HI136 The History of HI136 The History of GermanyGermany

Lecture 13Lecture 13Manufacturing Consent:Manufacturing Consent:

Propaganda and Propaganda and ResistanceResistance

Economic RevivalEconomic Revival Respected financier Hjalmar Respected financier Hjalmar

Schacht appointed President of Schacht appointed President of the Reichsbank (1933-39) & the Reichsbank (1933-39) & Minister of Economics (1934-37) – Minister of Economics (1934-37) – demonstrates the Nazis need to demonstrates the Nazis need to keep big business on side.keep big business on side.

Schacht given virtual dictatorial Schacht given virtual dictatorial powers over the economy.powers over the economy.

Public works to get people back Public works to get people back into employment.into employment.

Sept. 1934: ‘New Plan’ introduces Sept. 1934: ‘New Plan’ introduces state control of trade & currency state control of trade & currency exchange. Bilateral trade exchange. Bilateral trade agreements with South America agreements with South America and the Balkans.and the Balkans.

By 1935 Germany had a trade By 1935 Germany had a trade surplus, unemployment was down surplus, unemployment was down to 1.7 million and industrial output to 1.7 million and industrial output had risen by 49.5%had risen by 49.5%Hjalmar Schacht (1877-

1970)

Public WorksPublic WorksReichsautobahnen

Year km total 1935 108 108 1936 979 1087 1937 923 2010 1938 1036 3046 1939 255 3301 1940 436 3737 1941 90 3827 1942 34 3861 1943 35 3896

Total: 3896 

Source: John Hite & Chris Hinton, Weimar and Nazi Germany (2000)

Education and YouthEducation and Youth ‘‘Co-ordination’ of education Co-ordination’ of education

systemsystem ‘‘Politically unreliable’ teachers Politically unreliable’ teachers

sacked.sacked. Curriculum brought into line with Curriculum brought into line with

Nazi ideology.Nazi ideology. Youth Organizations:Youth Organizations:

Deutsches JungvolkDeutsches Jungvolk (German (German Young People, DJ) – Boys aged Young People, DJ) – Boys aged 10-14.10-14.

Hitler JugendHitler Jugend (Hitler Youth) – (Hitler Youth) – Boys aged 14-18.Boys aged 14-18.

JungmJungmädelbundädelbund (League of Young (League of Young Girls) – Girls aged 10-14.Girls) – Girls aged 10-14.

Bund Deutscher MädelBund Deutscher Mädel (League of (League of German Girls, BDM) – Girls aged German Girls, BDM) – Girls aged 14-18.14-18.

Work and LeisureWork and Leisure Deutsche ArbeitsfrontDeutsche Arbeitsfront

(DAF, German Labour (DAF, German Labour Front).Front).

Kraft durch FreudeKraft durch Freude (KdF, (KdF, Strength through Joy). Strength through Joy).

National Sozialistische National Sozialistische FrauenschaftFrauenschaft (NSF, (NSF, National Socialist National Socialist Womanhood). Womanhood).

Deutsches FrauenwerkDeutsches Frauenwerk (German Women’s (German Women’s Enterprise, DFW).Enterprise, DFW).

““I view the first task of the I view the first task of the new ministry [of new ministry [of Propaganda] as being to Propaganda] as being to establish co-ordination establish co-ordination between the Government between the Government and the whole people . . . It and the whole people . . . It is not enough for people to is not enough for people to be more or less reconciled to be more or less reconciled to our regime, to be persuaded our regime, to be persuaded to adopt a neutral attitude to adopt a neutral attitude towards us, rather we want towards us, rather we want to work on people until they to work on people until they have capitulated to us, until have capitulated to us, until they grasp ideologically that they grasp ideologically that what is happening in what is happening in Germany today is not an end Germany today is not an end in itself, but a means to an in itself, but a means to an end.”end.”

Josef Goebbels, 15 March 1933Josef Goebbels, 15 March 1933

ThemesThemes

Anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism Anti-BolshevismAnti-Bolshevism Awakening of the German peopleAwakening of the German people Superiority of the Aryan raceSuperiority of the Aryan race Mastery of Central Europe (Mastery of Central Europe (LebensraumLebensraum)) VolksgemeinschaftVolksgemeinschaft (People‘s community) (People‘s community) Hitler mythHitler myth

BroadcastingBroadcasting 1933: Reich Radio Company 1933: Reich Radio Company

established – a single state established – a single state broadcaster controlled by the broadcaster controlled by the government.government.

1932: Only 25% of German 1932: Only 25% of German households owned a radio.households owned a radio.

VolksempfängerVolksempfänger (People’s (People’s Receiver)Receiver)

By 1939 70% of German By 1939 70% of German families have access to a families have access to a radio, and announcements radio, and announcements broadcast by loudspeakers in broadcast by loudspeakers in public places.public places.

‘‘Radio Wardens’ make sure Radio Wardens’ make sure that people tune in to Nazi that people tune in to Nazi propaganda.propaganda.

The PressThe Press Control of the press harder to Control of the press harder to

achieve.achieve. Germany had nearly 5,000 Germany had nearly 5,000

different daily newspapers in different daily newspapers in 1933.1933.

Eher VerlagEher Verlag (Nazi publisher) (Nazi publisher) bought up papers – it owned bought up papers – it owned 2/3 of the German press by 2/3 of the German press by 1939.1939.

