EXAM QUESTION: Explain how the Nazis took control of local towns (6 mark)
The city of Northeim was taken over by the Nazis after 1933. Here is how the Nazis completed their takeover after winning the election:
Terror
Although Hitler's ideal was to win the 'hearts and minds' of the German people, he also knew that his enemies needed to be scared to keep them under control.
Tactics used include:
· Searching every persons house for anti-Nazi material
· Destroying oppositions property
· Sending opposition to concentration camps
· Arresting others for minor offences such as 'spreading false rumours' about the Nazis
· Using the Gestapo (Secret Police) and informants throughout the town. There was thought to be give Gestapo informers in Northeim but nobody knew who they were.
Co-ordination
Before the Nazis came to power, there was around fifty separate clubs and organisations for people to join. This was seen as a threat to Hitler as gatherings may lead to anti-Nazi grumblings.
Hitler justified the takeover or closure of all groups through arguing that as the Nazis were in charge of the Reichstag, they should also be in charge of all groups within the country. They called this co-ordination or Gleichschaltung. The aim was whenever even a small group of people got together, it would be under the watchful gaze of the Nazis.
Examples of co-ordination:
· Sports clubs:
o Local gyms
o two football clubs
o swimming club
· Choirs and signing groups
· Town bands
· Trade unions
· The Red Cross
· the Museum Society
· the town library (A quarter of the books were burned because the Nazis didn't approve of them)
Co-ordination destroyed the social life of Northeim. By Autumn 1933, there was hardly anywhere that ordinary Northeimers could go and enjoy themselves with friends that was not Nazi run. This meant that honest discussion about the Nazis was near impossible.
Persecution
Northeim had around 100 Jews. On 1 April the Nazis announced a boycott of all Jewish businesses. SA men were posted outside the doors. The Nazis ran newspaper advertisements telling people to boycott these stores, an included a list of all Jewish businesses for people to carry around with them to make sure they did not use them by accident.
Some Northeimers used Jewish shops as a way of protesting against the Nazis but they were a minority. Most Northeimers isolated the Jews as it meant their businesses would do better.
Many Jews were forced out of jobs which freed up jobs for other Northeimers.
Tacking Unemployment
Many Northeimers had voted for the Nazis because of the Depression (The Wall Street Crash). The Nazis promised to address unemployment and so action was needed.
In June 1933 there were more than 500 registered unemployed. In July, the Nazis used money from central government to put the unemployed people to work. Within one month 450 people were employed by the local Nazi council to repair roads, decorate buildings and generally improve the town of Northeim.
On July 24th the Nazis announced at a press conference that they had eliminated unemployment in Northeim.
However:
· Most of the money used had already been approved by the last government, not the Nazis
· Socialists or Communists could not register but were not included in the unemployment figures. Their jobs were given to Nazis
· All unemployed had no choice in the matter. Regardless of their previous profession they would be forced to do manual labour as they would not receive any unemployment benefit
Propaganda
After getting into power, the Nazis continued with their relentless propaganda campaigns. They began in March 1933 with a massive parade featuring the burning of the Weimar flag and hositing the Nazi banner all over Northeim.
A torchlight parade of 3,000 Northeimers ended in a public park with speeches from leading local Nazis.
"The individual is nothing! The volk (Community) is everything!
Once we are united together, we shall defeat the enemies.
Then Germany really be on top!"
Examples of Propaganda:
· Adolf Hitler's birthday became a celebration day.
· May 26th was book burning day. Northeimers purged their own books of anything that did not deliver a positive German Nazi message.
· Theatre presentations, concerts, films.
· Military marches throughout the town.
· The Nazis controlled the newspapers.
· Most businesses were encouraged to hand out copies of Hitler's speeches and to hang swastikas from their store fronts.