Nazi Policy

• opposition of the church

  • was a serious threat because their existence undermined the concept of a totalitarian regime
  • Hitler privately vowed to eliminate the churches
  • A concordat was signed between the catholic church
  • The breakaway movement of the confessional church was formed in 1934
• The German Faith movement 


  only 5% of Germans joined
• Confessional church 1934


  100 pastors joined

  undermined the reich church which sought to unify the church with the state
• overall, the churches concentrated on protecting their own position in society, as an institution they did not threaten the nature or values of the regime. However, they remained a serious obstacle to a totalitarian state.

  Individual clergymen were prosecuted just like the other opposers, EG
• Opposition from German Youth

  • overall, not a serious threat, a generation had been indoctrinated and it was a terror state
  • leaders of the white rose group were executed
  • Edelweiss pirates were the strongest example of opposition
• Edelweiss Pirates

  • strongest example of opposition from youth
  • declared ''eternal war on Hitler youth
  • Links with KPD
  • Aided prisoners of war
  • attacked military targerts and assasinated gestapo officers
  • However this was not enough, they were attempting the impossible - to overthrow the regime
• churches judgement 


  Churches were the greater threat given that they held a large societal and historical prestige, christanity was deeply rooted in German society and played a significant role in the lives of germans in the 1930s. Youth had none of this prestige, and there was no leniance towards them because of their age, demonstrates by the beheading of Hans and Sophie Scholl
• Sophie and Hans Scholl were beaheaded in 1943 subsequent to handing out leaflets which urged germans to speak out against the attrocities on the eastern front and Jewish policy
• One of the most important reasons for increasing Nazis support from 1929 was the economic situation, particularly the high level of unemployment.
• How many were unemployed when Hitler came to power

  6 million
• The depression and silencing of the trade unions meant there were no more demands for higher wages
• what year did reparation payments end

  1932
• Hitler had promised in 1933 to solve the unemployment problem within four years
• How many RM were invested into public works and the creation of jobs

  1 Billion
• The car industry was encouraged by tax concessions which resulted in a 40% increase in production
• The introduction of conscription in 1935 helped reduce unemployment in young people
• Voluntary Labour Service


  removed young people from the labour market, and by 1935, employed 500,000 men
• Law for the Reduction of Unemployment


  Took women out of the workforce with financial incentives
• By 1938 there was virtually full employment
• limitations to 1938 full employment

  • Employment rates were at a standstill between 1934 - 1936, until the introduction of conscription
  • Due to the erasure of the trade unions, pay and conditions were poor. The statistics suggest the problem was solved, but they do not consider the human effects
• Who was appointed minister of economics in 1934

  Hjalmar Schacht
• The aims of Schacht's New Plan

  Government control of economy, stimulate economic growth
• The New Plan encouraged heavy state spending following a policy of deficit financing. This resulted in Government spending rising by 70% in the period from 1933-1936
• Deficit financing 


  The policy where the government spends more than it's income in order to stimulate the economy
• Schacht's new plan lead to a trade deficit as Germany was importing more raw materials and failing to increase it's exports, which resulted in a shortage of money.
• Schacht's new plan gave the government control over;

  • trade
  • Tariffs
  • Capital and currency exchange
• Under the New plan, a series of bi-lateral trade treaties were signed with South-East Europe and South America, through which German purchases were paid for in Reichmarks, which the countries then had to use to by German goods. There was a emphasis on Heavy industry
• Schacht's new plan


  The rapid increase in spending created the prospect of inflation, but this was avoided through the introduction of Mefo Bills
• Mefo Bills


  These were credit notes to pay manufacturers of military equipment. These were used to raise funds by offering them at a 4% interest rate on the money market. Banks were forced to invest in them.
• Despite the raising of funds for rearmament, the demand this created for imports meant that the balance for payments problem was worsening in 1936. Schacht argued that arm expenditure should should be reduced and the production of consumer goods increased in order there was more to sell, leading to the guns or butter debate
• Hitler rejected Schacht's argument and replaced him with Goring
• 'Guns or Butter' Debate


  highlights the trade-off between military spending and civilian goods , emphasizing Nazi Germany's prioritization of rearmament over consumer welfare.
• deficit financing 


  a policy where the government spends more than its income to stimulate the economy
• what were the aims of Goering's four year plan?

  • increase armaments production
  • Achieve autarky
• Autarky


  The aim of self sufficiency in raw materials and food
• what ares of production did Goering's four year plan set out to increase

  • agricultral
  • industrial
• Goering's four year plan made it clear that Hitler was moving towards creating a Total War economy
• what areas of key war industries did Goering's four year plan attempt to increase

  • synthetic rubber
  • fuel
  • Oil
  • Iron ore
• Action taking in G's 4 year plan

  • Large plants were built
  • In 1938, after the anschluss with Austria, Austrian companies were taken over
  • This was followed by a takeover of the skoda works in the Sudetenland after annexation
  • As a result industrial production increased
• G's four year plan outcome

  although aluminium production rose, targets for oil and rubber were not met, so the demands of the armed services were not met. It meant that by 1939 Germany still relied on foreign supplies for 1/3 of it's raw materials