Limitations and Failures: NSV largely staffed by women; improved opportunities which kind of defeats the purpose of the Nazi policies because women working was frowned upon.

Treatment of Women in Nazi Germany

Using the green book, complete the focus task on page 211 that involves an assessment of the Nazis treatment of women.

'Nazi policy for women was confused.', I agree with this statement because women would see other women doing things that they're not allowed to do and they could be wondering why Hitler's telling them not to. For example on page 210, a film star Marlene Dietrich was wearing trousers and in the newspaper to show the German women that if you're really German then you don't wear trousers. So if a German women really liked her then they might have been wondering why do they have to listen to Hitler, if she's wearing trousers then so can they.

'Nazi policy for women was a failure.' This statement is somewhat true. In the beginning I think the Nazi policy for women was successful because the Nazis have propaganda everywhere such as Source 51 of what a perfect family should look like so when women see something like that, they're probably thinking 'oh my family has to be just like that or better, so I have to start dressing like this woman and have a bunch of kids'. Women would also earn awards for having the most kids and because of this the birth rate of children in Germany increased from 1933 to 1939. The Nazi policy for women was success that way, but it failed in Hitler's idea of only men working and women just being housewives and taking care of children. They weren't allowed to work, but once Germany started to run out of unemployed men in the late 1930s, they had to start bringing in women to work as well.

Nazi Youth Policies and Education Assessment

Using the green book, complete the focus task on page 204 (Nos. 1 & 2) that involves an assessment of Nazi Youth policies and education

Hitler's goal was to control the life of every single person in Germany. The youth was Germany's future so Hitler wanted to brand his Nazi ideas into their brains so in about 20 years the German people will still be living in a Nazi Germany.
Hitler had many methods to convert people to his side. He mostly used the education and schools to target the youth. For example the Nazis had gone through all of the text books and changed everything to make it seem like Jews were bad and Nazis were the good guys. Like in source 29, it's a math problem that's pretty, much giving the kids the message that all Jews are aliens who are living in Germany. The Nazis drilled ideas into the youth's heads about anyone who wasn't German and they also tried to teach them the ways of the military, which you can see in Source 32. Every single subject that the kids took, even chemistry, had to focus on military subjects.
These children were brainwashed and told the same thing everyday. So to them everything was normal. Such as inspectors checking up on their teachers and the regulation of their parents' working practices. The youth movements attracted so many children because they're being taught to be loyal to no one but Hitler and that he's this wonderful guy, so they look up to him. Plus if their parents don't agree with them and they're feeling alienated from their parents then they'd probably want to go hang out with people who share the same beliefs as them.
Although many kids were for the Nazi youth movements, there were a few who weren't. Most of those kids who weren't for the Youth programs made a few rebellious groups. A couple groups were the 'Swing' movement and The Edelweiss Pirates. These kids were mainly middle and working-class, ages 14-17, and they would always go to parties and play American and English music. The reason for these groups was because the kids didn't want the Nazis controlling their lives.

Nazi Education Policies

1. Identify three important changes made by the Nazis to the education system. Explain the purpose of each change. A. Change in the cirriculum. The Nazis increased the hours of exercise that the kids got and they also incorporated their Nazi beliefs into everything that the children learned, but mostly in biology and history. B. Ensured that different sexes recieved the appropriate education. This was to basically make sure that the girls learned how to do house work for when they get older to take care of the mens' needs. C. Co-ordinating teachers and encouraging Nazis to interfere with schools. This way they can get their beliefs into the childrens' mind. 2. Give specific examples of how the Nazis tried in schools to develop the spirit of Volksgemeinschaft in the following seven goals: Anti-intellectualism: Anti-semitism: Indifference to the weak: Nationalism: Militarism: National Political Institutes of Education (NAPOLAS) were created and it was a military style of education. Obedience and discipline: Hitler Worship: 3. What methods did the Nazis use to try to ensure schools were teaching correctly? (This is from Friday's in-class work.) The Nazis got rid every single book in the schools and then rewrote them to make sure the kids were learning everything that they wanted them to. The teachers would also attend meetings which the Nazis would basically tell what they should be teaching in class. 4. Write out a statement that explains the main educational aims of the Nazi Education System. (Reference some of the sources.) The main educational aim of the Nazi Educational system was to teach the youth how to have leadership skills and potential for when they get older.