The Government controlled The Government controlled news stories at source through news stories at source through the state news agency, DNB.the state news agency, DNB.

‘‘Editor’s Law’ (Oct. 1933) Editor’s Law’ (Oct. 1933) made editors personally made editors personally responsible for content.responsible for content.

The lounge at the German press club in

Berlin, with a picture of Hitler on the Wall.

The Nazi CalendarThe Nazi Calendar

3030thth January – The Seizure of Power January – The Seizure of Power 2424thth February – The refounding of the Party (1925) February – The refounding of the Party (1925) First Sunday in March – Heroes Remembrance DayFirst Sunday in March – Heroes Remembrance Day 2020thth April – Hitler’s Birthday April – Hitler’s Birthday 11stst May – National Day of Labour May – National Day of Labour Second Sunday in May – Mothering SundaySecond Sunday in May – Mothering Sunday September – Annual Nuremberg Party RallySeptember – Annual Nuremberg Party Rally 99thth November – Munich Putsch (1923) November – Munich Putsch (1923)

Reich Ministry Propaganda andEnlightenment

Reichskulturkammer(Reich Camber of Culture)

Theatre Film Press Fine Arts Music Literature

Above: Working Maidens by LeopoldSchmultzer (1940)

Left: Sculpture by Josef Thorak (1937)

Nazi CinemaNazi Cinema

Opposition in the Third Reich Opposition in the Third Reich (Sample)(Sample)

Organising a coupOrganising a coup Attempting to assassinate Hitler and other leadersAttempting to assassinate Hitler and other leaders Going on strikeGoing on strike Helping victims of NazismHelping victims of Nazism Spying for foreign governmentsSpying for foreign governments Deserting from the armed forces Deserting from the armed forces Committing suicideCommitting suicide EmigratingEmigrating Distributing anti-Nazi leafletsDistributing anti-Nazi leaflets Underachieving in the workplaceUnderachieving in the workplace Publicly criticising the regime, telling anti-Hitler jokesPublicly criticising the regime, telling anti-Hitler jokes Listening to American jazz and the BBCListening to American jazz and the BBC Not giving the Hitler greetingNot giving the Hitler greeting Refusing to join Nazi organisationsRefusing to join Nazi organisations Reading banned Nazi literatureReading banned Nazi literature

George Elser (1903-1945) Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)

Sophie Scholl (1921-1943) Hans Scholl (1918-1943)

Plots against Hitler, Plots against Hitler, 1938-451938-45

May-September 1938: Army plot to depose Hitler.May-September 1938: Army plot to depose Hitler. November 1939: George Esler attempts to assassinate November 1939: George Esler attempts to assassinate

Hitler during the annual commemoration of the 1923 Hitler during the annual commemoration of the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch.Beer Hall Putsch.

13 March 1943: Attempt to blow up Hitler’s plane.13 March 1943: Attempt to blow up Hitler’s plane. March 1943-March 1944: Various military plots to March 1943-March 1944: Various military plots to

assassinate Hitler orchestrated by Colonel Henning von assassinate Hitler orchestrated by Colonel Henning von Tresckow and General Friedrich Olbricht.Tresckow and General Friedrich Olbricht.

20 July 1944: Plot to kill Hitler with a bomb planted in his 20 July 1944: Plot to kill Hitler with a bomb planted in his military headquarters in East Prussia. military headquarters in East Prussia.

Colonel Claus Schenck von Stauffenberg (1907-1944),

in real life (left) and as played by Tom Cruise (right)

The Historiography of The Historiography of Resistance Resistance Ongoing debate on the nature, extent and effectiveness of the resistance.Ongoing debate on the nature, extent and effectiveness of the resistance.

Used to legitimize post-war statesUsed to legitimize post-war states East German historians presented Communist resistance as the only anti-Fascist East German historians presented Communist resistance as the only anti-Fascist

force in Germany.force in Germany. West German historiography concerned with accusations of ‘collective guilt’ & West German historiography concerned with accusations of ‘collective guilt’ &

presented resistance as based on high moral and ethical values, the individual presented resistance as based on high moral and ethical values, the individual standing up against tyranny.standing up against tyranny.

1960s: Hans Mommsen – argued that national-conservative resistance 1960s: Hans Mommsen – argued that national-conservative resistance rooted in the anti-democratic right of the 1920s.rooted in the anti-democratic right of the 1920s.

1970s: Peter H1970s: Peter Hüttenberger & Martin Broszat – resistance in everyday life.üttenberger & Martin Broszat – resistance in everyday life. Broszat – Broszat – ResistenzResistenz (immunity): people retain their moral & ethical values (immunity): people retain their moral & ethical values

without actively challenging the regime.without actively challenging the regime. Mommsen – Mommsen – WiderstandpraxisWiderstandpraxis (Resistance Practice): resistance was a (Resistance Practice): resistance was a

process encompassing different forms of dissent as individuals came to process encompassing different forms of dissent as individuals came to reject the regime in its entirety. reject the regime in its entirety.

Ian Kershaw – Two approaches to the study of resistance: Ian Kershaw – Two approaches to the study of resistance: FundamentalistFundamentalist (dealing with those committed to the overthrow of the regime) and (dealing with those committed to the overthrow of the regime) and SocietalSocietal (dealing with dissent in everyday life).(dealing with dissent in everyday life).