The development of anti-Semitic policies

• What was the March 1938 Anschluss with Austria? 

  A union between Germany and Austria into a greater Germany, despite it being prohibited by the TOV. 
• When did the regime begin to adopt more anti-Semitic policies and why? 

  In 1938, as the Anschluss meant Nazis in Austria were able to act against Jews without constraint. Austrians were more anti-Semitic than Germans.  
• What is ‘Aryanisation’? 

  Nazi policy of removing all Jews and other non-Aryans from key aspects of Germany’s cultural and economic life. 
• What was the Reichkristallnacht? 

  The Night of the Broken Glass, which took place from 9-10 November 1938. Jewish homes and businesses were looted and vandalised, synagogues set ablaze as well as Jews being arrested, beaten up and killed. 
• What is a pogrom? 

  An organised massacre of an ethnic group. 
• Who orchestrated Reichkristallnacht, despite the contrasting view that it was a result of anti-Semitic public opinion? 

  Nazi leadership, with the majority of those involved in the violence being SA and SS men without uniforms. 
• How many Jews suffered from the violence? 

  91 Jews were killed and thousands injured. The SS were also ordered to place 20,000-30,000 Jews in ‘preventative detention.’ 
• Did ordinary Germans approve of the attack? 

  No, and most people knew the attack had been organised by the state. Hence, the newspapers stopped reporting the incident on the second day as it had not achieved public approval.  
• How many Jews left Germany under ‘voluntary emigration’? 

  150,000 Jews overall between 1933 and 1938. 
• Name two reasons many Jews remained in Germany. 

  • Many German Jews felt thoroughly German, and wanted to stay. 
  • It was difficult/ impossible to find countries willing to accept large numbers of Jews. 
  • Jews were being stripped of the wealth needed to emigrate easily due to Nazi policies against Jewish business etc. 
• Name two advantages the war against Poland provided the regime with.  

  • A national emergency that enabled them to act with more dictatorial power and in greater secrecy 
  • A more rigorous propaganda machine to whip up patriotism and hatred of Germany’s enemies 
  • New lands for the Reich bringing wealth and living space 
  • A way to increase anti-Semitic policy under the cover of war 
• What was the so called ‘General Government’? 

  Area of Poland used as a dumping ground for Jews deported from the Reich. Most death camps were located in the General Government. 
• How many people did the Nazis intend to send to Madagascar? 

  4 million. 
• For what reason did the Madagascar plan not go through? 

  Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 made the invasion unfeasible. It would also involve crossing through British waters and would prove to be costly. There were also more than 4 million Jews under Nazi rule after the invasion of Poland.