How Hitler Got Away with Murder in NOLK

1. Find the sources on page 178. What reasons can you infer from each source (Sources 10.12 to 10.20) as to why Hitler got away with the Night of the Long Knives?

Source 10.12: The state saw these attacks as self defence

Source 10.13: Hitler tells the people that they already know about the punishment you get if you're against the state, therefore he had to kill these people no matter what rank or who they were.

Source 10.14: Doesn't make him look like the bad guy here?

Source 10.15: The people think that these killings took place without Hitler knowing and without his permission.

Source 10.16: This source says that he crushed the traitors and murderers.

Source 10.17: Every German was more scared of Himmler than Hitler.

Source 10.18: Hindenburg believes that Hitler has saved the German people from great danger by killing all of those people and appreciates everything Hitler had done.

Source 10.19: Hitler is Germany's leader and he has them under control and the Germans are working as a whole under Hitler.

Source 10.20: They don't care if Hitler has to kill people to protect them or make Germany better for the people, as long as he's doing it.

2. Read page 179. Why was the Night of the Long Knives so significant in Hitler's consolidation of power? (Be sure to use specific details in your answer.)

The German people thought that any decisions Hitler made was for the good of their nation and once Hindenburg passed, Hitler was made Fuhrer and all soldiers took a new oath of personal loyalty to their Fuhrer.

Nazi Propaganda

Using the information and the primary sources describe: (Pgs. 245-247)

a. The chief aims of Nazi propaganda
The chief aims of Nazi propaganda were to make the propaganda so good that people wouldn't even pick up the real aims of the propagandists and to also simplify the message basically so that not the smartest people can get what's going on. The propagandist is also trying to reach all of the different groups and religions in Germany, which is why they have to learn and understand how lower class speaks as well as the different faiths within each section.

b. The means used to achieve those aims

The Nazis basically took over the media and completely controlled most of the means. They took over the radio, films, the press, posters, schools, etc. They also got a hold of the papers, but they didn't want to just take the whole newspaper from Germans so they let the state have more control over the titles.

c. Explain how the Nazis used the press, radio, and film as forms of propaganda. (Pgs. 247-253)
The Nazis' ownership of the media went from 3% in 1933 all the way up to 82% in 1944 because they extended their control. The Nazis controlled everyone who worked in the press; journalists, editors, publishers through their membership of co-ordinating bodies. They also controlled the content of the press through the state controlled Press Agency. This means that they could control the length and positions of articles. Nazis also controlled the radios. Radios were becoming a huge thing and everyone wanted one so the Nazis thought it was smart to broadcast Hitler's speeches so that all of Germany could hear it if they couldn't make it in person. Most films were made to show what was going on in Germany such as the Olympics and the problems in Germany and wanted to get the people involved.

d. Explain Goebbels' contribution to the creation and development of the Third Reich
Goebbels was one of the greatest theorists and practitioners of propaganda and he was the one who was in charge of all of Hitler's propaganda, which was their 'sharpest weapon' in gaining power.

Read Nazi Propaganda - Other Methods - Part 2

e. Explain how the Nazis used the activities described on pages 254-259 as a form of propaganda.
The Nazis used meetings and rallies, festivals, sports, social policy, and autobahn? Meetings and rallies would attract bystanders and the movies about them might get non supporters to feel like they should be apart of this movement. They used festivals to make everything the Nazis did seem bigger than what they were, plus if you didn't celebrate they would report you to the Gestapo. The sports activities would help develop the fit bodies soldiers and child-bearers needed and with Hitler organizing the sports made him look good. Social policy was used to transform the people's consciousness and the Nazis used schemes to encapsulate the idea of working together. The autobahns represent the political strength, willpower and achievements of Hitler's Germany.

