Himmler and the police state Gestapo and informers, the camps.

Opposition 1933-39

Connector

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmiQY vympV8 • What is happening in the video

Outcomes

• To know the different roles of the security forces • To interpret sources • To see how the Nazi state has been viewed as popular/efficient

Heinrich Himmler

• Born in 1900, as a young man was sent by his father (the headmaster at his school) to spy on other pupils, his father called him “a born criminal” • He joined the SS in 1925 and rose through its ranks (it had 52 000 members) and as the SS became separated from the SA • He also created the SD in 1931, and controlled the Gestapo • By 1936 he was made Chief of German Police • By 1939 all law enforcement was drawn under his control under the RSHA (Reich Security Office) and his deputy Heydrich

Organisation SD Kripo (police) Gestapo SS Waffen SS Orpo Sipo Role Gathered intelligence Normal police- arrests and asocials Linked to Kripo, reputation for surveillance, repression, brutality, arrest and detain without trial Started as Hitler’s personal bodyguard, policed camps, disciplined the opposition Armed SS members racially pure, fantatically loyal, committed to Nazi ideology , grew after 1938 Regular police Party security

Diagram from book

• Look at your source sheet – 11K, 11L, 11.18, 11M

Power of SS Expanded as Germany did “state within a state ” Security Protect Hitler Root out enemies Camps SD reports Military Waffen SS Surpressing uprisings Economy V-weapons production Slave labour armaments Ideology and Race Started holocaust Run elite schools Racial genetics Create master race

Gestapo

• Traditionally seen as an all knowing totalitarian police state organisation • Actaully this was a myth propagated by the Nazis and by Allied propaganda • See source 11.18

• But – It only had 40 000 agents – Some large cities (500 000 people) had only 40-50 agents – Much work was generated by informants, usually gossip, which made for a lot paperwork but little return

Polycratic (dualism)-

• There were many competing bodies, overlapping civil servants and Nazi organisations • When a problem arose Hitler simply created a new organisation • Would this make the state efficient or choatic?

Need to add opposition and camps

Where did power lie?

• An example of a question would be: – “The government of the Nazi state was chaotic and lacked coherence in the years 1933 to 1939” – How far do you agree with the view that the Nazi regime was strong and successful in the period 1935 39? – “Systematic extermination emerged as the Final Solution to the Jewish Question as a result of the chaotic nature of the Nazi state” – “The handling of the economy was poorly co ordinated and this accounts for the weaknesses in German war production in the years 1939 45”

Feudalist

• Has been used to describe the dominance of the Nazi leaders at the top of the party • These leaders, like Barons, owed their allegiance to the King (Hitler/Fuhrer) • Can you think of any examples?

• Why would this support Hitler’s leadership?

Chaotic

• As there were many overlapping bodies it became unclear where responsibility lay • The confusion was only allieved when Hitler intervened which he rarely did • This stemmed from Hitler’s charismatic leadership- everyone relying on the leader with no clear power structure • Therefore access to Hitler was the key to success with many leading Nazi’s visitng Hitler too keep influence with him

Aspect Hitler’s Vision Hitler’s power Choatic nature of Third Reich The Holocaust

Activity

Intentionalist WW2 Nature of Nazism Structuralist

Source question in book

• “The government of the Nazi state was chaotic and lacked coherence in the years 1933 to 1939”How far do you agree with this opinion? • Explain your answer using the evidence of sources V W and X and your knowledge of the issues relating to the controversy.

Review

• How powerful was the SS and the Gestapo?