Control: terror and the police state

• What is the focus of this rapid revision session?

  How the Nazis maintained control
• What method did the Nazis use to maintain control through fear?

  Terror
• Who was in charge of terror as a method of control?

  Heinrich Himmler
• What was the role of propaganda in Nazi control?

  To convince people to support Nazi ideas
• What does SS stand for in Nazi Germany?

  Schutzstaffel
• What was the original purpose of the SS?

  Hitler's personal bodyguard
• How did the SS expand its role by 1936?

  Controlled all police and security forces
• What was the SD in Nazi Germany?

  Security Service
• Who led the SD?

  Reinhard Heydrich
• What was the role of the Gestapo?

  Secret State Police
• What was the main tactic used by the Gestapo?

  Relying on informants
• How did the Gestapo instill fear in the population?

  Through mysterious methods and informants
• What was the estimated number of Gestapo arrests in 1939?

  Over 160,000
• What was the purpose of concentration camps initially?

  To detain political opponents
• What types of people were targeted for incarceration in concentration camps?

  Political opponents, minorities, and undesirables
• How did the Nazis control the judiciary?

  By ensuring judges obeyed Nazi orders
• What was banned in Nazi courts?

  Trial by jury
• Who was Roland Freisler?

  A judge known for harsh sentences
• What was the effect of the concordat with the Catholic Church?

  Promised religious freedom in exchange for political non-interference
• What was the reaction of Pope Pius XI to the Nazis in 1937?

  He criticized them publicly
• What was the Reich Church?

  A Protestant church aligned with Nazi ideas
• Who was Martin Niemöller?

  A pastor who opposed Nazi ideas
• What was the role of ordinary citizens in the Gestapo's operations?

  Provided information on political crimes
• What were the main methods of Nazi control through terror?

  • Use of the SS for enforcement
  • Operation of the Gestapo for surveillance
  • Establishment of concentration camps for intimidation
  • Manipulation of the judiciary to suppress dissent
• How did the Nazis attempt to control religious faith?

  • Concordat with the Catholic Church
  • Support for the Reich Church
  • Suppression of dissenting religious views
  • Use of intimidation against clergy
• What was the impact of fear on Nazi control?

  • Discouraged opposition
  • Encouraged informants among citizens
  • Created an atmosphere of distrust
  • Enabled the Nazis to maintain power
• What were the consequences of the Gestapo's tactics?

  • Widespread fear among the population
  • Increased cooperation from citizens
  • Arbitrary arrests and disappearances
  • Torture and trauma for detainees
• What was the role of propaganda in Nazi control?

  • Convincing citizens to support Nazi ideology
  • Justifying the actions of the regime
  • Creating a false image of strength and unity
  • Suppressing dissenting opinions
• How did the Nazis manipulate the legal system?

  • Coercing judges to follow Nazi orders
  • Banning jury trials
  • Conducting secret trials for dissenters
  • Using the law to legitimize their actions
• What was the significance of concentration camps in Nazi Germany?

  • Initially for detaining political opponents
  • Later became sites of systematic murder
  • Used to instill fear in the population
  • Targeted various groups deemed undesirable