Read Nazi Propaganda - Culture - Part 3 and Part 4
f. Explain how the Third Reich used painting, sculpture and architecture for propaganda purposes (Pgs. 260-270).

The Third Reich used paintings by replacing art with clear visual images that ordinary Germans could understand and be inspired by. The paintings were pictures of ideas of what everyone wanted to be such as the healthy peasant, the brave warrior, the supreme athlete, the productive women, and Hitler was portrayed as a wise and imperious leader. Sculptures were used to convey the Nazi message of the Aryan race by muscle men outside of Nazi buildings. Architecture represented The Thousand Year Reich that they were building because the material of buildings lasted longer.

Jan. '33: Hitler is Appointed Chancellor

1. Why did Hinderburg's advisers agree to the appointment of Hitler as chancellor in January 1933?
They were convinced by the 1932 elections and they thought that they could tame him by surrounding him with responsible conservative ministers. The advisers also hoped that Hitler's supporters would transform into the foundation of a restructured conservative government.

2. Why is the term "totalitarianism" used to describe Nazi Germany?
Totalitarianism is used to describe Nazi Germany because that's what Hitler set out for, he wanted a totalitarian dictatorship.

3. Why did the Enabling Law allow Hitler to overcome the constitutional restraints of the Weimar system?
`Because the law gave Hitler the legal means to overcome any restraints of the Weimar system.

4. What was the goal of Goebbels' Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda?
The goal of Goebbels' Ministry was to get his students to stand up for the Reich and its new authorities.

5. How did Hitler destroy potential sources of opposition?


6. Which laws served as the first steps in Hitler's plan to eliminate Germany's Jewish community?
The law for the Restoration of the Civil Service, Supplementary Decree on Citizenship

The Troubled Infancy of the Weimar Republic

1. Explain why several segments of German society never accepted the legitimacy of the Weimar system.
They never really accepted the legitimacy of the Weimar system mostly because of the Treaty of Versailles because the Germans were embarrased by the Treaty and thought it was harsh. So after signing the treaty, they identified the Weimar Republic with shame and weakness.


2. How did Hitler use anti-Semitism to further his political aspirations?
Anti-Semitism was at the heart of Hitler's philosophy and he believed that Germans were the "Master race" and that Jews were poisoning the blood and culture of the Germans.


3. How was the French occupation of the Ruhr tied to Germany's hyperinflation?
French occupation of the Ruhr was tied to Germany's hyperinflation because the German workers went on strike so the German government printed more money to support them.


4. Describe "Weimar culture" and explain why many Germans rejected its values.
The Weimar Culture was a movement that was the cutting edge of Western civilization and many Germans rejected its values because they felt like the new freedoms for women were a challenge to their trditional values.

5. How did the conflict between the Catholic Center Party and the SPD contribute to the political crisis of the Weimar Republic?
Their defined positions made political compromise difficult in the Weimar Republic.

6. How did the economic depression that began in 1929 create an opportunity for extremist political parties in Weimar Germany?

Unrest and the Treaty of Versailles

1. Using the information from Chapter 4, what were the threats to the new Weimar Republic? How did the Free Corps assist the government

The threats to the new Weimar Republic were more violence, and the other threat came from the southern province of Bavaria where Kurt Eisner (their leader) was shot and the Communists took control causing a siege. The Free Corps assisted the government by doing their dirty work such as joining the soldiers and killing protesters or anyone else.

2. How did the Germans react to the Treaty of Versailles?
They did not like it at all and thought that the treaty wasn't fair and not what they expected and they felt betrayed. So the government protested and didn't sign the treaty.

