Nazi racial beliefs

• Reason Germans turned to Nazis


  Nazis promised to make the German economy strong again
• Nazi economic policies


  • Reducing unemployment
  • Improving life for German citizens
• How Hitler reduced unemployment


  1. Creating new jobs for men

  2. Men employed on public construction projects

  3. National Labour Service (RAD) made it compulsory for men aged 18-25 to work on public schemes for 6 months
• National Labour Service (RAD)


  Men disliked RAD because they felt exploited (treated unfairly for others' benefit), wages were very low and they worked long hours
• Other Nazi employment schemes


  1. All workers had to join the German Labour Front

  2. Strength Through Joy (KdF) scheme gave workers rewards if they worked hard

  3. Beauty of Labour (SdA) scheme planned to improve working conditions but nothing was often done about it
• Hitler boasted that unemployment fell from 5 million in 1933 to 0.3 million in 1939
• Hitler did not include the Jews and women forced out of their jobs, or the men conscripted (drawn) into the National Labour Service in this statistic
• There was a lot of 'invisible unemployment'
• Hjalmar Schact


  First Nazi minister of the economy between 1934 and 1937, did not think it was possible for Germany to build up its military strength as quickly as Hitler wanted
• The 'Four Year Plan'


  1. Created by Hermann Goering in 1936 to prepare Germany for war

  2. Aims were rearmament (building up supply of military weapons) and self-sufficiency (needing no support)
• Rearmament


  • Building up supply of military weapons was a key aim for Hitler to overturn the Treaty of Versailles and make Germany strong again
  • Rearmament helped big manufacturing businesses
  • Rearmament was responsible for most of Germany's economic growth from 1933 to 1939
• Self-sufficiency (autarky)


  • Less successful than rearmament
  • Goering wanted Germany to create everything in their own economy, not relying on any imports
  • Nazis tried to control the number of imported goods but the number of imports increased over the period as people became wealthier
• Path to self-sufficiency


  1. Farmers given subsidies and labour from the RAD to increase food production

  2. Scientists created 'ersatz' substitutes to increase raw materials but they were not very successful
• Main focuses of Nazi economic policy


  • Self-sufficiency (autarky)
  • Rearmament
  • Employment
• Benefits of Nazi economic policy


  • Large business owners and farmers benefitted the most
  • Large businesses benefitted from investment and new opportunities in rearmament
  • Large businesses could exploit workers because the Nazis had got rid of trade unions
  • Unemployment reduced from 5 million in 1933 to 0.3 million in 1939
  • Average weekly wage rose by around 25% between 1932 and 1939
  • Work creation schemes improved transport, services and homes
  • Some farmers received a higher income from increasing food prices and subsidies
• Drawbacks of Nazi economic policy


  • Workers probably didn't see much difference in day to day life
  • Cost of food increased, so workers did not feel the increase in wages
  • Working hours increased from 1936 onwards
  • If a worker complained about working conditions, they would be 'blacklisted'
  • The four-year plan led to food shortages