3. Who were the "November Criminals"?
The November criminals were the German politicians who signed the armistice in November and they were called this because Germans said that they stabbed Germany in the back by making peace with the Allies.

4. Read chapter 5. Why didn't Field Marshal von Hindenburg and the other general fight instead of having the Weimar government sign the Treaty of Versailles?
He knew that there was no way out but to sign the treaty and that they would probably lose if they had fought the other general.

5. What were the major aspects of the Treaty that caused Germans to object so strongly to it?
The major aspects of the Treaty that caused Germans to object so strongly were land, arms, war guilt and reparations, Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria, and the allies had to occupy all their land west of the River Rhine for 15 years

The German Revolution

1. Using the documents in Chapter 1 as evidence, list the ways in which conditions in Germany worsened during the war.

• war and suffering
• demonstrations increased (which were against the law)
• lack of food
• Germans were sick of war
• men were dying out at war and the women weren't happy about it
• trench warfare meant living in muddy dugouts for weeks
• 
  

2. Give two reasons why the war caused such bad conditions for German civilians.

The war caused such bad conditions because it was starving the German civilians because the British ships were blockading Germany's ports, preventing the food ships, and the war caused nothing but protests from Germans because all they wanted was peace.

3. After reading Chapter 2, give two reasons why Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated on November 10, 1918.

Kaiser Wilhelm was abdicated because he refused to make any changes to their government to stop the war for peace and the army generals refused to support him and he couldn't control his country anymore.

4. Using the information you have read in this chapter, give evidence to support the statement that there was "revolution all over Germany."

The revolution first started off with the sailors and when 600 of them were arrested for starting a mutiny, the other sailors decided to have a meeting to protest against the arrests. The mutiny began to spread to the workers, soldiers, and ports and from the ports, mutiny spread inland into the cities and literally was all over Germany.

5. Study the information about the German Socialists in Chapter 2, page 5. What did the three Socialist groups have in common?

They all had the same aims which was to improve the workers' conditions and give democratic rights to all Germans, such as the right to vote.

6. In what ways were the Socialist groups different.

Their methods were different. The Socialist Democratic Party wanted to support the government and try to make reforms by acts of parliament. The Independent Socialists wanted to oppose the government and force it to make reforms by organizing strikes. And The Spartacists wanted to overthrow the government in a revolution.

7. After reading Chapter 3 make a time chart of the events of the German Revolution from Nov. 10, 1918 to Jan. 15, 1919. You should be able to find six events.

• Nov 1o, 1918: Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated
• Socialists were split into groups, the Spartacists and the Social Democrats
• Both groups clashed and in December the Spartacists held a demonstration and 16 people were killed
• Dec. 23, 1918: a thousand sailors broke into the government headquarters and held Ebert prisoner at gunpoint, demanding more pay (many of his troops joined in)
  
• New Years Eve the Spartacists renamed themselves to the German Communist Party and worked for a communist revolution
• Jan. 6,1919: Spartacists began their revolution
• Jan. 10, 1919: 2,000 Free Corps (ex-soldiers who had recently come home from war) attacked the Spartacists in Berlin
• Jan. 15, 1919: Rosa Luxemburg (leader of the german communist party) and her leader Karl Liebknecht, were arrested and later murdered by the Free Corps. Dumped Rosa in the canal

8. At what time would you say the Communists had their best chance of seizing power? Explain your answer.

The Communists had their best chance of seizing power right when the sailors held Ebert prisoner because there was nothing he could do since there was so many of them and his troops were on the sailor's side as well.

Purges, Terror and Show Trials

1.What is the significance of Kirov's murder? (This is what I went over in class.)
The significance was that as soon as Kirov was murdered, it gave Stalin a reason to start the Purges.

2. According to Stalin, who had Nikolayev been working for when he assassinated Kirov? Why is this significant?
Nikolayev had been working for the NKVD.

3. What is a Trotskyite?
Anyone who was or is a supporter of Trotsky.

4. There are three major "show trials." List them and a brief description of their significance.
The three major show trials were 'Trial of the Sixteen', 'The Trial of the Seventeen', and 'Trial of the Twenty one'. As the years went on the number of defendants were increasing and they were all accused of doing something that had to do with Trotsky. The show trials also started with the people who were against Stalin, so it was his chance to get rid of them.

5. During the Great Terror, there were three stages to the purges, staring with members of the Communist party. What were the next two stages and what type of people were purged?

One stage was the armed forces which Marshal Tuchachevsky, Russia's most famous General, and other Red Army generals were purged. The other stage was the ordinary citizens, and anyone who was overheard talking bad about Stalin, was denounced as a Trotskyite to the NKVD.

Kirov Murder Myster

Examine the two pages of evidence in the Kirov Murder Mystery reading. After reviewing the evidence, make your own judgments by answer the following questions.

1. In what circumstances did the assassin carry out the murder?

He hid in the shadows and waited for Kirov to walk by and when Kirov did he shot him in the back of the head.

2. What strange coincidences surround the murder?

Kirov left his bodyguard downstairs this time, and the usual guards were absent from the corridors.

3. Is there any evidence to link Stalin to the murder?

Kirov was more popular than Stalin and had opposed Stalin
over the Ryutin affair and over the pace of industrialisation.

4. Is there any evidence to suggest that the NKVD was involved in the murder?

key witness was going to be Borisov, Kirov's bodyguard. But on the way to
be questioned at the Smolny Institute, in a truck with several KVDmen,
there was an accident in which he was killed and nobody else was hurt. Leading Leningrad NKVD men were accused of not protecting Kirov

5. Who had the best motive for the murder?

I'm thinking either Stalin or the NKVD

6. What theories can you suggest about who was responsible - was it the assassin alone or were others involved?

I think that someone did help the assassin because it said that someone had practiced shooting a revovler with him before the murder and how the whole murder went down was just too well planned. Also it was like Kirov's bodyguard was killed so no one would figure anything out and when everyone was being questioned, the assassin told Stalin to ask the NKVD.

Gulags and the Purges

Read pages 14 - 17 in "Stalin & the Soviet Union - III,"

The Gulag System

1. What type of construction projects were built using the Gulag system?

The White Sea-Baltic Canal, Dnieper Hydroelectric Station, Moscow Metro system, and the Magnitogorsk

2. What were the conditions of the work camps?

• Very bad
• zeks were made to work hard by a system of rationing food
• Kolyma Camps: dark, temp can drop to about 60 degrees C, soil never thaws (even in summer)

3. Why do you think slave labor was used in the projects rather than paid laborers?

Slave laborers were cheaper and the secret police had control over them. Plus they knew that the prisoners didn't want to be there and wanted to be free, so telling them that they'll be free once the canal was finished made the slave laborers work faster.

Purges, Show Trails and Terror

4. What were the issues surrounding Kirov's murder? Why do you think he had been murdered?

The murderer, Nikolayev, was found a few days before with a revolver and a plan of Kirov's movements in his pockets, but the secret police let him go. Also, Kirov's bodyguard, Borisov, was nowhere to be found the day it happened and he always follows Kirov everywhere. But Borisov had died in a car crash the next day. I think that Stalin saw Kirov as a threat because Kirov was just like him, maybe even better.

5. What was the Great Purge? What specific group did it target?

When the members accused each other for being Trotskyites or Zinovievites therefore denunciating them from the party.

6. What was the purpose of the Show Trials?
To basically get rid of those who supported and worked with Trotsky

7. What was the Great Terror?

The great terror is when the great purge started to involve the people outside of the party and spread to the armed forces. Russia's most famous general and other red army generals were arrested and shot. And is you criticised Stalin, you were likely to be denounced to the NKVD as a Trotskyite